PHX Founder Stories + March Madness Watch Party 🏀
Kick off #AZTechWeek with PHX FWD!!! March Madness. Founders. Capital.
We heard you. Everyone wants to watch March Madness on Monday night… so we made this a watch party 🏀🏀🏀
Join us for our next PHX FWD Community Event: a night of basketball, food, drinks, and founders.
We’ll be watching the games, connecting with the community, and hosting a short, candid panel conversation with Phoenix founders actively raising capital today.
Raising capital has become more complex. Investor expectations have shifted, timelines are longer, and founders are being pushed to build stronger businesses before raising.
During a break in the action, we’ll hear directly from founders on what it actually looks like to raise capital right now, including challenges, lessons learned, and what’s working.
Panelists include:
Rob Nicoletti — Founder & CEO, HALO
Jamie Baxter — Co-Founder & CEO, diner
Kaled Alhanafi — Co-Founder & CEO, Basata
Together, they’ll discuss:
What the fundraising environment looks like today
How investor expectations have changed
Strategies founders are using to raise capital in the current market
Lessons learned from raising and building in today’s environment
What founders should be thinking about before starting their next raise
Whether you're preparing to raise your first round or navigating growth in today’s market, this conversation will offer real insights from founders on the front line.
📍 100 Mill, Tempe
📅 April 6
🕠 5:30–7:30 PM
Food, drinks, basketball, and founders.
This event is brought to you by PHX Ventures, Morgan Stanley, Osborn Maledon Law, KBF Advisory, and Deloitte.