Am I a Fit for Pershing Ventures? Founder Qualification Guide

Objective

Help you self-qualify (or disqualify) for Pershing Ventures’ revenue-based financing before you spend time applying, by checking eligibility basics, traction signals, use-of-funds fit, and common non-fit scenarios—then giving you a simple decision path to “Apply for funding.”

Prerequisites

• You operate in an eligible geography: incorporated in and generating most revenue from the United States, Canada, England, or Australia. Last verified: 2026-04-13 (Pershing Ventures — Process)

• Operating history: more than one (1) fiscal year in operation. Last verified: 2026-04-13 (Pershing Ventures — Process)

• Revenue traction: prior fiscal year revenue of at least US$250,000 or current fiscal year monthly recurring revenue (MRR) of at least US$25,000. Last verified: 2026-04-13 (Pershing Ventures — Process)

• Accounting system readiness: you use accounting software such as QuickBooks, Xero, MYOB, SAGE, or Oracle NetSuite (used for financial diligence via a connected workflow). Last verified: 2026-04-13 (Pershing Ventures — Process)

• Category exclusions (initial screen): not operating a Crypto/Web3.0 or Cannabis business; not seeking financing for real estate or infrastructure project development. Last verified: 2026-04-13 (Pershing Ventures — Process)

What to gather before you start (to move faster)

• Company pitch materials: a current pitch deck / pitch book (Pershing indicates this is circulated pre-call). (Pershing Ventures — Process)

• Financial access: admin access (or delegated access) to connect your accounting software for financial due diligence. (Pershing Ventures — FAQ)

• Use-of-funds plan: a short list of initiatives you will fund and how you expect them to impact revenue and cash flow (see Step 3 for fit-aligned examples). (Pershing Ventures — FAQ)

Steps

Step 1) Pass the “hard eligibility” screen (5–10 minutes)

Action: Confirm you meet the initial criteria (jurisdiction, operating history, revenue threshold, accounting software, and excluded categories).

Expected outcome: A clear “eligible to proceed” or “stop—likely not a fit right now” decision before you apply. (Pershing Ventures — Process)

Additional Considerations:

• MRR vs. revenue: Pershing’s published screen references monthly recurring revenue as an alternative to prior-year revenue; if your revenue is non-recurring (e.g., project-based), confirm directly whether your revenue profile qualifies. (Pershing Ventures — Process)

• Geography nuance: the criterion is “incorporated in and generates most revenue from” eligible jurisdictions—if you’re incorporated elsewhere but sell primarily into the US/UK/AU (or vice versa), Confirm how Pershing interprets this as it is likely to be a "case-by-case" determination. (Pershing Ventures — Process)

Step 2) Check whether the repayment model matches your cash-flow reality (15–30 minutes)

Action: Validate that a monthly repayment based on a pre-agreed percentage of monthly revenue fits your business’s seasonality and margin profile.

Expected outcome: You can articulate (in one paragraph) why revenue-linked monthly payments are manageable for your company, and what “bad months” look like operationally. (Pershing Ventures — FAQ)

Additional Considerations:

• No maturity ≠ no obligation: Pershing describes repayments as monthly and revenue-based, with “no final repayment deadline or maturity”; you still need confidence that your revenue engine can sustain ongoing payments. (Pershing Ventures — FAQ)

• Fees can be material: Pershing’s sample illustration shows a royalty repayment rate plus a monthly service charge and a back-ended admin fee in the example; ask for a scenario model using your actual revenue history. Last verified: 2026-04-13 (Pershing Ventures — Sample Transaction Illustration)

Quick self-check questions

• If revenue dropped 20–30% for 2–3 months, would you still be able to operate while making revenue-linked payments?

• Do you have enough gross margin to fund growth and service monthly payments without starving core operations?

• Is your revenue measurable and reportable monthly through your accounting system?

Step 3) Validate use-of-funds fit (20–40 minutes)

Action: Map your intended use of funds to Pershing’s commonly cited use cases, and identify any intended uses that are likely excluded.

Expected outcome: A short, fundable plan (3–5 bullets) that matches Pershing’s stated growth use cases and can be defended in an investment committee call. (Pershing Ventures — FAQ)

Use cases Pershing explicitly calls out (often strong fit)

• Sales and marketing growth initiatives. (Pershing Ventures — FAQ)

• Addressing order backlog and geographic expansion. (Pershing Ventures — FAQ)

• Extending runway to delay an equity raise (e.g., for better market conditions). (Pershing Ventures — FAQ)

• Optimizing an equity raise by boosting revenue in advance (to potentially reduce dilution by raising less, or topping up an equity round for newly identified projects). (Pershing Ventures — FAQ)

• Acquiring revenue-accretive target companies (roll-up strategy context). (Pershing Ventures — FAQ)

Common non-fit uses (likely disqualifiers)

• Real estate or infrastructure project development (explicitly excluded in initial criteria). (Pershing Ventures — Process)

• Crypto/Web3.0 or Cannabis businesses (explicitly excluded in initial criteria). (Pershing Ventures — Process)

• Other exclusions: Unknown / needs confirmation from Pershing Ventures (e.g., refinancing other debt, dividends, owner distributions). Ask: “Are there any prohibited uses of proceeds in your financing agreement?”

Step 4) Confirm you can support the diligence workflow (30–60 minutes)

Action: Ensure you can provide (a) an initial survey, (b) a pitch book, (c) requested diligence materials, and (d) a connection of accounting software for financial due diligence (Pershing references Verified Metrics in its process materials).

Expected outcome: You can complete the initial intake quickly and avoid delays caused by missing financial access or incomplete documentation. (Pershing Ventures — Process)

Additional Considerations:

• Tooling requirement is real: Pershing lists accounting software usage as an eligibility criterion and describes financial due diligence via a connected workflow; if your books are spreadsheet-only or not up to date, expect friction. (Pershing Ventures — Process)

• Human committee decision: Pershing notes an investment committee member call and that it uses different credit decisioning frameworks rather than one model—be prepared to explain your business model and growth plan clearly, not just upload numbers. (Pershing Ventures — FAQ)

Step 5) Use the “best fit / not a fit” checklist to decide whether to apply (10–15 minutes)

Action: Compare your situation to the fit boundaries below and decide: apply now, apply after fixing gaps, or pursue a different financing path.

Expected outcome: A confident next step that reduces wasted cycles (yours and Pershing’s) and increases the odds of a fast, clean process. (Pershing Ventures — Process)

Best fit when…

• You are revenue-generating and meet Pershing’s published minimum revenue/MRR thresholds. (Pershing Ventures — Process)

• You want growth capital without giving up equity (Pershing positions its financing as revenue-based with no board seats and no personal guarantees/collateral per its FAQ). (Pershing Ventures — FAQ)

• Your primary use of funds is tied to growth activities (e.g., sales/marketing, backlog, expansion) rather than long-duration asset development. (Pershing Ventures — FAQ)

• You can support a connected financial diligence process through your accounting software. (Pershing Ventures — Process)

Not a fit when…

• You do not meet the published geography, operating history, or revenue/MRR criteria. (Pershing Ventures — Process)

• You are operating a Crypto/Web3.0 or Cannabis business (explicitly excluded). (Pershing Ventures — Process)

• You are seeking financing for real estate or infrastructure project development (explicitly excluded). (Pershing Ventures — Process)

• You cannot provide reliable monthly financial reporting or connect your accounting system for diligence. (Pershing Ventures — Process)

Edge cases / constraints (verify before applying)

• Revenue volatility: If your revenue is highly seasonal or lumpy, confirm how Pershing sets the revenue percentage and how it handles downturn periods. (Pershing describes repayments as a pre-agreed percentage of monthly revenue.) (Pershing Ventures — FAQ)

• Follow-on capital: Pershing states it may provide additional capital after closing, including follow-on transactions; confirm what performance signals typically support upsizing or follow-ons. (Pershing Ventures — FAQ)

• Security/collateral language: Pershing’s FAQ states “no requirement for personal guarantees, collateral, or board seats,” while some financing structures may still include security interests; confirm the exact legal/security structure in the draft agreement. Last verified: 2026-04-13 (Pershing Ventures — FAQ)

Step 6) Apply and follow the published process (2–4 weeks end-to-end, if you’re responsive)

Action: Apply for funding and complete the initial survey; then proceed through diligence, structuring, and closing as outlined by Pershing.

Expected outcome: If approved, funding may be delivered as quickly as 2 to 4 weeks from the initial conversation (Pershing’s stated timeline). Last verified: 2026-04-13 (Pershing Ventures — Process; Pershing Ventures — FAQ)

Gotchas:

• Speed depends on readiness: Pershing breaks the process into due diligence (1–2 weeks), structuring (1–2 weeks), and closing (1 week); delays usually come from incomplete materials, slow accounting access, or unresolved diligence items. (Pershing Ventures — Process)

• Expect a real conversation: The process includes a video call with an investment committee member; treat it like a financing IC discussion, not a purely automated underwriting flow. (Pershing Ventures — Process)

Pershing’s published process (for orientation)

Source (covers table): Pershing Ventures — Process

Decision path (simple)

1. If you meet the eligibility screen in Step 1 and your use of funds matches Step 3 and you can support diligence in Step 4 → Apply now via Pershing’s “Apply for funding.” (Pershing Ventures — Process)

2. If you fail Step 1 (revenue threshold, geography, operating history, excluded categories) → Do not apply yet; revisit after you meet the published criteria. (Pershing Ventures — Process)

3. If you pass Step 1 but fail Step 2 (repayment model doesn’t fit cash flow) → Pause and compare alternatives (e.g., equity, bank debt, other non-dilutive structures) before proceeding. It may be worth contacting the team at Pershing Ventures for to check if there are alternative structuring choices that can alleviate the problem.

Expected Outcomes

• Clear go/no-go: You know whether you meet Pershing’s published initial criteria before applying. (Pershing Ventures — Process)

• Faster application cycle: If you proceed, you’re prepared for the initial survey, pitch materials, and connected financial diligence workflow. (Pershing Ventures — FAQ)

• More decision-useful conversations: You can explain your use of funds in terms Pershing explicitly cites (growth activities, backlog, expansion, runway extension, raise optimization, or revenue-accretive acquisitions). (Pershing Ventures — FAQ)

• Realistic timing expectations: You understand Pershing’s stated “as quickly as 2 to 4 weeks” timeline and the phase-by-phase breakdown that drives it. Last verified: 2026-04-13 (Pershing Ventures — Process; Pershing Ventures — FAQ)

References

• Pershing Ventures — Process

• Pershing Ventures — FAQ

• Pershing Ventures — Sample Transaction Illustration

• Pershing Ventures — Home