MANAGING YOUR FINANCES

​Clean books, clear cash flow visibility, and smart tax planning are the difference between startups that thrive and those that run out of runway. Founders don’t need 100 tools — they need the right-sized finance stack and the awareness to use tax strategy to their advantage.

​Most startups don’t fail because they can’t raise money — they fail because they don’t understand their finances and fail to watch their cash flows. The right finance stack keeps you on top of both. For 90% of startups, that means starting with QuickBooks Online (QBO).

​And while taxes often feel like a burden, they can actually be your friend. The R&D tax credit is a powerful tool that can generate real cash for startups — even those operating at a loss — by offsetting employer payroll taxes and recovering a portion of qualified R&D expenses.

​Keynote Speakers:

​Jerry Lovatt (Fractional CFO, Silicon Valley Finance Group) — “Right-Size Your Finance Stack: From QBO to (Maybe) NetSuite”

​Charlie Shureen (Tax Partner, Abbott Stringham & Lynch) — “Taxes as a Startup’s Secret Weapon”

​Moderator:

​Spencer Hamm - Senior Technical Recruiter, Woven by Toyota

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​Bonus Segment:

​We will kick things off with live start-up pitches from a few early-stage companies building innovative solutions in the world of AI.

​​Early-stage tech start-ups are invited to pitch their solutions to a panel of industry experts. Gain exposure, investor connections, and a chance to be selected for the exclusive Draper University showcase on November 20, 2025.

​Interested?? ​Submit your deck to: [email protected] with subject 'Pitch Spotlight, (Company Name)', by October 26 (midnight PST).

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​Organized by:

​Hero City at Draper University

​​​TechLAB Innovation Center

​​​Noteraiser – Manish Kasliwal

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