---
title: "Have a Plan That Gets You to 18–24 Months of Runway"
section: "Fundraising"
sectionId: "fundraising"
date: "2026-05"
---

**18–24 months is the sweet spot** when deciding how much to raise.

## Why not less?

Raising too little forces you back into fundraising mode too quickly. Fundraising is a full-time job — every month you spend chasing capital is a month you're not building product or talking to customers.

## Why not more?

Raising too much hurts you too. At an early stage, a larger raise means selling more of your company at a low valuation — and you'll regret that dilution later. More importantly, you're at this stage to find product-market fit, not to build for an IPO. Don't over-capitalise before you know what you're building towards.

## How to size your raise

Build a financial model with three scenarios:

| Scenario | Description |
|---|---|
| High growth | Optimistic — things go well |
| Average growth | Base case |
| Low growth | Conservative — things take longer |

**High growth at 24 months of runway = the upper limit of your target raise.** This gives you a grounded ceiling based on your own projections, not wishful thinking.

Your growth model (see the capital allocation section) is what makes this exercise meaningful — use it here.