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Raiser's Edge

Raiser's Edge

By: Ben Elowitz
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Summary

Some entrepreneurs fly through fundraising; sailing through VC meetings, converting at high rates, getting to term sheets quickly and successfully. Other founders struggle; wading through hundreds of meetings and calls, reading thousands of online pitch guides, and still only producing a mediocre fundraising round. The very best founders seem to know cheat codes that the rest of the herd just lack, and this quickly creates capital advantage for their companies, allowing them to own their markets and achieve dominance in their industries. So what are these secrets that separate the best from the rest?

It turns out a lot of what these top raisers do is replicable - it’s just not easy to find on the internet or by asking advice from average peers. Raiser’s Edge bridges that very gap, sharing the strategies and philosophies that have separated industry leaders from the pack in order to transform mediocre raisers to excellent ones. Through interviews with outstanding founders who have themselves succeeded in the VC fundraising process, not only will listeners learn how to successfully fund their start-ups, but they will also learn how to raise strong rounds even in down markets, take advantage of VC funding and tailwinds, and impress investors in order to earn outsize capital. Most importantly, listeners will find out how the most skillful CEOs make it through the biggest challenges so that they can increase their own chances of surviving the challenges to come.

Each episode of Raiser’s Edge will interview a founder about the critical fundraising junctures in their company’s growth stage, highlighting stories in which they navigated investor concerns, challenging timelines, and emerging obstacles to raise and deploy funds successfully. By taking a closer look at these entrepreneurs’ paths to success, we’ll also shed a light on their moments of near-failure, self-doubt, and tough calls, and the way these challenges have transformed them into stronger leaders and fundraisers along the way. Through an entertaining, easy-to-follow interview format, this podcast hopes to demystify the fundraising process and serve as an intimate glimpse into the secrets of today’s business all-stars in order to inspire and teach the all-stars to come.


© 2026 Raiser's Edge Career Success Economics Leadership Management & Leadership Personal Finance
Episodes
  • Conviction, Courage, and Capital with Stefan Kalb

    Conviction, Courage, and Capital with Stefan Kalb
    May 11 2026

    In this episode of Raiser’s Edge, host Ben Elowitz sits down with Stefan Kalb—entrepreneur, investor, and three-time founder, currently building Super Labs, an AI startup focused on transforming how Main Street businesses operate.

    Stefan shares his journey from a shy early founder to a more seasoned, “presidential” CEO, including lessons from building Shelf Engine and raising $8M in preempted funding for his latest company.

    They discuss what it really takes to raise venture capital today, including how to identify and win over “kingpin” investors, what separates good founders from exceptional ones, and how to build trust with VCs in competitive markets. The conversation also explores how fundraising is evolving in the age of AI, where speed, adaptability, and conviction matter more than ever.

    This episode is packed with practical insights for founders, operators, and investors looking to better understand how great companies get funded—and how to navigate the process more effectively.

    Follow Raiser’s Edge on Substack for Ben’s takeaways on every episode: https://substack.com/@elowitz
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    46 mins
  • Using Story as Strategy with David Politis

    Using Story as Strategy with David Politis
    Apr 27 2026

    Most founders think they have a strategy problem.
    In reality, they have a storytelling problem.

    In this episode of Raiser’s Edge, Ben Elowitz sits down with David Politis, a multi-time founder (Vocalocity, BetterCloud) who has raised over $300M in venture capital, to break down why storytelling is the most important skill in fundraising.

    But this isn’t about clever narratives or polished pitch decks. David explains how great founders use storytelling strategically—to align with what investors are looking for, systematically close risk, and build belief over time. From early mistakes overselling projections to developing a disciplined approach to underpromising and overdelivering, this conversation is a masterclass in turning your company into something investors have to fund.

    David also hosts the Not Another CEO Podcast, where he interviews top founders and CEOs about the real, unfiltered journey of building and scaling companies. If you enjoyed this conversation, it’s well worth checking out.


    Listen to David's Not Another CEO Podcast: https://www.notanotherceo.com/

    Follow Raiser's Edge on Substack: https://substack.com/@elowitz


    0:00 – Introductions

    2:00 – From Terrified Speaker to $300M Founder

    5:30 – What Makes a Great (and Terrible) Investor

    7:00 – Why Storytelling Beats IQ and EQ in Fundraising

    10:00 – The Founder Journey: Vocalocity, Cloud Sherpas, BetterCloud

    14:30 – Early Fundraising Mistakes (and Artificial FOMO)

    17:30 – What VCs Actually Want: The “Fund Maker” Story

    22:00 – Using Data to Build a Narrative Investors Believe

    27:00 – A Brutal Sequoia Pitch—and the Lesson That Changed Everything

    32:00 – How to Create Traction (and Ask Investors the Right Questions)
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    48 mins
  • Evolution Over Ego with Omar Tawakol

    Evolution Over Ego with Omar Tawakol
    Feb 23 2026

    In this episode, host Ben Elowitz sits down with serial entrepreneur Omar Tawakol, whose journey spans building and leading companies like BlueKai, Voicea, and Rembrandt, as well as strategic acquisitions by industry giants like Cisco and Oracle.

    So what does it really take to fundraise, lead, and build game-changing startups—again and again? Omar shares lessons learned through market crashes, tough boardroom conversations, and high-stakes pivots. He reveals the importance of leveraging feedback as a tool for growth, not just validation, and the unique power of learning from every pitch—success or setback.

    If you want unvarnished advice on how and why simplicity, humility, and relentless learning always win—press play.

    For more insights from this episode, follow Ben on Substack: https://substack.com/@elowitz
    Show More Show Less
    40 mins
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