Building a Fundable Startup
A Fireside Chat with Lillian
What makes a startup investable? When should founders raise capital? And what are investors really looking for?
Join us for an interactive fireside chat with Lillian, General Partner at Bearcat Ventures, the University of Cincinnati's student-run venture capital fund, and founder of three startups.
Drawing from her experience on both sides of the table—as an entrepreneur raising and building companies, and as an early-stage investor evaluating them—Lillian will share practical insights on what it takes to build a startup that investors take seriously.
Whether you're still exploring an idea, building your MVP, or preparing to raise your first round, this conversation will offer valuable lessons for founders at every stage.
We'll explore topics like:
• What investors look for in early-stage startups
• Does traction really matter—and what counts as traction?
• When should founders raise capital?
• Common fundraising mistakes to avoid
• Building a compelling pitch deck
• How founders can prepare before approaching investors
• Lessons learned from founding startups and evaluating investment opportunities
Following the conversation, we'll open the floor for audience Q&A and networking.
Speaker
Lillian is a junior at UC studying Finance and a General Partner at Bearcat Ventures, UC's student-run VC fund.
She is the founder of three ventures: Sultana's, an ecommerce brand she launched in high school; Minara, an advisory firm specializing in investor-facing materials for early-stage startups; and Stacked, an end-to-end fundraising platform currently in development.
A Shinkle Fellow at Blue North KY, Lillian brings a dual perspective to fundraising, having navigated it as both a founder and an early-stage investor.
Who should attend?
Founders
Aspiring entrepreneurs
Students interested in startups
Developers & builders
Investors
Anyone curious about startups and venture capital
💬 Bring your questions. The best conversations happen when the audience gets involved.