Lessons from Fundraising and Building a Viral Startup: Our Journey So Far

It’s been a minute since we last posted an update, but a lot has happened! Our startup recently went viral on Twitter, gaining over 750,000 views on our launch video, 200k views on Threads, and 100k on Instagram. This viral momentum brought a flood of interest from venture capitalists (VCs), leading us to kick off a fundraising round. So far, we’ve raised about $100,000 towards our initial $1 million goal. Although momentum slowed down, we’re shifting our focus to gaining paying customers and building traction with hopes of raising a strong seed round—maybe even skipping a Series A round altogether.

Fundraising Realities: What We Learned

Fundraising for the first time has been an eye-opening experience. Initially, I treated VC meetings like job interviews, answering their questions passively. I quickly realized the better approach is to guide the conversation and control the narrative. Many founders try to cram as many investor meetings as possible into a short window to maintain momentum and close quickly, but we found that scaling beyond 30–40 meetings was tough. The key takeaway: getting a lead investor is the hardest part, but once that happens, other VCs tend to follow.

Surprisingly, handling rejection was harder than expected. Hearing “no” is part of the process, and some founders pitch hundreds of investors before getting a “yes.” We raised $100k so far, and while it’s below our initial goal, it’s motivated us to focus on product development. When we return to fundraising with more traction and retention, we’re confident the process will go smoother.

Building the Product: Video Editing with Text Prompts

So, what exactly are we building? Our startup is developing a tool that lets users edit videos through text prompts. Imagine uploading raw vlog clips and generating a first cut automatically by simply typing instructions — no more dragging timelines or tedious manual editing. The idea came from the pain points of traditional video editing and the desire to streamline the process.

We launched an early version to test demand, which went viral and confirmed there’s interest. However, the product isn’t polished enough yet for continuous usage, so we’re hard at work improving the MVP. Next week, we expect to roll out a better version with a paywall and faster load times. We encourage anyone interested to try it out and provide feedback!

The Emotional Rollercoaster of Going Viral Early

Launching a rough MVP that goes viral is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it generates valuable user data and demand validation. On the other, it exposes you to intense scrutiny and criticism when the product isn’t perfect. We welcomed the “angry people” because it meant people cared, but it was mentally tough.

This approach is part of a new startup playbook: launch fast, go viral, learn from real user data, then iterate and improve. It’s still unproven on a large scale, but it’s the path we’re taking. The alternative—building in isolation and releasing polished but unused products—felt worse.

Why Being in San Francisco Matters

After moving here from Las Vegas five months ago, I can say being in San Francisco has been invaluable. The city’s ecosystem propels momentum through constant interactions with other founders, access to frontier tech, and serendipitous conversations. Yes, it’s expensive and crowded, but the biggest cost for me is not being around ambitious peers.

I plan to attend more events to build relationships that often pay dividends later. Although I was initially anti-events, I now see how they stimulate new ideas and collaborations beyond solo grind sessions.

Tips for Building in Public and Growing Your Audience

Building a personal brand and sharing your journey publicly is crucial nowadays. Here’s what I’ve learned:

• Start with one platform: Focus on YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn, or whatever fits you best. Don’t try to be everywhere at once.
• Put out consistent content: Don’t worry about quality at first. Get comfortable creating and sharing your story.
• Analyze your audience: Think about who your viewers are and what they want—not just trying to game the algorithm.
• Keep iterating: After 10–15 posts or videos, start tweaking your approach based on what resonates.

Distribution is becoming one of the most important factors for startup success, so building your personal brand is a long-term asset.

Final Thoughts and What’s Next

We’re still deep in development, ironing out bugs, and preparing for the next big launch. The journey has been tough, full of surprises, and at times emotionally draining, but the lessons learned are invaluable. We’re excited for what’s ahead—more product improvements, more traction, and more opportunities to connect with the startup community.

If you want to follow along, try out our video editing tool, or just see the highs and lows of startup life, stay tuned. We’re back to posting more regularly and sharing the raw, unfiltered journey of building something new.

Thanks for reading! If you’re building in public or fundraising yourself, I hope these insights help you navigate the ups and downs. Remember, every “no” is one step closer to “yes,” and every viral moment is a chance to learn and grow.

Stay hungry, stay humble, and keep building.

— The Founders