Raising money as a steward owned startup; What's an Income Share Agreement and how does it work for founders;
For founders curious about funding alternatives
Hello folks! I’m Esme, the founder of Considered Capital. This is the 11th issue of The Considered Club - a bi-weekly newsletter for founders curious about funding alternatives. A big thank you to every single person who opens this newsletter on a Sunday, shares a link with a friend and takes the time to get in touch. If you’ve enjoyed what you’ve read today, please consider sharing it with a founder.
I’ve been reflecting a lot on how to make this newsletter better, and one big thing I’ve heard from lots of people is for me to share more about what I’m working on. So here goes!
You can now sign up and join the Alternative Funding School! I’m excited to share registration is finally open for our May 2022 cohort - keep scrolling for details on how to apply
I’ve partnered with the Safety Tech Innovation Network and Consequential to pilot an Academy for early stage Safety Tech companies. We kick off in February and you can apply using this link
I’m heading to Atlanta for Zebras Unite’s DazzleCamp next week and then to Mexico City. If you'll be in Mexico City in February get in touch
If you haven’t yet shared your experience as a subscriber of The Considered Club, I’d love to hear from you. Please take 2 minutes and tell me what you think. The competition to win a copy of Adventure Finance is still open for another week.
Click here to share your feedback!
Raising money as a steward owned startup
New feature! One thing we’ll start doing more of is a founder spotlight- sharing stories of founders exploring alternative governance models and raising aligned funding. And we’re starting with one of our very own Funding School graduate, Ines Schiller.
Ines is the founder of Vyld, a Berlin-based startup producing sustainable tampons made from Seaweed. It’s a self-owned company — meaning their profits are reinvested in the company or donated. And Vyld have found aligned investors including The Case for He, Purpose Ventures, and angels such as Sebastian Klein, that back this incredible vision.
“We as the steward owners have the power and can make the decisions together, and we’re doing that in really close partnership with our investors,” says Schiller. “It just doesn’t make sense to produce a great, sustainable product, but then have an exploitative company structure and culture,” she adds. “What I like about this model is that it’s based on trust.”
Congratulations Ines! Read the full story here.
Registration is finally open for our May 2022 cohort! The super early bird offer is available until February 29, so you're among the first people to know.
If you’d like to get a solid understanding of what funding alternatives exit, learn from successful founders how to attract the right funding and create a crystal clear fundraising plan for your business join the Alternative Funding School. By the end of 6 weeks you'll have a complete fundraising database and be ready to start applying for funding.
Early bird applications are open until Feb 29- apply here.
Money
Grants
SoGal Foundation | black female founders apply for $5-$10K in grant money
The Pollination Project | access micro grants 365 days a year for grassroots global change agents
Then Do Better Grant | receive £1,000 to make a positive impact and change your life trajectory
If World Design Guide | win a share of €100,000 for projects that positively contribute to our society
Accelerators
Respond | join a 6-month free accelerator that systematically advances how entrepreneurs lead, grow and scale sustainable businesses
Unfound | a business support programme for UK based platform co-ops
Multicultural Innovation Lab | access practical tools, networks and resources on a a five-month programme of support
Tech 4 EVA | join a 9 month FemTech start-up acceleration program for companies developing innovative solutions to improve women’s health
This post is public, so feel free to share any funding opportunities in this week’s issue.
A message from Tiny CFO
If you're a founder of an early stage startup or a small business who wants to get clarity on the financial side of things, Tiny CFO School is a 5-week programme starting Feb 23, where you'll build your own financial forecast, get a solid understanding of your numbers, and clarity on how to plan for the future of your company. To apply for an upcoming cohort, click here.
Insights
Will Stringer | makes the case for the Convertible Income Share Agreement as a funding alternative
Ownership Matters | talks to The Drivers Cooperatives Erik Forman on building Worker-Centered Platform Ridesharing
Sifted | writes about the role of ‘Head of Sustainability’ and whether it can help startups commit to better business practices
Until next issue!
Esme
Want more? Follow me @esmeverity
🖊️ To win a copy of Adventure Finance complete this 2 minute feedback form
