The Venture Debate
The Venture Debate
VC is the default story for startups: raise a round, hire fast, raise again. But most businesses that take venture money don't return the fund, and plenty of great companies never raise at all. So should you be raising VC?
The Venture Debate is the second half of our day. It follows Founder Day, where VCs walk founders through how funds work and what they look for. Once you've heard how venture works from the inside, we ask whether you should take it at all. We're bringing together founders and investors who land on very different sides of that question. Some have raised big rounds and would do it again. Others have built without VC, or have taken it and wished they hadn't. It's part panel, part debate, and nobody's there to agree politely.
What to expect:
Alan Tsen (CDH), will be moderating and will put the big questions to the panel and let them argue it out. When does VC make sense, and when does it quietly break a good business? What do you give up when you take the money? What does the alternative actually look like? Then the floor opens to you, so bring your questions and your own experience.
Expect strong opinions, real numbers and a few uncomfortable truths about how venture works, from people who've lived both sides of it.
Stay tuned as we'll announce the panellists soon!
Schedule
5:30pm - Doors open, drinks and networking
6:00pm - The Venture Debate, panel discussion followed by audience Q&A.
7:00pm - Drinks and networking
7:30pm · Wrap
Who should come?
Founders who've been told they need to raise, and aren't sure they believe it. Anyone who's watched a well-funded startup burn out, or a bootstrapped one quietly win.
It's a good fit if you're:
A founder deciding whether VC is the right path for your business
Building something profitable and wondering if venture money would help or hurt
An investor who wants to test your thesis against some pushback
An operator or aspiring founder who wants to hear both sides before you pick one
Spending the day with us? The Venture Debate follows Founder Day, an afternoon on how VC funds actually work, venture debt and campfire chats with investors. Registration for the two events is separate, so register for both if you're coming to the whole day.