MASTERCLASS: GET READY, SET, RAISE
A New Exclusive 3-Part Series for Early Stage Founders
This is not a typical workshop. It’s a rare opportunity to learn directly from an active venture capitalist and serial entrepreneur who has raised over $100M — and to gain unfiltered insight into how investment decisions are really made.
Across three high-impact sessions, you’ll step inside the investor mindset: what earns attention, what builds conviction, and what separates fundable companies from the rest. You’ll leave with sharpened positioning, a stronger narrative, and tangible, investor-ready outputs designed to compete at the highest level.
Participation is limited and application-based — only 10 founders will be selected for this cohort.
Shaheel Hooda
General Partner, Sprout Fund
Shaheel is a serial tech entrepreneur, angel investor, and General Partner at Sprout Fund, a venture capital firm that invests in promising Canadian technology startups. He previously served as CEO of two high-growth Canadian software start-ups, helped grow a US startup to over $100 million in revenue, and was involved in creating and launching Canada’s first online bank. He has raised over $100 million in capital throughout his career and advised close to a thousand start-up founders. In addition to managing his venture fund, he is also the Resident Mentor with 500 Global, a Silicon Valley-based startup accelerator. Shaheel holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BCom from the University of Alberta.
Session Details
Session 1: How Investors Actually Evaluate Early-Stage Companies
Understand how early-stage investment decisions are made — and assess your readiness to raise.
This session provides a practical look at how investors evaluate opportunities, what signals matter most, and how timing, traction, and founder-market fit influence decisions. You will also examine different sources of capital and determine which investors are right for your stage and strategy.
You will leave with:
- A fundraising readiness self-assessment
- A clear understanding of investor decision criteria
- A defined profile of your target investor
- A framework for building investor relationships before you formally raise
Session 2: Build a 30-Second Pitch That Earns the Next Meeting
Craft and refine a concise, compelling investor pitch.
Investors often decide within the first 30 seconds whether to lean in. In this highly interactive workshop, founders will learn a simple structure for clearly communicating problem, solution, traction, and opportunity.
Each founder will draft, refine, and practice their pitch live, receiving targeted feedback to sharpen both message and delivery.
You will leave with:
- A structured, investor-ready elevator pitch
- A clearer articulation of your value proposition
- Direct feedback to strengthen clarity and confidence
- A repeatable framework adaptable to different investor audiences
Session 3: Structure Your Story: Building a Pitch Deck That Aligns With investor Expectations
Develop the narrative before refining the slides.
This session focuses on how investors review pitch decks, what questions they are trying to answer, and how to structure your story accordingly. Founders will define the core headlines and logical flow of their deck to ensure it presents a compelling, investment-ready case.
You will leave with:
- A clear narrative outline for your pitch deck
- Defined slide headlines that tell a cohesive story
- A practical lens for evaluating your own deck objectively
- A focused improvement plan before investor meetings
Who Should Apply
This program is designed for founders preparing for serious fundraising conversations within the next 6–12 months.
Ideal companies:
- Are raising (or planning to raise) pre-seed or seed capital
- Have meaningful early validation — revenue, pilots, LOIs, or strong usage traction
- Can clearly articulate the problem, solution, and market opportunity
- Are building tech or tech-enabled businesses with scalable potential
- Are coachable and ready to actively workshop their pitch and deck
This is not an idea-stage program. It is built for founders with traction who are ready to sharpen their narrative, strengthen their positioning, and approach investors with intention.
Cohort size is limited to 10 founders to ensure meaningful feedback, peer learning, and direct engagement.
Selection Process & Key Dates
This is a competitive, high-impact program limited to 10 founders. Selected companies will also receive 1-1 coaching with Shaheel. Applications will be reviewed, and shortlisted candidates may be interviewed to ensure a strong cohort fit.
Timelines:
- Application deadline: March 20, 2026
- Selection Review: March 16 – 26, 2026
All applicants will receive an update on the status of their application on or before March 26. 2026.
