[ SEA AI Week ] AI GTM Day VC Panel: What VCs Look for in Founders Who Can Sell

Investors see hundreds of pitches a year, and the founders who stand out are the ones who can sell: their vision, their product and themselves. In this panel, VCs share what they look for in a founder’s go-to-market instincts and how founders can show it before, during and after the pitch.

From early customer traction and a repeatable sales motion to storytelling, pricing and fundraising, the panel gets into what makes investors believe a founder can build a real revenue engine. It’s especially timely in the AI era, where markets move fast and a strong demo doesn’t always mean a durable business.

Featuring

Harrison Rolfes, Senior Research Analyst, PitchBook · Founder & GP, Layer H Ventures
Covers private AI companies at PitchBook and invests in vertical intelligence, physical AI and MedTech through Layer H Ventures.

Martin Tobias, General Partner, Incisive Ventures
Longtime Seattle investor and former startup CEO backing pre-seed B2B software, with a thesis that distribution matters more than product.

Kat Winston, Managing Partner, Equity Angels
Co-founder of Equity Angels, which helps underrepresented prop-tech and fintech founders get investor-ready, after 18 years in marketing at Sotheby’s International Realty.

Who it’s for

Founders and early-stage teams, from pre-seed to Series B

Go-to-market, growth and revenue leaders at startups

Operators, angels and anyone who wants an investor’s-eye view of what makes a founder fundable

What to expect

The founder and GTM signals investors look for, and how to show them in your pitch

Audience Q&A

Time to meet the panelists, investors and founders after

Details

📅 Tuesday, October 27 · 1:00 – 2:00 PM
📍 Thinkspace Seattle, 1700 Westlake Ave N #200, Seattle

AI Days at Thinkspace in partnership with Skillsheet. Details to Follow. For speaker, hosting, sponsorship opportunities contact: aniket@skillsheet.me, peter@thinkspace.com

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