Growth
Building a Pre-Seed Data Room: What to Include and Why It Matters for Early-Stage Fundraising
Written by
Lineke Kruisinga
Published on
May 12, 2025
Written by
Published on
If you’re raising your first round of funding, a pre seed data room can help you stand out. It’s an online folder with all the key information about your startup like your pitch deck, team bios and early traction. Compared to data rooms for later funding rounds, it’s simpler but still needs to be clear and well organised. In this article, we’ll show you what a pre seed data room is, what to include, how to organise it and why it matters when speaking to early stage investors.
Definition and Purpose
A pre seed data room is a shared online folder that holds all the key information about your startup. It’s what you send to investors when they want to learn more after your pitch. Even at the earliest stage, having a clear and organised data room shows that you’re serious, thoughtful, and ready for funding. It builds trust and helps you look more credible.
Benefits of a Pre Seed Data Room
A solid data room can speed things up. Instead of going back and forth with emails and extra questions, investors get what they need in one go. It makes their decision easier and shows that you’re professional and well prepared. It also helps you stand out from other early stage startups who might not be as organised.
When to Build One
The best time to create your data room is before you start reaching out to investors. That way, you’re ready when someone shows interest. But if you’re already having conversations, it’s still worth putting one together now. Just keep it simple, clear, and up to date.
Getting your data room right can make a big difference when raising pre seed funding. Investors want quick, clear access to the most important information about your startup. Below are the 10 key items to include and why they matter.
1. Pitch Deck
Your pitch deck gives investors a quick overview of your startup. Include slides that cover the problem you're solving, your solution, the market size, the team, and any early traction. Keep it short and clear.
2. Executive Summary
This is a short one or two page document that gives a high-level view of your business. It should explain what your startup does, who your customers are, why now is the right time, and what your goals are.
3. Founding Team Bios
Investors often bet on the team more than the idea. Go beyond LinkedIn by sharing short bios that highlight each founder’s background, skills, and relevant experience. This builds confidence in your ability to execute.
4. Cap Table
Even if it's just the founders right now, share a simple breakdown of ownership. If you’ve already raised any money, show who owns what and how shares are split. A clean and fair cap table avoids red flags—like a non-active founder holding a big chunk of equity.
5. Financial Model and Forecast
At pre seed, your numbers won’t be perfect—but they still matter. Share a basic financial model with projections for the next 12 to 18 months. Show your expected costs, burn rate, and revenue assumptions (if any). This helps investors see how their money will be used.
6. Market Research and Competitive Landscape
Show that you’ve done your homework. Include research that proves there's a clear need for your product. Use third-party data or surveys to back up your claims. Add a short competitor overview that explains why your solution stands out.
7. Product Demo or Overview
Some investors like to see the product in action. If you have a demo, share a short video or walkthrough. If you’re still early, you can include mockups, wireframes, or screenshots that show how the product works and what value it brings.
8. Legal Documents
Include your incorporation documents so investors can check your legal setup. Add NDAs, IP agreements, and employment contracts that confirm the company owns all intellectual property. If you already have a draft of a SAFE or term sheet, add it here—it shows you're ready to move.
9. Customer or User Insights
Even if you’re not live yet, share anything that proves people are interested in your product. This could be email signups, app store ratings, pilot feedback, or even tweets from users. It helps show there’s real demand.
10. Commercial Proof Points
If you’ve spoken with potential customers or partners, include Letters of Intent (LOIs), pilot agreements, or signed contracts. These signals show traction and help investors see that funding will unlock clear next steps.
If an investor can’t quickly find what they’re looking for, they may lose interest or miss something important. That’s why structure and presentation matter just as much as the content itself. Here's how to organise your pre-seed data room in a clean and professional way.
Start by creating a simple and logical folder structure. Group related documents together so investors don’t have to dig through a messy file dump. For example, use folders like:
Avoid overly creative folder names—keep them clear and straightforward. If you're updating files often, consider adding version numbers or dates to your file names so it’s obvious what’s current. For example: Pitch_Deck_May2025.pdf or Financial_Model_v2.pdf.
Always use professional and secure file formats. PDF is the most common because it preserves formatting and can’t be edited by others. Avoid sending raw Word or Excel files unless an investor specifically asks for them.
For spreadsheets like cap tables or financial models, consider locking cells or protecting sheets if you're using Google Sheets or Excel, so nothing gets changed by mistake.
Consistency is key. Keep file names clean and match them to the folder they’re in. That way, if an investor downloads all your files at once, it’s still easy to understand what’s what.
There are plenty of tools you can use to build your data room, depending on your needs and preferences. Here are some popular options:
Whatever tool you choose, the goal is the same: make it easy for investors to access what they need, without confusion or delays. It’s all about building trust through clarity and professionalism.
Your data room shows how prepared you are, how well you understand your business, and whether you're someone they want to work with. Here's what investors usually look for when they open your data room.
Clarity and Brevity
Investors are busy. They go through dozens of startups every week. If your data room is packed with long reports, cluttered files or messy folders, chances are they’ll miss the point—or move on. Keep things short, clear and easy to follow.
Don’t add documents just to look impressive. Every file should serve a purpose. Use simple language and clean formatting. Think of it like this: if someone opens your data room with just 15 minutes to spare, can they quickly understand what your startup does, who’s building it, and why it matters?
Honesty and Transparency
At the pre seed stage, investors aren’t expecting a perfect business. They know you’re still figuring things out. What they do want is honesty. If there are risks, challenges or gaps—flag them.
For example, if your product isn’t live yet, say so. If you're still testing your business model, be open about it. This builds trust. Investors would rather work with a founder who’s upfront than someone who tries to hide the messy parts.
Signals of Preparedness
A well organised, professional-looking data room is a green flag. It shows you’re serious, detail-oriented and ready for investment.
Small things—like clear file names, updated documents, and consistent formatting—send a big message. They show that you respect investors' time and that you’re prepared to take the next step.
Founders who prepare strong data rooms tend to move faster through the funding process. They reduce the back-and-forth, answer questions before they’re asked, and make it easier for investors to say yes.
Even if you’ve put a lot of effort into your data room, small mistakes can still turn investors off. Here are the most common things that go wrong and how to avoid them.
1. Too Much or Too Little Information
It's easy to go overboard and upload everything you’ve ever worked on. But investors don’t need to see rough notes, brainstorm docs or half-finished plans. These can distract from the main story and make your startup look messy.
On the other hand, don’t leave out key info. Skipping your cap table, financials or legal documents will slow down the process. Focus on the essentials that help investors understand your business, your team and your growth plan.
2. Lack of Updates
Fundraising can take time—sometimes months. If you shared your data room early and haven’t touched it since, you risk giving investors outdated numbers or missing wins you’ve had along the way.
Make it a habit to update your financial model, product screenshots, or milestones as things progress. Even small updates can show momentum and keep investors interested.
3. No Access Control
Sending your data room through a public link might seem easy, but it’s risky. You lose control over who’s viewing your files, and you can’t track who’s engaging with your content.
Use tools like DocSend or set permissions in Google Drive to control access. This way, you can see who’s looking, follow up with the right people, and make sure sensitive information doesn’t end up in the wrong hands.
Here's how a strong data room helps you stand out.
1. Builds Investor Confidence
When your data room is organised, clear and complete, it sends a message: you’re prepared. You understand your business, you respect investors' time, and you’re ready for what’s next. This builds confidence and makes investors more comfortable moving forward.
2. Accelerates Due Diligence
If an investor has to keep emailing you for missing documents or updates, things slow down. But when everything they need is already in the data room, they can move quickly. A strong data room can turn a “maybe later” into a “let’s talk next week.”
3. Sets You Apart from Other Startups
Many early-stage founders skip the data room or throw something together last minute. If you show up with a clean, thoughtful setup, you’re already ahead of the pack. It shows you take fundraising seriously and that you’re thinking a few steps ahead.
A good pre seed data room shows that you’re serious, organised, and ready to work with investors. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but it should cover the basics—like your pitch deck, team info, financials, and product details. Even at an early stage, being prepared makes a strong impression. Keep your data room simple, clear, and up to date. It’s not a one-time task, but something you’ll keep improving as your startup grows.
⏩️ How to Use Data Rooms for Effective Due Diligence in M&A Transactions
⏩️ How to Get Pre Seed Funding | The Ultimate Startup's Guide
⏩️Term Sheet Tactics: How to Navigate Pre-Seed Startup Funding
⏩️Choosing the Right Data Room Software: Secure and Efficient Solutions for Your Startup
⏩️ Designing a Pitch Deck for Investors
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