Done with Pitching VCs? Alternative Funding for Founders Who Want More Control

The Shift Away from Traditional VC Pitching

In 2025’s startup climate, founders, athletes, and creators are navigating one of the toughest early-stage funding markets in years. Venture capital firms have become increasingly selective, often requiring proven traction, significant revenue, and personal introductions before even considering an investment. For many entrepreneurs, the process of pitching VCs feels less like an opportunity and more like a time-consuming gamble with low odds of success.

The reality is that the traditional venture capital model does not fit every type of business. Founders without elite networks or immediate market validation often face long fundraising timelines and frequent rejections, regardless of the strength of their idea. In response, a growing number of entrepreneurs are turning to alternative funding for founders, seeking capital sources that are more accessible, flexible, and aligned with long-term business health.

Why the Venture Capital Model Leaves Gaps

Venture capital is built to fund a small segment of startups with massive growth potential. This typically means technology companies targeting billion-dollar markets with aggressive scaling plans. For others — including profitable growth companies, tech-enabled services, and niche product innovators — VC expectations can be misaligned from the start.

Recent trends have made the situation more challenging:

1. Fewer Pre-Seed Deals: Many firms have pulled back from early-stage funding, directing capital toward later rounds where risk is lower.¹
   
   
2. Extended Fundraising Cycles: What once took weeks now takes months, stretching resources and slowing progress.²
   
   
3. Increased Proof Requirements: Investors often require early revenue or detailed traction metrics, even before product-market fit.³
   

These shifts create a funding gap that can stall promising businesses before they have the chance to prove their concept.

The Rise of Founder-First Capital Models

To fill this gap, a new wave of capital models has emerged, offering structures designed to meet founders where they are. Instead of forcing entrepreneurs into rigid repayment plans or high-equity sacrifices, these approaches prioritize flexibility and sustainability.

Common trends in founder-first funding include:

• Hybrid Agreements: Combining equity with future earnings participation to reduce founder risk.⁴
  
  
• Equity Buybacks tied to Milestones: Allowing founders to buy back their own equity as they achieve performance milestones..
  
  
• Open Application Processes: Removing the barrier of warm introductions and network-based gatekeeping.
  

These models give founders the space to build, test, and grow without the constant pressure of meeting venture-scale metrics prematurely.

How Chisos Fits Into the Alternative Funding Landscape

Chisos is one of the leading organizations offering alternative funding for founders in the earliest stages of their journey. The company has developed the CISA model, which blends a SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity) with a Future Earnings Agreement.

This approach offers:

• Funding between $25,000 and $100,000.
  
  
• Application decisions in as little as a week.
  
  
• No monthly payments until the founder’s personal income exceeds a set salary floor.
  
  
• A small equity position that founders can reduce over time.
  

The Chisos CISA Investment gives founders a structure that supports multiple paths to success — whether that means raising a larger round later, scaling to profitability, or exiting on their own terms.

Practical Uses for Early-Stage Alternative Funding

Capital from Chisos has been used by founders nationwide to address the most pressing needs in their startup journey:

• MVP Development: Building a minimum viable product to validate the market.
  
  
• Hiring Key Talent: Bringing in technical or operational expertise early.
  
  
• Covering Personal Expenses: Allowing founders to dedicate full-time attention to the business.
  
  
• Bridging to Milestones: Reaching revenue or traction points that unlock new investor interest.
  

By offering flexibility in how funds can be applied, Chisos enables founders to deploy capital where it creates the most leverage for growth.

Why Founders Are Moving Away from the Pitch Circuit

Beyond the capital structure itself, many entrepreneurs are simply opting out of the exhausting cycle of networking events, investor coffees, and formal pitch meetings. Traditional fundraising often consumes months that could be spent building product, talking to customers, and refining the business model.

The Chisos approach removes this friction by offering an accessible online application that evaluates the idea and the founder’s potential — not just their network or revenue history. This opens the door for first-time founders, non-traditional entrepreneurs, and innovators in industries that are often overlooked by conventional investors.

Why Work with Chisos for Alternative Funding

For founders, athletes, and creators seeking capital without losing control or compromising their vision, Chisos offers a distinctive solution. The company’s model is designed to be:

• Accessible: Open to founders regardless of industry, geography, or personal connections.
  
  
• Flexible: Payments adjust to personal income and pause when below the salary floor.
  
  
• Aligned: Structured to protect founder equity while enabling sustainable growth.
  
  
• Efficient: A tech-enabled process that streamlines application and funding.
  

This combination positions Chisos as more than just a source of funds — it is a partner for the earliest and most critical stages of a venture.

Take the Next Step

If you are ready to grow your idea without the constraints of traditional VC pitching, explore the Chisos CISA Investment model.

You can:

• Apply for funding directly at chisos.io.
  
  
• Download the Chisos Whitepaper for a detailed breakdown of terms and process.
  
  
• Learn more about how Chisos supports founders in building on their own terms.
  

The funding landscape is evolving. With alternative funding for founders, you can move forward without waiting for permission from the traditional gatekeepers of capital.

References

1. PitchBook Data, “Venture Capital Trends in Early-Stage Funding,” 2025.
2. Crunchbase, “The Lengthening VC Timeline: Why Fundraising Takes Longer in 2025,” 2025.
3. CB Insights, “Investor Expectations at Pre-Product-Market Fit,” 2024.
4. Harvard Business Review, “The New Era of Founder-Friendly Capital,” 2023.