Indo-US Expert Session for Material Founders
We’re hosting an exclusive expert session with Dr. Sarah Hammer of Rhapsody Venture Partners to demystify how specialized VCs evaluate next-gen materials and hard tech innovations.
Rhapsody Ventures is a specialist VC firm based in Boston that focuses exclusively on hard tech and industrial innovation. A major pillar of their portfolio is material science, featuring pioneers like Biophilica (high-performance, plastic-free leather), Verdafresh (100% recyclable, high-barrier packaging), and Chinova Bioworks (mushroom-based F&B preservation).
This is a rare opportunity to understand how VC's evaluate next-gen materials and get direct feedback from someone who understands the unique challenges. They're in both India and the US based startups.
In this session, we’ll focus on:
The Anatomy of a Deal: We’ll start with a deep dive into 2 investments. Dr. Hammer will break down the "why" behind these deals, what matters , and what they consider deal-breakers.
The Investment Scorecard: To help demystify the process, we will explore the criteria Rhapsody uses to evaluate materials startups. You’ll learn how to view your own technology through the lens of a specialist investor.
The Interactive Hot Seat: The bulk of our time is dedicated to you. This is an open floor to ask specific questions about your company, your pitch deck, or the nuances of the Rhapsody investment thesis.
You’ll walk away with a clearer sense of:
VC Decision-Making: How to align your pitch with investor expectations.
A Checklist: Frameworks to help you audit your own materials-based business before you fundraise.
About the Forum
This session is part of the Indo-US Founders Forum by Terrarium, designed for founders building next-gen materials.
Note: We follow Chatham House Rules. This session will not be recorded. Participants are free to use the information received, but they cannot reveal the identity or affiliation of any speaker or participant.
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