Maran Nelson

Fundraising Panel at Female Founders Conference 2015

Danielle Morrill, Nancy Hu, Mathilde Collin, Susan Johnson, Maran Nelson

Following a dramatic pivot from low-margin services to a software model that nearly forced Mattermark into eviction, founder Danielle Druckenmiller and her team secured a $6.5 million Series A led by Brad Feld after overcoming repeated rejections and a critical liquidity bridge. The panel also featured fellow Y Combinator graduates Susan Johnson, Mathilde Collin, and Nancy, who detailed their successful seed and early-stage fundraising strategies involving rapid meeting volume, strategic mentorship, and targeted PR approaches. These accounts collectively illustrate how early-stage founders navigate high-pressure fundraising landscapes by balancing persistence with operational discipline and transparent team communication.