fnNYC Chapter Presents Behind the Curtain: Insiders Guide to Investors (April 24, 2024)

Tired of the "spray and pray" approach to startup fundraising?

Join us on April 24 for an evening designed to pull back the curtain and provide a rare glimpse into the minds of angel investors and VCs. Hear directly from a panel of investors as they share the pressures and motivations that drive their investment decisions. This event, hosted by Founders Network’s fnNYC Chapter, will give startup founders actionable intelligence on finding the right capital at the right time.

What You'll Learn:

Investor Perspectives: Gain insider knowledge on how angels and VCs evaluate potential investments. Understand the key differences in their timelines, risk tolerance, and return expectations.

Actionable Insights: Discover practical takeaways to refine your fundraising strategy. Learn how to target the right investors for your venture and craft a more compelling pitch.

Q&A: Get answers to your individual questions. Gain valuable insights that will empower you to build stronger relationships with potential investors.

Following the panel discussion, founders will have the opportunity to mingle with investors during cocktail hour.

About the Speakers:

Kelley Mak

Kelley Mak is a General Partner at Work-Bench, where he focuses on investments in areas including security, cloud and developer tools.Prior to Work-Bench, Kelley covered the security market as an industry analyst at Forrester Research. Kelley also leads corporate engagement at Work-Bench, where he is the key point for the firm's relationship with forward-thinking technology executives across the Fortune 1000 and web-scale organizations. He works closely with these leaders on enterprise technology trends transforming data and analytics, infrastructure, security, and the future of work. Kelley is a graduate of Boston College with a B.S. in Physics and Philosophy.

Eric Berry

For approximately 11 years, Eric Berry served as the CEO and co-founder of TripleLift. Throughout this time, TripleLift consistently achieved profitability with a remarkable growth rate, boasting a "rule of" 70+ metric. The company's success was further underscored by its recognition on the Inc. 5000 list as one of the Fastest-Growing Private Companies in America for an impressive six consecutive years, spanning from 2017 to 2022.

After close to a decade of leadership, during which he operated with less than $17 million in invested capital, Eric Berry successfully sold TripleLift to Vista Equity Partners for just under $1.5 billion. This deal marked one of the most significant cash returns in the history of the New York tech scene.

In addition to this achievement, Eric Berry orchestrated the acquisition of the Swiss company 1plusX for $150 million, playing a pivotal role in the negotiation process and facilitating the seamless integration of the company on a global scale.

His entrepreneurial prowess has been recognized on various fronts, including an EY Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2019, alongside multiple prestigious "40 under 40" awards.

Eric Berry's educational background includes undergraduate and graduate degrees in computer science from MIT, as well as a J.D. from NYU School of Law. Prior to his tenure at TripleLift, he gained valuable experience as an M&A attorney at a prominent PE-focused law firm, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett.

fnNYC Chapter Leadership Team

• Chapter Director: Doug Lessing
• Growth Chair: Dave Renz
• Membership Chair: Ford Seeman

Confidentiality Policy:

All information shared within Founders Network is strictly confidential. We are built on a foundation of trust, and the community takes confidentiality seriously. Investors, members, and staff all share experiences and opinions off the record. In this roundtable forum, we continue to model our fnValues of Reciprocity, Humility, Authenticity and Inclusivity.