Angel Investors Network
    Complete Guide

    How to Raise Capital

    Learn proven capital raising strategies from pitch deck creation to closing investors. Covers venture capital, angel rounds, private equity fundraising, and placement agent selection for founders raising $1M to $100M+.

    Topic: how to raise capital

    30 articles in this guide

    In This Guide

    Articles in This Guide

    1
    EquityZen vs. Hiive: Pre-IPO Secondary Markets in 2026
    Venture Capital

    EquityZen vs. Hiive: Pre-IPO Secondary Markets in 2026

    The pre-IPO secondary market hit a consolidation turning point in early 2026: Morgan Stanley closed its acquisition of EquityZen on January 27, 2026 and immediately cut buyer-side fees from 5% to 2.5%

    Jeff Barnes, MBA··13 min read
    2
    Realty Income and KKR: The Capped IRR Equity Play
    Real Estate

    Realty Income and KKR: The Capped IRR Equity Play

    On September 14, 2026, Realty Income Corporation (NYSE: O) and KKR (NYSE: KKR) announced a new euro-denominated joint venture in which KKR-advised accounts will invest €528 million (approximately $609

    Jeff Barnes, MBA··11 min read
    3
    The LP Side Letter Playbook for $250K Investors
    Capital Raising

    The LP Side Letter Playbook for $250K Investors

    Most accredited investors assume side letters are reserved for pension funds writing $50 million checks. That assumption costs you real rights. ILPA Principles 3.0, published in June 2019, explicitly

    Jeff Barnes, MBA··11 min read
    4
    Hines Rialto Closes 1.1B Office Credit Fund
    Alternative Investments

    Hines Rialto Closes 1.1B Office Credit Fund

    Hines and Rialto Capital closed their co-general partnership fund, Hines Rialto Credit Partners, at $1.1 billion in investor commitments on September 15, 2026, attracting 126 investors at a $100,000 m

    Jeff Barnes, MBA··11 min read
    5
    What Is First-Loss Capital? Junior Tranches Explained
    Alternative Investments

    What Is First-Loss Capital? Junior Tranches Explained

    First-loss capital is the layer of a structured deal that absorbs every dollar of loss before senior investors take any hit. In a standard collateralized loan obligation (CLO), that layer is the unrat

    Jeff Barnes, MBA··13 min read
    6
    Radical Ventures Launches Record AI Fund in Canada
    Venture Capital

    Radical Ventures Launches Record AI Fund in Canada

    Toronto-based Radical Ventures completed a first close of more than $1 billion USD ($1.4 billion CAD) for its new Radical Breakouts Fund on September 15, 2026, making it the largest venture capital fu

    Jeff Barnes, MBA··11 min read
    7
    Goldman Sachs Closes West Street Capital Partners IX at $9.6 Billion
    Private Equity

    Goldman Sachs Closes West Street Capital Partners IX at $9.6 Billion

    Goldman Sachs' alternatives private equity unit closed West Street Capital Partners IX (WSCP IX) at $9.6 billion on September 15, 2026. Combined with West Street Asia Equity Partners I and related co-

    Jeff Barnes, MBA··10 min read
    8
    What Is an Annex Fund in Private Equity?
    Private Equity

    What Is an Annex Fund in Private Equity?

    An annex fund is a supplemental vehicle a private equity general partner (GP) raises after closing the main fund's investment period. It injects follow-on capital into companies already in that existi

    Jeff Barnes, MBA··11 min read
    9
    AlumniVentures Review 2026
    Venture Capital

    AlumniVentures Review 2026

    AlumniVentures ranks as the number-one most active venture capital firm in the United States by deal count, according to PitchBook rankings published annually from 2018 through 2024. The firm lets acc

    Jeff Barnes, MBA··12 min read
    10
    The $677 Billion Stash: How AI Deployment Is Masking a Non-AI Funding Drought
    Venture Capital

    The $677 Billion Stash: How AI Deployment Is Masking a Non-AI Funding Drought

    Global venture capital held approximately $677 billion in dry powder , committed but undeployed capital sitting inside VC funds, as of early 2025, according to PitchBook's 2024 Annual Global Private

    Jeff Barnes, MBA··11 min read
    11
    What Is a Key Man Clause in Private Equity and Venture Capital?
    Private Equity

    What Is a Key Man Clause in Private Equity and Venture Capital?

    A key man clause, also called a key person provision, is the section of a private fund's limited partnership agreement (LPA) that names the specific individuals whose continued, active involvement is

    Jeff Barnes, MBA··13 min read
    12
    Veep Capital Review: A New Reg A+ Platform With an Unusual Safeguard
    Capital Raising

    Veep Capital Review: A New Reg A+ Platform With an Unusual Safeguard

    Apex DeFi Labs Inc. announced on September 4, 2026, that it had opened Regulation A+ Tier 2 offering capability on Veep Capital, its private-markets issuance marketplace built on a platform the compan

    Jeff Barnes, MBA··11 min read
    13
    SEC's New Crypto Offering Rule Lets Startups Skip Financial Statements Entirely
    Crypto & Digital Assets

    SEC's New Crypto Offering Rule Lets Startups Skip Financial Statements Entirely

    A crypto startup can raise $5 million from any member of the public, run general advertising, require no financial statements, and place no cap on what a single non-accredited investor puts in — while

    Jeff Barnes, MBA··11 min read
    14
    ARCHIMED Closes $1.75B Healthcare Fund in Under 6 Months, 3x Oversubscribed
    Private Equity

    ARCHIMED Closes $1.75B Healthcare Fund in Under 6 Months, 3x Oversubscribed

    On September 9, 2026, ARCHIMED, a private equity firm that invests exclusively in healthcare, announced the final closing of its MED IV fund at a €1.5 billion ($1.75 billion) hard cap , three times ov

    Jeff Barnes, MBA··11 min read
    15
    Volition Capital Closes $950M Fund VI, Its Largest Ever
    Venture Capital

    Volition Capital Closes $950M Fund VI, Its Largest Ever

    Volition Capital closed its sixth flagship fund at a hard cap of $950 million on September 11, 2026, bringing the Boston-based growth equity firm's total assets under management to over $2.6 billion,

    Jeff Barnes, MBA··10 min read
    16
    EquityZen Review 2026: Now a Morgan Stanley Subsidiary
    Venture Capital

    EquityZen Review 2026: Now a Morgan Stanley Subsidiary

    EquityZen, acquired by Morgan Stanley in 2026, cut pre-IPO transaction fees to 2.5 percent for buyers and sellers, with a 5,000 dollar minimum.

    Jeff Barnes, MBA··11 min read
    17
    HarbourVest Raises $2.4 Billion for Private Credit Secondaries
    Alternative Investments

    HarbourVest Raises $2.4 Billion for Private Credit Secondaries

    HarbourVest Partners raised $2.4 billion across two private credit secondary vehicles, marking an institutional bet on this fast-growing strategy.

    Jeff Barnes, MBA··11 min read
    18
    Pinegrove Closes $1.5 Billion Oversubscribed VC Fund-of-Funds: What It Means for LP Access
    Venture Capital

    Pinegrove Closes $1.5 Billion Oversubscribed VC Fund-of-Funds: What It Means for LP Access

    Pinegrove Venture Partners closed a $1.5 billion oversubscribed VC fund-of-funds. Here is how the structure works, what two layers of fees actually cost, and how smaller investors can get comparable exposure.

    Jeff Barnes, MBA··10 min read
    19
    Perpetual vs. Closed-End Private Credit Funds: An LP's Practical Guide
    Market Analysis

    Perpetual vs. Closed-End Private Credit Funds: An LP's Practical Guide

    Same GP, same loans, two completely different mechanics. Here is how closed-end capital calls and evergreen redemption gates actually work for private credit LPs, plus a fee-by-fee breakdown.

    Jeff Barnes, MBA··11 min read
    20
    PennantPark Raises $745 Million for a Credit Continuation Fund
    Alternative Investments

    PennantPark Raises $745 Million for a Credit Continuation Fund

    PennantPark closed a $745 million GP-led credit continuation fund backed by Pantheon, moving first-lien loans from seven aging funds into PCS and giving LPs a cash-out or roll-forward option.

    Jeff Barnes, MBA··10 min read
    21
    Arini Capital Nears $4 Billion Final Close on Debut European Direct Lending Fund
    Alternative Investments

    Arini Capital Nears $4 Billion Final Close on Debut European Direct Lending Fund

    Arini Capital Management nears a $4 billion final close on its debut European direct lending fund, anchored by BCI at $200 million with a 12 to 14 percent net IRR target and a Lazard sourcing partnership.

    Jeff Barnes, MBA··10 min read
    22
    Hercules Capital Closes $2.3 Billion Across Two Private Credit Vehicles
    Alternative Investments

    Hercules Capital Closes $2.3 Billion Across Two Private Credit Vehicles

    Hercules Adviser closed two private credit vehicles in September 2026, raising $2.3 billion. The Evergreen Fund offers perpetual LP access while Growth Lending IV follows a closed-end model.

    Jeff Barnes, MBA··10 min read
    23
    Apogem Capital Closes APEF XI at $597 Million: Why the Lower Middle Market Still Offers Real Alpha
    Private Equity

    Apogem Capital Closes APEF XI at $597 Million: Why the Lower Middle Market Still Offers Real Alpha

    TL;DR: On September 8, 2026, Apogem Capital closed its eleventh private equity fund, APEF XI, at its hard cap of $597 million, with $17 million

    Jeff Barnes, MBA··10 min read
    24
    What Sixth Street Lending Partners' $500 Million Capital Call Actually Signals
    Alternative Investments

    What Sixth Street Lending Partners' $500 Million Capital Call Actually Signals

    On September 1, Sixth Street Lending Partners called 500 million against a closed commitment pool. Here is what that actually means for investors.

    Jeff Barnes, MBA··10 min read
    25
    TrueBridge Secondaries II Closes at $508 Million: What This Fund Tells You About the VC Liquidity Crisis
    Venture Capital

    TrueBridge Secondaries II Closes at $508 Million: What This Fund Tells You About the VC Liquidity Crisis

    TL;DR: On September 8, 2026, TrueBridge Capital Partners announced the final close of TrueBridge Secondaries II, L.P. at $508 million ,

    Jeff Barnes, MBA··10 min read
    26
    When a Stablecoin Issuer Becomes a Private Credit Lender: The Tether-Fasanara Fund Explained
    Crypto & Digital Assets

    When a Stablecoin Issuer Becomes a Private Credit Lender: The Tether-Fasanara Fund Explained

    TL;DR: On September 9, 2026, London-based private credit manager Fasanara Capital and USDT stablecoin issuer Tether announced the Tether-Fasanara

    Jeff Barnes, MBA··10 min read
    27
    Peterson Partners Raises $510 Million Continuation Vehicle for Kelso Industries: What the Deal Reveals About GP-Led Secondaries
    Private Equity

    Peterson Partners Raises $510 Million Continuation Vehicle for Kelso Industries: What the Deal Reveals About GP-Led Secondaries

    TL;DR: On September 9, 2026, Peterson Partners closed a $510 million capital raise for Peterson Kelso Coinvest, LP, a single-asset continuation

    Jeff Barnes, MBA··10 min read
    28
    ICG Europe Fund IX Closes at €12 Billion: What the 77% Re-Up Rate Signals About Manager Selection
    Alternative Investments

    ICG Europe Fund IX Closes at €12 Billion: What the 77% Re-Up Rate Signals About Manager Selection

    TL;DR: On September 9, 2026, London-listed alternative asset manager ICG announced the final close of ICG Europe Fund IX at €12 billion , a 50%

    Jeff Barnes, MBA··10 min read
    29
    WAD Capital: Institutionalizing the European Search Fund
    Venture Capital

    WAD Capital: Institutionalizing the European Search Fund

    By Jeff Barnes, MBA TL;DR: Belgium-based WAD Capital has reached a €67.5 million first close for its debut fund, with €25 million committed by the European Investment Fund (EIF) and European Investmen

    Jeff Barnes, MBA··11 min read
    30
    CLO Equity Fund Closes in 2026 Signal Institutional Return
    Market Analysis

    CLO Equity Fund Closes in 2026 Signal Institutional Return

    By Jeff Barnes, MBA | Market Analysis | September 8, 2026 TL;DR: Three major captive CLO equity fund closes in 2026 -- Crescent Capital Group's $232 million raise, Bain Capital's $1.5 billion close, a

    Jeff Barnes, MBA··12 min read

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