To secure funding for your start-up, you need solid numbers, a great product — and absolute
faith in what you’re doing.
This is why it is chiefly the job of the CEO, rather than a hired salesperson or marketer, to
press palms and bring in the bucks.
“[R]eceiving a pitch from anyone who isn’t one of the company’s founders — […] ideally the
CEO — is a huge red flag for most investors.” explains founder and investor Haje Jan Kamps.
“Investors are a different beast than your run-of-the-mill customers… They rarely see a pitch
and reach for the checkbook, only to wait for the big bucks. Most investors have a desire to
build an ongoing relationship of sorts with their investments.”
Of course, it helps if the CEO has a strong profile, plenty of energy, and charisma to spare.
Fundraising is a full-on quest that leaves little time for other business. From raising the seed
funding that turns an early idea into a serious prospect to navigating the politics of bringing
significant late-stage investors into the room, the CEO needs to be both smart and bold.
But who is doing the best job of it?
Data analysts at Switch On Business used corporate fundraising data from Crunchbase to
uncover the past and present CEOs who have secured the most funding during their tenure
in companies headquartered in each U.S. state.
Methodology Behind Study
To determine the CEO that secured the most funding in every state, Switch On Business
reviewed data on corporate fundraising from Crunchbase. Past and present CEOs were
ranked based on the total funding amount raised during their tenure. Fundraising amounts
within each state were compared based on the U.S. headquarters of the fundraising
company. Finally, the team used LinkedIn, Crunchbase, and company bios to find where each
CEO went to school.
Findings
Data on funding amounts and dates are from Crunchbase. Data is correct as of February
2024.
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