A high-signal founder × investor session focused on feedback, warm intros, and fundraising readiness—powered by the Venture Signal Room
TopSignal Session — Venture Signal Room
Where founders meet real investor thinking — and start building their investor pool
TopContenders Venture Signal Room is a curated session designed to move startups beyond storytelling — into how real capital decisions are made.
This second edition introduces a new layer:
👉 From Signal → Investor Pool Formation
🎤 Keynote — How Investor Conviction Actually Forms
Sebastian Barriga
Founder & Managing Partner, milemark•capital
Former Carlyle, Citi | MIT Sloan (Lecturer, deltav)
Before the Venture Signal Room begins, Sebastian will share how investors evaluate early-stage opportunities:
• What creates real conviction (vs. surface-level interest)
• How investment theses are formed in applied AI
• What patterns he sees across portfolio companies
• Why many startups fail to become “investable”
👉 Sebastian will also join as a judge/respondent, engaging directly with founders.
🧬 Hosted at LabShares — Where Science Meets Capital
Held at LabShares’ second facility, a newly minted Biohub in Watertown, supporting emerging biotech companies through:
• Shared lab infrastructure
• Advanced equipment
• Capital-efficient environments
📍 LabShares Biohub, Watertown, MA
🗓 April 23 | 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
This is where science, infrastructure, and capital intersect.
👉 It is a decision-making environment
where startups are evaluated through the lens of real capital.
⚖️ Who Is In The Room
This session brings together a full-stack of capital decision-makers:
⚖️ Operator — Built, Raised, Exited
Greg Erman
Serial entrepreneur, ~$100M raised, multiple exits, former CEO, active biotech investor
👉 Knows what it takes to go from idea → company → outcome
📊 Active Investor — Early Conviction Formation
Sebastian Barriga (milemark•capital)
Applied-AI investor, former Carlyle & Citi
👉 Focus: Is this investable — or just interesting?
🏥 Institutional Capital — Scaling & Platform Thinking
Philip Borden (CEO, LabShares; former PE investor)
👉 Sees what survives beyond early-stage and what capital actually backs
📑 Deal & Structure — What Actually Gets Done
Laurie Burlingame (Morse)
👉 Works on financings, M&A, and venture deals — where theory meets reality
🏦 Capital Access & Banking — Market Interface
Vitaliy Schafer (Leader Bank)
Director of VC/PE & Tech Banking
👉 Brings perspective on how companies interface with capital markets and financial partners
👉 Together, this is not a panel — it’s how capital actually makes decisions
⚙️ What Happens in the Room
Each selected startup goes through a structured 15-minute evaluation:
• 5 min — Founder framing
• 5 min — Live investor Q&A
• 5 min — Direct, candid feedback
The Questions You’ll Hear:
👉 Is the problem real?
👉 Is the approach credible?
👉 Why now?
👉 What would make this investable?
👉 What breaks investor conviction?
🧬 What Founders Walk Away With
Each team receives:
✔ Where investor conviction forms
✔ Where it breaks
✔ Key risks and gaps
✔ Investor-type mapping
✔ Early relationship signals
👉 And most importantly:
the beginning of their investor pool
🧠 Why This Matters
Most events give exposure.
This one gives direction.
Fundraising doesn’t happen in a pitch.
It happens through:
• repeated conversations
• refined positioning
• growing investor conviction
🧬 Presenting Startups (Application Only)
We select a small number of teams for the TopSignal Beta Cohort.
This is designed for founders who:
are preparing to raise (Pre-seed → Series A)
want real investor feedback before going to market
👉 Presentation slots are curated and limited (4–6 teams)
To be considered, please reach out with a brief overview
👥 Who Should Attend
Founders
• Preparing to fundraise
• Want to test their story under real scrutiny
Investors & Operators
• Looking for an early signal
• Interested in how conviction forms
• Seeking curated deal flow
Ecosystem Partners
• Legal, banking, BD, infrastructure
🚀 Join the Room
If you want:
• sharper feedback
• clearer positioning
• real investor perspectives
• early relationship building
👉 This is where signal forms — and where capital conversations begin
⚠️ Disclaimer
Photos and video recordings may be taken and used for promotional purposes
Program topics, speakers, and schedule are subject to change
This event does not constitute investment advice or solicitation
By attending, you consent to sharing registration information with organizers and sponsors for event-related communication