LSS ResearchLLC
PreambleTreasury & capital markets advisory

Credit facilities, treasury and finance infrastructure, built to institutional standard.

LSS Research advises fintechs and venture-backed companies raising debt, building treasury, and putting finance infrastructure in place. Every engagement is run by Anthony Cao, who has spent his career in treasury and capital markets at Atlas, Robinhood, Strike, Vacasa, Postmates and Dropbox.

Summary of Principal TermsNon-binding
Advisor
LSS Research, LLC (the “Advisor”)
Principal
Anthony Cao. The principal runs every engagement personally. Nothing is handed to junior staff.
Company
Fintechs and venture-backed companies, seed through growth stage (the “Company”). Deepest in lending, card, payments and digital-asset businesses.
Scope
Debt capital raising, treasury operations and finance infrastructure. See §2
Track record
More than $2.8 billion in credit facilities negotiated. See Schedule A
Structure
Fixed-scope project or monthly retainer. See §4
Capacity
Limited to a small number of concurrent clients.
Confidentiality
All conversations are confidential.
§ 1Recitals

Why companies engage the Advisor

Whereas, the Company needs capital, and the lenders across the table have negotiated far more facilities than the Company’s team has;

Whereas, the Company’s cash, banking and liquidity decisions now carry real consequences, and do not yet justify a full-time treasurer;

Whereas, the Company would rather build these things once, correctly, than rebuild them after a bank failure, an audit finding or a diligence request;

Now, therefore, the Company engages the Advisor on the terms below.

§ 2Scope of services

Scope of services

  1. 2.1

    Debt capital raising

    Warehouse and forward-flow facilities, venture debt and corporate credit. The Advisor runs the process end to end: lender sourcing and outreach, the model and data room, term sheet negotiation, diligence and closing. After close, the borrowing base and covenant reporting that keep the facility in good standing.

    • Advance rates
    • Eligibility criteria
    • Concentration limits
    • Financial covenants
    • Performance triggers
    • Pricing & fees

    DeliverablesLender map and process timeline, term sheet comparison, closing checklist, borrowing base model.

  2. 2.2

    Treasury operations

    Banking architecture and counterparty diversification. Cash management and investment policy. Thirteen-week cash flow forecasting. Bank fee review. Payment rails, settlement and digital-asset custody. Treasury controls that hold up in audit and in bank partner review.

    DeliverablesBank and account map, investment policy, 13-week cash flow model, treasury controls documentation.

  3. 2.3

    Finance infrastructure

    Forecasting models, cash visibility and reporting dashboards, audit readiness, and the lender and investor materials that come up in every diligence process.

    DeliverablesThree-statement model, cash and liquidity dashboard (Looker, Metabase), audit-ready reconciliation and close process.

  4. 2.4

    Exclusions. The Advisor does not provide legal, tax or investment advice, and does not act as a broker-dealer or placement agent.

§ 3Representations

Representations of the Advisor

The Advisor represents that its principal:

  1. has spent his career in treasury and capital markets, most recently as VP Finance at Atlas, a premium charge card company, and previously at Robinhood, Strike, Vacasa, Postmates and Dropbox;
  2. has led the negotiation of more than $2.8 billion in credit facilities;
  3. has run treasury at companies from early-stage startups to public companies, including banking, cash management, forecasting and treasury systems;
  4. has worked in regulated, high-scrutiny environments, including SOX-compliant public companies and money transmission programs; and
  5. holds a BBA with High Distinction from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan.
§ 4Engagement terms

How an engagement works

  1. 4.1

    Introduction. A short call to understand the situation and decide whether there is a fit.

  2. 4.2

    Proposal. A written scope with defined deliverables, timeline and fee, agreed before work begins.

  3. 4.3

    Structure. Fixed-scope projects for discrete work, such as a facility raise or a treasury build-out. Monthly retainers for ongoing treasury and capital markets support.

  4. 4.4

    Confidentiality. All conversations are confidential, from the first call onward.

§ 5Notices

Start a conversation

Notices to the Advisor may be delivered using the form below. Qualified inquiries receive a reply within two business days.

All conversations are confidential.

Schedule APrior experience

Prior experience of the principal

CompanyBusinessFocus
AtlasPremium charge cardFinance, capital markets, credit
RobinhoodBrokerage and cryptoCredit facilities, banking, liquidity
StrikeBitcoin paymentsTreasury, digital-asset operations
VacasaVacation rental managementTreasury, cash management, banking
PostmatesOn-demand deliveryDebt execution, financing
DropboxCloud softwareCash forecasting, FX, treasury systems

Company names identify prior employers only. They do not indicate endorsement of the Advisor or a client relationship.