How to make LPs pay attention: A sneak peek into the new fundraising playbook

Fundraising is harder. LPs are more selective. And standing out as a venture fund has never been more important - or more difficult. That’s why the new edition of AQVC’s fundraising guide is landing at just the right moment. Packed with real examples, hard-won insights, and practical templates, it’s become a must-read for GPs across Europe who want to win LP attention in a crowded market. Ahead of SuperVenture, 2-4 June 2025, Hotel Palace Berlin, where many of these conversations will unfold face-to-face, we’re giving you a sneak peek into one of the guide’s most actionable chapters: how to craft a fund value proposition that actually sticks.

Venture capital matters. The march toward a better, more prosperous future depends on bold ideas, and the capital to ignite them. From electricity and vaccines to the internet and AI, none of these breakthroughs would exist without venture capitalists taking risks on visionary founders with world-changing potential.

But while innovation starts with inspiration, turning that spark into reality requires funding, and fundraising has never been more demanding. Through thousands of conversations with GPs, one thing is clear: capital formation consumes a significant share of their time. In fact, around 90% of GPs spend 30–80% of their efforts on fundraising - time that could otherwise fuel the sourcing, selecting, and supporting of portfolio companies. Ironically, it’s those very activities that create the most value for both society and LPs.

About AQVC

AQVC is a tech-enabled asset manager for VC funds. Besides investing in VC funds with its Fund of Funds (currently at 19 fund investments), AQVC also offers a comprehensive suite of services to enhance capital formation - efficiency between LPs & GPs.

Guide highlight

The "GP's Guide to Fundraising a VC Fund" serves as a roadmap for navigating the fundraising process. It emphasizes the importance of detailed planning and strategic execution. Key learnings include understanding the ideal investor persona and their behaviour, creating a compelling value proposition, and performing in-depth market analysis. The guide covers every aspect of reaching out to investors, from preparing your fundraising materials to establishing your funnel infrastructure and workflow. Additionally, it highlights the importance of continuous feedback for ongoing improvement and, finally, the critical role of technology in enhancing and nurturing engagement.

Through this guide, AQVC experts delve into every critical aspect of the fundraising process, equipping VC funds with the knowledge and tools needed for success:

Research: Understanding investor types and their unique needs.
Product: Crafting a compelling fund value proposition.
LP market: Defining your ideal investor profile.
LP marketing: Creating impactful fundraising artifacts, including analytical track records, compelling pitch decks, and one-pagers.
LP lead gen & sales: Building a robust funnel infrastructure and workflow.
Improvements: Gathering and leveraging valuable feedback for continuous enhancement.

A sneak peek: Shaping your funds' value proposition

Chapter summary

To attract LPs, a fund must clearly articulate its value proposition, defining what makes it unique and why investors should choose it over competitors. A strong claim, promise, and well-defined investment strategy help create a compelling narrative. Additionally, a track record, portfolio construction approach, and competitive terms play a vital role in building investor confidence.

Claim

A fund claim is one very simple sentence that makes clear what you believe and what makes your investment strategy unique, an example could be:

“An emerging fund co-investing in European early-stage AI companies spinning out of university”

This claim is powerful as it explains the type of fund (emerging), the style (co-investing vs. leading) the geography (Europe) the industry (AI), and the sourcing (university spin-offs). Such a claim helps investors to put you into the right bucket. Or:

“Proven performance from investing into cash flow positive SaaS businesses across Asia”

Promise

A fund's promise indicates the goal of the fund and is the essential guidance for its investment strategy. Fund promises can sound like this:

“Aiming for top decile performance from taking calculated but high risk”

“Aiming for top decile performance and measurable social impact”

“+20% IRR from over average diversification”

“Fueling innovation in Health-Tech while aiming for top quartile performance”

Promises should be tailored to investor needs and motivations discussed earlier in this guide.

> Read the full GP's Guide to Fundraising a VC Fund here