Raising your first cheque in Egypt is part craft, part endurance test, and part theatre. Founders we spoke with shared one consistent message: the deck matters less than the conversation.
1. Build the relationship before you build the deck
Every founder we interviewed started talking to investors months before they were officially raising. Coffee, conferences, and warm introductions are not optional — they are the round.
2. Know your three numbers cold
If you cannot recite your monthly burn, your runway, and your CAC payback in your sleep, an angel will assume you do not understand your own business. Practice until the answers are boring.
3. Choose a clean instrument
SAFE notes have become the regional default for pre-seed in Egypt. They are simple, founder-friendly, and avoid the priced-round delay. But understand the cap, the discount, and how multiple SAFEs will dilute you at the next round.
The mistake almost everyone makes
Underestimating timeline. "I thought I could close in six weeks. It took five months," one founder told us. Plan your runway as if your raise will take twice as long as you expect — because it almost certainly will.
