Our Process

Helping you navigate the right path to success.

What we are looking for

Commitment

You’re full-time on the project or going to be within 30 days.

Founding Teams

You’re a founding team with a roughly equal share of the company.

B2B

Most of our investments are working on ideas that will be sold to businesses, not individuals.

Location

Your team is based in the US, Canada or the UK and targeting those markets.

Our Process is Simple

At the Idea Stage

1

Investment

$25k-$50k initial investment. Up to $150k total investment for 5%. Often leads to larger investments.

2

Coaching

Regular coaching to get you from idea to your first million in revenue.

3

Non-competitive

Our programs do not compete with others. You can start or stop with Sterling Road whenever works for you.

4

Ongoing Help

Outside of coaching, we offer a network of operators to help with specific problems, a large investor database, job candidate search and educational resources

pre-seed - coaching then investment

What we are looking for

Commitment

Your entire founding team is full time with at least one full time technical team member, not contractors.

Founding Teams

You and your co-founders have a roughly equal share of the company.

B2B

Your team is working on ideas that will be exclusively sold to businesses, not individuals.

Location

Your team is based in the US, Canada or the UK and targeting those markets.

Traction

Some early evidence of progress. This might include a demo or evidence of customer demand; sometimes even a customer pilot live or ready to go live.

Not that far along?

Our Process is Simple

What we provide at Pre-seed.

1

Coaching

Before investing, we meet every 2 weeks for 3 months discussing: Goals, Recruiting, Fundraising, Sales or whatever challenges you face. 

2

Investment

Assuming mutual interest, the first investment will be made, usually $250k at a maximum valuation of $6M, post-money. Coaching continues every 2 weeks until you raise your next round, even if it takes years.

3

Ongoing Help

Outside of coaching, we offer a mentor network of experienced operators to help with specific problems, job candidate search using our online networks and resources database covering topics from deck building to wellness.

4

Additional Capital

Sterling Road continues to support portfolio companies with capital into their later rounds. We’re not afraid to write $10M+ checks for teams we believe in.

Program FAQs

Aaron Ginn
Aaron Ginn

Ash was very involved in our 10 million dollar raise. It would be hard to see how we could have done that without him.

Aaron Ginn

Hydra

Justin Curhan & Lisa Jiang
Justin Curhan & Lisa Jiang

Ash continues to be an integral part of our team, providing advice and guidance worth 100x more than the money Sterling Road invested.

Justin Curhan & Lisa Jiang

Velma

James Chang
James Chang

Not only do you get to work with Ash hands-on before Sterling Road makes an investment, but he also opens up a huge network of founders. It’s incredible.

James Chang

Frenzy AI

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