First Friday

​First Friday is back for another relaxed, in-person GBx meet-up - bringing the community together for good conversation and practical insights. This time, we’ll be joined by SVB, who will lead a short session on Venture Debt Financing.

​Kindly hosted by CBRE, join us for a light lunch while connecting with fellow founders, operators, and investors. Alongside the opportunity to meet and mingle, this session will feature a short, focused talk on venture debt financing—covering how it works, when it’s most useful, and how it can complement equity funding as part of a broader capital strategy.

​Think venture debt isn’t that important? Consider this: Travis Kalanick held ~8.6% of Uber at IPO (valuation ~$82bn; ~$22bn equity raised), while Elon Musk is expected to hold ~42% of SpaceX at IPO (projected valuation ~$2tn; ~$12bn equity raised). One key difference? SpaceX has made significant use of debt financing (~$20bn, largely asset-backed), helping preserve founder ownership at scale.

​It’s an informal, high-value opportunity to learn something new, ask questions, and spend time with others in the community. All set against the backdrop of stunning views from the Salesforce Tower.