Ethical Dilemmas, 7x Revenue Growth, and a Successful Exit in 3D Printing
Building a startup is often glamorized, but what happens when things don’t go as planned? Blake Teipel, co-founder and former CEO of Essentium, Inc., will pull back the curtain on the less talked-about aspects of entrepreneurship. Hear how he navigated difficult decisions and addressed ethical challenges when pivoting into defense technologies.
Blake will also share how Essentium grew revenue 7x in one year, built a thriving government business, and ultimately achieved a successful exit to Nexa3D. This session will blend lessons in resilience, strategic pivots, and long-term thinking, offering an honest look at the realities of startup leadership. Whether you’re preparing for growth or navigating challenges, Blake’s story will leave you with invaluable insights on the importance of both ascent and descent in a founder's journey.
Opening Remarks @ 9:30am PT
Join us for opening remarks with Dina Fattom, Member Success Manager at Founders Network, to get the latest updates from the Network and opportunities for getting involved.
Keynote Speaker @ 9:40am PT
Blake Teipel is the former CEO and co-founder of Essentium, Inc., a leading 3D printing technology company. With over 15 years of experience in materials science and engineering, he specialized in additive manufacturing. Blake led Essentium through key challenges, including a failed IPO, restructuring, and ultimately a successful exit to Nexa3D.
Blake holds a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from Texas A&M University and has a background in mechanical engineering. His work spans across various industries, including biomedical and manufacturing technology.
Stage-Based Roundtables @ 10:30am PT
Community Partners:
Jeff leads the Partnerships Team at Forecastr — a leading FP&A software company that helps startups create kick-butt financial models to impress investors, confidently raise capital, and effectively run their businesses better.
Jeff serves on the advisory boards of several startup companies and is an active angel investor. He's passionate about startups and enjoys working with founders and mentoring entrepreneurs.
Jeff is an experienced entrepreneur and was the founder and CEO of a successful consumer goods company that he rapidly grew from $1M in sales its first year to over $40M in annual revenue in its fourth year of operations and was ranked #138 on the Inc. 500 list of fastest growing companies.
Prior to founding his own company, Jeff was a partner at Beanstalk Partners where he led the sales and business development activities. He also served as the National Sales Director for a venture-backed tech startup where he generated over $45M in client contracts and developed the company’s channel partner program.
Jeff has a degree in accounting and graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Utah. After receiving his MBA in Finance from the University of Utah he served as the Vice President of Investments for Sentry Financial Corporation.
Guests Are Welcome!
Please bring a guest! Every member can bring one (1) guest to each event. Each guest must be a full-time tech startup founder so they can bring new perspectives, skillsets, and experience to your chapter.
All guests must be full-time tech startup founders and you can register them directly on this function page. See How to Register a Guest here.
Confidentiality Policy:
All information shared within Founders Network is strictly confidential. We are built on a foundation of trust, and the community takes confidentiality seriously. Investors, members, and staff all share experiences and opinions off the record. In this roundtable forum, we continue to model our fnValues of Reciprocity, Humility, Authenticity and Inclusivity.