Investor Connect Podcast

Epizódy

• Startup Funding Espresso – Thriving on Chaos 17.07.2026 1min

  Thriving on Chaos Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startups have to go through the rollercoaster ride of highs and lows. There will be good times and bad times. Founders should identify what good problems are and what bad problems are. Good problems indicate you are doing well. These include the following: Increasing sales that outstrip your current team. Growing headcount such that you outgrow your current office space. Customers demand more products and services than you can supply. Bad problems indicate you are not doing well. These include the following: Another missed forecast, making it three in a row. The loss of key accounts, such as that you now have more employees needed. Customers are slow to sign up for the product, and retention is low. Startup founders thrive on chaos. It brings an energy to the startup that galvanizes the team. Learn the difference between good problems and bad problems. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.
• Investor Connect 886: TEN Connect May 2026 - Part 5 17.07.2026 30min

  In this episode, Hal hosts Andy as he introduces Tenacious Founder, a platform built to help founders and investors navigate rapid change in the startup world by replacing "winging it" with a structured, data-driven build process. Andy likens today's investing environment to the oil industry's evolution from 70% dry holes to under 7% by using better information before committing capital, arguing the same shift is happening as investors demand succinct proof and AI increasingly analyzes pitch decks before founders ever pitch. Tenacious Founder maps startup maturity across eight stages, distills common requirements from leading pitch frameworks into 17 core elements, and turns them into sequenced project plans with playbooks, checklists, downloadable templates, and an interactive Notion-based workspace, with an AI-assisted SaaS operating system planned next. Andy shares his background in process-driven execution and startups, outlines his team, and answers questions on using multiple ChatGPT engines with task-specific guardrails, handling hallucinations, data input via templates, gating funding by milestones, and upcoming work on IP security and evolving compliance expectations. ________________________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https:/_/tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.
• Startup Funding Espresso – How To Close an Anchor Client 16.07.2026 2min

  How To Close an Anchor Client Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Anchor clients are crucial to early-stage startups. They provide a predictable revenue stream for the company. Here are key steps to close an anchor client. Identify a client that fits the ideal customer profile. Build a relationship with that client. Connect with them on a regular basis. Make sure you are in contact with the decision maker. Identify three potential solutions to offer them. Close at least one of them. Provide superior service to the client. Go above and beyond the normal level of support. Build at least three anchor clients in case one falls out. The other two can hold you over till you find a replacement. Make sure no one client is more than thirty percent of the business. If that client drops out, then it will be difficult to continue.. Having a solid set of anchor clients makes it easy to attract other clients who can fill out the revenue stream. Consider these steps in closing an anchor client for your business. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.
• Startup Funding Espresso – How Fast Can You Spin Up the Flywheel 15.07.2026 2min

  How Fast Can You Spin Up the Flywheel Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Investors want several things from a startup. Here's a list for investors to consider when investing: Team -- They want a strong team that can not only build the product but also sell it. Product-market fit -- This is a focused solution for a clearly defined problem. The users are engaged, and traction is underway. Large market potential -- The market is big and growing, and there are inflection points that catalyze it. Vision -- the team can see the vision beyond the current problem solution to the next level up. Competitive advantage -- the company has a unique solution or capability that gives them an edge over the competition. Quality investors -- the company has investors who provide value and can help propel the startup forward. Fast start -- finally, the company can spin up the flywheel quickly. Investors want a startup that knows how to build a business and generate revenue in short order. Look for these elements in a startup for funding. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.
• Startup Funding Espresso – The Journey Is the Reward 14.07.2026 2min

  The Journey Is the Reward Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Founders launching and running a startup will experience highs and lows throughout the life of the startup. Some will find the experience exhilarating while others will find it debilitating. The difference between the two extremes comes down to the founders' expectations relative to the reality of the startup world. The startup world can be brutal. The best-laid plans can go awry from black swan events. There are many exogenous factors that impact the outcome of the startup. Those who find it exhilarating expected the challenges that would come up. Those who find it debilitating most likely expected few, if any, challenges and only success. In the end, value the startup for the experience it provides and what it reveals about yourself. To navigate the startup experience, expect the worst from the market and bring the best of yourself to it. The relationships you make along the way and the knowledge acquired will stay with you for a lifetime. The journey is the reward. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.
• Startup Funding Espresso – MVPs for the Purpose of Fundraising 13.07.2026 1min

  MVPs for the Purpose of Fundraising Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Minimum viable products or MVPs help the startup not only engage with the customer but also with the investor. Here's how MVPs can help progress the fundraise. It demonstrates the product concept is viable. This shows the product can be built. An MVP demonstrates the founders' commitment to the business. It's easy to talk about a product, but building one takes more. Reduces the risk. A working prototype reduces the risk that one cannot build the potential product. It generates customer feedback. The MVP engages the customer conversation, giving the founder evidence that customers will buy it. Finally, the MVP demonstrates market interest. It shows there is a market for the product. The investor wants to know the product works and customers will pay for it. The MVP helps paint that picture. Consider building an MVP as part of your fundraising strategy. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.
• Startup Funding Espresso – How To Support a Founder 10.07.2026 1min

  How To Support a Founder Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Investors looking to find good deals should consider how to support founders. The more the investor can support the key founders in their network, the better chance they have at finding a place on their cap tables. Good founders launch a new startup every five years in most cases. The previous startup may or may not have succeeded. Investors looking for strong teams should consider supporting good founders on a day-to-day basis. This builds a network of potential CEOs who need funding. Here are some key steps on how to support a founder: Find out what is top of mind for them currently. Knowing what they are focused on will tell the investor how to add value. Ask the founder about the current milestone they are trying to achieve. Finally, ask what the biggest challenge they face today is. Through simple questioning, one can figure out how to support the founder at this time. Consider building a network of successful startup founders and supporting them in their work. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.
• Investor Connect 885: Navigating the Digital Health Landscape: Insights from Laura Hilty of HealthX Ventures 10.07.2026 23min

  In this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes by Laura Hilty, Principal at HealthX Ventures and Chief Strategy Officer at Ignite Data, to discuss her path from Epic to building and launching seven software products at a clinical research startup, supporting acquisitions, and ultimately seeing the business sold to Blackstone for $5B—before moving into early-stage health tech investing. Laura shares how digital health opportunities are shifting as Epic expands into AI, creating new investment risk and pushing startups toward deep niches and tech-enabled services Epic won't replicate, like devices or clinician staffing. We also cover the FDA's push toward real-time clinical trials and questions around participant-level data, plus innovations addressing clinician shortages through automation and peer support, including Sober Sidekick's relapse prediction. Laura closes with advice on proving product-market fit before VC, defining moats in an AI-driven world, and avoiding overly frothy early valuations. Visit HealthX Ventures at www.healthxventures.com/ Reach out to at www.linkedin.com/in/laura-hilty001/ ________________________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https:/_/tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.
• Startup Funding Espresso – Challenges of the Venture Studio Model 09.07.2026 2min

  Challenges of the Venture Studio Model Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The Venture Studio model is a form of venture capitalism that brings numerous startups together and fosters their growth through shared resources and learning. Not all startups make it. The Venture Studio model takes the best of each failed startup and finds a place within a successful startup in the program. Here are some key challenges with the Venture Studio model: The Studio must have ongoing revenue streams. The program is labor-intensive, so there must be some way to pay the salaries. Make clear the program you are running and the output of it. Since the startups will change and reconfigure themselves regularly, it's important to make clear what the outcome will be. This could be to create five successful startups that raise funding by the end of the year. Funding for each startup will be a key challenge to overcome. The Studio will not be able to fund each startup completely, so outside funding must be found. Consider these challenges in your Venture Studio model program. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.
• Startup Funding Espresso – Building Advocates for Your Fundraise 08.07.2026 2min

  Building Advocates for Your Fundraise Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding, it's best to have a network of accredited investors to pursue. For those who do not, one can start building that network. Figure out where the angel investors in your area hang out. Find out what they read, listen to, and talk about. Based on this information, find individual angels and those who gather in groups. Then recruit angel investors to join your startup's network. Find ways to connect them into the group through investment, networking, or mentorship. For those investing, offer a special incentive such as warrants. For networking, figure out who they want to network with and foster that through meetups and online events. For those who can provide mentorship, gather them into a board of advisors. There will be those who don't meet any of the above criteria but can still be useful as connectors. Include them as well as they have connections they can leverage to help you build your group. With a group of investors behind the startup, the fundraise will gain momentum. Consider building advocates for your fundraise. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.
• Startup Funding Espresso – The Risks in Family and Friends Funding 07.07.2026 2min

  The Risks in Family and Friends Funding Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Raising investment from family and friends is often a key step in a startup's fundraise. In the early days, there's no team, product, or customer traction. The founder has only an idea but lots of enthusiasm. It's a sign of validation that a founder's family and friends will invest money. They may not invest a great deal, but investing sends the signal of support. Angel investors and others will look for this validation. For those raising from family and friends, make clear the risk they take. They could lose all their money. If the business succeeds, they will suffer a great deal of dilution as there will most likely be many rounds of funding to follow. Family and friends often have no rights or preferences. In most cases, there's no board, so there will be minimal oversight over the startup. Founders will do well to make clear the risks the family and friends funding will take. In fact, it's best to raise small amounts of funding from family and friends and indicate that no one will be paid back. In many cases, family and friends are supporting you and will treat it as a donation rather than an investment. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.
• Startup Funding Espresso – The Go-to-Market Slide 06.07.2026 1min

  The Go-to-Market Slide Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The Go-to-Market slide is important for seed-stage companies pitching for funding. It shows how the startup will enter the market. Consider setting up an initial target market. List the top twenty customers who will buy your product and gather them into a group called the beachhead market. This shows a focused strategy with a predetermined list of companies to pursue. Show how these companies are a great fit for your product. Then mention that you have already talked with all of them and they are interested in buying. Next, show how these companies will lead to more and bigger companies in the market. Avoid the percent of market approach in which 1% of a billion-dollar market is a big number. This fails with investors as it doesn't indicate what customers you are going to pursue. It demonstrates a lack of understanding of the market. Focus on identifying the customers and their segment and show how you have already sold to them. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.
• Startup Funding Espresso – Alternatives to an MVP 03.07.2026 2min

  Alternatives to an MVP Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Building a full-blown product is unwise at the early stage, as the startup will inevitably build the wrong thing. It's best to test the market first. Minimum viable products or MVPs are a better solution than a product, as it's cheaper and easier to do. The goal of the MVP is to generate a dialogue with customers and estimate demand. There are alternatives to building an MVP. Here are some examples: Create a datasheet showing the product you intend to build and sell. Show the features and benefits of it. Use this to spark a dialog with customers. In-person interviews work best so as to gauge interest and capture feedback. This can be especially useful in setting the initial price for the product. Another alternative is to create a website landing page with key information. Then drive traffic to it. This will demonstrate how interested or disinterested the target market is in the proposed product. Set up the landing page to take orders for the product to see how many actually sign up. Tweak the content till you have interest in the product. Pretend you have the proposed product available today and try to sell it. This will inform your decision about what to build and is far cheaper than an MVP. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.
• Investor Connect 884: TEN Connect May 2026 - Part 4 03.07.2026 14min

  In this episode of Investor Connect, we hear from Randy Hubbell, CEO of Soliris Endovascular, a medical device company developing peripheral endovascular technologies for PAD and dialysis access. Randy outlines the company's two advanced programs: Soliris SX, a self-expanding covered stent approved in 45 countries with over 15,000 sold and about $5M in recurring revenue, and a breakthrough-designated drug-eluting version that adds sirolimus to the stent edges to address edge restenosis. He shares Phase 2 interim results from a 115-patient study showing 95% patency compared to 70–75% for covered stents and about half failing after balloon angioplasty, with imaging consistent out to 12 months. Randy explains Soliris' tuck-in acquisition strategy aimed at multinationals, updates investors on a $5M bridge round and an upcoming $25M Series A to fund a single pivotal study and PMA toward a projected $550–$600M exit, followed by Q&A on Anvisa, global distribution, and strategic acquirer interest. ________________________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https:/_/tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.
• Startup Funding Espresso – Customer Intimacy in Fundraising 02.07.2026 2min

  Customer Intimacy in Fundraising Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Customer intimacy is a strategy in which one builds a relationship with the customer about their care abouts and expectations. The more one knows about the customer, the better one is able to support and meet their needs. In fundraising, customer intimacy can be a compelling value proposition for the investor. Investors look initially at startups for traction with customers. Once that is in place, the investor looks for customer intimacy. How well does the founder know the customer? How can this be used to build an ongoing relationship with them? The more the founder knows about the customers, the more they can build products and services to meet their needs. For investors seeking to fund startups, look beyond the initial traction to how well the founder knows the customer. Test their knowledge of the customer with the question, now that you have sold the first product to the customer, what will you sell them next? See if the founder knows the customer well enough to chart a product roadmap. Consider customer intimacy as a key value proposition for fundraising. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.
• Startup Funding Espresso – Founders Who Got Lucky 01.07.2026 1min

  Founders Who Got Lucky Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Some founders get lucky and achieve a successful exit of their business. They were in the right place at the right time with the right solution. Investors should be wary of founders who got lucky. Their luck may have come early in the life of the startup. It's often the case that they haven't built the skills necessary to launch and grow a startup. Successful founders typically have several years of experience, but an early exit may have cut this short. When those who got lucky start their second business, they assume the conditions will be the same. They assume they will have a great product, and traction will come easily. But the conditions that played out on the first startup will rarely be there for the second one. The challenges of a startup are what make the founder. The hard times become the lessons that they take with them throughout life. If they skipped the hard times, then chances are they don't have the skills needed to take a startup through to an exit. As an investor, be wary of founders who got lucky. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.
• Startup Funding Espresso – Your First Round Should Have an Investor-Friendly Valuation 30.06.2026 2min

  Your First Round Should Have an Investor-Friendly Valuation Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding, the first round is always the hardest. Here's why it's so difficult: There's often no product or revenue to prove traction. The team, in most cases, is unproven. The market is not yet well defined. The ideal target customer has not yet been identified. How the business will make money is not yet known. The founder is inexperienced, as this is often their first rodeo. The first round of funding should have an investor-friendly valuation. Use family and friends' funding to raise at least half of the round. Show investors how funds have already been raised. It's a positive that family and friends believe enough in you to invest. Invest your own money and show prospective investors that you are committed. Show how the valuation will go up in the next round when you have more values in business. Make the first round small so as not to incur too much dilution. With so few values in the business, most investors will not pay a higher valuation. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.
• Startup Funding Espresso – Mitigate the Risks 29.06.2026 2min

  Mitigate the Risks Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In a pitch, founders focus on the opportunity while the investors focus on the risk. Founders who raise funding have successfully shown how they mitigate those risks. Here are some key risks to mitigate: Team risks -- show how the team works well together. Cite a substantial project the team has already taken on and successfully completed. Product risks -- show how the product works, and customers will pay for it. Show the revenue from the product and how customers are happy with it. Technical risks -- show how you have already solved the technical issues. Describe the technical solution and the benefits that come from it. Launch risks -- show how you have already solved the launch challenge. This can be done by showcasing the results of the launch of the product. Market risks -- show how the market exists and will engage your product. Describe the market, including size, structure, and careabouts and list each segment you have already sold into. Revenue risks -- show how the revenue will be sufficient to cover the costs of doing business. Use unit economics to show how the product, which is already selling, is profitable. The more risks you mitigate, the easier it is to raise funding. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.
• Startup Funding Espresso – Keys to a Successful Preseed Fundraise 26.06.2026 2min

  Keys to a Successful Preseed Fundraise Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Raising pre-seed funding is one of the bigger challenges in startup fundraising. This round comes at the idea stage, so there are no metrics around traction or product-market fit. Here are the keys to a successful pre-seed round. The current team must have strong experience in the domain and a track record of growing and exiting startups. The team must have a unique insight into solving the problem in the industry. This will become the company's competitive advantage. The insight must be compelling enough to create a business that can generate more revenue or run the business at a substantially lower cost. The team must know the industry segment well and have enough connections to find customers, partners, and providers. In pre-seed funding, the team becomes the proxy by which the investor will judge the startup, as all values of the business will come from the initial group. Consider this in setting up your pre-seed fundraise. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.
• Investor Connect 883: TEN Connect May 2026 - Part 3 26.06.2026 18min

  In this episode of Investor Connect, we hear a pitch from Aether on addressing the global opioid epidemic with ATX-1209, a neuromodulator designed to modulate the mu-opioid receptor by suppressing dependence signals while preserving analgesic benefit when used alongside opioids, with additional development plans for opioid use disorder and neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS). The team cites completed human safety work, clean toxicology, and consistent animal data across species, along with validation from neuroscientist Dr. Phil Skolnick, and outlines a stage-gated, capital-efficient plan to run two clinical studies in Australia over roughly 2.5 years for about $10M to reach a key value inflection point. Ethair is raising $10M on a convertible note at a $13.3M pre-money valuation (with a lead investor already in for $4.5M on a $9M note), targeting an early exit if Phase 2A data shows reduced dependence scores with no loss of analgesia, or alternatively pursuing a pediatric orphan NOWS registrational study tied to a potential PRV voucher. ________________________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https:/_/tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.