Prepare 4 VC

Product market fit is not a one and done experience, it is something that needs to be continuously monitored to make sure the value proposition you offer still fits the needs of the customers you serve today. Jason Kraus and Steve Vilkas discuss this below!

We need our Coils to Locs supporters both individuals and organizations to share within your networks! ???????? #Invest #CrowdfundingOpportunity Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership (IFEL), CIC (Cambridge Innovation Center), Prepare 4 VC, Roxbury Innovation Center

We’re thrilled to welcome Tawanda Mahachi as a mentor for Startup Weekend Boston 2025! Tawanda is a specialist combining deep technical knowledge with strategic insight to help founders turn early ideas into investable ventures. With a rich background across venture capital, corporate strategy, product development, and enterprise technology, he brings a level of breadth and clarity that early-stage teams rarely get access to. At Founder Institute Boston, Tawanda works directly with emerging entrepreneurs, helping them refine their business models, sharpen their product-market fit, and prepare for seed-stage fundraising with confidence. His expertise spans sectors as diverse as life sciences, industrial cybersecurity, oil & gas, and enterprise software—making him uniquely equipped to guide technical founders tackling real-world problems. Having evaluated countless pitch decks and worked on numerous deals from the VC side, Tawanda understands both sides of the table. He’s a strategic lens, a sounding board, and a catalyst for execution. ??Whether you're navigating a tough pivot, refining a GTM strategy, or just trying to make your startup make sense, don’t miss your chance to connect with Tawanda during the weekend. Let’s build something real. #startupweekendBOS2025

We’re honored to announce Chuck Goldstone as a mentor for Startup Weekend Boston 2025! If you've ever struggled to explain what your startup actually does — or to get investors, partners, or even your dog to care — Chuck is the mentor you’ve been waiting for. With decades of experience guiding startups, scaleups, and global enterprises, Chuck is a master of strategic storytelling and messaging that sticks. He’s helped hundreds of founders transform vague visions into clear, compelling narratives that attract attention, win hearts, and unlock funding. Chuck brings a unique blend of wit, wisdom, and wicked smart frameworks to help you find and tell your startup's true story—the one that cuts through the noise, gets investors leaning in, and turns complexity into clarity. Chuck’s also a celebrated speaker, writer, and innovation evangelist, known for blending humor and humanity into every interaction. But don’t let the jokes fool you—his feedback is sharp, actionable, and often the breakthrough moment founders need. ?? If your pitch feels fuzzy, your message falls flat, or you're stuck in “we help X do Y with Z” limbo, you’ll want to grab every second you can with Chuck during SWB 2025. Your startup’s story is a weapon. Chuck will help you sharpen it. #StartupWeekendBoston #SWB2025 #MentorSpotlight #StorytellingStrategy #MessagingMatters #ChuckSays

Make some noise for one of the FINAL judges of Techstars Startup Weekend Boston #StartupWeekendBOS this year, the one and only Ben Maitland-Lewis. Ben's a seasoned founder who’s been through the fire. With over 20 years in the trenches as a purpose-driven serial entrepreneur, multiple-time founder with exits (and honest fail-forwards), YC alum, angel investor, and startup mentor, Ben brings rare authenticity and battle-tested wisdom to the judging panel. Today as many know, Ben leads as Director of Startup Banking & Founder Success at Silicon Valley Bank (SVB)—where he supports founders from Pre-Seed through Series A, guiding them through go-to-market, capital strategy, and the hard work of commercialization. He’s the person founders call when the stakes are high and the signals are blurry. Ben understands founder needs, GTM alignment, and operational readiness with an unmatched level of precision and compassion. For him, startup success is never about hype. It’s about grit, execution, and whether a team can actually build something that works. Having Ben on our Finals Judging Panel raises the bar—and reinforces the mission of Startup Weekend Boston 2025: to surface real founders solving real problems with clarity, courage, and creativity. Bring your truth, your traction, and your "why." Ben will bring the candor and conviction that startups deserve. Link in the comments below.

Coming up on Thursday sponsored by Greenberg Traurig, LLP and Northeastern University over at Microsoft NERD, we have an incredible panel you do not want to miss at our Robotics showcase event: https://lu.ma/wljdshta The robotics industry continues to evolve fast, shaped by rapid technological advancements, shifting global landscape, evolving regulations, and increasing investor interest. In this panel, the experts will explore the latest robotics trends, advancements in robotics – from AI-powered machines to human-robot collaboration– challenges, and opportunities for growth. The panelist will also discuss how geopolitical factors such as tariffs, trade restrictions, and reshoring initiatives—are impacting robotics startups and supply chains. Founders will gain insights into the shifting investor landscape, key fundraising strategies, and what it takes to position their company for growth amid economic uncertainty. Whether you’re scaling a robotics startup, seeking funding, or preparing for regulatory shifts, this session will provide actionable strategies to help you navigate the complexities of the industry and build a resilient, investment-ready business. https://lu.ma/wljdshta

Prepare 4 VC has been nominated for the regional round of the Global Startup Awards in North America. We’re happy to see their achievements recognized. Wishing them the best of luck in the next stage of the competition. ?? Does your startup deserve the spotlight? ?? Apply for the competition today: https://lnkd.in/duRZg-_3 #NASA #GSANominee #GlobalStartupAwards #GSA #GSAregions #innovation #entrepreneurship #global #community

We're excited to announce that we will be participating in the CIC (Cambridge Innovation Center) Social Impact Program Accelerator Mixer on April 3rd alongside A2C Boston, AD Stretch, CIC Social Impact, C10 Labs, EforAll Roxbury, MassChallenge, MIT Priscilla King Gray Public Service Center (PKG Center) and Visible Hands! https://lnkd.in/e8G_aQBm

One of the biggest misconceptions in startups is that marketing is a budget problem. It isn’t. It’s a skill problem. It's something you can and absolutely should learn --- this is not a "Founder DNA" debacle. The problem is, and I am going to sound like a huge dick for saying this --- many founders believe that once they raise capital, their marketing challenges will magically disappear. In some cases, they believe that's when the marketing journey begins. No. That’s not how it works. That's not how ANY of this works. Money doesn’t create demand—understanding your market does, understanding and obsessing over your customer does. Investors aren't involved in this -- this is all you. If you can’t sell your vision with a compelling, repeatable message before funding, no investor is going to fix that for you. The message belongs to the narrative, and the narrative always begins and ends with you and one word: Why. Here's something else -- marketing extends far beyond awareness; it’s about trust, anticipation, and joy applied consistently and applied with mastery (s/o Christopher R. Dube). Your story, your messaging, your marketing is simply not something to be outsourced before you deeply understand it yourself -- unless you really want to fail. This is not PMF that's always moving, this is not something you figure out later. You need to build -- knowing that the winds of change will come, but you'll withstand those...and maybe even sway with them if you're that funky of an architect. If you’re struggling with marketing, the best investment you can make isn’t in ads—it’s in becoming a better communicator, founder-scientist, and storyteller. At Boston New Technology (BNT), we learned this firsthand. Jason Kraus and I inherited a system, broke it down, redefined our core identity with Shweta Agrawal, and have built something that resonates. The same applies to startups—without a clear why and a sharp understanding of your audience, marketing will always be chaos. If you want the unfiltered truth on why you need to own your marketing, read more in Never Ask Investors for Marketing Help (link in the comments below) Also, Startup Weekend 2025 is coming. If you’re ready to validate your ideas in real-time, your discount code of BNTMarsh is granting sign-ups with $25 off in honour of Marsh Sutherland. Take action, get involved, and start building. #startups #earlystage #entrepreneurship

Exciting news for a #Prepare4VC Breakthrough and #CICSocialImpact Alum! Coils to Locs has officially launched its second crowdfunding campaign on Wefunder. This innovative company is addressing a critical gap in the medical hair loss market by providing textured, tightly coiled wigs to hospitals and cancer organizations nationwide. Their mission? To ensure Black women facing medical hair loss have access to options that honor their natural hair texture and maintain their dignity during challenging times. Coils to Locs is aiming to raise $250,000 to expand their reach from 26 partner organizations to over 1500 nationwide, enhance their wig line, and add augmented reality to their direct-to-consumer store. This is a unique opportunity to support a business making a real difference in inclusivity and healthcare. Learn more and consider investing in their campaign here:?https://lnkd.in/e8Zjxhud #MedicalWigEquity #RepresentationMatters #InvestInChange #BlackOwned #WomenFounders #InvestInWomen