[the-angry-dome]

Speaking as someone who works alongside pre-seed investors (also known as the 'fools' in the phrase 'friends, family, and fools'), purse strings have tightened since around the beginning of the year, ostensibly due to the uncertainty over inflation and the metastable hope of a soft landing. I hear anecdotal reports from many founders with whom we collaborate that raising similar amounts is now requiring much more effort compared to previous years, when money was 'cheap', so to speak.

That said, some great startups have emerged from a similar position in the economic cycle (for instance, Uber did its first raise in 2010, iirc). If the idea and the founding team are solid, there's almost always someone in the world who has money burning a hole in their pocket. It might, however, take a bit longer to find them given economic conditions. There may be better luck in seeking out investors that have a strong connection to the vertical you're working in (so called 'smart money').

Hoping the luck turns for you soon --