Company Reneged On $1.75m Agreement After I Helped Them Raise $45m - Breach Of Contract

Location: Austin,Texas

In November 2025 last year, I verbally agreed with a startup that I would assist with fundraising in exchange for them investing $1.75 million—representing 35% of their final close—into my company.

I performed by facilitating investor introductions, and the company successfully raised approximately $45 million total in Q4 2024, including a $5 million final close in December 2024, which triggered the agreed $1.75 million investment.

After the close, the company went silent on the agreement and has since stated that they want to “honor me in other ways,” but each alternative proposal has been increasingly one-sided and exploitative.

I have text messages in which I reference their promise to reinvest 35%—which they did not deny—messages acknowledging their intent to honor me “but differently,” and documentation of my role in the fundraising.

There is no written contract, only the text and email agreement and corroborating messages. Given these facts, I’m trying to understand whether I have a viable claim for breach of oral contract or promissory estoppel, whether it’s worth pursuing legally versus walking away, what type of attorney I should retain, and whether my first step should be a formal demand letter or immediately engaging counsel, especially considering the company has the financial ability to pay and has received the full benefit of my performance.

My understanding is I might have a promissory estoppel case..