qiravalento
We started qiravalento because too many smart people with genuine business ideas never made it past the funding stage. Not because their concepts were weak, but because nobody taught them how money actually works when you're building something from scratch.
Why We Built This
Back in early 2024, I was watching brilliant founders crash into the same financial walls. They'd get initial interest from investors, then fumble basic questions about burn rate or unit economics. Sometimes they'd raise money but structure it poorly, creating problems that haunted them for years.
The thing is, startup finance isn't rocket science. But it's taught like it is — either oversimplified into useless blog posts or buried in MBA programs most entrepreneurs can't access. There wasn't anything in between that actually helped.
So we created practical education that covers what founders genuinely need: understanding investor expectations, building realistic projections, structuring deals that protect your interests, managing cash when revenue's unpredictable. Real scenarios, not theory.
We launched our first program in mid-2025 with twelve participants. Now we're preparing our next cohort for winter 2026, with refined content based on what we've learned works.
What We Focus On
Our programs cover the financial realities that matter most when you're building something new. These aren't abstract concepts — they're the specific challenges our participants face every week.
Funding Strategy
Understanding different funding paths, when each makes sense, what investors expect at various stages, and how to present your business in financial terms that resonate with different types of backers.
Financial Modeling
Building projections that balance ambition with credibility. Learning which assumptions matter most, how to stress-test your model, and presenting numbers that demonstrate you understand your business deeply.
Cash Management
Managing runway when income's uncertain, prioritizing expenses during growth phases, understanding when to conserve versus invest, and building systems that prevent cash crises before they happen.
Deal Structure
Negotiating investment terms that support your long-term vision, avoiding common pitfalls in early-stage deals, understanding how different structures affect future rounds, and protecting founder interests while attracting capital.
Who's Teaching This
We're not corporate finance veterans who consulted for big companies. We've been in the trenches with startups — dealing with uncertain revenue, tough funding decisions, and the specific challenges that come with building something from nothing in the Australian market.
Astrid Nørgaard
Founder & Chief Learning Officer
Spent five years in venture finance before realizing I was better at explaining complex financial concepts than executing them. Built qiravalento's curriculum around the questions founders kept asking me at coffee meetings — which turned out to be way more valuable than my formal advisory work.
Sienna Calloway
Startup Finance Mentor
Founded two companies, successfully exited one, learned painful lessons from the other. Now I help founders avoid the financial mistakes I made — like raising too much money too early and structuring deals that limited future options. Real experience beats theory every time.
Ready to Understand Startup Finance?
Our winter 2026 program begins in July. If you're building something and need to get serious about the financial side, we should talk.
Get In Touch