Pre-Seed, Seed & Series A Fundraising

I'm a Fundraising
Specialist.

Expert 1-on-1 coaching for founders raising Pre-seed through Series A — built on coaching over 100 founders and 50+ closed rounds, a YC pedigree, and the inside track on what investors actually want.

Work With Me → See How It Works

Lifted.vc by the numbers

$80M+

Raised by coached founders

100+

Founders coached

Pre-seed

Specialist

Seed

Specialist

Series A

Specialist

"Adam didn't just give me coaching — he gave me a process. One that replaced guesswork with clarity, confidence, and precision." — Leni, Pre-Seed Founder & Sprint Alum

How It Works

The three steps to funding.

Good fundraising is built on best practices and knowing the industry's hidden rules. I make sure you walk in the room a seasoned pro — whether you're going for your first check or your Series A.

Step 01

Get Organized

Together, we build your dream investor target list, sharpen your narrative, and get your fundraising collateral and data room investor-ready — so when you're in front of the right people, everything lands, and your story feels inevitable.

Step 02

Be Pitch-Perfect

The goal is to demonstrate that you're venture-backable. We drill your pitch, sharpen investor communications, and build your warm intro pipeline through connector calls. You'll walk into meetings with confidence and credibility.

Step 03

Build Authentic FOMO

Real investor demand is engineered, not accidental. I work on timeline compression, parallel process management, coordinating conversations so multiple investors are in diligence at once, using soft commitments to pull others in, and knowing exactly when to communicate momentum.

Founder Services

1-on-1 coaching,
built around your raise.

I work with a small number of founders at a time — pre-seed through Series A — so I can go deep on what matters for your specific round, sector, and investors.

Adam Roberts

Your coach · Lifted.vc

🎯1-on-1 Fundraising Coaching

Your dedicated co-pilot for the entire raise — from narrative and deck through close. I work with a small number of founders at a time so I can go deep on what matters: your specific investors, your specific story, your specific round.

→Investor targeting & tiered pipeline build
→Connector call playbook & warm intro strategy
→Collateral guidance + narrative sharpening
→Live pitch practice with real feedback
→FOMO & parallel process management
→Deal dynamics & term sheet coaching

Get in Touch to Learn More →

Free Resource

The Fundraising Playbook

The operating system for running a tight, rapid, and intentional fundraising process — built from hard-won experience across 100+ founder coaching engagements.

Covers how fundraising actually works, your North Star KPI, pitch deck teardown, the investor psychology framework, building authentic FOMO, and a full master checklist. Free, no signup required.

Read the Playbook →

What's inside

📡

How Fundraising Actually Works

The 7 myths debunked · SAFEs explained · valuation benchmarking

🧮

Your North Star Calculator

Work backwards from your target raise to your weekly KPI

📋

Pitch Deck · 12 Slides Broken Down

What goes on each slide and what kills deals

⚡

Authentic FOMO · Connector Hierarchy

Parallel process, investor fit scoring, CRM pipeline

✅

Master Checklist

28-item interactive checklist with chapter progress tracking

About Me

I've been exactly
where you are.

I've founded and sold a YC company, raised from top-tier funds, and spent years on the investor side. I coach from lived experience — not theory.

Adam Roberts

Fundraising Coach · Lifted.vc

Before tech, I spent five years on the USA Sailing Team, racing the 470 class internationally. That's where I learned to prepare obsessively and perform under pressure — habits that translated surprisingly well to fundraising.

My first tech role was as the first sales hire at inDinero, helping them hit $1M ARR (now valued at $1B+). I then founded Paid Labs, went through Y Combinator S2014, and raised from Pear Ventures and Founder Collective before the company was acquired. After the sale, I joined Zinc Technologies (YC) as head of sales, then became an EIR at Wefunder — where I spent my days on the other side of the table and rediscovered what I love: helping founders turn a messy, terrifying process into something methodical and winnable.

That led me to launch Lifted.vc. Since then, I've coached 100+ founders from pre-seed through Series A, helping them raise over $80M in total capital.

My Coaching Philosophy

Coaching done differently.

I built Lifted around the coaching I wished I'd had when I was raising.

🎯

Founder-Focused

I've been in your shoes and understand your challenges. My advice comes from the founder perspective — not from an investor or a consultant who's never built.

🧭

Unbiased Sounding Board

Honest feedback with no ego or experience bias. I have no problem if you throw my advice in the mental trash bin — I just want you funded.

⚙️

Tactical + Mental

I provide tactical strategies to get things done AND mental support to navigate the emotional rollercoaster of fundraising. Both matter equally.

⚡

Direct

You don't have time to waste. I cut to the chase, focus on what moves the needle, and help you get results — not give you homework you'll never do.

🔒

No Equity Taken

I don't take equity in your startup — I want to remain unbiased and solely focused on your fundraising goals.

🌱

Engaging by Design

Fundraising can suck — but I make it deliberately enjoyable and interactive. A burnt-out founder is not a funded founder.

What Founders Say

Results speak louder.

From first-time founders to repeat entrepreneurs.

"Adam didn't just give me coaching — he gave me a process. One that replaced guesswork with clarity, confidence, and precision. Other founders kept saying, 'You're raising your pre-seed with the diligence of a Series A.' I shudder to think of the rookie mistakes I would've made without him."

Leni

Pre-Seed Founder · Fundraising Sprint Alum

"10/10. The sprint was extremely helpful to understand the VC game. I wish I had found it even earlier — it would have saved me at least 100 hours and $20K+. They have a unique ability to see the best in participants and help them frame it for a fundraising advantage."

Misha

Fundraising Sprint Alum

"I never ran a process before working with Adam. He made it easy — a lot of work, but the consistent effort paid off in more investor calls than I've ever taken in a 4-week period. My only regret is not having signed up sooner."

Ndonga

Fundraising Sprint Alum

"I highly recommend this program. You'll learn a lot about how to run a tight fundraising process, refine your pitch, and set the right mindset. Adam is an incredible coach who will set you up for success no matter where you're at in your journey."

Mary-Ann

Fundraising Sprint Alum

My Ethos

Everyone deserves a fair shot at the game.

Good fundraising is built on the industry's hidden rules. I believe those rules shouldn't be hidden. My coaching ethos rests on three pillars:

Deep Authenticity

I don't teach you to perform for investors. I help you tell your real story as compellingly as possible — with evidence, precision, and genuine conviction.

Founder-First Focus

I'm hyper-focused on fundraising. You can get business advice anywhere — but roll-up-your-sleeves, in-the-trenches fundraising help is rare (or cost-prohibitive). That's what I provide.

A Skill That Compounds

Working with me isn't just about closing this round — it's about learning to fundraise well. It's one of the most critical skills a founder can build, and once you have it, it pays you back for every round, every company, forever.

Short-Term Goals

Get you funded. That's it. I aspire to be the Y-Combinator of fundraising — known for quality, not quantity, with fundraising as my relentless wedge.

FAQ

Good questions, straight answers.

From the founders who asked before you.

Do you take equity?

No. I don't take equity in your startup — I want to remain unbiased and solely focused on your fundraising goals, not on the long-term value of your company.

Do you really have a 70% success rate?

Yes. But context matters: I only work with founders I strongly believe can successfully fundraise. I care about my track record and only take on clients I'm confident I can help.

Who is the Fundraising Sprint for?

Founders raising their first or second non-friends-and-family round — typically pre-seed, seed, or Series A ($500K–$25M+). You should have a rough deck, some traction, a team, and a product.

How much time does the Sprint take?

Sprint meetings: 2–3 hrs/wk. Content: 1–2 hrs/wk. Async work (sourcing, networking, connector meetings): 20–60 hrs/wk. Fundraising is not passive — but I make sure that time goes toward the right things.

What if I'm not sure I'm ready to fundraise?

Ask me — readiness is complex. Market timing, revenue, product maturity, traction, and long-term funding outlook all factor in. I help you evaluate before you commit.

What's the selection process?

Fill out my 10-minute questionnaire. If it's a fit, I'll invite you to a 30-minute call. I review every application personally — this isn't a rubber-stamp process.

I'm a FundraisingSpecialist.

The three steps to funding.

Get Organized

Be Pitch-Perfect

Build Authentic FOMO

1-on-1 coaching,built around your raise.

🎯1-on-1 Fundraising Coaching

The Fundraising Playbook

I've been exactlywhere you are.

Coaching done differently.

Results speak louder.

Everyone deserves a fair shot at the game.

Good questions, straight answers.

Ready to runa real raise?

I'm a Fundraising
Specialist.

1-on-1 coaching,
built around your raise.

I've been exactly
where you are.

Ready to run
a real raise?