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Open Design sample deck. A Series B fundraising-pitch template: headline OSS figures follow the project README (60K+ stars · 300+ contributors · 217+ plugins); round terms, ARR, and figures marked demo are illustrative.
Open & Design — Growth Equity
Series BFundraising DeckJuly 2026
Confidential — Discussion Materials

Open Design

Series B fundraising materials: taking a 60K-star open-source design platform into the enterprise and cloud layer.
Sample deck / illustrative round terms
Prepared forGrowth-equity investors
Series B, lead + co-investors
Prepared byOpen Design (nexu-io)
Founding & growth team
DateJuly 9, 2026
The raise$28M Series B at a $180M pre-money valuation
Sample statusHeadline OSS metrics follow the project README; round terms, ARR, and valuation outputs are illustrative placeholders for Open Design demonstration only.
Series B · Deck v2
Open Design — sample deck Page 1 / 10 · github.com/nexu-io/open-design
Open & Design
Series BDiscussion Materials02 / 10
Contents

The case for investing, argued in eight chapters

Discussion materials prepared for growth-equity investors ahead of the partner-meeting round.

  1. Market painp.03Enterprise AI design tools are closed, expensive, data-locked
  2. The solution, benchmarkedp.0412 selected AI design & dev-tool peers, growth & retention multiples
  3. Comparable raisesp.05Open-core financings $0.5–5.0B outcome range, 2022–2025
  4. Valuation football fieldp.06Six valuation methodologies, indicative range
  5. Unit economics & sensitivityp.075-year explicit, terminal value, WACC × g
  6. The moat, comparedp.08Bootstrap · Series B · strategic partnership · status quo — pros, cons, value
  7. The ask & process timelinep.09Round terms, use of proceeds, indicative milestones
  8. Disclaimers & appendixp.10Demo-data notice, methodology notes, required disclosures
Open Design — sample deck 02 / 10 · plugin: ib-pitch-book · ds: investment-banking
Open & Design
Series B · §1Market Pain03 / 10
Section 1 · Market pain

Enterprise AI design is closed, priced high, and data-locked.

Cloud AI design seat$500/mono BYOK, no self-host
Enterprise design tool spend$9.4B+21% YoY
YTD dev-tool VC volume$48.2B+22% YoY
Growth-equity dry powder, sector-tagged$184B+9%
Open Design cost vs. cloud~$73/mo−80%+

Open Design installs & stars — rolling 36 months

Source: demo dataset — illustrative placeholders
60K 40K 20K 0 30K mark
Cumulative installs 30K reference line
"Every enterprise design team we talk to says the same thing: the cloud AI design tools that finally work are the ones they're least allowed to use."

Three signals point to an open window for Open Design. (i) Cloud AI design platforms lock buyers to one model, one vendor, and one data-residency posture — a hard no for regulated enterprise IT. (ii) Growth-equity dry powder tagged to open-core and dev-tool categories is back near record levels, with 17 sector-tagged funds active in the past 9 months. (iii) Coding-agent adoption inside enterprises has already happened — Claude Code, Codex, Cursor are on the machine — but nothing wires them into a complete design workflow until now.

Enterprise pilots
40 orgs
Investor interest
12 firms
Process tone
Targeted
Open Design — sample deck 03 / 10 · source: demo dataset · headline figures from README
Open & Design
Series B · §2The Solution, Benchmarked04 / 10
Section 2 · The solution, benchmarked

Where the round should price.

Twelve design and developer-tool peers selected on open-core or agent-native positioning, revenue scale, and growth profile. Open Design's proposed 7.2× forward EV/ARR sits below the peer median (8.4×) — the discount is deliberate: it prices in pre-monetization risk on the enterprise layer while the OSS distribution and growth rate already clear the peer bar.

Selection criteria
  • Forward ARR $8M–$140M or public-market equivalent
  • Open-core, dev-tool, or agent-native product motion
  • Product-led growth with a free or OSS distribution layer
  • Priced in a Series A–C round or public listing since 2023
  • 2+ independent growth-equity term sheets on record
CompanyMotionValuation ($M)EV ($M)ARR '26E ($M)Gross Profit ($M)EV/ARREV/GPYoY growth
Weave Design CloudClosed SaaS38442152338.1×12.8×+38%
Formify LabsOpen-core21924931188.0×13.8×+44%
Palette SystemsClosed SaaS57260168468.8×13.1×+31%
Nimbus DraftOpen-core19617322137.9×13.3×+29%
StudioflowAgent-native33135838259.4×14.3×+52%
Bramble UIClosed SaaS14916121127.7×13.4×+27%
VectoremOpen-core20121227177.9×12.5×+41%
Open DesignOpen-core, agent-native18020829197.2×10.9×+58%
DriftboardClosed SaaS41243962397.1×11.3×+24%
ModeliqAgent-native28430134228.9×13.7×+47%
GridFormClosed SaaS1121191797.0×13.2×+22%
InkStackOpen-core35437343278.7×13.8×+35%
Median (excl. Open Design)—28430134228.4×13.3×+35%
Mean (excl. Open Design)—29230938248.1×13.2×+35%
Open Design — sample deck 04 / 10 · skill: comps-analysis · source: demo dataset
Open & Design
Series B · §3Comparable Raises05 / 10
Section 3 · Comparable raises

Growth equity has paid 6.8–9.8× ARR for platforms like Open Design.

14 financings screened, 9 retained based on stage, category overlap, and disclosure quality. Open-core-led rounds carry a +1.4× step-up premium over closed-SaaS rounds, consistent with the distribution advantage a free tier compounds into.

DateCompanyLead investorTypeRaise ($M)ARR ($M)Valuation ($M)EV/ARREV/RevStep-up
Mar 2025Quanta Drives StudioAccel GrowthOpen-core28.410.1848.3×2.8×+38%
Nov 2024Hilltop Sensors AIInsight PartnersOpen-core17.26.1728.9×2.8×+42%
Sep 2024Marquette AutomationKKR Growth Fund VIClosed SaaS31.411.8947.5×2.7×+27%
Jun 2024Bramwell Design OpsFortive VenturesOpen-core14.95.4618.8×2.8×+44%
Feb 2024Easton Controls SuiteCarlyle TechClosed SaaS22.19.1737.1×2.4×+24%
Oct 2023Crestmark RoboticsEmerson VenturesOpen-core26.410.1918.6×2.6×+36%
Jul 2023Driscoll Industrial AppApollo GrowthClosed SaaS19.48.2676.9×2.4×+22%
Apr 2023Yardley Precision LabsABB VenturesOpen-core12.14.6548.5×2.6×+39%
Jul 2026Open DesignVantage Peak CapitalOpen-core28.03.21807.2×—proposed
Dec 2022Westgate AutomationBain GrowthClosed SaaS25.110.7786.8×2.3×+19%
Median — open-core (n=4)——19.97.2768.6×2.7×+40%
Median — closed SaaS (n=4)——23.69.7737.0×2.4×+23%
Open Design — sample deck 05 / 10 · source: demo dataset · no live financing data
Open & Design
Series B · §4Valuation Football Field06 / 10
Section 4 · Valuation

Six methods, one indicative range.

Indicative pre-money valuation across six methodologies, intersected with the $140M post-money mark set by the Series A (April 2025). The composite range of $156M – $204M pre-money implies the proposed $180M sits inside every method we ran.

"There is real upside in every method we ran. The question for the round is which structure captures it with the least dilution."
Public/private compsEV/ARR '26E · 6.8–8.9×
$156M – $181M
Comparable raises — closed SaaSEV/ARR · 6.8–7.5×
$163M – $178M
Comparable raises — open-coreEV/ARR · 8.3–8.9×
$178M – $204M
DCF (base case)WACC 14.0% · g 3.5%
$168M – $198M
VC methodExit ARR × forward multiple, 5-yr
$160M – $186M
Prior round anchorSeries A post-money
$140M – $155M
$120M$150M$180M$210M$240M
Composite range
$156M – $204M
Proposed pre-money
$180M
Implied post-money
$208M
Open Design — sample deck 06 / 10 · skills: comps-analysis · dcf-model · vc-method
Open & Design
Series B · §5Unit Economics & Sensitivity07 / 10
Section 5 · Unit economics

A discounted-cash-flow that does the work.

5-year explicit forecast on the enterprise-layer revenue line, terminal value via perpetuity growth. WACC of 14.0% blends a 4.4% risk-free rate, 5.8% ERP, an early-stage software beta of 1.35, and no target leverage — the open-core model carries near-zero hosting cost per BYOK seat, so the discount rate does the risk-adjusting instead of debt capacity.

Enterprise ARR CAGR (FY26–FY30E)+64%
Gross margin (terminal, BYOK model)86%
WACC (base)14.00%
Terminal growth (base)3.50%
Implied enterprise value (base)$192M
Implied pre-money valuation$180M

Sensitivity — implied pre-money valuation

Terminal growth rate
2.0%2.5%3.5%4.5%5.5%
WACC 12.0%$186M$194M$210M$228M$249M
13.0%$174M$181M$196M$212M$231M
14.0%$163M$170M$180M$199M$216M
15.0%$154M$160M$172M$187M$203M
16.0%$146M$151M$163M$176M$191M

Highlighted cell = base case · all values rounded to nearest $1M · pre-dilution

What BYOK buys the model
✓ No platform inference cost ✓ 86% gross margin at scale ✓ No per-seat cloud markup ✓ Enterprise fee is pure margin ✓ Demo sources labeled ✓ Sensitivity ±2pp WACC
Open Design — sample deck 07 / 10 · reported case: $500 → ~$73 / mo · grid illustrative
Open & Design
Series B · §6The Moat, Compared08 / 10
Section 6 · The moat, compared

Four paths, one we'd recommend pursuing first.

Option A · Status quo

Stay donation-funded, grow organically

~$140MIndicative valuation

For

  • Preserves full founder control
  • No dilution, no investor governance
  • Captures full upside if organic growth compounds alone

Against

  • No capital to build the enterprise/cloud layer
  • Closed-source competitors outspend on enterprise sales
  • Contributor burnout risk without paid core team
Option B · Recommended

$28M Series B, open core stays Apache-2.0

$180MPre-money valuation

For

  • Growth-equity step-up ~$1.6M in first-year committed pilot revenue
  • Small number of credible open-core-focused leads → tight, controllable process
  • Cleanest structure for long-tenured contributors and early backers

Against

  • Investor diligence on OSS-to-enterprise conversion adds 6–8 weeks
  • Community-trust messaging requires careful governance planning
Option C · Strategic partnership

Cloud/infra partner co-invests in the enterprise layer

$150M – $165MIndicative valuation

For

  • Unlocks distribution through the partner's enterprise channel
  • Retains the open core as a clean, independent asset

Against

  • Partnership terms & exclusivity complexity
  • Timeline dependent on the partner's own roadmap
  • Governance overhang from a single strategic investor
Option D · Bridge / extension note

Convertible note off the Series A instead of a priced round

$155M – $170MCap, indicative

For

  • Speed and certainty of execution
  • Defers priced-round dilution to a later, higher mark

Against

  • Lower proceeds than a full priced round
  • Note overhang complicates a later Series C
  • Doesn't fully fund the enterprise-layer build-out
Open Design — sample deck 08 / 10 · skill: strategic-alternatives
Open & Design
Series B · §7The Ask09 / 10
Section 7 · The ask

$28M to build the enterprise & cloud layer.

We're running a narrow, 4-month process targeting 3–5 open-core-focused growth investors, with one contingent strategic co-investor in reserve, on a path to a signed term sheet by August 28, 2026.

A targeted process maximizes the probability of closing at the proposed $180M pre-money while limiting community-facing disclosure risk. Strategic outreach is held in reserve to discipline pricing. The founding team retains full optionality to stay donation-funded and remain fully community-governed if no term sheet clears the agreed valuation floor.

Process timeline (indicative)

Open Design — sample deck 09 / 10 · $28M Series B · $180M pre-money · illustrative terms
Open & Design
Series B · AppendixDisclaimers & Sources10 / 10
Appendix

Disclaimers, sources, and methodology.

Important disclosures

These materials have been prepared by the Open Design founding team for the exclusive use of prospective Series B investors. They are intended to provide a basis for discussion only and are not, and may not be relied upon as, financial, investment, legal, tax, or accounting advice. Recipients should consult their own professional advisors.

Demo-data notice: the round size, pre-money valuation, ARR figures, investor names, process dates, and comparable-company figures in this artifact are illustrative placeholders created for Open Design demonstration only. They are not sourced from a live term sheet, cap table, or third-party data provider. Only the headline OSS metrics (60K+ stars, 300+ contributors, 217+ plugins, 129 design systems, 21 coding agents, and the Apache-2.0 license) follow the actual project README.

In a live raise, the financial analysis must be derived only from documented source material such as audited financials, a verified cap table, licensed third-party comps data, or explicitly labeled assumptions. Each figure should carry a source date and should be traceable to a citation log before external distribution.

Comparable-raise multiples, projections, and valuation outputs in this sample are synthetic and should not be reused as factual market observations. Replace this sample source block with round-specific citations, freshness dates, licensing notes, and the founding team's required review status.

The nominal valuation outputs presented are indicative and are intended to frame investor discussion of the Series B. They are not a recommendation to enter into, or refrain from entering into, any specific investment. Any decision to invest will require independent legal review, term-sheet negotiation, and customary closing conditions.

Founding team
Open Design — nexu-io
github.com/nexu-io/open-design
discord.gg/mHAjSMV6gz · x.com/nexudotio
Demo source status
Synthetic Open Design demo dataset · headline OSS metrics only follow the README · no live cap table or term sheet
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Open Design · plugin: ib-pitch-book · Apache-2.0 · runs locally · BYOK · no sign-up
Open Design — sample deck · End of document 10 / 10 · github.com/nexu-io/open-design · Apache-2.0
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