#553 Raising Capital Without Illusions: Daniel Nikic on Global Investing and Founder Mistakes

Raising capital looks easy from the outside. In reality, it is one of the most misunderstood parts of building a startup.

In this episode, Mehmet sits down with Daniel Nikic, a global investment researcher who has analyzed over 15,000 companies across the US, Europe, and the Middle East. Together, they unpack the hard truths founders need to understand about fundraising, investor psychology, market geography, and why most rounds fail long before the first term sheet.

This is a grounded, no-hype conversation about what actually drives investment decisions in 2025 and why “easy money” is often the biggest illusion founders believe.

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About the Guest

Daniel Nikic is the founder of Coherent Research and a global investment research professional with deep experience across North America, Europe, and emerging markets. Originally from Canada and now based in Croatia, Daniel has worked with investors, family offices, and founders worldwide, helping evaluate companies across stages, industries, and geographies.

His work focuses on due diligence, market opportunity analysis, and understanding the human and cultural factors behind investment decisions.

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Key Topics Discussed

• Why most fundraising fails before it even starts

• The biggest misconceptions founders have about “easy capital”

• How geography actually impacts investment decisions

• Why the Middle East is not fast money despite capital availability

• Founder psychology, stress, and emotional control as investment signals

• What investors look for beyond pitch decks and valuations

• The difference between angels, VCs, family offices, and accelerators

• Why urgency and FOMO often kill deals instead of closing them

• How AI is changing investment behavior and decision-making

• Realistic timelines for closing funding rounds in emerging markets

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Key Takeaways

• Capital is not free money. Investors expect returns, discipline, and execution.

• Geography still matters, but trust and relevance matter more.

• Founders who rush fundraising often lose credibility.

• Investors back people they trust, not just ideas or decks.

• Being organized and prepared beats hype every time.

• Fundraising is a relationship-building process, not a transaction.

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What You Will Learn

• How to target the right investors at the right stage

• Why mixing angels, VCs, and family offices too early backfires

• How investors think about risk, timing, and founder maturity

• What “smart money” really means beyond capital

• How long fundraising realistically takes and why patience matters

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Episode Highlights & Timestamps

(You can fine-tune timestamps once audio is finalized)

• 00:00 – Introduction and Daniel’s global background

• 04:00 – Patterns from analyzing 15,000+ companies

• 07:30 – Geography vs psychology in startup success

• 10:45 – The Middle East investment misconception

• 15:20 – Why capital follows trust, not hype

• 18:30 – Choosing the right investor type early on

• 22:40 – Check sizes, valuations, and regional differences

• 27:00 – AI, FOMO, and modern investment behavior

• 32:00 – Why urgency kills fundraising deals

• 36:30 – Realistic timelines to close a round

• 41:00 – Final advice for founders raising capital

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Resources & Links

• Daniel Nikic on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-nikic/

• Website: https://www.danielnikic.com/