Timestamps:

6:21 - How much equity to give up in a Series A

13:32 - How investors assess valuation at Series A/B

17:55 - What makes a good vs. bad investor

26:29 - Why some investors lead founders on

36:50 - Don’t spray and pray: smarter ways to reach investors

This episode was sponsored by Relai. Get started with Bitcoin by downloading the Relai app today, and profit from 10% less fees by entering code SWISSPRENEUR at checkout.

(Disclaimer: Relai services are exclusively recommended for Swiss and Italian residents.)

About Laurent Decrue and Arijana Walcott:

Laurent Decrue is the Co-CEO and CFO at Holycode, a product and engineering powerhouse serving fast-scaling startups. After building and exiting companies like DeinDeal, Bexio, and MOVU, Laurent Decrue now supports founders as an investor, board member, and operator. Laurent Decrue brings real-world startup empathy to every cap table conversation—and a no-BS attitude about what actually moves the needle.

Arijana Walcott is the Founder and General Partner at DART Ventures, where she backs early-stage European startups tackling climate and health challenges. With roots in San Francisco’s tech scene and a sharp eye for scalable impact, Arijana Walcott is on a mission to change how—and why—we invest. Arijana Walcott is also a board member, educator, and startup ecosystem builder focused on helping founders go big instead of going home.

The cover portrait was edited by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.smartportrait.io⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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Q&A with Leyla, Part 1: Gingivitis