Veteran Founders and Funders Meetup: March 2025
The Veteran Founders & Funders meetup brings together founders with military backgrounds (all branches, all nations, including DOD employees and non-profits involved in the DOD startup ecosystem) with investors who look to back them in venture scale startups.
The group's objectives are to accelerate the success of scalable startups that are led by veteran founders in the Puget Sound region, through a combination of events and resources.
In partnership with Venture Mechanics, members can also access a vast network of mentors, workshops, startup bootcamps, incubator and coworking options, and access to equity and non-dilutive funding sources.
March 12th Meeting
Keynote Speaker:
Josh Carter, Founding General Partner, Founders First Fund
Josh Carter is a Program Manager at National Security Innovation Network, a Department of Defense program office that seeks to advance the development of new dual-use ventures. He is a US Navy Vet with over 20 years of experience in telecom, software, and entrepreneurship. He is passionate about supporting founders working on transformative solutions for both government and commercial customers.
Josh has co-founded and led multiple startups, including BrightWork, a developer infrastructure company that participated in Techstars and secured venture funding. He also served as the interim CEO and COO of Patriot Boot Camp, a Techstars-affiliated non-profit that empowers veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs. He is a speaker, a podcast host, and a mentor for early-stage startups, as well as the founder of Coffee w/ Co-Founders, a monthly meetup for founders in the area. He has expertise in networking, operations, and technical support, and has worked on projects for companies like Disney, Pabst Blue Ribbon, and Taco Bell. Josh enjoys hiking and kayaking with his family when he is not at local meetups and events.
The keynote will be followed by presentations from three veteran founder-led startups, including:
Joshua Hitt, Hitt Power Technology, Inc.
Brian Ruane, Geist Robotics
Nicu Parente, Career Fin
The on-stage portion will be followed by a lively networking portion, with light dinner and adult beverages served. Parking is always free and easy at Venture Mechanics.
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