Beck Venture Center Startup Forum: The Truth About Raising Capital

Beck Venture Center Startup Froum: Expectations vs Reality: The Truth About Raising Capital

Raising capital can be an extremely taxing journey for even the most seasoned founders - full of exhilarations and mind-bending exasperations that come when expectations meet reality. Learn from our presenter and veteran fundraiser Ed Messman as he takes us through the “Gartner Hype Cycle” and shows how to raise capital head on. With a special focus on early stage, Ed will help you go from zero to one, and beyond! 

Ed Messman is the Managing Director of the Mines Venture Fund. Over the last 30 years, Ed has been both an institutional venture investor and a startup founder, leading multiple startups through angel financings to institutional financings and ultimately to M&A. Most recently, Ed was CEO and co-founder of Rook Capital (acquired in 2024 by Legacy Group Capital), a fintech company backed by Kickstart Fund, First Mile Ventures, LL Funds, Service Provider Capital and Tango Ventures. 

About Beck Venture Center's Startup Forum:

Startup Forum is a program series designed to empower entrepreneurs with essential knowledge and insights crucial for startup success. Each session within the series features a diverse lineup of industry experts and thought leaders who delve into a wide array of topics including accounting basics for Startups, discovering a winning B2B value proposition, venture capital insights, founder panels, and practical advice on capital fundraising. Beck Venture Center’s Startup Forum provides invaluable guidance and networking opportunities aimed at equipping founders and entrepreneurs with the tools and understanding needed to navigate the competitive startup landscape effectively.

The local startup community is the heartbeat of the Beck Venture Center, and we ensure plenty of time for networking at every startup forum event! Come network with us and enjoy complimentary snacks and drinks. We hope to see you there!

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Host or Publisher Beck Venture Center, Colorado School of Mines