As we step into uncharted territory each day due to COVID-19, the uncertain fundraising landscape can feel overwhelming. Seed stage funding dropped by more than 20% in the first quarter of 2020 as investors have hit pause on future investments.
Several weeks ago, our team at Village Capital co-hosted a virtual conversation with Grasshopper Bank, Lighter Capital and Republic to help entrepreneurs break through this overwhelming moment with an action plan. More than 400+ entrepreneurs registered and sent us 100+ questions before our session around fundraising over the next few months: What are the different types of capital options available? How do I approach these capital sources? How do I communicate with investors, pursue cold outreach, handle virtual meetings, or adapt pitch decks?
There is a lot going on. But we continue to be committed to helping entrepreneurs navigate what is within their control, and what to do next. In the video below, we share insights about what investors are looking for, dig in to different capital sources and how they’ve been impacted by the crisis, and share resources and approaches to extend your runway while maintaining equity.
Denisha Kuhlor, Early Stage Tech, Grasshopper Bank: Denisha Kuhlor is a relationship manager in the Early Stage Practice at Grasshopper Bank. In this role, she works as a partner with bank clients across industries to support their efforts to grow their businesses. Denisha is also the founder of the Grasshopper Grants program, which provides access to key industry events free of charge to founders.
Cheryl Campos, Director of Growth, Republic: She is focused on introducing underrepresented founders to these alternative funding sources in order to help their startups thrive. In addition, she works on partnerships with other venture capital and ecosystem builders while supporting the growing Republic portfolio of 140 companies. She started her career in Investment Banking at Barclays, working in the Financial Institutions Group and Structured Finance. She holds a BA in Economics with honors from Harvard University.
Patti Elliot, CSO, Lighter Capital: As a senior sales leader, Patti has held executive leadership roles with rapidly evolving SaaS companies based in the Pacific NW. Prior to Lighter Capital, Patti was at Capital One as Regional Vice President for the West Coast with responsibilities of managing a team of sales executives and a $400M portfolio. She was the CEO and Founder of the TAS Group (acquired by Upland Software), a sales methodology company that automates the sales process in Salesforce.com, and is used by hundreds of sales users globally. Prior to the TAS Group, Patti was the CEO of Metropolitan Travel and led the acquisition of the company by Expedia.
Marcia Chong, Future of Finance Practice Lead, Village Capital: Marcia leads Village Capital’s Future of Finance Practice focused on helping fintech and financial health startups in the US grow. She leads fintech accelerator programs and builds communities of startups, early stage investors, corporates, nonprofits, and allies addressing economic mobility, financial health, and community resilience. Marcia started her career creating the first Social Impact Bonds in the U.S. She is an immigrant from Ecuador to the United States.
