Founder Tactics with Julia Lucidi

Alex Rodriguez is the founder of Xpece, a manufacturer of waterproof drones. As the U.S. tightens restrictions on foreign-made drones and much of the American drone industry focuses on defense and law enforcement, the consumer market is being left behind. Xpece is taking the opposite approach by building unique waterproof drones for consumers first.

Raising Your First Institutional Round: Insights from active investors on securing your first Venture Capital check​

Ready to raise your first VC check? Hear directly from active investors on what they look for, what turns them off, and how to prepare for diligence before it starts. Join Salo Sredni (Ocean Azul Partners), Joshua Siegel (Acronym Venture Capital), and Fritz Spencer (EisnerAmper Startup Services) for a candid, practical conversation on getting from first pitch to signed term sheet.​

Recorded at the Fort Lauderdale Tech Meetup

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Lessons in Bootstrapping to Profitability: How Plei grew 10X without a single VC check ft. Sebastian Duque, Founder & CEO of Plei.

🚀 Growing 10X without a single VC check starts with building the right business. Bootstrapping isn’t just about avoiding outside capital — it’s about learning how to grow sustainably, reach profitability, and build something that can scale on its own terms.​ Sebastian Duque is the Founder and CEO of Plei, the largest pickup soccer platform in North America. Built out of Miami, Plei now connects over 600,000 players across multiple cities, using technology and data to make playing soccer seamless and accessible. Under his leadership, the company has grown to millions in annual revenue and is expanding internationally, with a long-term vision of becoming the global ecosystem of soccer.

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Founder Tactics Podcast: Fireside Chat & Q&A
The Road to Angel Funding: Strategies from Active Investors on How Startups Get Funded

​This interview will explore the realities of early-stage fundraising, including how to build relationships with investors, craft a compelling pitch, understand investor decision-making, and create long-term partnerships beyond the check. Whether you’re preparing for your first raise or looking to improve your fundraising strategy, you’ll gain raw insights directly from investors actively backing startups.
Guest speakers:
Ron Tarro, President at New World Angels
Hilmon Sorey, Partner at Blue Moon VC
Fritz Spencer, Startup Services at EisnerAmper

Solon Angel is the founder of MindBridge AI and Co-Founder of Remitian. Solon is building one of the most innovative AI-first fintech startup, using agentic AI to transform tax payments across North America. A must-hear for anyone interested in AI, startups, and scaling high-growth.

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David Bitton is a serial entrepreneur, bestselling author, and speaker. After successfully exiting PracticePanther in 2018, he co-founded DoorLoop, a property management software company that has raised $130 million, employs over 250 people, and was ranked by Forbes as one of America's best startup employers in 2025.

Jeremy Schwach is a healthcare entrepreneur and founder of Bluetree, a company that grew to over 600 employees before being acquired in 2019. In 2023, he launched Hummingbird Healthcare, an AI-powered patient access company that has raised $40 million and employs more than 300 people.

Recorded at the Fort Lauderdale Tech Meetup

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David Bitton is the co-founder at DoorLoop ($130M raised). His last company, PracticePanther, was acquired in 2018 and remains one of the largest practice management platforms for lawyers in the US. Today, as co-founder of DoorLoop — a property management software company that has raised $130M, employs 250+ people, and manages hundreds of thousands of properties worldwide — Forbes ranked DoorLoop the 30th best startup employer in America in 2025.

Jeremy Schwach is the founder at Hummingbird Healthcare ($40M raised). He spent a decade scaling Bluetree from a startup to 600+ employees, partnering with all 10 of the top health systems in the country before selling to Providence Health's $25B+ subsidiary Tegria in 2019. In 2021 he was recognized as a Glassdoor top 10 US CEO. He's since launched Hummingbird Healthcare, raising ~$40M and building a people-first organization from day one.

Recorded at the Fort Lauderdale Tech Meetup | FTL Tech Meetup

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Hear from two of South Florida's active venture funds — Fuel Venture Capital ($550M AUM, 40+ portfolio companies across AI, fintech & enterprise SaaS) and YXS Capital (backing companies redefining how the world builds, powers, moves & computes) — as they break down how AI and tech convergence are rewriting the rules of investing and exiting.

• Anuj Maheshwari, Investment Associate at Fuel Venture Capital

• Sunny Patel, Managing Partner at YXS Capital

• Fritz Spencer, Startup Services at EisnerAmper (special guest host)

Recorded at the Fort Lauderdale Tech Meetup:

www.ftltechmeetup.com

Andrew Parker is the founder of Papa, a healthtech platform connecting companion caregivers (Pals) with older adults, seniors and families to support with doctor's visits and every day tasks. The number of Pals on Papa’s curated platform has grown to about 35,000 nationwide. The company has raised $240 million in venture capital, reaching unicorn status (valued at $1 billion dollars) with their recent Series D.

Recorded at the Fort Lauderdale Tech Meetup

www.ftltechmeetup.com

Join us for fireside chat with Nathan Heber, Founder of Boatyard, a boating services software platform, who ultimately exited to MarineMax — the world's largest recreational boat and yacht retailer. Under Nathan's leadership, Boatyard grew into a platform used by dealers, marinas, and marine professionals across the U.S. and Canada, helping power over $1 billion in sales and earning recognition as one of the most innovative companies in the marine industry.

Recorded at the Fort Lauderdale Tech Meetup

Learn more: https://www.foundertactics.com/