​Raising venture capital isn’t just about a pitch deck. It’s about understanding how investments work.

​Venture Capital Decoded is a tactical working session designed for technical founders who are building companies, hiring their first team, and preparing to raise capital without guessing.

​Led by Ilana Habib, this session breaks down the mechanics behind venture funding:

• ​How venture funds are structured

• ​How investors actually make decisions

• ​What happens behind the scenes of a deal

• ​How dilution, ownership, and control really work

• ​How to approach fundraising strategically, not reactively

​It’s a practical deep dive into how venture capital functions and how founders can navigate it with clarity and leverage.

​Meet your instructor:

​Ilana Habib is Principal at Cintrifuse Capital, where she works with early-stage founders and fund managers to help build the next wave of innovation in the Cincinnati region and beyond. She has spent her career in and around the venture ecosystem and is known for rolling up her sleeves to support her favorite humans: founders and operators. She is also an active angel investor.

​Before joining Cintrifuse, she was an MBA Associate at Impellent Ventures, a pre-seed and seed venture fund, and spent five years at Mainstay (formerly AdmitHub), where she helped scale AI-powered tools that have supported more than 15 million students on their college journeys. She also took a swing at building her own company focused on supporting early-career professionals. She celebrates her failures as a founder — skinned knees teach the best lessons.

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​This is the first session in The Professional Founders Series where you'll learn tangible skills related to venture capital, pitching, communicating with investors, and the work no one talks about.