Cambridge Female Founders Network
The Raise Lab
Where Founders Walk Out Ready to Raise
Raising money isn't just about the pitch: it's strategy, timing, psychology, story, and relationships. The Raise Lab is an intensive bootcamp series for founders who want to walk into investor meetings prepared, polished, confident, and connected.
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Free for founders
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Hybrid: Virtual & Cambridge IRL
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Built by founders, for founders
Running every Cambridge term: November, February, May
Why The Raise Lab Exists
Most fundraising support falls into one of two camps:
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generic accelerator content that doesn't account for your specific stage, or
advisors or consultants who tell you what worked five years ago.
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The Raise Lab is different because it's founder-led. It's built on what's working right now—from founders who have recently raised and investors who are actively writing checks.
This isn't theory.
This is the real playbook, updated every term.​
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And it's not about getting you pitch-ready. It's about making sure you walk out with a stronger platform to raise on.
What You'll Build:
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A 60-second pitch that lands
A financial model that's believable and defensible
A deck that does its job (intro deck vs. live deck vs. follow-up deck)
Raise content and milestones investors actually care about
Legal frameworks so you understand what you're signing
Investor funnel strategies (research and relationship building)
Confidence backed by community, not just slides
Real connections with investors and fellow founders
Testimonials
“I was very impressed with the quality of the events and the ability for hands-on implementation of the advice and strategies suggested in the event. It was well worth me taking the time out to attend because even if there is a lot of information online about how to navigate raising, nothing is better than talking to someone who has been through it recently and is facing a similar investor landscape to the one that you're currently attempting a raise in.”
“I found this session extremely helpful. As an early-stage startup founder who has never raised funding before, the sessions provided a clear and practical framework for approaching fundraising. The content was well-structured and gave me actionable insights that I can apply immediately to my own fundraising efforts.”
“Incredibly helpful dive into the signals (rather than the noise) around what makes a great deck! Great, practical pointers to implement directly. Appreciated the interactive dimension.”
Cohorts
The Raise Lab 1.0 - November 2025​
Our pilot cohort brought together 40 founders over 2 weeks of intensive virtual and IRL sessions. Founders pitched, refined their models and decks in real-time, and built relationships that extended beyond the programme.​
The Raise Lab 2.0 - February 2026
Building on TRL 1.0, our second cohort condensed the programme into three intensive days with deeper investor engagement, more roundtable formats, and tighter focus on personalized feedback.
Questions?
Is The Raise Lab only for Cambridge-based founders?
No! While our IRL sessions happen in Cambridge, our virtual sessions are open to founders anywhere. Many participants join remotely and still get tremendous value.
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I'm not raising right now. Should I still join?
If you're planning to raise in the next 3-6 months, absolutely. The Raise Lab helps you build the infrastructure before you start outreach. If you're further out, consider joining a later cohort when timing is closer.
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What if I can't attend all the sessions?
We design the programme so you can choose sessions based on your needs. That said, the more you participate, the more value you'll get—especially from the peer community and investor connections.
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Is this only for first-time founders?
Not at all. The Raise Lab is for founders at any stage of their journey who want to strengthen their fundraising platform. We've had both first-time and serial founders participate.
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What does "founder-led" actually mean?
The Raise Lab is designed and run by founders who've recently raised, with input from active investors. We're people who've done this, recently, and are sharing what worked.
Kindly Supported by Goodwin
