USER CASE
Investment Preparation & Leadership Support for a Deeptech Scale-Up
Industry: Deeptech / High-Tech Manufacturing
Region: Europe
Company Size: Growing deeptech scale-up (confidential)
A fast-growing deeptech scale-up approached Nexuma after months of unsuccessful fundraising.
Despite active conversations with investors and support from advisors, no term sheets were offered. The company had real technology, real customers, and real revenue—yet investors consistently walked away. Under increasing pressure, the founders turned to Nexuma with a simple, urgent request: “Can you tell us what we are not seeing?”
They needed a fresh outside perspective, structural correction, and experienced leadership guidance as soon as possible.
12% increase in company valuation
prior to closing the round
Capital injection secured within 3 months
after engagement with Nexuma
Leadership team realigned & operations stabilized
Restoring confidence and momentum across the company
Client Situation & Challenges
By the time they came to Nexuma, the company was stuck in a difficult loop:
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Cash runway was shrinking
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Debtors’ patience was wearing thin
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The leadership team felt overwhelmed and exhausted
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Multiple investor talks, but no term sheets
Under the surface, several structural issues were holding the company back:
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A chaotic, over-customized product offering without a scalable commercial model
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No clear ideal customer profile or consistent marketing strategy
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An imbalanced, overly technical leadership team with unclear roles
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A fragmented cap table with numerous small investors
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Operational costs that exceeded sales prices, damaging profitability
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A pitch deck that focused on tech “highlights,” not a coherent investment story
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A CEO under extreme pressure, trying to manage both fires and future vision with no bandwidth left
Investors didn’t see a scalable, investable opportunity—they saw risk, inconsistency, and uncertainty
Nexuma’s Approach
Nexuma began with a rapid investment due diligence quickscan to diagnose the root causes behind investor hesitation. Within days, the picture was clear—and actionable.
Over an intensive two-month period, Nexuma mobilized a cross-functional team of experts to stabilize and reposition the company:
Leadership & Governance
Coached and mentored the leadership team for role clarity and alignment
Supported the CEO in exiting a misaligned COO, restoring leadership integrity and direction
Operations & Profitability
Entered operations hands-on to streamline processes
Created an operations handbook and improved efficiency
Implemented cost-saving and procurement strategies to ensure healthy margins
Capital Structure & Investor Readiness
Advised on creating an SPV to consolidate smaller investors
Refined the cap table to be clearer and more attractive to new investors
Completely rebuilt the pitch deck from a tech-heavy story into a professional investment prospectus with realistic projections
Commercial & GTM Strategy
Evaluated and restructured the product offering into a focused, scalable sales strategy
Supported the sales team with a clear execution plan
Designed a practical, stage-appropriate marketing strategy
CEO Empowerment & Network Access
Mentored and empowered the CEO in his role and vision
Connected the company to trusted investment bankers and advisors from Nexuma’s network
Within weeks, the company began to regain structure, momentum, and visibility—internally and externally.
Results
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Capital round secured within 3 months, with investors aligned to the company’s long-term vision
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Company valuation increased by 12%, reflecting stronger fundamentals and positioning
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Leadership team strengthened and realigned, with improved decision-making and governance
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Operational efficiency and profitability improved, supported by a clearer product strategy and cost structure
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The company moved from a pattern of investor rejections to a credible, investable growth story
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Most importantly, the founders shared that Nexuma brought back the joy of running the company—a feeling they and their shareholders had been missing for months