Raising capital as an early-stage founder is both exciting and challenging—especially for those spinning out of university labs or research environments. This session in the TiE Silicon Valley University Mentors Program Webinar Series breaks down what truly matters in the earliest phases of fundraising and how founders can effectively position themselves for investor interest.
We’ll talk to two very different early stge investors, an active angel investor and an established VC fund that invests very early, and try to gain some insights to help you on your startup journey.
What You’ll Learn:
- How early-stage investors evaluate opportunities
- What matters more than the product at the Pre-Seed and Seed stage
- How to communicate your value proposition clearly and concisely
- The signals founders send—intentionally or unintentionally
- Practical steps to prepare before reaching out to investors
Featured Speaker(s):
- Phil DiGiacomo, Venrock Ventures
- Dhana Pawar, Angel Investor