Raise on Your Terms

Not all investment is equal. Know what you're getting into, and what you're giving up.

The problem with raising investment

Investment doesn’t just bring money, it brings expectations

Once you take investment, the business changes. Timelines tighten. Priorities shift. Decisions that were once yours alone become shared, debated, and sometimes overridden.

The real costs are rarely obvious at the start

Valuation is the headline number, but it’s not the whole story. Control, dilution, board dynamics, personal pressure, and exit constraints often only become clear much later, when changing course is difficult.

Most advice comes with an agenda

Fundraising advice usually comes from people who benefit when a deal happens. Very few are incentivised to help you slow down, challenge the timing, or decide not to raise at all.

What raising well actually gives you

Clarity before commitment

Before you speak to investors, you need to be clear on what you’re actually trying to achieve.

A business investors can back, without you carrying it

Raising goes better when the business stands on its own two feet.

Optionality, not obligation

The real win isn’t closing a round. It’s having genuine choices.

How we help you raise well

We’ve seen too many founders raise before they were ready. That’s why everything starts with a business diagnostic, to understand the business as it is, and the founder as they are, before any commitments are made.

We start with clarity, not capital

Before we talk about investors, we get clear on what you want, what you don’t, and what you’re prepared to trade. That includes the bits most people avoid: control, pressure, time, and life after the deal.

We make the business ready, not just fundable

We work on the fundamentals that investors look for but founders often postpone. Clear positioning. Credible numbers. Reduced dependency on you personally. A story that stands up under scrutiny.

We stay on your side

We’re not brokers. We’re not paid on commission. And we don’t push you towards a deal for the sake of it. Our role is to help you think clearly, challenge assumptions, and make decisions you won’t regret later.

"The Grafter’s action-oriented approach was exactly what we needed to drive our ambitious project forward. Their unique understanding of the complexities of the healthcare system, advanced technology and building businesses allowed them to navigate challenges that others might have found insurmountable. Thanks to their guidance, we’re now on the path to revolutionising cancer diagnostics."

Anita Grigoriadis CEO & Professor of Molecular and Digital Pathology, PharosAI

Explore your options

We’ll help you sense-check your thinking and explore what comes next.