Andrew D’Souza, ex-co-founder of Clearco and now Boardy.ai, explains how he went from building a billion-dollar FinTech company to creating an AI “super-connector” that changes how founders meet investors.
Andrew breaks down why warm intros no longer work, how Boardy.ai sparked investor interest before he was even fundraising, and why real-time AI conversations may become the future of dealmaking.
He also shares ideas on founder psychology, network effects, and the next chapter of AI-driven relationship building.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
How Andrew D’Souza raised $8M using an AI agent (Bordy.ai)
Why the “warm intro” is dead — and what replaces it
How Clearco scaled to a $2.5B unicorn
Why investors chase the same 50 deals (and what founders should do instead)
A breakdown of what’s actually broken in fundraising today
The mechanics of AI-driven dealflow, investor matching, and credibility building
Raising capital?
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Get the latest fundraising insights, news, and tips:
Here's what you're in for:
00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome
00:16 Using AI to Raise Funds
01:11 The Evolution of Fundraising
05:02 Clear Co: Building a FinTech Unicorn
08:56 Transitioning from Clearco to AI
18:37 The Birth of Boardy
25:45 The Initial Growth Strategy
26:23 Defining Bordy's Vision and Purpose
27:23 Building a Horizontal AI Platform
27:55 Achieving Network Effects and User Success Stories
28:57 Experimenting with Investor-Founders Matching
30:12 The Importance of Trust in Business Introductions
31:41 Boardy's Unique Onboarding Process
36:23 Future Plans: Monetization and Expansion
47:54 The Role of AI in Human Relationships
53:17 How to Connect with Andrew
ABOUT Andrew D’Souza
Andrew D’Souza is a veteran founder and tech operator best known for co-founding and leading Clearco, the company that transformed non-dilutive capital and funded 10,000+ startups with over $2.5B deployed. With a background in Systems Design Engineering from the University of Waterloo, Andrew now invests, advises, and serves as a visiting partner at HF0, helping high-potential founders scale faster and build category-defining companies.
You can reach out to Andrew through:
Linkedin: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/andrewdsouza
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/andrewdsouza/
Website:https://www.boardy.ai/
ABOUT JASON KIRBY
Jason Kirby is the co-founder of Thunder, a tech-enabled investment bank helping founders reach their ideal target outcomes through capital strategy and M&A.
He is a serial entrepreneur with four exits and decades of experience in fundraising, M&A, and business building. In his career, he has coached hundreds of entrepreneurs on fundraising, investing, capital strategy, M&A and business development. He’s transacted over $135M and his firm Thunder has transacted over $200M+
You can reach out to Jason through:
Email: jason@thunder.vc
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonrkirby/
ABOUT $100M EXITS
My goal is simple: to equip founders with the knowledge, inspiration, and guidance to navigate the labyrinthine world of capital strategy to take your company where you ultimately want it, by interviewing founders and investors who have already done it.
For most, it’s a dream to sell for $100M+, but for others, it’s too cash flow or IPO. Founders doing over $5M in revenue will benefit the most from this podcast.
Be sure to subscribe and let me know who you want me to interview next.
After 20 years of steady, bootstrapped growth, Eric Friedman sold his company, eSkill, an online skills testing platform used by employers worldwide.
In this episode, Eric breaks down how he built a profitable SaaS business with no outside funding, ran three separate sales processes, and closed a deal with private equity in 2024. He shares what founders should know about earnouts, how to choose the right investment bank, and the red flags he learned to spot during M&A negotiations.
If you’re a founder thinking about selling a bootstrapped company, this episode is packed with real lessons on timing, valuation, and life after the exit.
⚡ What You'll Learn:
Why most earnouts never get paid — and how to protect yourself.
The hidden risks behind LOIs, retrades, and exclusivity windows.
How a dev-shop equity arrangement fueled 20 years of bootstrapped growth… until it didn’t.
How interest rate spikes in 2022 instantly destroyed a great LOI.
Why Eric ran three processes before landing the final buyer.
How to evaluate PE buyers and spot red flags during diligence.
Raising capital?
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Get the latest fundraising insights, news, and tips:
Here's what you're in for:
00:00 Introduction
03:40 Choosing an Investment Bank
06:22 Running the Sale Process
15:42 Finalizing the Deal and Advice for Founders
19:59 Evaluating Potential Bosses and Partners
20:25 The Importance of Thorough Due Diligence
21:34 Transparency in Negotiations
23:22 Understanding and Negotiating Earnouts
24:47 Post-Acquisition Transition
35:39 Life After the Exit
37:21 Final Advice for Founders
ABOUT ERIC FRIEDMAN
Eric Friedman is an accomplished startup CEO with over two decades of experience leading and scaling SaaS companies. As the founder and CEO of eSkill Corporation, he built the company from concept to successful exit—achieving 20 consecutive years of revenue growth without outside funding. Under his leadership, eSkill became a leader in the HR technology space, serving global clients such as PepsiCo, GE, Deloitte, Stanford University, Zappos, the United Nations, and the U.S. State Department.
He brings deep expertise in lean operations, sustainable growth strategy, and product-market adaptation. His ability to lead through both stable and volatile market conditions has made him a trusted operator in the SaaS space. His approach blends strategic discipline with operational agility—adapting go-to-market models and product fit in response to shifting customer and market needs.
You can reach out to Eric through:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-friedman-604258/
ABOUT JASON KIRBY
Jason Kirby is the co-founder of Thunder, a tech-enabled investment bank helping founders reach their ideal target outcomes through capital strategy and M&A.
He is a serial entrepreneur with four exits and decades of experience in fundraising, M&A, and business building. In his career, he has coached hundreds of entrepreneurs on fundraising, investing, capital strategy, M&A, and business development. He’s transacted over $135M and his firm Thunder has transacted over $200M+
You can reach out to Jason through:
Email: jason@thunder.vc
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonrkirby/
ABOUT $100M EXITS
My goal is simple: to equip founders with the knowledge, inspiration, and guidance to navigate the labyrinthine world of capital strategy to take your company where you ultimately want it, by interviewing founders and investors who have already done it.
For most, it’s a dream to sell for $100M+, but for others, it’s too cash flow or IPO. Founders doing over $5M in revenue will benefit the most from this podcast.
Be sure to subscribe and let me know who you want me to interview next.
In this episode, we break down how founders and early employees can get liquidity before an IPO—without selling shares, triggering taxes, or relying on a shaky secondary market.
Our guest is Greg Brogger, founder of SharesPost (sold to Forge Global for $160M, later taken public and acquired) and now CEO of Collective Liquidity.Greg is one of the earliest architects of the private stock market, with over $10B+ in transactions.
He covers:
If you’re a founder, operator, or employee with meaningful equity, this episode shows how to unlock liquidity and reduce personal risk well before an exit.
Raising capital?
Get a vetted list of VCs: https://web.thunder.vc/list-of-investors-vcs-for-founders?utm_source=Youtube&utm_medium=EP+99&utm_campaign=%24100M+Exits
Fundraising insights: https://blog.thunder.vc/funding-101?utm_source=Youtube&utm_medium=EP+99&utm_campaign=%24100M+Exits
Episode Guide:
00:00 - Selling SharesPost
01:04 - COVID-19 challenges
01:51 - Broker dealer model shift
03:45 - Merger vs acquisition
07:04 - Fundraising dynamics
11:14 - Building SharesPost
16:54 - Employee liquidity pushback
19:28 - SPVs & market health
23:13 - Nasdaq joint venture
29:47 - Strategic moves
31:11 - JV dynamics
32:32 - Growth & COVID impact
34:53 - Timing in venture
37:07 - Founding Collective
40:04 - Exchange funds
46:21 - Liquidity strategies
50:50 - Advice for founders
57:43 - Key takeaways
About Greg Brogger
Greg Brogger pioneered private-market trading as the founder of SharesPost, later merging with Forge. Before that, he helped build the Nasdaq Private Market and co-founded TrueCar and Internet Brands.
He began his career as a securities attorney at Wilson Sonsini and holds degrees from UC Berkeley, UPenn Law, and Wharton. He currently serves on the board of Ownera.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregbrogger/
Website: https://www.collectiveliquidity.com/
About Jason Kirby
Jason Kirby is the co-founder of Thunder, a tech-enabled investment bank helping founders navigate fundraising and M&A. He’s a serial entrepreneur with four exits and over $135M in transactions.
Email: jason@thunder.vc
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonrkirby/
About $100M Exits
This podcast helps founders navigate capital strategy, funding, and M&A through conversations with those who’ve done it. Best suited for founders doing $5M+ in revenue. Subscribe and share who you’d like to hear next.
What really happens when a founder crosses the table to become an investor?
In this episode, Andrew Ackerman, former Managing Director at DreamIt Ventures and author of The Entrepreneur’s Odyssey, joins Jason to discuss what he has learned backing more than 70 startups across ed-tech, prop-tech, and beyond.
Andrew shares how he went from writing angel checks that disappeared to running one of the top accelerators in the U.S. He breaks down what founders get wrong about “value-add” programs, how he built a deal-flow system that attracted over 1,000 startups for just 12 spots, and what separates truly scalable founders from the rest.
He also breaks down how to spot real accelerator ROI, why most programs aren’t worth it, and how experienced founders think differently about equity, advisors, and long-term value creation.
Here’s what you’re in for:00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction
00:04 Andrew's Transition from Founder to Investor
00:52 Early Angel Investment Experiences
02:43 Joining DreamIt Ventures
07:18 The Evolution of Startup Accelerators
13:43 Selecting Startups for DreamIt
26:15 Evaluating Startup Teams
27:10 Switching Focus: From EdTech to PropTech
32:17 Challenges in Accelerator Programs
42:56 The Entrepreneur's Odyssey: A Novel Approach
50:52 Connecting with Andrew Ackerman
Raising capital?
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Get the latest fundraising insights, news, and tips:
ABOUT ANDREW ACKERMAN
Andrew Ackerman is a VC, SPV syndicate sponsor, and former Managing Director at DreamIt Ventures, with over a decade of startup investing and 70+ portfolio companies. A former founder turned investor, he’s built and scaled verticals in EdTech, PropTech, and ConstructionTech, creating DreamIt’s Customer and Investor Sprint programs to help startups raise capital and close enterprise deals faster. Andrew has advised CVCs, developers, and corporate innovation teams worldwide and published 60+ articles in Forbes, Fortune, AlleyWatch, and Propmodo.
You can reach out to Andrew through:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewbackerman/
Website: https://www.andrewbackerman.com/
Email: andrewbackerman@gmail.com (Subject line: “Fundraising Demystified Listener”)
ABOUT JASON KIRBY
Jason Kirby is the co-founder of Thunder, a tech-enabled investment bank helping founders reach their ideal target outcomes through capital strategy and M&A.
He is a serial entrepreneur with four exits and decades of experience in fundraising, M&A, and business building. In his career, he has coached hundreds of entrepreneurs on fundraising, investing, capital strategy, M&A, and business development. He’s transacted over $135M and his firm Thunder has transacted over $200M+.
You can reach out to Jason through:
Email: jason@thunder.vc
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonrkirby/
ABOUT $100M EXITS
My goal is simple: to equip founders with the knowledge, inspiration, and guidance to navigate the labyrinthine world of capital strategy to take your company where you ultimately want it, by interviewing founders and investors who have already done it.
For most, it’s a dream to sell for $100M+, but for others, it’s too cash flow or IPO. Founders doing over $5M in revenue will benefit the most from this podcast.
Be sure to subscribe and let me know who you want me to interview next.
He sold his Adtech company to Oracle after burning out, took it easy, then raised $100M+ for his next venture.
Most founders dream of a big exit but few talk about what happens after.
Subscribe & get our free investor/buyer list at thunder.vc.
Key Takeaways:The emotional and mental cost behind selling Crosswise to Oracle.How burnout nearly ended Ron’s startup journey—and what pulled him back.
The surprising truth about life inside a big corporation after acquisition.Why Sentra’s $100M+ raise was more about mission than money.
Ron’s lessons on cofounder chemistry, resilience, and building without losing yourself.
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Raising capital?Get a list of vetted VCs for FREE here: https://web.thunder.vc/list-of-investors-vcs-for-founders?utm_source=YouTube&utm_medium=Video&utm_campaign=Episode97&utm_id=%24100M++Exits
Get the latest fundraising insights, news, and tips:
https://blog.thunder.vc/funding-101?utm_source=YouTube&utm_medium=Video&utm_campaign=Episode97&utm_id=%24100M++Exits
Here's what you're in for:
01:28 - Mental Health in Entrepreneurship
02:55 - Starting the Podcast: Oracle Acquisition Journey
03:32 - The Decision to Sell Crosswise
09:29 - Navigating the Acquisition Process
22:27 - Post-Acquisition Reflections and Retention
28:26 - Market Dynamics and Strategic Decisions
30:29 - Navigating Competitive Markets
31:23 - The Catalyst for Starting Anew
32:45 - Building with Friends and Finding Happiness
35:25 - Defining the Right Role
37:31 - Raising a Monster Seed Round
42:25 - The FOMO Round and Series B Success
49:28 - Investing in Founding Teams
54:54 - Advice for Founders on Raising Money and Selling Companies
58:06 - Final Thoughts and Wrap-Up
ABOUT RON REITER
Ron is a serial entrepreneur and cloud security expert known for turning complex technical challenges into scalable, real-world solutions. As the Co-founder and CTO of Sentra, he leads innovation in data security helping organizations regain visibility and control over their cloud environments.
Before Sentra, Ron co-founded Crosswise, a cross-device identification company that bridged digital identities across devices and was later acquired by Oracle for $50 million.With over two decades in software development and more than six years as an Engineering Director at Oracle Data Cloud, Ron managed the Tel Aviv R&D branch and led initiatives across ID graph, DMP, audience, and contextual data products. His career reflects a deep commitment to building secure, intelligent systems that power the future of data-driven organizations.
You can reach out to Ron through:
Website:https://www.sentra.io/ Linkedin:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronreiter/
ABOUT JASON KIRBY
Jason Kirby is the co-founder of Thunder, a tech-enabled investment bank helping founders reach their ideal target outcomes through capital strategy and M&A.
He is a serial entrepreneur with four exits and decades of experience in fundraising, M&A, and business building. In his career, he has coached hundreds of entrepreneurs on fundraising, investing, capital strategy, M&A and business development.
He’s transacted over $135M and his firm Thunder has transacted over $200M+
You can reach out to Jason through:
Email: jason@thunder.vc
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonrkirby/
ABOUT $100M EXITS
My goal is simple: to equip founders with the knowledge, inspiration, and guidance to navigate the labyrinthine world of capital strategy to take your company where you ultimately want it, by interviewing founders and investors who have already done it.
For most, it’s a dream to sell for $100M+, but for others it’s too cash flow or IPO. Founders doing over $5M in revenue will benefit the most from this podcast.
Be sure to subscribe and let me know who you want me to interview next.
What do you do when your company is on fire, literally or figuratively?What do you do when the deal is days away from closing — and your company’s reputation explodes overnight?In this episode, David Meadvin, CEO of One Strategy Group, breaks down what really happens in the “war room” when crisis hits and how to protect your credibility, investors, and valuation when everything’s on fire.Subscribe & get our free investor/buyer list at thunder.vc.💡 Key Takeaways:Why reputation capital is a real currency during dealmaking.How to recover from a PR disaster before it kills your valuation.The difference between damage control and trust rebuilding.Tactical playbook for founders facing internal or public crises.How to stay calm when everyone else is panicking.Timestamps:04:22 - Navigating an IPO Crisis08:49 - Frameworks for Crisis Management11:50 - Handling Political and Social Issues16:47 - Personal Crisis Stories and Lessons20:26 - Decision-Making in Crisis Situations23:58 - Navigating Stakeholder Reactions24:37 - Building Trust with Investors25:12 - Handling Crisis Situations27:18 - The Importance of Communication29:21 - David's Career Journey30:39 - Advise for CEOs and Founders35:06 - The Role of Politics in Business38:58 - Final Thoughts on Crisis Management51:47 - Maintaining Mental Health as a Founder-------------------------------------------------------------------Raising capital?Get a list of vetted VCs for FREE here: https://web.thunder.vc/list-of-investors-vcs-for-founders?utm_source=YouTube&utm_medium=Video&utm_campaign=Episode96&utm_id=%24100M++ExitsGet the latest fundraising insights, news, and tips:https://blog.thunder.vc/funding-101?utm_source=YouTube&utm_medium=Video&utm_campaign=Episode96&utm_id=%24100M++ExitsABOUT DAVID MEADVINDavid Meadvin is the CEO and founder of One Strategy Group, a leading corporate and executive communications firm. With experience spanning both the public and private sectors, he’s advised Fortune 500 CEOs, political leaders, and top executives on high-stakes strategy and reputation management.Before founding One Strategy Group, David served as President of Laurel Strategies and held senior communications roles at Citadel, Bloomberg LP, and Facebook. In government, he was Chief Speechwriter for the U.S. Senate Majority Leader and Director of Speechwriting at the U.S. Department of Justice.Named to Washington Business Journal’s “40 Under 40”, David is recognized as one of America’s leading voices in executive communications, with work featured across major global media outlets.You can reach out to David through:LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/meadvin/ Website: https://www.onestrat.com/ABOUT JASON KIRBYJason Kirby is the co-founder of Thunder, a tech-enabled investment bank helping founders reach their ideal target outcomes through capital strategy and M&A. He is a serial entrepreneur with four exits and decades of experience in fundraising, M&A, and business building. In his career, he has coached hundreds of entrepreneurs on fundraising, investing, capital strategy, M&A and business development. He’s transacted over $135M and his firm Thunder has transacted over $200M+You can reach out to Jason through:Email: jason@thunder.vcLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonrkirby/ABOUT $100M EXITSMy goal is simple: to equip founders with the knowledge, inspiration, and guidance to navigate the labyrinthine world of capital strategy to take your company where you ultimately want it, by interviewing founders and investors who have already done it. For most, it’s a dream to sell for $100M+, but for others it’s too cash flow or IPO. Founders doing over $5M in revenue will benefit the most from this podcast. Be sure to subscribe and let me know who you want me to interview next.
Most founders sell the wrong way. Here’s how to do it right.
📣 Subscribe & get our free investor/buyer list at https://web.thunder.vc/vc-investor-list
What you’ll learn in this episode:
Forget the unicorn dream. This is how real founders achieve life-changing exits. Jason Kirby and Oliver Low — partners at Thunder — break down how to navigate the M&A process from both sides of the table: when to sell, how to structure a deal, and what to avoid when your future is on the line.
🔥 3-6 Tactical Takeaways:
Why timing your exit matters more than valuation
How to avoid the #1 killer of founder wealth: earnouts
The rise of private equity buyers and what it means for startups
How “venture orphans” can still create massive outcomes
What Thunder looks for before taking founders to market
When Oliver Low sold his startup, it wasn’t a clean, overnight success story.
It was years of building, negotiating, and learning the hard way how M&A really works.
His company, Platform 360, eventually became part of a public company listed on the London Stock Exchange but the journey there was anything but straightforward.
There were earnouts that didn’t go as planned.
Buyers who vanished mid-deal.
And market conditions that turned every negotiation into a gamble.
For founders considering an exit or just trying to understand how real M&A unfolds — this conversation is a masterclass in playing the long game.
Want more insights? Check out the full shownotes for Episode 95! HERE
When Itamar Novick joined Life360, it wasn’t the family safety app we know today.
The team was small. The product was rough. The future? Uncertain.
Then came the moment that would define everything:
👉 The company was out of cash.
👉 Investors were skeptical.
👉 Itamar had a choice — walk away or double down.
He chose to bet his entire net worth on the company.
That all-in moment eventually led to one of the most unique IPO journeys in tech — first in Australia, then on the NASDAQ. The risk paid off. Life360 became an $8B household name.
In our new $100M Exits episode, Itamar shares:
What it really takes to bet on yourself at scale
How he managed acquisitions and integration while prepping for IPO
Why the hardest part of raising $200M wasn’t the money
For founders thinking about scaling beyond survival, this story hits hard.
Here’s what you’re in for:
01:41 From employee to cofounder and the leap that changed everything
05:37 Raising capital when everyone says no
06:21 Why big risky swings are the only way to win
08:21 Scaling Life360 from idea to household name
22:17 Acquiring startups and merging top talent
37:48 Behind the IPO curtain and the tough calls nobody talks about
40:41 Taking the leap to go public
43:06 Why they chose Australia for the IPO
44:47 Making the move to NASDAQ
48:18 Founding Recursive Ventures and the next chapter
52:02 Investing in the future with AI and founder-first thinking
59:52 Hard-earned wisdom every founder should hear
01:01:15 Getting funded with Recursive Ventures
01:07:14 Final reflections and where to connect
Looking for capital or to sell your company?
Get a list of vetted & relevant Investors for FREE here: https://web.thunder.vc/list-of-investors-vcs-for-founders?utm_source=YouTube&utm_medium=Video&utm_campaign=Episode94&utm_id=%24100M++Exits
Get the latest fundraising insights, news, and tips:
ABOUT ITAMAR NOVICK
Itamar Novick is the founder and solo GP of Recursive Ventures, a pre-seed fund backing startups in fintech, AI, and emerging tech. With experience as a founder, operator, institutional VC, and angel investor, he’s seen the startup journey from every angle.
Itamar has invested in and supported 50+ successful startups, including Deel, Honeybook, Placer, Credible (IPO), MileIQ (acquired by Microsoft), Automatic Labs (acquired by SiriusXM), Tile (acquired by Life360), SafeGraph, and Armory. He was named one of Business Insider’s Top 100 global seed investors.
As an operator, Itamar helped scale Life360 from Seed to IPO, growing revenue to over $250M. Earlier, he was a founding team member and Head of Product at Gigya (acquired by SAP). LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itamarnovick/
Website: https://www.itamarnovick.com/
ABOUT JASON KIRBY
Jason Kirby is the co-founder of Thunder, a tech-enabled investment bank helping founders reach their ideal target outcomes through capital strategy and M&A.
He is a serial entrepreneur with four exits and decades of experience in fundraising, M&A, and business building. In his career, he has coached hundreds of entrepreneurs on fundraising, investing, capital strategy, M&A, and business development. He’s transacted over $135M and his firm Thunder has transacted over $200M+
You can reach out to Jason through:
Email: jason@thunder.vc
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonrkirby/
ABOUT $100M EXITS
My goal is simple: to equip founders with the knowledge, inspiration, and guidance to navigate the labyrinthine world of capital strategy to take your company where you ultimately want it, by interviewing founders and investors who have already done it.
For most, it’s a dream to sell for $100M+, but for others it’s too cash flow or IPO. Founders doing over $5M in revenue will benefit the most from this podcast.
Be sure to subscribe and let me know who you want me to interview next.
Europe’s next defense-tech giant is being built in London. Subscribe & get our free investor/buyer list at thunder.vc
How Max Buchan helped take CoinShares from $0 to $50M revenue to $1.5B IPO —without VC money.
The insider story behind founding Valarian, the UK’s answer to Palantir.
Raising $20M in seed funding to build dual-use infrastructure for governments and enterprises.
The shift from crypto to defense tech and why “digital sovereignty” is the next trillion-dollar opportunity.
How Valarian attracted elite talent from Palantir, Darktrace, and top U.S. defense innovators.
Lessons for founders raising capital in deep tech and dual-use markets.
—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Raising capital?
Get a list of vetted VCs for FREE here: https://web.thunder.vc/list-of-investors-vcs-for-founders?utm_source=YouTube&utm_medium=Video&utm_campaign=Episode93&utm_id=%24100M++Exits
Get the latest fundraising insights, news, and tips:
Here’s what you’re in for:
00:00 – How CoinShares hit $50M revenue with no VC
03:30 – The problem that sparked Valarian: cross-border data control
06:00 – Pivoting from secure messaging to compliance infrastructure
08:30 – Raising $11M pre-product and landing IQ Capital & Molten Ventures
10:20 – Expanding to $20M total seed and U.S. strategic backers
13:40 – How defense tech funding evolved post-Ukraine
16:00 – Defining product-market fit for dual-use infrastructure
18:00 – Recruiting Palantir and Darktrace execs to Valarian
23:30 – Why the UK talent system lags behind the U.S.
32:00 – Operating in stealth: why Valarian waited to go public
35:30 – The hardware Pelican Case: Valarian’s deployable defense tech
37:00 – Consolidation and M&A in Europe’s defense tech ecosystem
39:00 – Advice for founders building category-defining companies
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ABOUT MAX BUCHAN
Max Buchan is the Founder and CEO of Valerian, a company building next-generation digital infrastructure to solve global data sovereignty challenges.
Before launching Valerian, Max was the first employee at CoinShares, where he worked directly with the co-founder and CEO. In just 18 months, CoinShares grew from an idea to over $55 million in revenue and nearly $2 billion in assets under management, expanding to almost 200 employees and later going public on the Nasdaq with a $1B+ valuation.
His experience scaling CoinShares across London, New York, Paris, Stockholm, and Jersey revealed a growing problem—how international companies manage data across borders. That insight inspired him to start Valerian, focused on digital sovereignty and secure global infrastructure.
Max holds a degree in History and Economics from the University of London and was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe list for Technology.
You can reach out to Max through:
Website: https://www.valarian.com/
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/maxbuchan
ABOUT JASON
Jason Kirby is the Managing Partner at Thunder.VC and host of $100M Exits. He’s helped thousands of founders navigate capital raises, M&A, and exits, with a focus on tactical, data-backed strategies.
You can reach out to Jason through:
Email: jason@thunder.vc
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonrkirby/
He sold for $500M—then started all over again. Get our free investor/buyer list at thunder.vc
Why Shay Levi left NoName Security after its $500M sale to Akamai
How he built Unframe AI and raised millions at a massive valuation
The mindset shift from cybersecurity to AI innovation
What founders get wrong about timing their exits
Lessons on capital efficiency and founder evolution after a big win
----------------------------------------------------
Looking for capital or to sell?
Get a list of vetted investors and buyers for FREE here: https://web.thunder.vc/list-of-investors-vcs-for-founders?utm_source=Youtube&utm_medium=Video&utm_campaign=Episode92&utm_id=%24100M+Exits
Get the latest fundraising insights, news, and tips:
https://blog.thunder.vc/funding-101?utm_source=Youtube&utm_medium=Video&utm_campaign=Episode92&utm_id=%24100M+Exits
Here’s what you’re in for:00:00 – Intro: From $500M exit to new beginnings
02:15 – The Akamai acquisition story: what really happened
05:40 – Why Shay left at the peak
08:20 – The “LLM moment” that sparked Unframe AI
11:10 – Founder reinvention: starting again after massive success
14:50 – Raising at a huge valuation from day one
18:30 – Cybersecurity vs AI: mindset and market lessons
22:00 – What $500M taught Shay about building the next one
25:10 – Advice to founders chasing their second act
28:00 – Jason’s recap and founder takeaways
About $100M Exits
$100M Exits is where founders and investors who’ve achieved $100M+ outcomes share raw, unfiltered lessons. Hosted by Jason Kirby, each episode dives deep into the psychology, strategy, and playbook behind 9-figure exits and the next wave of category-defining startups.
About the Guest – Shay Levi
Shay Levi is the co-founder and former CTO of NoName Security, which was acquired by Akamai for nearly $500M. After scaling one of the fastest-growing cybersecurity startups of the decade, Shay left to found Unframe AI, a new venture pushing the boundaries of AI infrastructure and reasoning systems. Known for his product-first mindset and calm precision as a technical founder, Shay is now building in one of the most competitive spaces of the decade.
You can reach out to Shay through:
Website: https://www.unframe.ai/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaylevi2/?originalSubdomain=il
Email: leave a comment to get an intro
About the Host – Jason Kirby
Jason Kirby is the Managing Partner at Thunder and host of $100M Exits, where he shares stories and lessons from founders who’ve raised, sold, or scaled to 9-figure outcomes. He’s an active investor and advisor to high-growth startups navigating capital and acquisition strategies.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonrkirby/
Melinda Nicca shares her story of raising capital, building a cash flow machine and buying it back from her investors to give herself independence again. In this episode, Jason Kirby talks with Melinda Nicci, Founder and CEO of Body Collective Group, and she opens up about her path as a health tech entrepreneur. She shares how her women’s wellness platform grew to reach over 6 million users, the highs and lows of fundraising, and the tough negotiations required to regain control of her company through a share repurchase.
Mel also talks about navigating investor relationships, launching new products, and the future of AI in wellness. Her story highlights resilience, strategic thinking, and the importance of understanding the investor landscape.
----------------------------------------------------
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Get the latest fundraising insights, news, and tips:
Here's what you're in for:
00:32 Mel’s Background & Vision
02:25 Building Body Collective Group
09:02 Fundraising Lessons
21:24 Product Development & Expansion
22:30 Navigating Investors
31:25 AI Wellness Coach Vision
35:39 Negotiating Buyouts & Reclaiming Ownership
51:11 Future Plans
55:26 How to Connect with Mel
ABOUT MELINDA NICCI
With more than 30 years of experience at the intersection of technology and global health, she has built AI-driven platforms that have reached over 6 million people in 130 countries. As the Founder & CEO of Body Collective Group, she created Bella AI, the world’s most advanced women’s health assistant, and pioneered digital wellness platforms including Baby2Body and MBODY.
Consistently recognized among the Top 100 Most Influential Women in Technology, she is known for translating AI research into real-world health applications, forging global partnerships, and scaling businesses to successful exits. Her board leadership spans high-performance sports and technology, with expertise in audit, risk, and strategy.
She is passionate about advancing women’s health, scaling AI for global health, and driving purpose-led innovation that balances commercial success with social impact.
You can reach out to Melinda through:
Website: https://www.baby2body.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melindanicci/?originalSubdomain=uk
ABOUT JASON
Jason Kirby is the co-founder of Thunder, a tech-enabled investment bank helping founders reach their ideal target outcomes through capital strategy and M&A.
He is a serial entrepreneur with four exits and decades of experience in fundraising, M&A, and business building. In his career, he has coached hundreds of entrepreneurs on fundraising, investing, capital strategy, M&A and business development. He’s transacted over $135M and his firm Thunder has transacted over $200M+
You can reach out to Jason through:
Email: jason@thunder.vc
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonrkirby/
ABOUT $100M EXITS
My goal is simple: to equip founders with the knowledge, inspiration, and guidance to navigate the labyrinthine world of capital strategy to take your company where you ultimately want it, by interviewing founders and investors who have already done it.
For most, it’s a dream to sell for $100M+, but for others it’s too cash flow or IPO. Founders doing over $5M in revenue will benefit the most from this podcast.
Be sure to subscribe and let me know who you want me to interview next.
This week, I chat with Jon Staenberg founding partner of Agate Hound Fund, to unpack the real mechanics behind venture capital and search funds. From his early days at Microsoft, to founding a search fund that delivers 35% net annual returns, Jon pulls no punches. He warns, “Don’t go into venture until you’ve actually got a skill,” and breaks down the challenges of buying a company. We explore how grit, curiosity, and critical thinking separate founders who retire early from those who build enduring empires, and why the “comprehensiveness of change today is astonishing.”
Whether you’re curious about launching a search fund, leveling up in VC, or simply hungry for insights, this episode will equip you with the tools and the mindset to raise your game.
Raising capital?
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Get the latest fundraising insights, news, and tips:
We explore:
0:00 – Intro & Meet Jon Staenberg of Agate Hound Fund
4:50 – “Microsoft was way beyond my expectations…”
10:30 – “Don’t go into venture until you’ve actually got a skill”
16:15 – Search Funds 101: “5% net annual return
22:00 – “Buying a company is hard… it’s messy”
28:05 – Why grit, curiosity & critical thinking win
33:40 – The “retire early” myth vs. 60‑hour workweeks
38:20 – AI & the comprehensiveness of change today
42:10 – How to connect with Jon
ABOUT JON STAENBERG
Jon Staenberg is the founding partner of Agate Hound Fund, a search‑fund vehicle focused on acquiring and scaling founder‑owned companies. Before launching Agate Hound, Jon spent over a decade at Microsoft, where he led product strategy and saw firsthand how engagement and inspiration fuel innovation. A veteran operator turned investor, he’s passionate about teaching entrepreneurs that “buying a company is hard,” but also demonstrating how a disciplined, skill‑based approach can generate 35% net annual returns. Jon holds an MBA from Stanford and advises several high‑growth startups on go‑to‑market and capital strategy.
Get in touch with Jon:
Website: https://www.agatehound.fund/
Email: jon@agatehound.fund
ABOUT JASON
Jason Kirby is the co-founder of Thunder VC. He is a serial entrepreneur with 4 multi-million exits and decades of experience in fundraising and business building. He has coached hundreds of entrepreneurs in his career on fundraising, investing, capital strategy, and business development.
You can reach out to Jason through:
Email: jason@thunder.vc
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonrkirby/
ABOUT FUNDRAISING DEMYSTIFIED
Our goal is simple: to equip you with the knowledge, inspiration, and guidance to navigate the labyrinthine world of fundraising. Whether you're a budding entrepreneur seeking seed funding or an established founder looking to scale your business, this podcast will provide you with the tools you need to conquer the fundraising landscape.
Thank you for being a loyal subscriber to Fundraising Demystified. We appreciate your support and are excited to continue bringing you more inspiring stories from successful founders.
In this episode of Fundraising Demystified, I sit down with Ben Chiang, the former head of Uber China and founder of Forma (acquired by Snap- yes, from Snapchat), to unpack his journey through hypergrowth, high-stakes fundraising, and strategic exits. Ben shares the realities behind building in chaotic markets, the truth about investor dynamics post-exit, and how founders can stay sane while chasing scale.
We dive into the underrated benefits of QSBS (Qualified Small Business Stock), why consumer startups have it tougher than ever, and the unique marketing challenges of building AI products in today’s crowded landscape. Great watch if you’re curious about any aspect of building and exiting in tech.
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Get the latest fundraising insights, news, and tips:
We talk:
00:00: From Zero to 50 Million Weekly Rides: Uber China’s Blitzscale Playbook
02:48: Why Market Fit Is Make or Break
06:07: Timing, Relationships & the Hidden Rules of Fundraising
08:58: Forma’s Acquisition by Snap: Behind the Deal
11:57: Luck, Credit, and the Realities of Startup Success
15:00: Negotiating from Leverage vs. Desperation
26:13: Founders vs. Investors: What Changes After an Exit
28:08: QSBS: The Most Underrated Tax Benefit in Startups
30:27: How Stock Market Volatility Affects Founders
32:11: Leaving Snap: Rediscovering Purpose
33:43: The Messy Reality of Building and Marketing AI Products
37:14: Fundraising Now vs. Then: What’s Actually Changed?
40:57: Herd Mentality and the Modern VC Landscape
44:07: What It Takes to Enjoy the Founder Journey
47:00: Final Advice: Know What You Want
ABOUT BEN CHIANG
Ben Chiang is a veteran operator and founder best known for launching Uber in China and later founding Forma, a startup acquired by Snap. His experience spans scaling platforms in hypercompetitive markets, navigating complex acquisitions, and now building across multiple AI content ventures.
Get in touch with Ben:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminchiang/
Twitter: https://x.com/ben_chiang
ABOUT JASON
Jason Kirby is the co-founder of Thunder VC. He is a serial entrepreneur with 4 multi-million exits and decades of experience in fundraising and business building. He has coached hundreds of entrepreneurs in his career on fundraising, investing, capital strategy, and business development.
You can reach out to Jason through:
Email: jason@thunder.vc
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonrkirby/
ABOUT FUNDRAISING DEMYSTIFIED
Our goal is simple: to equip you with the knowledge, inspiration, and guidance to navigate the labyrinthine world of fundraising. Whether you're a budding entrepreneur seeking seed funding or an established founder looking to scale your business, this podcast will provide you with the tools you need to conquer the fundraising landscape.
Thank you for being a loyal subscriber to Fundraising Demystified. We appreciate your support and are excited to continue bringing you more inspiring stories from successful founders.
60 pitches in 90 days. A Series B term sheet that collapsed. A $15M valuation hit, and she still came out on top.
In this episode, Jennifer Henderson, founder of Colorado-based HR tech startup Tilt, breaks down exactly what it took to raise over $30 million in venture capital while balancing motherhood, market crashes, and investor whiplash.
Jen shares how Tilt was born out of personal trauma, why she built a leave management platform with empathy at its core, and what every founder, especially women, needs to know before walking into their next pitch.
From Techstars to term sheet disasters, this is the real story behind startup success in today’s market.
—---------------------------------------------------------------
Raising capital?
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Get the latest fundraising insights, news, and tips:
Here's what you're in for:
00:00 – “I don’t come from money”: Why Jen chose venture
04:21 – Building Tilt from personal pain
06:08 – Sales tactics that worked
09:07 – How Techstars changed the fundraising game
11:53 – Raising Series A: Saying no to ‘cute’ term sheets
18:03 – Series B nightmares: exclusivity traps, errors & resilience
33:07 – The truth about AI in HR tech
39:02 – Advice to female founders: “Be successful. We need you.”
42:56 – Surviving the current startup market
ABOUT JENNIFER HENDERSON
Jennifer Henderson is the founder & CEO of Tilt, a Colorado-based HR tech platform that simplifies and humanizes leave of absence management for modern teams. After two traumatic parental leave experiences, she turned her frustration into a mission. From Starbucks barista to corporate leader to raising $30M+ across five rounds, Jen's journey is a masterclass in resilience, grit, and founder-first leadership. Tilt is now a trusted solution for teams across the U.S., navigating complex leave policies with care.
Connect with Jennifer on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferhendersonjctcjcdcEmail: hello@tilt.com
ABOUT JASON
Jason Kirby is the co-founder of Thunder VC. He is a serial entrepreneur with 4 multi-million exits and decades of experience in fundraising and business building. He has coached hundreds of entrepreneurs in his career on fundraising, investing, capital strategy, and business development.
You can reach out to Jason through:
Email: jason@thunder.vc
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonrkirby/
ABOUT FUNDRAISING DEMYSTIFIED
Our goal is simple: to equip you with the knowledge, inspiration, and guidance to navigate the labyrinthine world of fundraising. Whether you're a budding entrepreneur seeking seed funding or an established founder looking to scale your business, this podcast will provide you with the tools you need to conquer the fundraising landscape.
Thank you for being a loyal subscriber to Fundraising Demystified. We appreciate your support and are excited to continue bringing you more inspiring stories from successful founders.
This week, I talk to Travis Steffen, who has built and sold eight companies. He’s raised over $100M and driven more than $200M in exits.
In this episode, we delve into what actually drives startup growth and what quietly undermines it. We also get into how one bad exit almost wrecked him, and what he learned from losing years and seven figures because of one avoidable mistake.
If you're a founder, operator, or even just thinking about building, this episode will give you a clearer view of what’s worth your attention.
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Get the latest fundraising insights, news, and tips:
We get into:
00:00 The Real Startup Journey: No Filters, No Hype
03:07 Why "Never Quit" Is Holding You Back
05:47 Churn: The Growth Killer Founders Ignore
09:12 What You Learn When a Startup Fails
12:05 Retention Isn’t a Metric. It’s a Strategy.
14:52 Why Investors Walk, Even If Your Numbers Look Good
17:48 The Retention-Valuation Link You Can’t Ignore
21:06 From Flatlined to $70M: A Turnaround Breakdown
34:37 How We Built the Most Trusted Brand in a Broken Industry
36:19 Revatto: Built to Solve Churn Without Adding Work
40:07 No Results, No Cost: A Different Kind of Retention Model
42:29 How To Save Customers, Without a Product Tutorial
45:10 You Probably Don’t Understand Your Churn. Here’s Why.
47:24 How to Test Revatto, with $1,000 in Free Recoveries
51:21 One Retention Habit That Changes the Game
54:24 The Exit That Went Sideways, and What It Cost
ABOUT TRAVIS STEFFEN
Travis Steffen is a founder, operator, and builder with a track record most founders never reach. He’s exited eight companies, raised more than $100M, and led over $200M in M&A. His work spans SaaS, cannabis tech, fintech, and AI. Today, he’s the co-founder of Revatto, a company that helps subscription-based businesses retain more customers and only charges when it works.
Check out Revatto: https://www.revatto.com/
ABOUT JASON
Jason Kirby is the co-founder of Thunder VC. He is a serial entrepreneur with 4 multi-million exits and decades of experience in fundraising and business building. He has coached hundreds of entrepreneurs in his career on fundraising, investing, capital strategy, and business development.
You can reach out to Jason through:
Email: jason@thunder.vc
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonrkirby/
ABOUT FUNDRAISING DEMYSTIFIED
Our goal is simple: to equip you with the knowledge, inspiration, and guidance to navigate the labyrinthine world of fundraising. Whether you're a budding entrepreneur seeking seed funding or an established founder looking to scale your business, this podcast will provide you with the tools you need to conquer the fundraising landscape.
Thank you for being a loyal subscriber to Fundraising Demystified. We appreciate your support and are excited to continue bringing you more inspiring stories from successful founders.
Most founders dream of a life-changing exit. But few actually prepare for it, until it’s too late.
In this episode of Fundraising Demystified, I sit down with John Rood, an exited founder who scaled a tutoring side hustle into a global edtech business, and sold it for over eight figures to private equity.John also shares the story behind his book Beyond the Exit and why post-exit life is often not what you think it will be.
----------------------------------------
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Get the latest fundraising insights, news, and tips:
We talk:
00:00 – The Brutal Truth No One Tells Founders
02:04 – How John Turned Tutoring into SaaS Gold
05:21 – The Finance Hack That Boosted His Valuation
07:10 – What Really Kicks Off an Exit
11:08 – The $10M Mistake Founders Keep Making
13:59 – What’s Actually Enough for You?
17:01 – Why Most Founders Regret Life After Exit
22:52 – Angel Investing: The Ego Trap No One Admits
28:22 – The Weirdly Happy Knife Founder Story
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About John Rood
John Rood is the author of Beyond the Exit and the founder of one of the world’s leading pre-med test prep businesses. After scaling the company into a content-and-software powerhouse, he exited for over eight figures to a private equity firm. He now advises founders on exit strategy and post-exit reinvention, drawing from both his wins and the emotional landmines no one warns you about.
Connect with John: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnrood1/
Get the book: https://www.beyondtheexitbook.com/
What happens when you raise $2.7M... then realize you never want to raise again?
Jennifer Tsai, founder and CEO of Shoott.com, built a profitable photography marketplace from the ground up; surviving death threats from creatives, a brutal CAC spike post-iOS14, and the chaos of marketplace economics. In this episode of Fundraising Demystified, we dive into how she scaled to $10M in revenue, hit breakeven, and is now facing the “what’s next” moment many founders dream of, or dread.
Whether you're building a two-sided marketplace, wrestling with capital strategy, or wondering how to survive without more VC cash, this one's for you.
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Get the latest fundraising insights, news, and tips:
In this episode, you'll learn:
00:00 – Death Threats, Disruption & The Origin Story of Shoott.com
05:45 – Why Creatives Hated Us And How We Won Them Over
12:08 – From $80K to $10M: The Fundraising + Growth Playbook
17:52 – How We Hit Profitability (And 20x’d It)
21:26 – Cash Flow Roulette: Paying Creators Before Clients Pay Us
22:57 – The $300K Mistake That Nearly Sank Us
25:57 – Should You Raise, Sell, or Stay the Course?
27:32 – The Brutal Truth About Valuations in Today’s Market
30:38 – Founders: Before You Build a Marketplace, Watch This
This week on Fundraising Demystified, I sat down with David Connors, founder of The Swarm, a Go-To-Network platform transforming how founders and investors connect- think LinkedIn but for companies.
David shares how he used The Swarm to raise capital for his own startup, how the product helps other founders close rounds, and what he learned from working at Sequoia.
Raising capital?
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Get the latest fundraising insights, news, and tips:
Sign up to get 70% off the Swarm: theswarm.com/thunder
Here’s what you’re in for:
00:42 - Who is David Connors and what is The Swarm?02:08 - How working at Sequoia birthed The Swarm
05:32 - Raising The Swarm’s $2M pre-seed round solo (and why it was capped)
11:37 - Raising a $4M seed and scaling a building a winning team
14:31 - How to find investors and pick the right ones for follow-on funding
18:52 - Getting warm intros for investor outreach in minutes
22:28 - The best kind of warm intros ranked
25:43 - Why Swarm raised an extension round
29:10 - The shift from SaaS to data, 10xing revenue and getting Hubspot Ventures to invest
32:40 - Vibe coding and AI tools that support The Swarm’s scale
35:02 - Top tips for personal branding that boosted growth
Check out the pre-seed investment memo for The Swarm here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wzo0PxFCyNgaD627-e2q2wefV0LUk4DJjnEr3R4b07k/edit?tab=t.0
ABOUT DAVID CONNORS
David Connors is the founder of The Swarm, a Go-to Network platform that helps startups access warm intros to capital, talent, and strategic partners. A second-time founder with deep experience in startup M&A, David previously built a company acquired by Levels, a Sequoia-backed health tech firm. With a background in enterprise sales and operations, he built The Swarm to solve one of the hardest problems founders face: getting in front of the right people without wasting time on cold outreach.
Connect with David via:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/connorsdavidWebsite: http://theswarm.com/
ABOUT JASON
Jason Kirby is the co-founder of Thunder VC. He is a serial entrepreneur with 4 multi-million exits and decades of experience in fundraising and business building. He has coached hundreds of entrepreneurs in his career on fundraising, investing, capital strategy, and business development.
You can reach out to Jason through:
Email: jason@thunder.vc
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonrkirby/
ABOUT FUNDRAISING DEMYSTIFIED
Our goal is simple: to equip you with the knowledge, inspiration, and guidance to navigate the labyrinthine world of fundraising. Whether you're a budding entrepreneur seeking seed funding or an established founder looking to scale your business, this podcast will provide you with the tools you need to conquer the fundraising landscape.
Thanks for tuning in! We appreciate your support and are excited to continue bringing you more inspiring stories from successful founders.
#startupfunding #venturecapital #theswarm #founderstories #fundraisingdemystified #saas #data #investoroutreach
In this episode, Jess Loren, founder and CEO of Global Objects, shares her journey on raising capital as a female founder, including turning down a $20M offer and building her business using digital twins technology.
Jess dives into how she's building a tech company rooted in culture, purpose, and innovation, while navigating the fundraising landscape as a female CEO. We talk about generative AI in media, managing a startup as a mom, building a tech community, and how to use AI to boost productivity.
A great story about leadership, innovation, and startup resilience.
—-------------------------------------
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Get the latest fundraising insights, news, and tips:
Here's what you're in for:
00:00 - Intro
00:35 – Raising Capital as a Female Founder: Intro to Jess Loren & Global Objects
03:06 – Building a Tech Community in LA
06:05 – Balancing Life as a Female CEO
08:42 – Digital Twins Technology for Culture & Innovation
13:16 – Using AI to Boost Productivity in Creative Industries
16:34 – Generative AI in Media & Entertainment
22:18 – Jess Loren’s Journey: From 2X Exit Founder to Building Global Objects
25:47 – Funding Strategies & Investor Alignment
28:16 – Global Objects' Mission and Growth Plan
31:30 – Startup Leadership as a Female CEO
34:05 – Jess Loren on Persistence, Boards & Building Visibility
ABOUT JESS LOREN
Jess Loren is a 2X exited founder and the CEO of Global Objects, a cutting-edge startup at the intersection of digital twins technology, cultural preservation, and generative AI. With a background in community building, immersive experiences, and Web3 innovation, Jess is known for her bold leadership, fundraising acumen, and vision for reshaping how we digitally capture and interact with the world. Her journey includes turning down a $20M term sheet to stay mission-aligned, proving that purpose and persistence can coexist at scale.
You can reach out to Jess through:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessloren/
Global Objects' LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/globalobjects/
ABOUT JASON
Jason Kirby is the co-founder of Thunder VC. He is a serial entrepreneur with 4 multi-million exits and decades of experience in fundraising and business building. He has coached hundreds of entrepreneurs in his career on fundraising, investing, capital strategy, and business development.
You can reach out to Jason through:
Email: jason@thunder.vc
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonrkirby/
ABOUT FUNDRAISING DEMYSTIFIED
Our goal is simple: to equip you with the knowledge, inspiration, and guidance to navigate the labyrinthine world of fundraising. Whether you're a budding entrepreneur seeking seed funding or an established founder looking to scale your business, this podcast will provide you with the tools you need to conquer the fundraising landscape.
Thank you for being a loyal subscriber to Fundraising Demystified. We appreciate your support and are excited to continue bringing you more inspiring stories from successful founders.
Startup Advisors can make or break your growth. In this episode, Barry Stamos of Supernova shares how to build a world-class startup advisory board, manage relationships, and scale successfully.
With real-world lessons from the Tuft & Needle journey and his advisory platform Supernova, Barry dives deep into sourcing the right advisors, setting success metrics, avoiding red flags, and aligning compensation with performance.
—------------------------------------------
Raising capital?
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Get the latest fundraising insights, news, and tips:
Here's what you're in for:
00:00 – Introduction
00:08 – Meet Barry Stamos: Founder of Supernova
00:43 – Barry’s startup journey and lessons from past exits
03:10 – Why startup advisors and mentors are critical
03:29 – Finding and managing startup advisors effectively
05:29 – Startup advisor success story: learning from experience
08:56 – The right time for early stage startup support
12:26 – Tuft & Needle case study: startup advisor success story
16:04 – The real role of startup advisors in startup growth
20:33 – Managing advisor relationships for success
21:27 – How to compensate startup advisors effectively
23:53 – How to find startup advisors and sourcing advisors for startups
25:55 – Making aggressive advisor requests
29:16 – Startup advisor horror stories and startup advisor red flags
33:05 – Introducing Supernova: the startup advisor platform
35:44 – How Supernova matches advisors with founders
37:51 – Advice for founders seeking advisors and building a startup advisory board
40:00 – How to connect with Barry Stamos and Supernova
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ABOUT BARRY STAMOS
Barry Stamos is a 3x exited founder, startup advisor, and CEO of Supernova—a platform that connects high-growth startups with a curated network of successfully exited founders. With a track record that includes advising breakout companies like Tuft & Needle, Barry specializes in helping startups scale smarter through strategic advisory boards, hands-on mentorship, and performance-driven advisor relationships.
You can reach out to Barry through:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bstamos/
Supernova's Website: https://1supernova.com/
ABOUT JASON
Jason Kirby is the co-founder of Thunder VC. He is a serial entrepreneur with 4 multi-million exits and decades of experience in fundraising and business building. He has coached hundreds of entrepreneurs in his career on fundraising, investing, capital strategy, and business development.
You can reach out to Jason through:
Email: jason@thunder.vc
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonrkirby/
ABOUT FUNDRAISING DEMYSTIFIED
Our goal is simple: to equip you with the knowledge, inspiration, and guidance to navigate the labyrinthine world of fundraising. Whether you're a budding entrepreneur seeking seed funding or an established founder looking to scale your business, this podcast will provide you with the tools you need to conquer the fundraising landscape.
Thank you for being a loyal subscriber to Fundraising Demystified. We appreciate your support and are excited to continue bringing you more inspiring stories from successful founders.