NEF Showcase and Expert Panel: The Founder's Dilemma

As a startup founder, how do you master the balancing act between retaining control of your company versus raising the needed capital to allow your company to grow?

As startups scale, every leadership transition impacts the company culture and how decisions are made. During this dynamic panel discussion, we’ll hear firsthand from two Founder/CEOs who have navigated the trade-off of the Founder’s Dilemma: to be rich or to be king.

We’ll also get the perspectives of two investors who will assess founder fit and alignment, and a non-founder CEO who has navigated a leadership transition to drive growth while honoring the founder’s original vision.

Join us for this expert panel discussion as we unpack the high-stakes choices that shape the growth trajectory of new ventures.

Moderator: Barabara Bolt

Panelists:

David Bloom from Pointe Angels

Peter Deppe from Kuhmute

Danny Ellis from SkySpecs

Sherwin Prior from Kuhmute

Blake Mischley, Co-Founder and CEO of MeetYourClass.

MeetYourClass helps universities leverage Gen Z’s go-to platforms throughout their admissions funnel. It's a two-pronged solution to bolster enrollment – empower prospective students to build community from inquiry to move-in, and leverage first-party, cross-app insights.
MeetYourClass was backed by Techstars and has helped 400,000+ students across 1,000+ campuses. Current partners include the University of Michigan, University of Dayton, Oakland University, Michigan Technological University, Bethel University, Spring Arbor University, and The Christ College.

Networking

Come join us in person to enjoy food and drink and conversation with members of the local startup community.

Learn more on our website

Host or Publisher NEF Program Committee