Fundraising for the Rest of Us: How to Build Your Pitch, Navigate Bias, and Raise Capital on Your Terms

“​Most fundraising advice is built for founders already inside the VC bubble. This night is for everyone else.

​Join us during Tech Chicago Week for a candid conversation about how capital really moves, how to find it where most founders don’t look, and how to raise on your own terms instead of someone else’s script.

​On the panel:

​Allison Byers, founder of Scroobious, the capital access platform for founders and investors, who raised millions for her own startups and co-authored California’s first law on VC funding transparency.

​Tim Huelskamp, who bootstrapped 1440 Media to $100M and co-founded Fifth Star Funds to give first-time founders the friends-and-family round they never had

​Rebecca Sholiton Kahnweiler, managing partner at LongJump, an early-stage Chicago VC, plus a Kellogg faculty member and a former founder herself

​What you’ll leave with:

​How capital actually moves: the timing, trust, and unwritten rules

​Practical ways to think like an investor so your pitch lands

​Capital sources beyond the loudest names in the room

​Honest tactics for navigating bias without shrinking

​A room full of Chicago founders and investors worth knowing

​The night will include a panel discussion, Q&A, food/drink, and the opportunity to build real, authentic relationships with founders and investors.”