June 2021 Summaries

In March 2020, Nhost, a startup founded by two co-founders, faced the challenge of raising funds during the COVID-19 pandemic after securing an initial $110,000 from Antler's accelerator. Despite global lockdowns and economic uncertainty, the founders capitalized on remote work tools and communication platforms like Discord, Trello, and GitHub to develop their product, an open-source Firebase alternative with GraphQL, while targeting potential investors for a seed round. Through strategic investor calls and monthly updates, they engaged with numerous potential investors, eventually securing a $3M seed round led by Nauta Capital and supported by angel investors like GitHub's co-founder Tom Preston-Warner, Netlify's co-founders, and Michael Grinich of WorkOS, without the need for in-person meetings. The experience highlighted the power of a compelling idea, strategic networking, and the potential to build a successful business remotely, even in a global crisis.