**About Pascal Mathis**
Pascal Mathis is a Co-Founder and former COO of GetYourGuide. After leaving the company in 2013, he joined Google as an Industry Manager. Currently, he is dedicated to startup coaching and early stage investments as a co-founder and partner at Wingman. Pascal is an accredited coach for InnoSuise and sits on the advisory board of the Swiss ICT Investor Club. He holds an MSc in Electrical Engineering from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETHZ).
**About Swisspreneur**
In Switzerland, the traditional definition of success revolves around completing university and securing a stable corporate job. However, we believe that with the changing global economy and advancements in technology, it is crucial for Swiss youth to embrace a more entrepreneurial mindset for the country to compete effectively on a global scale.
Find us on the internet:
– [Website](https://swisspreneur.org/)
– [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/4xLuKMvPFvkLdZQRDJ1jfT)
– [Apple Podcasts](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/swisspreneur-show/id1151964232)
– [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/swisspreneur/)
– [Twitter](https://twitter.com/swisspreneur)
– [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/swisspreneur/)
– [Linkedin](https://ee.linkedin.com/company/swisspreneur)
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Welcome to the Swisspreneur show, a podcast that shares startup stories and learnings from experienced entrepreneurs. In this episode, we have Pascal Mathis, co-founder of GetYourGuide, discussing early-stage fundraising. We have gathered questions from our community and compiled clear and concise pointers that can be directly applied to your business. We hope you enjoy this new format and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram to submit your questions for the next Q&A session and influence the topics we cover.
Before we begin, we’d like to introduce our sponsor, Swiss Railways Estiméti. If you think your company is a good fit for Swiss Railways, get in touch with them or learn more about their startup programs at [SBB Startup](https://www.sbb.ch/en/business/start-ups.html).
Pascal, welcome to the Swisspreneur show. It’s a pleasure to have you here for our first Q&A session focused on fundraising for early-stage startups and seed financing rounds. One of the questions from our community, asked by setec wealth worker, is: What are some questions that every founder should ask themselves before fundraising?
Pascal responds, stating that one of the most important questions is determining the size of the funding round and how much money is needed. It is crucial to think about the next steps that this money will help achieve. Pascal emphasizes the importance of not allocating a significant portion of the funds to further product development. Instead, investors prefer to see the majority of the funds allocated towards sales and marketing efforts.
Another key factor to consider is the choice of investors. It is essential to select investors who can provide valuable networks and know-how in addition to financial support. Pascal advises founders to create a shortlist of ideal investors and thoroughly evaluate their networks and expertise.
In terms of determining “smart money” for your business, Pascal suggests considering the crucial skills or network connections required for the next phase of growth. As an example, he mentions the importance of connecting with executives or salespeople who have experience with potential target customers.
Another question, raised by Tim Michaelis, revolves around the ideal timing for seeking investors beyond friends, family, and fools. Pascal mentions that timing is a critical and challenging aspect, especially for social entrepreneurs. However, his general recommendation is to raise funds for an 18-month period and focus on achieving significant milestones that increase the valuation of the company as an opportune time to approach investors.
The final question, from Chasing Durrani, pertains to when founders should start seeking investors based on revenue. Pascal states that this decision is highly dependent on the specific case. He shares his experience with GetYourGuide, where they started seeking external funding as soon as they generated some revenue, but also needed substantial funds for marketing and promotions. The amount of revenue required before seeking external investors varies greatly based on factors like the business model and industry.
To hear more insights from Pascal Mathis and stay updated with the Swisspreneur show, don’t forget to follow us on our social media channels and subscribe to our podcast on [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/4xLuKMvPFvkLdZQRDJ1jfT) and [Apple Podcasts](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/swisspreneur-show/id1151964232).
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About Pascal Mathis
Pascal Mathis is Co-Founder and former COO of GetYourGuide. After he left the company in 2013, he joined Google as an Industry Manager. Subsequently, he dedicated his career to startup coaching and early stage investments as a co-founder and partner at Wingman. Pascal is also an accredited coach for InnoSuise and sits on the advisory board of the Swiss ICT Investor Club. He holds an MSc in Electrical Engineering from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETHZ).
About Swisspreneur
In Switzerland the common definition of success is completing university and getting a well paid, stable corporate job. Starting your own venture or joining a startup is typically not encouraged and starting a venture that fails is viewed as a black mark on your resume. As the global economy changes and as technology alters the kind of jobs that are available to people, we believe that it’s critical that young Swiss people have a more open and adaptable view towards their careers. We think helping to instill a more entrepreneurial mindset into Swiss youth is critical to Switzerland’s ability to compete in the global economy.
Find us on the internet:
Website: https://swisspreneur.org/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4xLuKMvPFvkLdZQRDJ1jfT
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/swisspreneur-show/id1151964232
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/swisspreneur/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/swisspreneur
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/swisspreneur/
Linkedin: https://ee.linkedin.com/company/swisspreneur
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