Do I need to have an existing pitch deck?

No. You can join with an existing deck, an early draft, or simply a defined company and fundraising objective.

If you already have a deck, we will diagnose what is working, identify the gaps, and rebuild the story where needed. If you are starting from scratch, the program will guide you through the structure slide by slide.

The important thing is that you have a real company, technology, or asset to build the materials around.

How much time should I budget each week?

Plan for approximately three hours of live programming each week, plus two to four hours of focused Growth Work.

We meet live at 12 p.m. ET on Tuesdays and Fridays. Tuesday sessions focus on instruction, examples, and Q&A. Friday sessions are hands-on workshops where we review and improve participant materials.

The work between sessions is not hypothetical homework. Each assignment advances your actual pitch deck, one-pager, or outreach materials.

What happens if I can’t attend live?

All sessions are recorded and posted in the Circle community within 24 hours. You will not fall behind if you miss a live session.

That said, the live sessions are where the real-time feedback and energy happen. We strongly encourage attending when possible.

Will my own deck receive feedback?

Yes. Friday workshop sessions are specifically designed for live review of participant materials. You will receive direct feedback on your deck, one-pager, and outreach emails from Vadim and from peers in the cohort.

This is not a passive watch-and-learn experience. Your materials are the curriculum.

How quickly will questions be answered in Circle?

Vadim monitors the community daily and responds within one business day. Most questions receive a response much faster than that.

You are never waiting a week to get unstuck. If something is blocking your progress, post it and you will get a substantive answer.

Can a co-founder, CBO, or senior team member participate with me?

Each enrollment is designed for one primary participant.In some cases, a co-founder, CBO, or senior team member from the same company may be added under a companion arrangement. This is approved case by case and must be discussed before enrollment.Both participants may attend the live sessions and collaborate on the company’s materials, but the company shares one feedback allocation, one dedicated hot seat, and one set of company deliverables.Please reach out before purchasing if you would like to enroll two people from the same company.

Is the program confidential?

Yes. All participants agree to a mutual confidentiality expectation at the start of the program. What is shared in the cohort stays in the cohort.

You can share your science, your strategy, and your business model without concern. The cohort is a professional peer group, not a public forum.

Does this work for a hybrid asset-and-platform company?

Yes. Many life science companies operate at the intersection of a hard asset (IP, platform technology, or novel mechanism) and a scalable business model. The program is designed to handle that complexity.

We will work through how to frame the asset clearly, how to present the platform opportunity without losing the investor, and how to sequence the story so both dimensions reinforce each other rather than competing for attention.

What software or AI tools will I need?

You will need access to a presentation tool (PowerPoint, Keynote, or Google Slides) and a word processor. That’s the baseline.

We will also use cloud AI tools in select cases. A free tier account is sufficient for most tasks, though a paid plan will accelerate certain exercises. No specialized or expensive software is required.

When will the Fundraising Intensive happen?

The Fundraising Intensive is planned to run sometime between late August and December 2026, after the Pitch Deck Intensive concludes.Exact dates will be announced to participants in advance. As a founding-cohort member, your enrollment includes access to this separate six-week live program at no additional cost.

Does the program include investor introductions?

No. This program does not promise or provide investor introductions as part of the curriculum.

The focus is on preparing you so that when you get in front of an investor, whether through your own network, a warm introduction, or an inbound inquiry, your materials are sharp enough to move the conversation forward.

Does completing the program guarantee that I will raise capital?

No. No one can guarantee that. Fundraising outcomes depend on your science, your stage, market conditions, investor appetite, and timing factors that are outside anyone's control.

What the program does guarantee is that you will leave with complete, investor-ready materials if you do the work. That is the Complete Materials Guarantee, and it is backed by a full refund if we fall short.

How does the completion guarantee work?

Attend live or watch every core session, complete and submit all six Growth Work assignments, and participate in the feedback process.If you finish the program without a completed pitch deck, investor one-pager, and investor-outreach package, I will continue working with you until those materials are complete, or refund your tuition in full.The guarantee applies to completion of the promised fundraising materials. It does not guarantee investor meetings, financing, or a successful capital raise.