Milestone Development for Fundraising

Focused on early-stage founders, this presentation is an overview of our framework for developing, validating and communicating your strategic milestones as it relates to raising capital. We will present and then leave time for a Q&A session with the audience. Key points include: How are fundraising milestones different from company-building milestones? What makes a milestone "right sized"? How do I validate a milestone before focusing resources on it? How to use Excel at this stage — where to start and stop. What will pre-seed investors consider when they evaluate my plans? Minda Brusse and Yoko Okano launched First Row Partners in 2020, investing in pre-seed software companies using a thematic approach to selecting investments. Their work in the founder-funder ecosystem often revolves around creating easier access and demystifying fundraising from investors and angel investing. Their educational approach, candor, and startup operations experience combination led to graduate-level teaching opportunities at the University of Washington Foster School of Business. By focusing on experiential learning and workshops, they hone frameworks, resources and strategies that serve their First Row portfolio companies. Access to "next gen" talent and innovators keeps their points of view fresh and future-oriented. Both Minda and Yoko began their tech careers in the Bay Area. In front-line operational roles, they learned first-hand how challenging tech adoption can be. These insights supported their valuable contribution as they roles into leadership and still inform how they think. Whether at Accenture, Google or an early-stage startup, Minda and Yoko share a wealth of experience and startup operational knowledge.