AI B2B Founder × VC Breakfast: The Fundraise Playbook @ Focus Innovation Studio
Raising capital in AI right now isn’t about hype — it’s about narrative, defensibility, and execution.
Join us for an intimate breakfast bringing together top AI B2B founders and active venture investors for a tactical conversation on what actually gets funded.
This is not a generic panel.
It’s a closed-door, operator-level discussion focused on real fundraising strategy.
What We’ll Cover
🧠 Founder Perspective — What Closed the Round
How the narrative evolved from first pitch to term sheet
What metrics actually mattered
Objections they faced (and how they overcame them)
What they would do differently
💼 VC Perspective — How We Decide
What makes an AI B2B company defensible in 2026
What gets you to partner meeting
Red flags we see constantly
What makes us lead vs. follow
🗓 Agenda
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM ☕ Curated Networking & Breakfast
Connect with founders, investors, and ecosystem leaders over a morning meal.
🎤 Panel Discussion
11:00 AM – 11:30 AM: AI B2B Founder Playbook: What VCs Really Fund
Panelists:
Benny Liao - Principal, Acorn Pacific Ventures (Moderator)
Shail Kaveti - Partner, TheFounderVC
Evan Buhler – General Partner, Talok Capital
11:30 AM – 12:00 PM: Defensibility & Execution: Lessons from Recent AI Rounds
Panelists:
Ella Shukho – Member, Global Women in VC; Partnership (Venture Ecosystem), Alma; Ex-500 Global (Moderator)
Yangchen Bhutia Sharma - General Partner, Roundtable Ventures
Anna Zakowska - Managing Partner, Dragons and Angels Fund
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM 🗨️ Open Networking
Continue the conversation and build relationships with the community.
12:00 PM - 12:30 PM | Private Meet & Greet with the Speakers for VIP Ticket Holders Only
If you’re building, funding, or scaling an AI-first B2B company, this is the room you want to be in. Limited seats. High caliber. Come hungry—for both insights and breakfast.
About Us
We provide flexible workspace, a pop-retail collective and a corporate meeting venue for artists, founders, designers and technologists. Focus Innovation Studio is a private members studio, designed to generously spawn creativity and collaboration between our members. Our second and third-floor workspaces are designed for flexible and affordable lease rates. We offer private offices, dedicated desks, and hot desks and will host companies for as long as they need. Our unique building is able to hold lectures, events, and large meetings.
Founders Bay is a membership community of 150,000+ founders, executives, investors and operators coming together to grow their market through curated weekly events, expert-led virtual workshops, mentorship programs and educational resources. Proudly woman-owned and operated by Mariane Bekker, we are dedicated to empowering a diverse and inclusive startup ecosystem.
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