Another answer which you might not like: instead of focusing on raising, build a strong product offering or major feature enhancement that fills a hole for anot

Another answer which you might not like: instead of focusing on raising, build a strong product offering or major feature enhancement that fills a hole for another established company looking to jump a few spots on Gartner's Magic Quadrant and get acquired or sell the IP for a quick win and save yourself some major headaches. Even in down economies the appetite for M&A is still strong.