Scenius School - Founders Program

Learn how fundraising actually works - from bootstrap to exit - before you learn it the hard way.

A hands-on cohort for founders who want to raise the right way. Cap tables, term sheets, valuation, investor expectations - the things nobody explains until it's too late. Taught by people who've done it, in Tamil & English.

THE PROBLEM

Most founders learn fundraising the hard way

Our ecosystem has brilliant founders - strong engineers, top-notch in sales, great at building product. But when it comes to fundraising, the game is completely different, and almost nobody teaches it.

You can learn how to run a business in an MBA or from a book. But fundraising is still an alienation - the one skill left out.

So most founders learn it the way it hurts most: by making expensive mistakes in the room. Sign a term sheet you didn't fully understand, and you can walk away from your own company with nothing.

We built this program to change that.

WHY THIS MATTERS

Fundraising is for everyone - not just tech

A cold-pressed oil brand, a milk business, a snacks company, a deep-tech startup - all of them raise funds. Fundraising isn't only for tech companies.

The difference is knowing how to position your business and speak the investor's language. That knowledge has never been democratized in our ecosystem.

We're opening it up - so the next generation of founders is far stronger from the start.

Founders Program
WHAT THE PROGRAM IS

What is the Founders Program?

A hands-on cohort that walks you through the complete fundraising life cycle - from bootstrap and your first cheque, all the way to exit.

You'll learn the real mechanics, prepare the real documents, and get personal guidance on your own startup.

No jargon. No theory for the sake of it. Just how capital really moves.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

Comprehensive Curriculum

You'll also learn to prepare the documents yourself - pitch decks, financial models, valuation sheets, cap tables, term sheet summaries, and due diligence checklists.

Learn through real case studies covering Swiggy, consumer brands, deep tech and more.

  • The full fundraising life cycle: bootstrap → pre-seed → seed → Series A/B/C → exit
  • How investors evaluate an idea: problem, market, differentiation, team
  • Friends, Family & Fools - and choosing the right strategic investors
  • Financial modelling and forecasting for fundraising
  • Startup valuation - pre-money vs. post-money, and how the 'ask' works
  • Cap tables and dilution - protecting your ownership across rounds
  • Term sheets and the clauses that matter - liquidation preference, vesting, ROFR, board seats
  • Shareholders' agreements and founder considerations
  • Due diligence - keeping paperwork clean from day zero
  • Unit economics, burn, runway, CAC & LTV
  • Storytelling and conviction - selling the bigger dream with numbers
  • Exit strategies - M&A and IPO, secondary sales and OFS
  • Common fundraising mistakes, and how to avoid the 'death valley'
1-ON-1 MENTORING

Personal 1-on-1 guidance

Every founder's business is different, and there's no single answer that fits all. That's why the real value is personal.

Alongside the classes, you get one-on-one sessions to work through your specific startup - your deck, your model, your round.

Consume the material first, then bring your exact doubts and get them cleared directly with the Scenius School team.

1-on-1 Mentoring
LOGISTICS

How the cohort runs

01

Weekdays & Weekend Batches

The core teaching, roughly 5 hours on weekends (batch timing adjustable to the cohort).

02

Weekday 1-on-1s

Monday to Friday, personalized guidance directly on your business and models.

03

Community

A private WhatsApp community for updates, events, and workshops with other founders.

04

Small batch

Capped at exactly 8 founders, ensuring everyone gets real, undivided attention.

OVERVIEW

Program details

Format

Live cohort classes + weekday 1-on-1 mentoring

Learning

80+ hours of pure fundraising knowledge

Batch size

Only 8 founders - quality over quantity

Language

Taught fluently in Tamil & English

Community

Private WhatsApp community, workshops & events

Schedule

Weekdays & Weekend Batches + Monday–Friday 1-on-1s (timing flexible)

DESIGNED FOR

Aspiring and early-stage founders planning their first (or next) raise.

You don't need a fundraising background. That's exactly what we teach. Whether you're an aspiring founder, an early-stage founder, or a working professional serious about building a startup, this is for you.

Founders Collaborating
WHO IS THIS FOR?

The next generation of founders

Founders with a startup idea or an early-stage business who want to raise funds the right way.

This includes aspiring founders, early-stage founders planning their first raise, and working professionals or students serious about building a startup.

You don't need a fundraising background. That's exactly what we teach.

THE OUTCOME

What you'll walk away with

A clear understanding of the full fundraising life cycle, bootstrap to exit.

The ability to prepare your own pitch deck, financial model, valuation and cap table.

Confidence to read a term sheet and negotiate the clauses that protect you.

The judgement to know if - and how - your idea is venture fundable.

Personal clarity on your own startup's unique fundraising path.

MENTORS

Taught by people who've done it

Michael

Michael

A venture capital background, having evaluated and analysed over 2,000 pitch decks across consumer, SaaS, deep tech and defence fundraising.

Sriram Selvan

Sriram Selvan

5 years in the startup ecosystem as a podcaster, travelling with founders across Tamil Nadu and translating what actually happens behind the headlines.

Ready to raise the right way?

Seats are limited to 8 founders per cohort, on purpose. If you're serious about fundraising, this is your entry point.

Fill the form below to apply. Sriram will reach out to understand your business and make sure the program is the right fit - then we'll onboard you into the cohort.