Preparing to raise: what Norwegian lenders and investors look for
Whether you're arranging a bank facility with your local sparebank or pitching a growth investor, the outcome is decided long before the meeting. It's decided by how well-prepared your financials are — and how clearly you can explain them.
After sitting on both sides of these conversations, here is what consistently separates a confident «yes» from a polite «not yet».
1. Clean, current numbers
Nothing erodes confidence faster than accounts that are months behind or don't reconcile. Before you approach anyone, make sure your bookkeeping is up to date, your last year-end is closed, and your management accounts tell a consistent story.
2. A forecast you can defend
Lenders and investors don't expect you to predict the future perfectly. They expect you to show that your plan is built on reasoned assumptions.
- Show the drivers. Explain what your growth depends on, not just the top-line number.
- Show the downside. A conservative case signals maturity, not weakness.
- Show the use of funds. Be precise about where the money goes and what it buys.
Investors don't fund spreadsheets. They fund founders who clearly understand their own spreadsheet.
3. The right structure for the need
Match the instrument to the purpose. Working-capital gaps suit an overdraft or factoring; equipment suits asset finance; long-term growth may justify equity. Asking for the wrong kind of money is a common, avoidable red flag.
4. Know your key ratios
Be ready to speak fluently about the numbers that matter to your counterpart — gross margin, EBITDA, the ratios behind any loan covenants, and your runway. If a banker asks and you hesitate, the conversation cools.
5. A tidy data room
For anything beyond a small facility, expect due diligence. Having your accounts, contracts, cap table and forecasts organised and ready shortens the process and quietly signals that this is a well-run business.
Preparation does more than improve your odds — it improves your terms. The better your financial story, the cheaper and more flexible the capital you'll be offered. That groundwork is exactly the kind of work we do alongside founders before they walk into the room.