Overview
AbstractOps CEO and 100+ company angel investor Hari Raghavan uses Meow to ladder Treasury tranches and extend startup runway, calling treasury strategy a fiduciary duty to shareholders.
AbstractOps automates operations and compliance infrastructure for startups. Co-founder and CEO Hari Raghavan, who is also an angel investor in over 100 companies including Notion, Rippling, and AngelList, selected Meow for its trustworthy team, BNY Mellon Pershing custody, and ability to ladder capital tranches. Raghavan described Meow as a key component of AbstractOps' cash management strategy and stated that founders who ignore treasury yields are not being the best fiduciaries to their shareholders.
Q&A with Hari Raghavan
The following is an interview with Hari Raghavan, Co-Founder and CEO of AbstractOps, a company that automates operations and compliance for startups. Hari is also an angel investor in 100+ companies and an LP in multiple VC firms. The conversation covers his treasury decision-making process and why capital efficiency matters. Hari was not compensated for this interview.
The Decision
- Q: What were the most important factors you focused on before making a decision on your treasury? And how did Meow fit that criteria?
- First: trustworthiness. I've spent hours on the phone with the Meow team at this point, and felt comfortable that they take the safety of client assets seriously. BNY Mellon is one of the best in the business, and that was another important driver of comfort. Finally, the team has been proactive — any time there are major market movements, I've gotten a call or email from the team that they're on it. Second: being able to balance risk and reward. We've been able to ladder different tranches of capital which gives us a good sense of control of our treasury and cash strategy.
Current & Future Use
- Q: How do you currently use Meow and how do you plan to use Meow in the future?
- Meow is a key component of our cash management strategy. It's not the only place where we maintain cash, but it's a valuable tool in our arsenal. Over time, as we raise more capital (or, better — make more money from our sales / cash efficiency!) I expect we'll seriously expand the scope of our positions in reasonable proportion and appropriately manage risk across different accounts and assets/maturities.
The Ecosystem
- Q: How has the general startup ecosystem changed recently in regards to treasury management and capital efficiency?
- Rising interest rates are a double edged sword. On the one hand, capital markets / fundraising are tighter; but on the other hand, companies with a lot of cash in the bank can use it to meaningfully extend runway. Take an extreme example: a company with 6 employees that showed enough traction to raise a $20M Series A — but hadn't ramped up burn — could theoretically cover their entire headcount cost just with the interest on that $20M! If you aren't paying attention to your treasury strategy and your yields on corporate cash, you aren't being the best possible fiduciary to your shareholders.
“If you aren't paying attention to your treasury strategy and your yields on corporate cash, you aren't being the best possible fiduciary to your shareholders.”
- Hari Raghavan, CEO, AbstractOps
Key Facts
AbstractOps CEO Hari Raghavan is an angel investor in 100+ companies including Notion, Rippling, OnDeck, AngelList, and Pulley.
Hari Raghavan is also an LP in VC firms including SignalFire, Ravikant Capital, and South Park Commons.
AbstractOps uses Meow to ladder different tranches of capital to balance risk and reward in its treasury strategy.
A startup with a $20M Series A and 6 employees could theoretically cover its entire headcount cost with interest on that capital.
AbstractOps' funds are custodied at BNY Mellon Pershing through Meow's advisory platform.
From the Meow team
“Hari isn't just a customer — he's an investor in 100+ startups and an LP in top VC firms. His endorsement of our treasury platform carries weight across the founder community.”
— Meow Team, Meow Technologies
Before Meow
Before Meow, AbstractOps maintained cash in accounts that did not optimize for yield. Hari Raghavan evaluated Meow against other options, prioritizing trustworthiness, custody quality, and proactive communication during market volatility. As an LP in VC firms like SignalFire and Ravikant Capital, he brought deep financial diligence to the evaluation.
AbstractOps, a company that automates operations and compliance infrastructure for startups, uses Meow as a key component of its cash management strategy. CEO Hari Raghavan, who is also an angel investor in 100+ companies including Notion and Rippling, chose Meow for the trustworthiness of its team, BNY Mellon Pershing custody, and the ability to ladder different tranches of capital to balance risk and reward.
Features
How they use Meow
Ladder different tranches of capital across maturities to balance risk and reward in your treasury strategy.
Funds custodied at one of the largest custodians in the world, providing institutional-grade safety for startup cash.
