Early-Stage Startup Funding Working Session
Do you have an early-stage startup (ie, raised less than $5M) in need of investor funds and don't know where to start? Even if you've prepared lots of reports and a pitch deck for investors, it won't work if you're not talking to the right investors. This event can guide you through that process.
About the Event
Raising investment funds is typically best when you have a game plan of which investors to target with the right message at the right time. But how can you figure this out—especially when you likely have little information and are focused on your product and customer development?
This hands-on working session is designed for early-stage founders who are preparing to raise capital, actively fundraising, or just starting to figure out what funding could look like for their business.
We'll first discuss what early-stage investors typically look for, then give an overview of the investor ecosystem, focusing on which investors and investor groups are the right ones for your startup. Who's active? Who has an appetite for investing at your stage and in your industry? And who is reachable within our network? Then we'll discuss the essentials for articulating your investment value proposition and developing an effective outreach / engagement strategy.
Then, we’ll spend the rest of time time working through the real challenges facing the founders in the room. Bring your questions, talk through your fundraising goals, share where you’re getting stuck, and get practical feedback from others in the startup and investment ecosystem.
The emphasis will be on finding and engaging the right target investors. Developing a formal pitch deck or proposal is absolutely important, but it is secondary to understanding whom you should be talking to, why they could be a good fit, and how to effectively engage them.
Who Should Attend
Early-stage startup teams who are preparing to raise money, actively looking for investors, or trying to figure out who might be a good investor fit for their company are all invited. This event is focused on finding early-stage investors. If your startup has already raised over $5M, this event is not for you.
About EarlyInvest
We're a group of early-stage startup investors, founders, and mentors working together to encourage and support more people investing in early-stage startups. We connect potential / current investors with the right investor educators, co-investors, investor groups, and investible startups. We also educate startups about how to connect with the right investors. Check us out at earlyinvest.org.
Transportation
There's easy access via the Link light rail (U District station) and bus lines. Street parking is limited to two hours, and parking in the university lots is expensive. We're working on arranging for discounted event parking. If you're interested, please contact Howard Keener at howard@earlyinvest.org for info.