Startup Signals: What 2025 Taught Us & What's Next

​Startup Signals: What 2025 Taught Us & What's Next

​2025 reshaped how founders build and how investors deploy, and the lessons are still unfolding.

​We're bringing together two people with front-row seats to it all:

​Grant Watkins — from Generator, working directly with early-stage founders navigating launches, traction, and the real grind of building

​Mason Cook — founder of Mastercraft Ventures, who completed fundraising in early 2025 and is actively shaping what smart early-stage investing looks like right now

​Together, they'll unpack what actually moved the needle in 2025, and what founders need to know heading into 2026.

​Expect real talk on: → What separated founders who gained traction from those who stalled → What investors are actually looking for at pre-seed and seed right now → How AI is changing the cost and speed of building (beyond the pitch deck buzzword) → What the fundraising environment looks like going into 2026 → Where the overlooked opportunities are

​Thursday, March 12th | 5:30 – 6:30 PM | Grainger Hall, Room 2520

​Whether you're building, thinking about raising, or just trying to understand where the ecosystem is heading, this panel is worth your hour.

​Hope to see you there!