Securing growth capital requires a clear, compelling case. Lenders need to see a stable business with a predictable path to repayment, and the way you present that information matters.
This guide breaks down the three essential materials every SaaS founder needs and what lenders expect to see in each.
Your pitch deck does more than share your vision; it proves your business model works. While a VC deck often focuses on a massive, winner-take-all outcome, a pitch deck needs to tell a story of stability, predictability, and smart growth.
Lenders are betting on your ability to repay the loan, not just on a potential 100x return.
What should I include in my pitch deck?
Focus your narrative on post-product-market fit traction. Your goal is to show lenders a well-oiled machine, not just a big idea.
Emphasize these key areas:
Founder Tip: A pitch deck should feel less like a lottery ticket and more like a business plan. Ground your big vision in real-world metrics that prove your company is a reliable bet.
Learn more in our guide on building a winning pitch deck.
While your pitch deck tells the story, your historical financials provide the proof. Lenders will closely analyze your past performance to predict future stability. Providing clean, accurate financial statements shows professionalism and gives them confidence in your operations.
You will need to prepare your last 2–3 years of financial records.
What do growth capital lenders look for in my financials?
Lenders dig into three main documents:
Founder Tip: Send these documents in an organized, formula-driven Excel format, broken down by month and summarized by quarter and year. Messy or incomplete financials are one of the fastest ways to get a “no” from a lender. Using accounting software like QuickBooks or working with a fractional CFO can ensure your books are always ready for review.
A pro forma is a financial forecast that shows how the capital will impact your business. It combines your historical performance with a set of well-reasoned assumptions to project your future income, balance sheet, and cash flow. This is where you connect the loan directly to your growth milestones.
Creating a credible financial model for investors is about showing that your projections are based on sound assumptions and a clear understanding of your business, not just optimistic growth numbers. It’s about demonstrating that you have a realistic plan.
What makes a financial model credible to lenders?
Your model should answer the question: “With this capital, how will your business grow sustainably and repay its debt?”
A strong pro forma includes:
Founder Tip: Your pro forma model is a test of your strategic thinking. A thoughtful downside scenario shows a lender you are a responsible steward of capital, which increases their confidence far more than an overly optimistic forecast.
Have your materials ready? Apply for funding today!
1. Do I need audited financials to apply for capital?
Not always. Many lenders will accept reviewed or management-prepared statements, as long as they are clean, accurate, and consistent. However, audited financials do increase credibility and can speed up the approval process, especially for larger loans.
2. How detailed should my pro forma model be for lenders?
It doesn’t need to be a 50-tab spreadsheet. What matters is clarity and defensible assumptions. A good model shows how the loan impacts cash flow, repayment ability, and growth milestones, plus it includes base, upside, and downside scenarios.
3. What’s the biggest mistake founders make when presenting to lenders?
Focusing too much on vision and not enough on predictability. Growth capital isn’t about pitching a unicorn outcome, it’s about showing stability, a clear repayment path, and thoughtful use of funds. Ground your story in hard numbers and realistic assumptions.
