Fundraising In A Challenging Environment — 2

Part 2 of 3

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Introduction

Welcome to the second part of our blog series, where we continue our conversation with Seurat CFO Anthony Di Paola. In this Q and A, Anthony discusses how important it is to find the investors that are right for your vision and business.

For Part 1 of our Fundraising Series, click here. 

For Part 3 of our Fundraising Series, click here. 

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Finding The Right Investors

Q: Are there any notable changes in strategy or focus between previous rounds and this round? 

A: Our strategic philosophy remains consistent – we're dedicated to transforming the manufacturing industry. Unlike some additive manufacturing companies focused on equipment sales in a niche market, our strategy revolves around selling parts as a contract manufacturer. We continue to believe that the addressable market is getting larger and larger for us and our ability to impact the environment by reducing CO2 emissions is still significant and remains one of our core strategies.

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Q: How do you identify and approach potential investors for funding?  

A: As the saying goes you have to kiss a lot of frogs to find the prince. Identifying potential investors involves extensive outreach and engagement. We maintain a database of investors and leverage existing relationships to make introductions. I've always found it fascinating how we can dedicate days and weeks to engaging with certain investors, meticulously narrating our story, only to find that it ultimately didn't align, not due to disbelief, but because our story just didn't fit into their existing thesis.   Yet other investors are a perfect fit and align with their strategies and priorities and can close funding very quickly. So it's all over the board in terms of the dynamics of each investor.

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Q: How do you define a quality investor? 

A: Quality investors are those who not only provide financial support but also offer strategic value. We seek investors who understand our long-term vision, want to be with us for multiple funding rounds, can provide business/commercial support, and in some cases, can potentially become future customers. Having a mix of strategic and financial investors brings diverse perspectives and support.

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Q: How has your relationship with investors evolved from prior rounds to this round?

A: Existing investors have been incredibly supportive, with nearly half of the funding coming from them in the C round. Bringing in new investors like Nvidia as co-leads demonstrates confidence in our mission and progress. This round reaffirms investors' belief in our trajectory. 

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For Part 1 of our Fundraising Series, click here. 

For Part 3 of our Fundraising Series, click here. 

For more information please contact us at info@Seurat.com