Startup vs. Small Business: What It Really Takes to Raise in 2026
You have an idea. Maybe you've already started building something. But here's the question that keeps coming up: is this a startup, or is this a small business? And does it even matter?
It matters if you want to raise money. Investors think in very specific categories, and understanding where you fit changes everything - from who you pitch to how you pitch to whether you should pitch at all.
Meet our speaker:
Almaz Edilbaev is an investor and operator in early-stage startups. He spent 8 years in VC and accelerators, leading investments into 50+ startups and small businesses in emerging markets. He was a founding business hire at a health AI startup in Chicago, then COO at DataCall, a healthcare AI company automating phone operations for private clinics. He recently launched Chicago Eurasian Hub, a community connecting Central Eurasian founders with the U.S. startup ecosystem - their first event brought together 200 founders, angels, and operators from 6 states.
What we'll explore:
Startup vs. small business: what's the actual difference and why investors care
What investors are looking for at pre-seed and seed in 2026
How to know if you should raise money at all
Common mistakes founders make when pitching (and how to avoid them)
Cold outreach to investors: does it work, and how to do it right
This session is for you if:
You're building something and wondering whether to raise money
You're not sure if your idea is "VC-backable" or better suited for bootstrapping
You want to understand how investors actually think
You're planning to fundraise and want to avoid wasting time on the wrong VCs
As always, we welcome everyone - community members and guests.
Thank you!
See you soon.
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