How Founders Actually Get Funded in Today’s Market: Gildre Executive Panel
Fundraising has changed fast: tighter check sizes, higher bars for traction, and a lot more “prove it” before term sheets. In this candid executive panel, we’ll break down what’s actually working right now for founders raising pre-seed through Series A (and beyond) and what investors are filtering for in 2026.
You’ll hear real, current playbooks from operators and investors who are in the market today, plus the behind-the-scenes details founders rarely share publicly: how warm intros really happen, what “traction” means by stage, how to run an efficient process, and how to avoid the common traps that burn months of runway.
Featuring:
Andy Bauch, Founder and CEO of Morty (Over $3.5 Million raised)
Katie Bell, Former Head of Ops at Twitter, Senior VP at Fanatics, COO at Scenic Management
Nathan Beckord, Founder of FounderSuite
What we’ll cover:
What investors are saying “yes” to right now (and what gets auto-passed)
The new fundraising bar by stage: pre-seed vs seed vs Series A
How to craft a narrative that matches today’s diligence reality
Building a pipeline: warm intros, outbound, communities, and signal stacking
Metrics that matter (and how to present them without overfitting)
Term sheet dynamics: valuation, structure, and negotiating leverage
Alternatives to VC: angels, rolling funds, strategic capital, revenue-based options
Who it’s for:
Founders actively fundraising, planning to raise in the next 6–12 months, or wanting a clear view of what “fundable” looks like in today’s market.
Format:
45 min panel + 15 min live Q&A
Bring your questions (and your deck if you want feedback on positioning).
RSVP to save your spot. If you’re currently raising, drop your stage + round target in the chat so we can tailor the Q&A.