Founders Network

Join us on March 18 for an insightful virtual fireside chat with Blake Teipel! Blake Teipel, co-founder and former CEO of Essentium, Inc., reveals the untold side of entrepreneurship. Hear how he navigated tough decisions and ethical challenges while pivoting into defense technologies. Blake will also share how Essentium achieved sevenfold revenue growth in just one year, built a thriving government business, and secured a successful exit to Nexa3D.This session offers valuable lessons on resilience, strategic pivots, and long-term vision—providing an authentic look at the realities of leading a startup. Whether you're preparing for growth or navigating obstacles, Blake's journey delivers key insights into the highs and lows every founder faces. ??? March 18, 2025 | ?? 9:30 - 11:00 am PDT RSVP here ??https://hubs.la/Q038vk9P0 #FoundersNetwork #StartupGrowth #Entrepreneurship #3DPrinting #Leadership #Resilience

Interested in putting AI to work in sales/lead research and as a daily assistant, taking notes through your day? We have a big AI OpsLab at Founders Network next week with the leaders of Bounti.ai and Fathom - AI Meeting Assistant. Normally, these are private events, but this agenda is too powerful to keep to ourselves. Thanks Richard White and Garrett Scott for bringing your expertise! https://lu.ma/gbj1ew3k

Founders, need a clear GTM strategy? Join us on?February 27?for a?hands-on session?with?Gary Stein,?Chief Strategy Officer at?61 Hawk, where we’ll cover: ?? GTM Blueprint: Learn the key elements of a successful GTM strategy that keeps your vision at the core. ?? Real-World Insights: See how other founders are tackling GTM challenges, backed by data. ?? Vision-to-Value Framework: A simple tool to translate your vision into a compelling value proposition. ?? Team Alignment Strategies: Ensure your entire team is on the same page, from messaging to execution. Gary has spent 20+ years helping startups and enterprises craft winning GTM strategies and knows what it takes to turn vision into scalable growth. Don't miss this chance to be part of the conversation. ?? Link in the comments to lock in your spot!

Amazing milestone for FN member Amanda DeLuca and her startup, Riley! ?? Building a startup while navigating new parenthood is no small feat, cheers to Amanda for making an impact!

Join us on March 6 for a virtual fireside chat with Tom Coburn, co-founder of Jebbit, as he shares his entrepreneurial journey from dropping out of Boston College in 2013 to building Jebbit into the world’s first declared data platform. Tom will reflect on key milestones, including raising $70M from Vista in 2020 and eventually selling Jebbit to a Vista portfolio company in 2022. With major clients like Cathay Pacific Airways, LifeLock, and the New England Revolution, Jebbit was named one of CNBC’s Top 25 Most Promising Companies and recognized for its innovative culture. During the chat, Tom will offer valuable lessons learned, such as the challenges of securing VC funding and getting CMO buy-in while staying focused on the end-user experience. After a tough period in 2019 that involved layoffs and customer churn, Tom re-focused on achieving product-market fit—an approach he plans to carry into his next venture. This event is a must-attend for founders and investors looking to gain insights into scaling, navigating growth challenges, and aligning product strategy with user needs. RSVP here ??https://hubs.la/Q0379wW10

Go Tomasz Boinski!

Join us on February 18 for a virtual fireside chat with Yoav Nathaniel, the Founder of Silk Security, now part of Armis, an innovative cybersecurity platform acquired for $150M. Yoav’s journey is a testament to relentless focus, adaptability, and a passion for building meaningful solutions. Silk Security was founded with the mission to standardize and operationalize security remediation across diverse assets. Yoav will share his insights on the importance of pivoting based on feedback and how finding investors who truly understand the problem can be pivotal to success. In this conversation, Yoav will guide us through his path—from overcoming early career challenges to co-founding Silk Security. He’ll discuss his vision for solving complex security issues and the role of collaboration, transparency, and innovation in his company's growth. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from a cybersecurity leader who’s shaped the future of the industry. RSVP here ??https://hubs.la/Q0362CsY0

Join us on February 6 for an exclusive virtual fireside chat with Zvi Schreiber, a British-Israeli entrepreneur renowned for reshaping the global tech landscape. As the Founder and CEO of Freightos, the leading digital marketplace for the trillion-dollar international freight industry, Zvi has been at the forefront of transforming traditional industries with cutting-edge technology. In this session, Zvi will share valuable insights into the challenges and strategies of building successful startups, focusing on resilience, strategic thinking, and leveraging technology to drive industry change. Drawing from his extensive entrepreneurial journey, Zvi will discuss his past ventures, including founding Tradeum in 1999, which reached over $100 million in revenue and culminated in a $500 million exit, leading Unicorn Inc. to its acquisition by IBM, managing https://hubs.la/Q035hLYy0, which was sold to Infinity Fund, and serving as CEO of Lightech, guiding its acquisition by General Electric (GE) Lighting in 2011. Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur or someone curious about the intersection of technology and business, this is an unmissable opportunity to gain insights from one of the most dynamic figures in the startup world. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from Zvi’s experience and gain actionable insights into navigating the entrepreneurial landscape. RSVP here ??https://hubs.la/Q035hX7z0

A big thank you to everyone who joined us at our Chicago Chapter Holiday Event last week! ?? It was fantastic to gather with such an inspiring group of tech startup founders, exchange ideas, and celebrate the incredible work we’re all doing in this fast-paced industry. A very special thank you to Jason Jacobsohn and Andy Cwik for hosting our incredible get togethers and being so welcoming! Here's to another year of growth, collaboration, and innovation. Wishing you all a wonderful holiday season! ??? #TechStartups #Chicago #HolidayParty #Networking #Gratitude #FoundersNetwork #fnChicago