Current State of the VC Market

​Venture capital is shifting fast, and founders need to know how to adapt. Join us for an in-depth look at the current state of the VC market, where you will learn:

• ​The $100B Question: Where is the funding actually going each quarter, and which sectors are receiving the most capital and which sectors are cooling down?

• ​Four Big Themes: The dominant funding trends shaping this year’s venture landscape.

• ​The Why Behind the Trends: what macroeconomic trends are driving these funding themes, and why are they here to stay?

• ​Founder’s Perspective: What the current VC environment means for your fundraising process, investor conversations, and deal terms.

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​About the Speaker:

​Katie Nowak is an innovation leader, new venture designer, and investor. She is consistently celebrated as a game-changer for executive entrepreneurs looking to clearly articulate their message, raise money, and commercialize their products.

​As Founder and CEO of Kanvas, Katie has helped organizations raise over $350M in early-stage investments for ventures around the world. She is also a Principal investor at Altra Venture Partners, a late-stage investment fund with a portfolio spanning Anthropic, Anduril, Canva, Databricks, Webflow, Anduril, and more. Katie is a startup mentor and advisor with the Venture Mentoring Team, the U.S. National Science Foundation, Plug and Play Korea, and more.

​​​This workshop is part of the 2026 Queens Tech + Innovation Challenge online workshop series. Participants will have a chance to win up to a $20K grant for their startup businesses. Applications are due March 2, 2026. Learn more at http://queensstartup.org/