Series A Valuations: How to Calculate Your Raise & What Investors Look for in 2026

Book a Capital Raise Strategy Call: https://go.investorreadycapital.com/o... Full breakdown on the IRC blog: https://investorreadycapital.com/news... Get the IRC Capital Raise Pre-Flight diagnostic: https://go.investorreadycapital.com/c... Out of 87 companies reviewing Series A raises last year, only 23 were actually ready—the rest went to market up to 12 months too early, burning credibility with institutional investors before establishing the metrics to justify the round. Going to market with an incorrect raise size, bad investor targeting, or poor timing can destroy years of momentum in 90 days. This guide breaks down how to size your Series A round, what institutional investors evaluate before writing checks, and the three common mistakes that cause fundraising attempts to fail. WHAT YOU WILL LEARN: What changes when moving from seed potential to Series A proof How to size your Series A round using an 18 to 24-month runway framework mapped to milestones Typical Series A check ranges across SaaS, hardware, deep tech, and biotech The 5 core metrics institutional investors evaluate before writing $10M–$40M checks Why undersizing your round or raising too early destroys GP equity and market credibility CHAPTERS: 0:00 The 87-Company Series A Audit 0:44 Seed vs. Series A: Potential vs. Proof 1:16 The Metric Shift (CAC, LTV, Retention, Margins) 1:42 How Much Should You Raise in Series A? 1:54 Step 1: Calculating 18 to 24 Months Runway 2:08 Step 2: Mapping Capital to Specific Milestones 2:53 Step 3: Sector-Specific Raise Ranges (SaaS, Hardware, Biotech) 3:41 Step 4: Managing Dilution Targets 4:17 5 Things Institutional Series A Investors Look For 4:32 1. Proven Product-Market Fit ($1M–$5M ARR) 5:10 2. Unit Economics & LTV:CAC Benchmarks 5:56 Case Study: Fixing Unit Economics to Close $18M 6:41 3. Functional Team Depth 7:25 4. Repeatable Go-To-Market (GTM) Strategy 8:12 5. Capital Efficiency Metrics 8:51 Valuation Video & Series A Checklist 9:08 The 3 Series A Mistakes 9:13 Mistake #1: Raising Too Early 9:46 Mistake #2: Targeting the Wrong Investors 10:34 Mistake #3: Undersizing the Round 11:47 Recapping the Series A Playbook 12:12 How to Audit Your Series A Readiness IRC accepts 7 strategic partners per quarter. #PrivateCapital #InstitutionalCapital #FounderCEO --- DISCLAIMER: For educational and informational purposes only. Not investment, legal, tax, or financial advice. Not an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any security. IRC Partners is a capital advisory firm and not a registered broker-dealer or investment adviser. Senior advisor case studies reflect individual career history, not IRC Partners closings unless explicitly stated. Past performance does not predict future results. Consult your own legal, tax, and financial advisors before any investment decision. No advisor-client relationship is created by viewing this video. © 2026 IRC Partners. All rights reserved.