About us
The Startup Traction & Funding Network brings together aspiring and experienced tech entrepreneurs to discuss, meet, and collaborate to build great new startups, and to push the local startup ecosystem forward.
This group hosts numerous free events throughout the year where you can learn the best practices of starting a company from people who have been there and done that. You’ll have the opportunity to meet local founders and investors, exchange ideas with experts, get feedback on your idea, participate in startup workshops, and more.
Typical startup event topics include:
• Refining your startup idea
• Startup legal basics
• How to pitch your startup
• How to launch a global company
• How to raise funding for your startup
• And much more!
Join the group to be invited to our next event!
For information about the investors, incubators, and tech events available, see our list of Startup Resources (https://fi.co/startup_resources). Interested in perfecting your pitch? Read our Pitch Deck Guide (https://fi.co/pitch_deck) and download templates.
Upcoming events
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Cash Flow Survival for a First-Time Founder
·OnlineOnlineStarting your startup journey? Let's make sure your finances are set up for success! Join us for a hands-on session with Oz Merchant, CEO of Futureproof, on managing cash flow as a first-time founder. Learn key financial principles to avoid common pitfalls and build a solid foundation for your startup. We'll cover cash flow management, knowing when to grow, and how to start strong financially. Whether you're still developing your idea or just getting started, this session will equip you with the tools to move forward confidently. Secure your spot and gain the financial insights to kickstart your startup's journey!
❯❯ RSVP now at https://fi.co/startupwebinar/23177 to get your link and join us live!
❯ What You'll Learn:
- How to assess and manage your startup’s cash flow effectively.
- Understanding critical financial metrics such as gross profit, operating expenses, and net profit.
- When is the right time to grow and scale your business.
- How to make better financial decisions that will impact the sustainability of your startup.
- Common mistakes to avoid when it comes to cash flow management.
❯ Featured Experts:
- Oz Merchant - CEO @ Futureproof: Oz Merchant is the Founder and CEO of Futureproof, an AI-driven CFO platform for startup founders. With extensive experience in the SaaS industry, he has helped launch six startups, four of which achieved profitable exits. A mentor and investor, Oz specializes in guiding early-stage entrepreneurs through the challenges of financial management, fundraising, and scaling, offering practical strategies to improve cash flow and financial sustainability. Join him for valuable insights on managing your startup's finances and leveraging AI for growth.
❯ About Futureproof:
Futureproof is revolutionizing financial management for startup founders. The AI-driven platform acts as a virtual CFO, providing startups with intelligent insights to better manage cash flow and financial growth. With a focus on helping first-time founders, Futureproof empowers startups to make smarter financial decisions while scaling.❯ Who Should Attend?
- Aspiring founders looking to improve cash flow management
- Early-stage entrepreneurs seeking to refine their financial strategies
- Entrepreneurs curious about how to manage finances and sustain their business
- Anyone looking for practical insights on financial health and business growth
❯❯ Don’t miss this live, interactive online event packed with valuable insights! RSVP now at https://fi.co/startupwebinar/23177 to get your link and join us live!
1 attendee
Pitch Your Ideas to Midwest Investors & Experts, Online
·OnlineOnlineDo you have a startup, or a strong idea for a startup? On this live and interactive online event you can pitch your ideas to a panel of Midwest startup investors and experts for ratings and feedback, and no formal pitch deck is needed. Even if you don't want to pitch, you are invited to hear startup ideas and watch how the experts analyze business ideas.
❯ Guest Speakers include:
- Jean Bordelon (Vice President of Data Management, Bounteous)
- Marisa Bryce (CEO, Lightning Snow)
Additional Information:
To prepare, start with your one-sentence pitch. See how it's done using our Madlibs format.❯❯ To pre-submit your pitch, click here.
❯ What You'll Learn:
- How to give a concise, yet compelling, elevator pitch
- What investors are looking for in a startup pitch
- If selected, specific advice and feedback on your pitch and startup ideas
❯❯ This is a live, interactive online event, so be sure to RSVP at https://fi.co/e/389701/meetup to receive the Zoom URL to join us live!
1 attendee
Startup Advisors 101: How to Find Advisors and Maximize their Impact
·OnlineOnlineGreat startup advisors can be a huge benefit for early-stage founders - helping them access networks, avoid mistakes, supplement missing skills, and even provide emotional support. But finding great advisors can be challenging, and their benefits are typically tied to how well you can leverage their limited time. On this interactive online event, we'll break down a practical, founder-friendly process for finding, vetting, and activating great startup advisors from our experience facilitating tens of thousands of advisor relationships since 2009.
❯❯ RSVP now at 👉 https://fi.co/startupwebinar/23124 to get your link and join us live!
❯ What You'll Learn:
- How to identify the right advisors.
- The chemistry + contribution test: how to evaluate fit before making anything official.
- How to structure advisor interactions so they produce outputs.
- When and how to use the FAST Agreement to standardize responsibilities + equity and avoid drawn-out negotiations.
- Common failure modes (advisor vanity, “free consulting,” misaligned incentives) and how to prevent them.
❯ Featured Speaker:
- Jonathan Greechan - Co-Founder & CEO of the Founder Institute - Jonathan Greechan is the Co-Founder & CEO of the Founder Institute, the world's largest pre-seed startup accelerator. Since 2009, he has grown and scaled the organization to chapters in over 200 cities and over 100 countries, producing over 8100 portfolio companies with nearly $2B in venture funding. In his long career in tech and marketing, Jonathan has advised thousands of startups on marketing, growth, and product strategy and has spoken at startup conferences on four continents.
❯ Who Should Attend?
- Founders at the idea, pre-seed, or early traction stage who want help but don’t want drama.
- First-time founders building their first advisory board.
- Operators and technical founders who need domain, distribution, or fundraising support.
- Mentors/advisors who want a clearer framework for being helpful (and getting properly compensated).
❯ The FAST Agreement (Founder-Advisor Standard Template)
The FAST Agreement is used by tens of thousands of entrepreneurs and advisors per year to establish productive working relationships, trading advice and support for a standardized amount of equity. See the free agreement at FI.co/FAST.❯❯ Don’t miss this live, interactive online event packed with valuable insights! RSVP now at 👉 https://fi.co/startupwebinar/23124 to get your link and join us live!
1 attendee
Startup Funding in Chicago: Hear from Experts
·OnlineOnlineDo you have a startup that needs funding, or are you preparing to raise your first round? Join us for "Startup Funding in Chicago," an online discussion where experienced investors and successful founders share practical insights on how startup funding works. Learn how to prepare before approaching investors, make your startup more attractive for funding, and find the right opportunities from angels and venture capital to grants. Get real-world examples, expert tips, and advice on what investors look for, how equity works, and common mistakes to avoid to confidently move forward in your fundraising journey.
❯ Guest Speakers include:
- Andy Cwik (Co-Founder & CEO, hubub)
- Rinku Patel (Co-Founder & CEO, Polysight)
- Jason Jacobsohn (Managing Director, Propellant Ventures)
- Eric Broughton (CEO, OK2Charge)
❯ What You'll Learn:
- The key metrics and prerequisites for raising startup funding
- How to make yourself more attractive to investors
- Proven methods to approach and connect with investors
- The most effective ways to source funding from angels, VCs, grants, or loans
- Common pitfalls founders face during fundraising (and how to avoid them)
❯ Who Should Attend:
- Founders preparing to raise their first round of startup funding
- Entrepreneurs seeking to understand how investors evaluate opportunities
- Aspiring founders exploring different funding paths
- Anyone interested in learning about the local startup funding ecosystem
❯❯ This is a live, interactive online event, so be sure to RSVP at https://fi.co/e/392109/meetup to receive the Zoom URL to join us live!
1 attendee
Past events
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