Katelyn Gleason

Fundraising Panel at Female Founders Conference 2016

Talia Frenkel, Katelyn Gleason, Aarthi Ramamurthy, Liz Wessel, Kat Manalac, Caitlin Gleason

Four YC alumni from diverse sectors including healthcare, consumer goods, and job marketplaces share detailed accounts of their capital-raising journeys, which ranged from bootstrapping to securing multimillion-dollar rounds through persistent outreach and strategic narrative framing. The founders emphasize that overcoming investor skepticism requires deep domain expertise, a willingness to educate unfamiliar backers, and the resilience to handle rejection without compromising professional relationships. Ultimately, the discussion underscores that fundraising is an optional strategic tool rather than a mandatory industry norm, urging entrepreneurs to prioritize value creation and self-belief over blind adherence to Silicon Valley conventions.