Getting off to a good start: How to determine the optimal amount to raise to achieve your company’s milestones and minimise dilution?

Some dilution is certain when raising venture capital and the situation can quickly become very complex when it comes to evaluating different types of capital, assessing future valuation and share pools. These elements impact the level of dilution entrepreneurs, and their investors may experience over time, so it is crucial to understand the impact of dilution and the alternatives for achieving ownership goals. What are the ways to achieve maximum valuation for a start-up? What strategies can founders apply to best balance the impact of dilution on their ownership and that of their investors through the various stages of their development?