OpenVC Blog

The VC list of VC lists - 53 databases listed

We have listed 53 VC lists that you can use to raise funds. Search free and paid VC lists, explore the databases by country or theme, and raise funds more efficiently.

Posted by Stéphane Nasser | August 15, 2025

How to design a winning fundraising strategy

Running an tight fundraising process will increase your chances of success while saving you a lot of time and stress. Here's how you can design a winning fundraising strategy for your startup.

Posted by Stéphane Nasser | August 14, 2025

How Much Should Startup Founders Pay Themselves [2025]

Founder compensation is a tricky topic. How much are you supposed to pay yourself? What will your investors think? And are you even allowed to compensate yourself when your team is subsisting on cold pizza and borrowing the Wi-Fi from the nearest office? This article breaks down the many dimensions of the "tech founder salary".

Posted by Shaun Gold | August 14, 2025

Why Startups Fail at Agency Partnerships (And How to Succeed)

Many founders hire agencies like they're code shops when what we really need are partners who deeply care about our customers. This post will help you identofy what a great agency looks like.

Posted by Milosz Falinski | August 12, 2025

32 signals VCs use to eliminate founders

Signals are small hints used by investors to make a quick decision about your company. This post lists down all 32 signals used by VCs and investors to quickly eliminate founders.

Posted by Stéphane Nasser | July 28, 2025

12 dirty clauses in VC term sheets

This post will help you identify the key traps in a VC term sheet. Unlike our blog on VC scams, these are all legal clauses - but ones you should never have agreed to.

Posted by Stéphane Nasser | July 23, 2025

How VCs make money: dirty edition

Many founders ignore how VCs make money. In my opinion, that's a mistake. Today, we're fixing this situation! In this post, you will learn how VC firms actually make money - including some of their dirty tricks - and what it means for you as a founder.

Posted by Stéphane Nasser | July 17, 2025

Why investors don't give honest feedback

Investor feedback is rarely valuable because it's rarely true. When they pass, most investors give a generic, well-rounded reason. "It's not you, it's me" kind of thing. But why is it that way?

Posted by Stéphane Nasser | July 17, 2025

How to skip VCs and go straight to M&A

M&A can help startups accelerate growth, acquire talent, expand market share, and even achieve a higher valuation than they could on their own. However, the process requires careful planning, research, and execution. Here’s a quick guide to navigating M&A as an early-stage startup.

Posted by Olga Duka | July 3, 2025