The most important job of a founder is getting your startup funded. Lots of the focus nowadays is on figuring out how to get money from private investors, typically venture capitalists. This talk, presented by Jared Silvia, will focus on another critical source of funds for many first-time founders — non-dilutive funding. We will do a quick survey of the sources of non-dilutive funding, discuss how it fits into a resilient capital strategy, and then do a deep dive on one of the biggest sources of non-dilutive funding in the US, the SBIR/STTR grant program, and how you can get started on your first grant.

For early-stage startups, marketing can quickly become a long list of things you could be doing. In this interactive workshop, Sara Sonnen will help you focus on what matters most — from defining your ideal customer and sharpening your positioning to choosing the right channels, improving your website, and creating content that builds awareness and drives real conversations.

Drawing on her experience working with startups and growth-stage companies, Sara will share practical examples and exercises to help you understand how these pieces work together — and leave you with a clearer sense of what to prioritize next.

Jon Prentice from Silicon Valley Bank will share key takeaways from SVB’s State of the Markets report, with a focus on how AI is reshaping venture capital investment. He’ll unpack the growing phenomenon of “AI washing”—where companies market themselves as AI-driven without substantive AI technology—and discuss how investors are becoming sharper at distinguishing genuine AI innovators from the hype, rewarding them accordingly. The session will offer founders practical insight into what truly sets apart investable AI companies in today’s market.

Have a burning question for a VC? Join Jonathan Kagle and Samarth Gandhi for an investor ask me anything! Bring your toughest questions about fundraising, pitching, and what investors really look for when evaluating early-stage companies, and get candid, real-world answers directly from the people who write the checks. Whether you’re still prepping or already raising, this is your chance to learn directly from investors in an open, informal Q&A format.

Join Mark Emerson for a discussion on how to get your accounting foundation in place and make sure that’s it not an obstacle to growth.