Fundraising Due Diligence Checklist
Written by Harry Prabandham
Curated by Rubric Financial
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Financial Due Diligence
- Prepare audited or reviewed financial statements (P&L, balance sheet, cash flow) for all historical periods; at minimum, have CPA-prepared statements
- Provide monthly revenue and expense detail for the past 24 months with clear categorization aligned to your financial model
- Document all outstanding debt, convertible instruments, and contingent liabilities with their key terms and conversion mechanics
- Have your cap table fully reconciled with corporate records and ready for review on a cap table management platform
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About the author
Harry PrabandhamFounder & CEO
Founder and CEO of StartupCFO. MBA from Wharton, MS in Computer Science, and decades of experience building and advising venture-backed startups.
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