Funding Breakthrough Lab: Pre-Accelerator Women in AI Special
A 10-week pre-accelerator designed for early-stage founders to master fundraising. Learn from diverse industry experts, receive group mentoring, and join a mastermind group.
The application deadline is August 10th
Online (August 23rd - October 26th)
Cohort runs August 23rd - October 26th from Saturday to Sunday 9am-1pm (online).
In person (Optional)
Opening & Closing Retreats in person retreats at Rancho San Gregorio on August 23rd-24th, October 25-26 (overnight camping optional)
2 in person socials in San Francisco
Top 10 Final Pitch Competition
Who should join?
If you’re a SaaS based startup consider joining Cohort Beta. Our judges will be actively investing in that vertical
You’re ideating, bootstrapping, or a pre-seed, seed based startup and you want to understand the funding landscape
You’re considering to fundraise in the next 6 months
See program speaker, mentor details here:
www.fundingbreakthroughlab.org
Join an info session here: https://lu.ma/nottoocrazy
Weekly Schedule
This cohort will run on the weekends to accommodate those with jobs.
WHAT YOU GET:
Opening and Closing Retreat at Rancho San Gregorio
Workshop Recordings: Ability to rewatch the workshops 1 year period
Exclusive Community Membership: Join a vibrant network of like-minded founders
Mentor + Coaching Access: Engage with experienced mentors through Slack for guidance and support
Mastermind Groups: Supercharge your growth with a life long friends
3 Pitch Competitions: Improve your pitch all the way through with real investors. Build your relationship with them along the way.
The Fourth Effect: 3 months advisory boards platform access
Access to joining next cohort: alumni are allowed to come back (Q&A reserved for ongoing cohort)
Demo Day: pitch competition with investors
Similar programs like Draper University cost upwards of $12,000. Other pre-accelerators take equity or have significantly less experts and speakers. This is the best price per value pre-accelerator you'll find.
TAKE AWAYS:
💡 Actionable advice from industry experts (VCs, founders, lawyers, tax strategists, and business bankers).
🎙️ Live Q&A sessions tailored to your startup’s unique challenges.
🤝 Personalized mentorship to shape your product, pitch, and fundraising strategy.
👥 Group accountability to keep you motivated and moving forward.
🎯 Weekly pitch feedback to refine and perfect your investor presentations.
📈 Clear understanding of funding sources and strategies to optimize your approach.
🌐 Access to a network of founders, mentors, and opportunities to pitch directly to VCs with focus on B2B AI
📚 In-depth knowledge of the ins and outs of early-stage fundraising.
Sample Speakers & Topics
How to fund your startup and achieve product market fit before taking VC
Daniel Theobald
How to Find, How to Talk and How to Forget Angels
Shawn Flynn
Raising Your Seed Round: How to Achieve Success
Niamh O'Donnell
Preparing Your Exit Strategy: Top Down Funding Strategies
Rayna Sparkes & Marc Ernaga
Corporate Structures and Tax Considerations
Crysta Tyus
Understanding Convertible Instruments
Ryan Nash
Panel: Term Sheets, Valuations & Cap Tables
Tyler Crown
Market Research Mastery: Tools and Techniques
Nune Zadoyan
The Legal Side of Branding: Protecting Your Creative Assets
Whitney Miner
Investor Hunt: How to find the right one
Kate Bunina
The Deal Flow Dashboard: Tracking Your VCs
Vera Maslova
Deal Champion 101: Speaking Their Language
Sarah Romanko
13 Ways to Scam Founders Raising Funds
Stephane Nasser
Panel: Closing the Deal & Getting Your Money
Co-host:
Women in AI is where bold founders, builders, and investors come together to launch startups, spark ideas, and lead the AI revolution. From high-impact events to startup showcases and mentorship, it’s more than a community — it’s a movement.
Find out more at womeninai.club.
Host:
Brought to you by:
Funding Breakthrough Lab is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit pre-accelerator with a mission of creating a supportive community to build a better tomorrow. Focused on empowering founders during the earliest, most vulnerable stage of their journey, the Lab provides education, expert connections, and resources to help founders build resilience and tools to unlock their full potential. Participants gain the opportunity to pitch directly to top investors. Its cohort-based model places a strong emphasis on championing diversity, inclusion, and authenticity. Founded by Natalie Pan, an engineer, community builder and mindset coach. Apply for the next August 23rd cohort here https://fundingbreakthroughlab.org.