Utah Tech Week’s Post

Lots of our AwakenHub founders asked for a dedicated event to chat through all things #Cofounders. Our AwakenHub Community event on 22 October at 5pm (online) will do just that. The Co-founder How To Rulebook with Sinéad Buckley Breda O'Regan of Lia Eyecare and Charlene Armour, Armour joined by Jo Joyce of Taylor Wessing Ireland. We will talk about: - How to go about finding the right cofounder at any stage of the journey - Starting out as colleagues and setting up as cofounders - Starting out as cofounder & investor and moving to co-founders - Jo will tackle as many questions as we can squeeze in on legalities from setting up day one with cofounders, onboarding cofounder/s, exiting cofounders and any issues or challenges that might arise. Be prepared for quickfire rounds. Get your notebooks ready. Join us for an insightful and engaging session with those who have walked the walk. This is for all founders, whether or not you have or plan to have a cofounder, as the dynamics and lessons to be shared are valid regardless. https://lnkd.in/gXxZgmYi Clare McGee Mary McKenna, MBE Denise McQuaid Brìghde Barnes Maria McKeever Rhiannon Gilvarry Mary Ann Pierce

This past June we held what has become our annual Finger Lakes Summit (FLX) at The Lake House in New York. It was, as it always is, sublime. What makes the event special is the intention of the organizers (David at Impellent Ventures and Sasha Hoffman, and all of our superlative sponsors, spearheaded by Fidelity Investments) to create a vacation-like, 5-star accommodated, pristine environment of connecting and learning. Moreso, the group focuses on diversity of background, credo, experience, and thought. I never get to see so many powerful, accomplished, supreme humans in one place at one time outside of our 3-day get-together - and if I've been blessed with one thing in life at this point, it's to be able to mix it up with the most amazing humans on Earth. This isn't a humble brag - it's objective fact. I'm a severely privileged, lucky person. David Brown, Sasha, and crew plan every attendee down to the quantifiable mix-up of sector, stage, gender makeup, race, and political affiliation. They are exacting in their ratios. It's an alchemy of epic proportions. Again, this post isn't meant to be some arrogant cavalcade meant to make eyes roll - it's just that good. Don't take my word for it, ask someone who's been. But I think my most important takeaway this year is a crystallization of a theme that's been running through my mind for my 3+ years in VC: startups and venture capital will inevitably change into an everyman sport. What I mean by that is, at some indeterminant point, the industry will no longer be dominated by middle-aged white men who were born on third base, or by those who only create and source alpha in one geography, from one facsimile of human. Understand something: under no circumstances am I claiming to be something I am not. I am a middle-aged white man. No matter how covered I am in tattoos or how many times I explain to myself that I am from a not-so-nice place, that fact will not change - nor do I even humor the thought of wanting it to. But I digress, this isn't about me - I just don't want you to think I am some sort of crusader. I just recognize that our industry is going to look less and less like me - and that’s a good thing. Hybrids are, by nature, evolutionarily superior. Back to the topic at hand - I believe that our world will increasingly tilt towards all walks of life in the marketplace that comprises our industry. Diverse founders will be funded by diverse investors. And by diverse, I mean of race, gender, sexual orientation, credo, political affiliation, academic background, and thought. Special people are special, and our Finger Lakes Summit reminds me of that, year in and year out. The inevitable is coming like a freight train. Get on board or get run over - it matters very little to progress. I, for one, am excited at the prospect of a brave new world.

🎉 Announcement!!! Seed Angel Forum is foregoing our typical quarterly pitch event in June in honor of Techstars Boulder Accelerator’s final Demo Day! CALLING LOCAL INVESTORS! Join us on June 6th for snacks & libations to pregame the final Techstars Boulder Demo Day and celebrate the Colorado startup ecosystem! We’re holding a Seed Angel Forum Reunion for Local Accredited Investors and prior Seed Angel Forum CEO/Founders. Investors: sign up to attend if you are an accredited investor and have made at least three early-stage investments in the last 12 months… and if you want to connect with some great founders and investors! Founders: you can RSVP if you’ve previously pitched at any Seed Angel Forum event over the past ten years. If you’re interested in pitching your company at a future event, please look to our Q3 and Q4 events to apply to pitch. RSVP: https://lu.ma/saf24q2

Proud to be one of the >>venture>> Startup Competition Jurors 2024, fostering sustainable innovation and supporting the next generation of groundbreaking businesses. This competition is a fantastic platform for entrepreneurs with disruptive ideas to gain valuable exposure and resources. #VentureStartupCompetition #Innovation #Entrepreneur #FutureofBusiness #ProductInnovation #Retail #Sustainability #Diversity

Chatting with 35 companies over the next few days to narrow down to who will be in the next Built Oregon accelerator cohort. Every time I go through this process...a few things always happen. 1. I ponder how we could run a cohort that has 30 companies in it since there are soooooo many amazing companies and humans building cool products throughout Oregon. Rick always tells me that is too many....but what does he know about accelerator programs anyways? 2. I'm reminded that in every part of this state people follow an idea or passion to the point of selling it to another person (and then doing that over and over again). Many of these companies don't have aspirations of grandeur when it comes to business and focus more on building a sustainable business that does well for them, their employees and the community. Which is perfect. 3. The diversity and quality of products in Oregon is astounding. 4. I'm reminded why we use the tagline - Crafted in Oregon. Built by Community. So many of these folks talk about the community of other founders and welcoming consumers every time we talk. How important and unique Oregon is in that regard. 5. That we need to be in this for the long haul. It takes a lot of build a consumer brand ...with much of that being patience. 6. I see how important focusing on the mental health of founders really is. It's by far the most important. Can't wait to get going with the 2024 cohort.

Ever wondered how #UnicornUniverse 🦄✨ transforms dreams into dazzling realities? Here's a sneak peek into the magic that unfolds within our vibrant community: 🌈 Imagine stepping into a world where your dreams don't just shimmer in the distance but are within reach, glowing with potential. 𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗻 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲! 🌟 We sprinkle joy and create a kaleidoscope of 𝙤𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙨 for every member who joins us. 🔮 At the heart of our enchanting realm are the Three Planets - each offering unique paths to personal and professional growth. Today, unlock the secrets of the Access Planet, your gateway to a universe of connections and collaborations. ✨ The Access Planet is where dreams take flight, powered by the collective magic of our community. Barriers dissolve, doors open, and the paths to your dreams are paved with golden connections. It's not just about who you know; it's also about who you can help and how we can elevate each other. 🤝 Membership in Unicorn Universe is your key to this world. Here every interaction can lead to new adventures, each connection brings you closer to your dreams. From aspiring entrepreneurs to seasoned visionaries, our members thrive on mutual support, sharing not just resources but also inspiration. 🚀 Ready to discover how to leverage the Unicorn community to its fullest, transforming connections into pathways of unimaginable success? 📅 Psst... there's more! We're thrilled to announce our next big event - the 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁 in Tampa Bay, FL, in collaboration with TomCo Solutions. A beacon for dreamers and doers alike, this summit is your chance to sparkle amidst like-minded unicorns, expanding your horizons and your network. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘹𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘳 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺'𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘢 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺-𝘣𝘪𝘳𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨. 💡 Don't let this opportunity gallop by. Schedule your community discussion today at https://lnkd.in/gTbGaiMK and unlock the door to a realm where every connection is golden, and every dream is just the beginning. Climb aboard and join the adventure! #DreamsToReality #AccessPlanet #GoldenConnections #BuildingSuccessSummit #NetworkingMagic 🌟🦄🔑

Last week I was in Fort Worth, Texas for the Collective 54 Founders Summit alongside Vallene, Miles, and ~240 other leaders of professional services firms (including some friends and clients), and here are a few of my biggest takeaways: 1. Running a business is hard, and finding a community that can support you through that journey is invaluable. I tell Val and Miles all the time "there is no way I would do this without you two" 🤣 because, while it's rewarding, running a business is ... A LOT. It's lonely. It's challenging. But if you have people around you who support you and walk the walk with you, it's one of the most fulfilling experiences out there. 2. Numbers matter. I'm a creative, okay?! Strategy is my thing, and when Miles (or Jordan) comes at me with spreadsheets, sometimes I try to hide. However, sitting in a room full of people who are successfully growing, scaling, and exiting their businesses is a good reminder that at the end of the day the numbers do, in fact, matter - and the numbers are what enable us to continue doing what we love to do. (I think this might be the entire reason Miles brings me to this conference lol). 3. Building a strong team backed by efficient processes is the key to successfully scaling. I talk about this often since we work with so many business owners who are trying to scale. To truly scale, a company must be able to increase its capacity to handle more business without increasing its operational costs (this is where process comes in). Additionally, founders and leaders have to be able to delegate and elevate themselves out of being the bottleneck (this is where a strong team comes in). There are a lot more insights I could share, but traveling gave me the world's worst head cold so that is all for now. Thank you Greg Alexander, Zach Witonsky, Matt Alexander & the whole C54 team for the amazing hospitality. We'll see you next year 👋

🕵️ It’s hard to get a feel for fundraising before you’re actually in it. This can be frustrating for founders who know they need to get it right but find that much of the learning happens along the way. One invaluable preparation, though, is hearing the stories of others who’ve been through it 👂 Listening to the concrete details of their experiences—how things panned out, the decisions they made, and the challenges they faced—provides helpful insights that can guide your own efforts. 🆕 This is where our new ‘Behind the Seed’ series comes in. Lifting the veil on the Seed fundraising process through candid interviews with our founders, they give all the details on their journeys, as well as tips on overcoming rejection, refining pitches, and more. We’re kicking off the series with Julien Bellemare, co-founder and CEO of Catalog (HX23). They released their not-so-minimal MVP, signed 10+ customers including Elitis and Babymoov Group, and then pulled it out of the bag with a $3M Seed fundraising led by LocalGlobe — all in an extremely tough market, all in 12 months. Get all the details on how they did it in the interview (link in comments) 👇

🚀 Reflecting on VDS... One year ago, we launched the first version of what is now known as Critical Match—a platform crafted by and for the tabletop community. Thanks to the unwavering support of the Centro Europeo de Empresas e Innovación de Navarra, we embarked on a journey to find investors who could help us take Critical Match to the next level. And guess what? 🎯 We’ve achieved our goal! We're coming back with over 5 connections with VCs and BA groups who, after seeing our pitch, want to dive deeper into the project. But that’s not even the most exciting part (yes, I know... having 5 big companies that manage millions interested in our project is incredibly thrilling 🤯). What made the experience even better was the community—meeting people from other industries, corporate leaders, and fellow entrepreneurs who approached us just to learn about what we do. Many of them are also passionate fans of the Tabletop world! We’re returning with renewed enthusiasm to keep building something as exciting as Critical Match, and honestly, our spirits are sky-high! 🌌 Our next challenges? Meetings with the investors,along with upcoming CEIN events where we’ll get to showcase Critical Match to investors even more—this time, at our home. 🌍

Venture Atlanta is totally exhausting…but incredibly fun! Next week will be non-stop action and I couldn’t be more excited! Thousands of people, tons of energy, and endless opportunities to connect. Venture Atlanta Conference is a great representation of Atlanta and the fantastic, growing startup ecosystem of the Southeast. And my personal highlight? The TrackCred Founder & Funder Jog on Tuesday morning. Get ready for a casual jog with 70+ folks. 🤯 It’s seriously the best not-networking networking event! Open to everyone, link below to register. Other events I’m pumped for! 🎉 • VC Panel: We read Mark Suster blog like it was the Bible in the early days of Pardot. Excited to hear him speak plus love the other powerhouse panelists! • Women in Capital Breakfast: What started with 3 women is now hundreds! It’s incredible what can happen in a short time. Thank you Christy Brown, @Allyson Eman, and Kim Seals for getting it started. • Keynote Speaker Dawn Staley National champion & hall of fame basketball coach, right here in the South. Find me in the front row. • Female Founders in Innovation Dinner: Atlanta Ventures is a sponsor and I could not be more excited to celebrate the amazing women building companies! • Hands On Atlanta Tech Day of Service: Giving back in South Downtown Atlanta! Thank you Eileen Lee and Endeavor for this important event. 5 more events I’ll be at and all the details in the blog below (+ tips on how to make the most of the week)!! Not a comprehensive list by any means! There’s SO MUCH going on. NOW…Who’s ready!? What are you looking forward to the most at Venture Atlanta? Got any conference tips you can share?