GUIDES
Finance & funding, explained clearly
Evergreen guides to venture capital, startup fundraising, IPOs and M&A — written for readers who want to understand how deals actually get done, not just the headlines.
How Startup Fundraising Works: Pre-Seed to Series C
Startups raise money in stages, each with its own purpose, price and investor type. Here's what actually happens from the first cheque to a late-stage round.
15 JAN 2026 · 9 MIN READ Read guide → EquityReading a Cap Table and Understanding Dilution
A cap table is the ledger of who owns what in a startup. Learn how to read one, how dilution works, and why the percentages shift with every round.
28 JAN 2026 · 8 MIN READ Read guide → Public MarketsIPO vs Direct Listing vs SPAC, Explained
There are three main ways a private company goes public. Each raises money differently, prices shares differently, and suits a different kind of company.
10 FEB 2026 · 9 MIN READ Read guide → DealsHow VC Term Sheets Work
A term sheet sets the rules of a venture deal before the lawyers draft contracts. Here are the clauses that actually decide who controls the company and who gets paid.
24 FEB 2026 · 9 MIN READ Read guide → ValuationStartup Valuation Basics: How Companies Are Priced
Where do startup valuations come from? A plain-English look at the methods investors use to price companies — and why early-stage numbers are more art than science.
09 MAR 2026 · 8 MIN READ Read guide → M&AM&A 101: How Acquisitions Are Structured
When one company buys another, the structure of the deal decides who gets paid, what's taxed, and what risks transfer. Here's how acquisitions are actually built.
23 MAR 2026 · 9 MIN READ Read guide →