I've sat on both sides of the table — and neither side was being served.
Every time I raised, investors wanted the documents a different way — one in Dropbox, one in Google Drive, one in OneNote. Everything was scattered. I could never say for certain who had access, who they'd forwarded it to, or which questions were still open.
Then I sat on the other side. Running diligence with an accountant and a technical reviewer in tow, all you want is to see the flow of data in one place. And once you're a shareholder, the basics go missing — heads-down building, founders forget to send the certificate, the update, the numbers. You end up having to say "that's your job" — and it should never have to be said.
When you're that deep in building, double-checking is the first thing out the window, so numbers drift between documents and an investor catches it before you do. First-time founders don't yet know the questions they'll be asked. EquityRoom is the system I wanted in both chairs: prepare the room, run the raise, then manage your shares and shareholders — with an AI that asks the hard questions before a real investor does. Built in Australia, for how Australian founders actually raise.