Built from Real Conversations with Founders

We started in 2018 because too many capable founders were stuck. They had brilliant products but struggled with the fundraising process. Not because their ideas were weak—but because the traditional advisory model felt disconnected from what early-stage companies actually needed.

Over the past seven years, we've worked alongside 140+ Australian startups through their growth capital rounds. Some raised what they needed within three months. Others took longer but found better-fit investors. What matters is that each founder gained clarity about their story and confidence in their approach.

            Our office in Castle Hill serves startups across Sydney and beyond. We meet founders
            where they are—sometimes that's a coffee shop in Parramatta, sometimes it's a video
            call at 9pm because that's when they're free.
          

Strategic planning session with startup founders reviewing fundraising materials

How We Got Here

It wasn't a straight line. We learned as much from the campaigns that took unexpected turns as from the ones that went smoothly.

2018

Started with Three Clients

Jasper Callaghan founded varionexalu after spending six years in venture capital. He'd seen too many strong founders struggle with pitch materials that didn't reflect their actual capabilities. The first year was mostly about listening—understanding what founders needed versus what the industry assumed they needed.

2020

Shifted Focus During Uncertainty

When the pandemic hit, fundraising dynamics changed overnight. Investors became more cautious, but they also became more open to virtual meetings. We helped 23 startups adjust their strategies for this new reality. Several founders told us later that being forced to simplify their pitch actually strengthened it.

2022

Expanded Team and Approach

Brought on specialists in financial modeling and investor relations. This let us support founders through the entire capital raise process—not just the pitch deck. By the end of 2022, we'd worked with 87 companies across fintech, healthtech, and SaaS sectors.

2025

Looking Ahead

We're planning to launch a founder education series in September 2025—small group workshops where founders can learn fundraising fundamentals before they need to raise. It's something clients have asked for, and frankly, something we wish had existed when we started.

What Investors Actually Read in Your Deck

After reviewing hundreds of pitch decks with investment partners, I've noticed something consistent. Investors spend about 90 seconds on slides 1-5, then jump to your financials and team page. If those three areas don't connect, they rarely go back to read the middle sections.

Detailed financial projections and investor deck materials spread across a meeting table

This doesn't mean the problem-solution slides are unimportant. But it does mean your opening needs to earn their attention, and your financials need to be defensible. We've had clients who nailed the story but lost investor interest because their unit economics didn't make sense. The reverse is also true—strong numbers can't save a confusing narrative.

One thing that helped several founders: showing actual customer behavior data alongside projections. Not just "we plan to acquire 1000 users"—but "our current cohort converts at 8%, here's why we think that scales." That level of specificity changes the conversation.

Why Some Raises Take Six Months Instead of Three

Timeline expectations are tricky. Some founders close their rounds quickly because they already had warm relationships with potential investors. Others need more time to build those connections from scratch. Neither approach is better—they're just different starting points.

Calendar and timeline planning for fundraising campaign milestones and investor meetings

What slows things down isn't usually the quality of the pitch. It's often misalignment between what founders are offering and what investors in their network are looking for. A healthtech company targeting enterprise clients needs different investors than a consumer app. If you're reaching out to the wrong groups, you'll get polite passes but no term sheets.

We spend considerable time early on helping founders map their ideal investor profile. That prep work doesn't feel productive in the moment, but it prevents months of unproductive conversations later.

The Follow-Up Mistake Nearly Everyone Makes

Here's something I see constantly: a founder has a good initial meeting with an investor, sends a thank-you email, then... silence. They wait for the investor to reach back out. Weeks pass. The momentum dies.

Email correspondence and follow-up communication templates for investor outreach

Investors are busy. They're not ignoring you on purpose—your email just got buried under 50 others. The founders who close rounds are the ones who stay visible without being annoying. That usually means sharing meaningful updates every 2-3 weeks. New partnership signed. Product milestone hit. Interesting user feedback. Something that moves the story forward.

We help clients develop these update rhythms. It's not about pestering investors—it's about demonstrating consistent progress. Because at the end of the day, investors want to back companies that are moving forward regardless of whether funding comes through.

Talk About Your Fundraising Plans