Data room checklist

Series B+
data room checklist.

Growth-stage diligence: audited numbers, budget versus actuals and the legal depth later-stage funds expect.

Pitch & overview

  • Pitch deckMust-haveStage 1: First look

    The first thing every investor reads; everything else in the room should back up its claims.

  • One-pager / teaserShould-haveStage 1: First look

    Easy to forward internally to partners who won't open a full deck.

  • Product demo video (2-5 min)Should-haveStage 1: First look

    Proves the product exists and lets investors see it without booking a call.

  • Investor FAQShould-haveStage 1: First look

    Answers the same 15 questions once instead of in every meeting.

  • Founder memo / narrativeShould-haveStage 1: First look

    A written thesis shows clarity of thinking; many funds prefer memos to decks.

Round & use of funds

  • Round summary (amount, instrument, valuation / cap)Must-haveStage 1: First look

    Investors need the terms to know if the deal fits their check size and ownership targets.

  • Use of fundsMust-haveStage 1: First look

    Shows the raise is sized to reach specific milestones, not just runway.

  • Milestones this round gets you toMust-haveStage 1: First look

    Investors underwrite the next round: what will be true when this money runs out?

  • Existing investor participation / pro-rataMust-haveStage 1: First look

    Insider support is the strongest signal on a bridge; lack of it is the first red flag new investors look for.

  • Prior financing historyMust-haveStage 2: Diligence

    Shows valuation trajectory, who's already in, and any terms that carry forward.

Financials

  • Financial model (3-5 year, monthly for first 24 months)Must-haveStage 2: Diligence

    Tests whether you understand your unit economics and what drives growth.

  • Historical P&L (last 12-24 months)Must-haveStage 2: Diligence

    Actuals are the ground truth the model is judged against.

  • Current cash, burn and runwayMust-haveStage 1: First look

    Determines urgency and negotiating leverage; investors will ask in the first call.

  • Balance sheet and cash flow statementMust-haveStage 2: Diligence

    Surfaces debt, liabilities and working-capital issues the P&L hides.

  • Budget vs. actualsMust-haveStage 2: Diligence

    Shows whether past plans were credible, which sets how much the new plan is trusted.

  • Debt, loans and convertible instruments outstandingMust-haveStage 2: Diligence

    Every note and SAFE affects the cap table and liquidation stack.

  • Audited or reviewed financial statementsShould-haveStage 2: Diligence

    Later-stage funds and their LPs often require audited numbers.

  • Tax filings and R&D tax credit claimsShould-haveStage 3: Confirmatory

    Unfiled taxes or aggressive credits are liabilities that transfer to investors.

Traction & KPIs

  • KPI dashboard (monthly, last 12+ months)Must-haveStage 1: First look

    Trend lines matter more than snapshots; investors look for consistency and acceleration.

  • Revenue / MRR / ARR by monthMust-haveStage 1: First look

    The core growth metric; investors will check it against bank statements later.

  • Cohort retention analysisMust-haveStage 2: Diligence

    Retention proves product-market fit better than top-line growth.

  • Unit economics (CAC, LTV, payback, gross margin)Must-haveStage 2: Diligence

    Shows whether growth gets more or less efficient with scale.

Product & technology

  • Product overview and roadmapMust-haveStage 1: First look

    Shows what's built vs. planned, and whether the roadmap matches the use of funds.

  • Technical architecture overviewMust-haveStage 2: Diligence

    Technical diligence checks for scalability limits and key-person risk in the stack.

  • Open-source licence inventoryMust-haveStage 3: Confirmatory

    Copyleft licences in a commercial product can be an IP problem.

  • Known technical risks and mitigationsShould-haveStage 3: Confirmatory

    Being upfront about risks builds trust; investors will find them anyway.

Market & competition

  • Competitive landscapeMust-haveStage 1: First look

    Saying 'no competitors' is a red flag; show you know the field and why you win.

  • Customer reference list (with permission)Must-haveStage 2: Diligence

    Customer calls are often the deciding step for a lead investor.

  • Market sizing (bottom-up TAM/SAM/SOM)Should-haveStage 1: First look

    Funds need a path to a venture-scale outcome; bottom-up sizing is more credible than top-down.

Team

  • Founder and leadership biosMust-haveStage 1: First look

    At early stage, the team is most of what investors are betting on.

  • Org chart and headcountMust-haveStage 2: Diligence

    Shows where the burn goes and what gaps the round will fill.

  • Hiring planMust-haveStage 2: Diligence

    Headcount is usually most of the use of funds; this makes it concrete.

  • Employment agreements and IP assignments (key staff)Must-haveStage 3: Confirmatory Confidential

    Confirms the company, not individuals, owns what the team builds.

  • Board and advisor list with equity grantsShould-haveStage 2: Diligence

    Shows governance and whether advisor equity is reasonable.

Cap table & corporate

  • Fully diluted cap tableMust-haveStage 2: Diligence Confidential

    Investors model their ownership and dilution from it; errors here delay closing.

  • Pro forma cap table post-roundMust-haveStage 2: Diligence Confidential

    Shows exactly what the new investor owns after SAFEs and notes convert.

  • Option pool / ESOP summaryMust-haveStage 2: Diligence

    Pool size affects the effective pre-money; leads often require a top-up.

  • Certificate of incorporation and articles / bylawsMust-haveStage 2: Diligence

    Confirms the entity, share classes and any existing investor rights.

  • Executed SAFEs and convertible notesMust-haveStage 2: Diligence Confidential

    Investors check conversion terms (caps, discounts, MFN) against the cap table.

  • Shareholder and investor rights agreementsMust-haveStage 2: Diligence Confidential

    Existing vetoes, pro-rata and preferences shape what new terms are possible.

  • Board minutes and consentsMust-haveStage 3: Confirmatory Confidential

    Confirms past share issuances and decisions were properly approved.

  • Founder vesting and 83(b) elections (US)Must-haveStage 3: Confirmatory Confidential

    Missing 83(b)s are a common, expensive-to-fix diligence finding for US companies.

Customers & contracts

  • Customer list / logosMust-haveStage 1: First look

    Recognisable customers are social proof; concentration is a risk they'll check.

  • Top customer contractsMust-haveStage 3: Confirmatory Confidential

    Verifies revenue quality: term length, termination rights, pricing.

  • Standard customer agreement / terms of serviceMust-haveStage 3: Confirmatory

    Shows how you contract and where liability sits.

  • Revenue concentration (top 10 customers)Must-haveStage 2: Diligence

    One customer above ~20% of revenue is a risk investors will price in.

Security & compliance

  • Privacy policy and DPAMust-haveStage 3: Confirmatory

    Data handling is a legal liability, especially with EU/UK users (GDPR).

  • Insurance policies (D&O, cyber, general liability)Should-haveStage 3: Confirmatory

    Leads often require D&O cover before taking a board seat.

Advice

  • Investors will expect audited or reviewed financials and a detailed budget-vs-actuals history.
  • Prepare for confirmatory diligence by lawyers and accountants; organise by their checklist, not your deck's story.

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