October Funding Pathways: First Republic Bank, Hawke Ventures, Plug & Play 💸

​When it comes to money for startups, there's no shortage of options - from crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter, equity funding models such as convertible debt, friends & family rounds, smaller VCs, grants and even angel investment networks. 💰 Join us for our funding pathways event series for a panel with industry leaders so you can find out which path is right for you! 🚀

This month's speakers:

​Based in Oakland and San Francisco, Todd Brantley has 20 years of banking experience advising and lending to business clientele of various types: private equity/VC firms, technology firms, non-profits, law firms, medical practices, and real estate investors, as well as other professional services providers. In addition, he provides financing for clients with commercial real estate needs for both owner-occupied and investment purposes. Todd received his Bachelor of Science in Commerce at the McIntire School of Commerce in Charlottesville, Virginia, with a concentration in Finance and Marketing. He also completed his MBA at University of California, Berkeley’s Haas School of Business.

​Mara Chaben is an Investment Associate at Hawke Ventures based in Los Angeles. A University of Michigan alum, she began her career in community building at Summit. Mara then Co-founded and sold her first company, ZenStop, where she shared Mindfulness practices at companies like Snapchat, YouTube, Disney, and more. Finally and maybe most importantly, Mara is a cancer survivor and volunteers at Imerman Angels, a one-on-one cancer support network.

​Kayvon Moshiri is a ventures analyst and business development representative at Plug and Play. Plug and Play is a leading VC firm and innovation platform, connecting startups, corporations, venture capital firms, universities, and government agencies. Prior to Plug and Play, Kayvon studied at UCLA where he majored in economics and minored in cognitive science. While at UCLA, he worked with startups through internships (K1 Investment Management, LeagueSide, Pitch Genius, and Spiralyze) and as the director of Startup Labs, a student-run startup accelerator. He also served as a project manager and director at Bruin Ventures, the premier VC organization on campus. At Bruin Ventures, Kayvon led several 10-week consulting projects with startups and VCs, teaching him the ins-and-outs of both sides of the tech industry