Graham & Walker Founder Day - Chicago
About Founder Day:
Founder Day is Graham & Walker’s longest-running, most-requested program. We've hosted this pop-up bootcamp in all major tech hubs, coaching over 1500 founders to raise their first round of outside capital since 2018. And this year, we’re headed to Chicago!
Founder Day is a high-substance, founder-first day of learning and connecting for early stage, pre-consensus founders who are getting ready to raise venture capital.
Given historically high demand to participate, we have a lightweight admission process through which we curate the best possible mix of founders for the day. Be ready to answer a few questions and share a link to your deck when you register!
While our program is designed for female founders, all teams are welcome to apply.
🙏 HUGE THANK YOU TO OUR FRIENDS AT ANTARES CAPITAL, and to our supporting sponsor ASHURST PERKINS COIE, for their partnership and support in powering the next generation of founders 🙏
What to expect:
Leslie Feinzaig’s sought-after fundraising bootcamp
“Inside VC” Panel featuring local and outside VCs - speakers to be announced soon!
Small-group mentorship with investors, experienced founders and operators
Plus, plenty of time for community connection and peer networking
Who should apply:
Founder Day is designed for outsiders, misfits and moldbreakers at the earliest stages of building. While all founders are welcome, we prioritize spots for founders of power-law/scalable/VC fundable companies who have raised from $0 to $1M in total outside funding. We will do our best to match participants with VCs expected to attend. The program will be limited to 30 founders to ensure depth, connection, and meaningful dialogue.
Graham & Walker investment decisions are made entirely independent of Founder Day admissions. Participation in the program does not lead to, signal or guarantee an investment.
About Graham & Walker
Graham & Walker is an early-stage venture fund rooted in a powerful founder community. Our mission is to change the face of the public markets by investing in founders that break the VC mold. We believe in substance over hype and place founder success at the heart of everything we do.
About Antares Capital, Presenting Sponsor
Antares Capital is a leading alternative credit manager with approximately $95 billion in capital under management and administration as of March 31, 2026. For three decades, we have sought to deliver disciplined, dependable credit solutions. Today, our platform focuses on core private credit, liquid credit, and liquidity solutions, managed for the benefit of a global investor base and powered by long-standing sponsor relationships that help unlock attractive investment opportunities across market cycles. Backed by CPP Investments, we are dedicated to creating long-term value for the investors, sponsors, and borrowers we serve. The firm maintains offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Toronto and London. Visit Antares at www.antares.com or follow the company on LinkedIn at antares-capital-lp.
Antares Capital is a subsidiary of Antares Capital Management LLC, who is majority owned by The Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board, alongside Antares Holdings LP, (collectively, “Antares”). Antares Capital London Limited is an appointed representative of Langham Hall Fund Management LLP, an entity which is authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority of the UK.
About Ashurst Perkins Coie, Supporting Sponsor
Ashurst Perkins Coie is the global law firm for the future economy.
With more than 3,500 client-facing practitioners across 52 offices worldwide, we advise a broad range of clients, and have a distinct strength in technology, energy & infrastructure, and financial services—three sectors at the forefront of economic transformation.
Combining global scale, sector insight, and technological capability, Ashurst Perkins Coie helps clients unlock opportunity with market-leading experience in complex transactions, litigation, and regulatory matters.
Learn more at https://www.ashurstperkinscoie.com/