Despite the fact that capital is abundant and dozens of startups get funding every day, the process of raising institutional capital is anything but simple.
From getting an investor’s attention to nailing your virtual pitch meeting to the legal aspects of your term sheet, there is plenty to navigate.
Luckily, TechCrunch Early Stage is bringing together some of the biggest VCs to share how to manage the process proactively and successfully secure capital from the right VCs.
Just take a look at the fundraising sessions going down at TC Early Stage, which takes place later this week on April 1 – 2.
How to Get an Investor’s Attention – Marlon Nichols, MaC Venture Capital
Marlon Nichols is an expert in early-stage investments, having invested in countless successful ventures such as Gimlet Media, MongoDB, Thrive Market, PlayVS, Fair, Wonderschool and Finesse. Right now, there is more seed stage fundraising than ever before, and Marlon will speak on how to get noticed by investors, how to grow your business and how to survive in the crowded, competitive space of tech startups. He will provide insights on how to network, craft a great pitch and target the best investors for your success.
How to Nail Your Virtual Pitch Meeting – Melissa Bradley, Ureeka
The rules of the pitch meeting have changed. Instead of traveling across the country, wasting time in planes, trains and automobiles, founders can take upwards of 30 meetings in a day from the comfort of their home. Entrepreneur and VC Melissa Bradley will outline how to make the most of that half hour on Zoom and lock in the next one.
How to Kick the 10 Worst Startup Habits – Leah Solivan, Fuel Capital
With voices across the internet giving their two-cents on how to run a great business, Fuel Capital’s Leah Solivan will share a list of things that a founder should NOT do. Avoid the pitfalls that could break your momentum, or worst case, your company and ask Solivan your own questions.
Bootstrapping and the Power of Product-Led Growth – Tope Awotona, Calendly and Blake Bartlett, OpenView
Building a bootstrapped company forces you to be creative. For Calendly, it pointed the company toward a product-led growth model built on virality. Hear from Calendly’s Tope Awotona, and OpenView’s Blake Bartlett as they cover pro tips on bootstrapping, PLG, and when a profitable company should consider raising capital.
Four Things to Think About Before Raising a Series A – Bucky Moore, Kleiner Perkins
Founders looking to raise Series A capital know that it’s an entirely different ball game than seed stage funding. Hear Kleiner Perkins partner Bucky Moore outline the most important ways to mentally prepare for heading into Series A fundraising.
Fundraising Terms That Affect Your Business – Dawn Belt, Fenwick & West
With each funding round, there is an exciting opportunity for growth, but it’s important to fully understand the implications of those terms. Fenwick partner, Dawn Belt, will discuss the key legal terms to focus on in your Seed and Series A rounds and how they affect the control and operational freedom of your company.
TC Early Stage takes place on April 1 – 2 and is jam-packed with breakout sessions led by tech leaders, from VCs to operators. Each session will include audience Q&A so founders can get answers to their specific questions. On Day 2, we’ll be holding a pitch-off with some fantastic companies.
All in all, it’ll be a fantastic event. You should def come hang out! Get a ticket here.
