Startup Success or Failure Determined by Networking

Old fashion NETWORKING works! Networking used to be in bars or at trade shows, but since the pandemic, it’s been on zoom. I launched Venture Starters 2 months ago with the idea that networking is the key to the success of every startup and early-stage company. I have been investing in startups for 45 years. The first 25 years were investing in my own ideas. The next 20 years have been investing in other people’s ideas. I have watched some succeed and many fail. I have learned many lessons.?

Venture Starters is where the people who start ventures can meet every Wednesday night for a large-scale zoom meeting with up to 500 attendees. We just got started and so I am pleased that we have over 100 attendees most nights. I plan to grow the community and attendance this fall.?

Generally, we have 25 startups do a 2-minute elevator pitch and investors ask a few questions. The actual networking happens in the Chat section where all attendees can reach out to each other including to the founders who give 2-minute elevator pitches.?

It’s working! One of the early-stage companies who gave a 2-minute elevator pitch to raise $1M - $3M during the last two Wednesday events had 15 people reach out to him. 15!?

And the Venture Starters community is growing daily. Our Venture Starters company page on Linkedin has over 1,800 followers and we are getting between 1 or 2 new ones every hour, 24 hours a day. I can see we will probably reach 2,500 within the next 30-45 days. 5,000 is not far behind.?

Venture Starters events are open to the public and free to attend. You can register at www.VentureStarters.com.

Mark November

Founder, Venture Starters