Funding Breakthrough Lab: Pre-Accelerator Application
Funding Breakthrough Lab | A 10-week pre-accelerator designed for early-stage founders to master fundraising. Learn from diverse industry experts, receive group mentoring, and join a mastermind group. Participants gain the opportunity to pitch directly to top investors all throughout the cohort. Rated us as the #1 pre-accelerator by our alumni.
The application deadline is August 10th
Online (August 23rd - October 26th)
Cohort runs August 23rd - October 26th from Saturday to Sunday 9am-1pm (online).
In person (Optional)
Opening & Closing Retreats in person retreats at Rancho San Gregorio on August 23rd-24th, October 25-26 (overnight camping optional)
2 in person socials in San Francisco
Demo Day Final Pitch Competition
Who should join?
If you’re a SaaS based startup consider joining Cohort Beta. Our judges will be actively investing in that vertical
You’re ideating, bootstrapping, or a pre-seed, seed based startup and you want to understand the funding landscape
You’re considering to fundraise in the next 6 months
See program speaker, mentor details here:
www.fundingbreakthroughlab.org
Join an info session here: https://lu.ma/nottoocrazy
Applications will be reviewed through: https://go.synexis.io/FBLAC2
(make sure to register on luma as well)
Weekly Schedule
This cohort will run on the weekends to accommodate those with jobs. Saturday and Sundays 9am-1pm.
Candidates that want early acceptance review can opt to apply by early bird July 31.
WHAT YOU GET:
Opening and Closing Retreat at Rancho San Gregorio
Workshop Recordings: Ability to rewatch the workshops 1 year period
Exclusive Community Membership: Join a vibrant network of like-minded founders
Mentor + Coaching Access: Engage with experienced mentors through Slack for guidance and support
Mastermind Groups: Supercharge your growth with a life long friends
3 Pitch Competitions: Improve your pitch all the way through with top investors. Build your relationship with them along the way.
The Fourth Effect: 3 months advisory boards platform access
Access to joining next cohort: alumni are allowed to come back (Q&A reserved for ongoing cohort)
Demo Day: Pitch in front of top investors
Similar programs like Draper University cost upwards of $12,000. Other pre-accelerators take equity or have significantly less experts and speakers. This is the best price per value pre-accelerator you'll find.
TAKE AWAYS:
💡 Actionable advice from industry experts (VCs, founders, lawyers, tax strategists, and business bankers).
🎙️ Live Q&A sessions tailored to your startup’s unique challenges.
🤝 Personalized mentorship to shape your product, pitch, and fundraising strategy.
👥 Group accountability to keep you motivated and moving forward.
🎯 Weekly pitch feedback to refine and perfect your investor presentations.
📈 Clear understanding of funding sources and strategies to optimize your approach.
🌐 Access to a network of founders, mentors, and opportunities to pitch directly to VCs with focus on B2B AI
📚 In-depth knowledge of the ins and outs of early-stage fundraising.
Sample Speakers & Topics
How to fund your startup and achieve product market fit before taking VC
Daniel Theobald (Mass Robotics, Venca, Rotate8)
How to Find, How to Talk and How to Forget Angels
Shawn Flynn (Bay Angels, Silicon Valley Podcast)
Raising Your Seed Round: How to Achieve Success
Niamh O'Donnell (Unusual Ventures)
Preparing Your Exit Strategy: Top Down Funding Strategies
Rayna Sparkes & Marc Ernaga
Corporate Structures and Tax Considerations
Crysta Tyus
Valuations
Jeni Cheng (Founders Institute)
Panel: Term Sheets, Valuations & Cap Tables
Tyler Crown (Unusual Ventures)
Market Research Mastery: Tools and Techniques
Nune Zadoyan
The Legal Side of Branding: Protecting Your Creative Assets
Whitney Miner
Investor Hunt: How to find the right one
Kate Bunina
The Deal Flow Dashboard: Tracking Your VCs
Vera Maslova
Deal Champion 101: Speaking Their Language
Sarah Romanko (Geek Ventures)
13 Ways to Scam Founders Raising Funds
Stephane Nasser (OpenVC)
Panel: Closing the Deal & Getting Your Money
Successful founders
Sponsors
Join us in empowering women in startups. Your support helps bridge the funding gap and drive meaningful change.
Monthly Recognition: Sponsors will be highlighted across our social media channels and throughout the program, showcasing your commitment to our mission.
Platinum Sponsorship Perks: Take your support to the next level! As a Platinum sponsor, you'll receive an exclusive opportunity to speak during the program, sharing your insights and connect directly with our audience.
Diamond Sponsor: Be our official program sponsor and have your logo included on all our social media and branding. You'll receive an exclusive opportunity to speak during the program, sharing your insights and connect directly with our audience.
Together, we can create a more equitable future.
Non-Profit
Brought to you by:
Funding Breakthrough Lab is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit pre-accelerator with a mission of creating a supportive community to build a better tomorrow. We empower founders with need to know education, networks, and resources to unlock their potential while championing diversity, inclusion, and authenticity. Founded by Natalie Pan, an engineer, community builder and executive coach. Apply for the next August cohort here https://fundingbreakthroughlab.org.