Bootstrap guide
Friends + Family round
Sample data — verify thesis, stage focus, and contact info before reaching out.
$5k-$250k from people who already trust you. The most common first money, and the easiest to mess up legally if structured carelessly.
Stages
Geographies
Industries
Business models
Check size
$1,000 to $250,000
Founder segments
How to reach them
Make a short pitch (the same one you'd give a VC). Use a SAFE or convertible note, never plain handshake equity. Cooley's free SAFE template covers the legal mechanics. Be explicit that they may lose everything; this protects the relationship.
- Submission link
- Apply or pitch ↗
Known weaknesses
- Risk of damaging relationships if the company fails
- Investors are usually unaccredited (Reg D 506(b) limits), so cap is 35 non-accredited investors
- No mentorship value (your aunt is not going to introduce you to a customer)
Outreach starter
Pick a material kind or ask AI to rewrite with your voice.
Subject: {{idea name}}: {{one-line description}}
Hi Friends + Family round,
I'm {{founder name}}, building {{idea name}}.
In one line: {{one-line description}}
Where we are today: {{1-2 sentences of traction}}
We are raising {{ask amount}}. Saw your work with {{portfolio company you back}}, the closest analog to what we're building, which is why I'm reaching out to you specifically.
Deck and demo: {{website url}}
Worth a 20-minute conversation?
{{founder name}}Fill in: idea name, one-line description, founder name, 1-2 sentences of traction, ask amount, portfolio company you back, website url
Need every material at once? See the full outreach generator.