How to Raise a Pre-Seed Round With No Product and No Revenue

With no revenue and no product, what makes an investor write the first check? Austin Clements of Slauson & Co. and Sandhya Venkatachalam of Axiom Partners tackle that question in this TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 session on building credibility early. The conversation focuses on what pre-seed investors actually evaluate when the usual proof points are absent — and how founders can demonstrate conviction, insight, and momentum before there is anything tangible to show. Clements and Venkatachalam bring the investor's perspective to the earliest and most uncertain stage of company building. For first-time founders or anyone preparing a pre-seed raise, this discussion offers practical guidance on earning trust before you have a product, and on understanding what the first check is really betting on.