Follow-On Strategy

What is a follow-on strategy- and when should I use pro rata?

Pro rata rights give you the option—not the obligation—to invest in future rounds to maintain your ownership. A sensible follow‑on strategy:

Reserve capital (e.g., 1:1 initial/reserve is common for funds; angels can adapt based on capacity).

Concentrate reserves into companies that clear objective milestones (revenue, retention, gross margin, unit economics, quality of later‑stage lead, terms).

Avoid “automatic” follow‑ons—compare each round’s terms and risk to alternatives in your pipeline.

Following on into true breakouts can meaningfully lift returns. But be mindful of opportunity cost: a tough insider round at a high price may not beat a new, more attractive seed.