You can feel it in the air.
Summer’s over, autumn is here - and the startup scene is buzzing again.
Demo days. Breakfast pitches. Competitions. Investor lunches. Everywhere you turn, founders are on stage, energy is high, and fundraising season is in full swing.
But there’s one line I keep hearing at these events:
“We’re not raising at the moment.”
And every time, I wince. And get frustrated.
You might think it makes you sound strong. Exclusive. A clever way to create FOMO.
But in reality? It’s one of the fastest ways to lose an investor’s attention.
Competing for Attention
At a pitch event, there might be 10–15 startups on stage.
Investors usually only have time to talk to 1–2 afterwards.
That means you’re competing.
Not necessarily with your industry peers.
Not even with your product.
But for something far more scarce: their attention.
When you say “not raising,” what the investor hears is:
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“No need to talk to us right now.”
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“No opportunity here.”
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“Spend your limited energy somewhere else.”
And so, they do. They move on to someone else.
You Are Always Raising
If the right investor came along, with the right terms and real value, you would say yes. Right?
Even if you’re raising later this year, you want them in your pipeline as early as possible.
So instead of closing the door, try this framing:
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“We’ve just closed this round, but we’re always open to the right partner.”
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“We’re not actively fundraising, but we’re building investor relationships for our next round.”
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“We’ll open a round later, but we’re happy to explore fit already.”
This way, you:
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Keep the conversation alive
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Get on their radar early
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Warm them up with updates, traction, and proof points
So when the day comes and you are raising, they don’t have to start from scratch. They already know your story. They’ve seen your progress.
And that means faster commitments.
Pipelines Close the Deal
Here’s what I’ve seen time and again:
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Founders who leave the door open build pipelines months ahead of their round
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Regular updates keep investors warm and make the eventual “ask” much easier
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The startups that raise fastest aren’t the ones starting cold - they’re the ones who have been quietly building relationships all along
At the end of the day - it’s not about “Are you raising today?”
It’s about “Are you worth following tomorrow?”
The Bottom Line
Don’t sabotage yourself before you even get started.
Don’t eliminate yourself from the conversation with just a few words.
You’re always raising - because you’re always building relationships, always earning trust, and always competing for attention.
Ask yourself:
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Are you keeping investors in your pipeline early enough?
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Are you showing progress to keep them warm?
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Are you making it easy for them to say yes quickly when the time comes?
Investors are there to invest. Don’t give them a reason to walk past you.
Remember: You are always raising.