CFO - CoFounder

Co-Founder Wanted: Finance Lead Who Can Actually Raise Money

What I'm Building

Techster lets people subscribe to devices instead of buying them. You want the latest iPhone but don't have £1000? Subscribe through a retailer, pay monthly, upgrade when you want.

The Model:

We start asset-light — partnering with finance providers who fund the initial device leases. But for devices with strong refurb economics (iPhones, MacBooks), we transition to owning them ourselves after the first cycle. Refurbish, re-lease, repeat. This gives us the best of both worlds: low capital requirements to start, then high-margin refurb cycles as we scale.

The tech side is sorted. What I need now is someone who can structure both sides of this model — the finance partnerships AND the asset ownership transition — and raise the capital to make it work.

About Me

I'm a senior technical founder — 17 years building fintech and retail systems. I can build the platform, handle the integrations, manage the technical partnerships. What I can't do: structure leasing economics, negotiate with finance providers, or raise debt and equity. That's where you come in.

What You'd Actually Do

You'd own the entire finance side of the business:

• Structure finance partnerships for initial device leases (asset-light phase)
• Design the transition strategy: when/how we buy devices vs. partner
• Model refurb economics: acquisition cost, refurb cost, re-lease value, residual
• Build the capital roadmap: equity for platform, debt for device acquisition
• Navigate dual models: finance partnerships AND asset-backed lending
• Handle FCA regulations and consumer credit licensing

First 6 Months Deliverables:

• Working financial model with real unit economics
• At least one finance partner LOI or term sheet
• Investor materials that actually get meetings
• Capital roadmap for first 12-24 months

This isn't advisory work. You're building the financial engine from scratch.

Who I'm Looking For

Non-Negotiables:

• You've raised money before. Not "I know investors" or "I've helped with decks." You've actually closed a round — equity or debt — and can walk me through exactly how you did it. This is critical.
• You have real finance skills. This is a hybrid model — finance partnerships AND selective asset ownership. You need to understand both sides: structuring deals with finance providers AND asset-backed lending for device acquisition. You know refurb economics, residual values, and working capital management. You've built models that convinced people to write cheques.
• You're responsive and reliable. You do what you say. You respond to messages. You don't disappear for weeks. If you commit to something, it gets done.
• You're not corporate. This is 0→1. There are no processes, no teams, no playbooks. If you need structure to operate, this isn't for you. You need to create the structure.
• You move fast. No endless analysis. Figure out what's needed, test it, iterate. Speed matters.

Ideal Backgrounds

What would actually work:

• You've been finance lead at a fintech or lending startup and raised capital
• You worked in structured finance and want to build something yourself
• You're at an asset finance company and know leasing inside-out
• You're ambitious, have some of these skills, and are hungry to step up

What won't work:

• Pure accounting background with no deal experience
• Investment banking without operating experience
• Corporate finance roles where you never had to hustle
• You've "advised" startups but never been in the arena

What I'm Offering

• Equity: Significant co-founder stake. This is a real partnership.
• Role: You own finance completely. I won't micromanage what I don't understand.
• Stage: Idea stage with market validation and partner research done. No funding yet, clean slate.
• Commitment: This needs real hours and real focus. If you're still working, fine — but you need to be willing to burn the midnight oil. This can't be casual.
• Compensation: Equity only until we raise. Then we figure out salary.
• Location: London/South East preferred. UK-wide possible if you can make it work.

What This Isn't

This is NOT:

• Equity for "introductions" or "advice"
• A corporate CFO role with a team and budget
• Something you can do casually

This IS:

• A real co-founder partnership
• Building something from zero
• Taking genuine financial risk (no salary initially)
• Your chance to own the finance strategy of a new business

The Brutal Stuff

I need someone who's actually done this before. I've met too many people who sound impressive in a call — "I know this fund," "I've worked on deals like this" — and then nothing happens. If you message me, I'll ask you to walk me through your previous fundraise in detail. If you can't, or if it turns out you "helped" rather than led, we're wasting each other's time. I'm not trying to be difficult. I just need someone who can deliver, not someone who's good at sounding like they can.

Why This Could Work

The market's ready. Consumers want access over ownership. Retailers need leasing options. Finance providers want yield in consumer credit. What's missing is the infrastructure — the capital structure and leasing economics that make it work at scale. That's what we're building. If you've raised capital before, understand structured finance, and want to design the financial architecture of a subscription-based device model, let's talk.

Next Steps

Let's not waste time: If you get in touch, I'll ask you to walk me through a fundraise you actually closed — amounts, process, outcome. Not to grill you, just to confirm you've done it before. Send me:

• Your background — especially fundraising experience and structured finance work
• Why this interests you
• Your availability

Be specific about the fundraising. If you've raised before, tell me the amount, the process, and who invested. If you haven't, be honest — but tell me why you think you can.