Preparing for a Series A
Written by Harry Prabandham
Curated by Rubric Financial
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Series A Readiness Metrics
- Target $1-3M ARR with consistent 15-25% month-over-month growth (or $3-5M ARR with 10-15% MoM growth for less competitive markets)
- Net Dollar Retention above 100% (ideally 110-130%) demonstrates strong product-market fit and expansion potential within existing accounts
- Gross margins above 65% (ideally 70-80%) showing the business model fundamentally works at a unit level
- CAC payback period under 18 months with a clear path to under 12 months as you scale sales and marketing efficiency
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About the author
Harry PrabandhamFounder & CEO
Founder and CEO of StartupCFO. MBA from Wharton, MS in Computer Science, and decades of experience building and advising venture-backed startups.
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