In this panel discussion, the speakers share practical advice for early‑stage founders on attracting the right investors. They begin by noting how a mini‑accelerator like the Advanced Founder Lab can be a good match for companies ready to leverage structured support. The conversation then shifts to the nature of the investor‑founder relationship, emphasizing that taking capital creates a long‑term partnership rather than a quick, disposable arrangement. Investors are described as looking for clear traction and positive revenue as key signals of progress. Building a strong, friendly bond with the lead investor is highlighted as essential for a sustainable journey. Finally, the panel advises founders to target younger funds that are more open early on, and to evaluate potential investors based on geographic focus, industry specialization, and stage alignment.
Chapters
¡Hola! I looked at what the Advanced Founder Lab said that they were going to be doing, and our company seemed to be at the right point that we could could use the types of things that were going to be going on. So it really seemed like it would be like a little mini accelerator for us. And we were ready at that point to use those type of things. So it seemed like it was good match.
Once you have an investor, people say it's like getting married. No, it's not. You can get married in Vegas and get divorced the same day if you wanted to. But here, once you take money from an investor, you can't get rid of that investor.
They were very specific that they want to be able to see good traction and that that really tells them a lot and that they definitely want to be seeing positive revenue. So—
I think it's really important to create a relationship with your investor, with your lead investor. I think, I mean, I've been taught to be, you know, to create relationships first and then, you know, to ask what you need for. So I think it's very important to connect with them and be friends with them because you're going to be on a journey for a long time.
I know, but in Portuguese it's "amigos." "Amigos" is "friends." There are fewer funds than entrepreneurs, but there are fewer great entrepreneurs than funds. So, I'd go and see funds that are young because they're a lot more open in the early days. As time goes on, they might get a bit more desperate if things aren't— or they might become a little bit more careful if things haven't been going well in the first couple of years. Find out what their geographic focus is. Their industry focus and their stage.
I think that the startup ecosystem is relatively young, so it's just getting started. You could say that we're the— we're in the first wave of startups. I think I want to focus more on building and maintaining relationships. So really pick a, you know, create a list of investors that I would love to raise a Series A with and just stay in touch with them over, you know, the next year.
