Invisible Ink

In this captivating episode, we sit down with Maria L. Maccecchini, a force of nature in the world of biotech, to explore her inspiring journey from a Ph.D. scientist to a successful entrepreneur.  Maria shares her passion for developing innovative treatments for neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, and the realities of navigating the complex terrain of funding, clinical trials, and FDA approvals.


Check out her fascinating journey across two continents founding a successful startup, her journey to wealth, and her subsequent decision to plunge back into the world of entrepreneurship. Check out her fascinating insights on:

1. How innovation works in pharma and why it matters to life sciences entrepreneurs
2. How success and wealth play out in life sciences and what it means to founders
3. The unexpected lessons from repeat entrepreneurship in life sciences
4. Why VC funding is challenging to raise in life sciences startups
5. How unexpected shocks from bad actors in the system can derail your startup, and how to tackle them
6. The nuts of bolts of getting FDA approval, and the factors that make it challenging
7. Why life sciences entrepreneurs decide to IPO
8. The challenges of being a public life sciences company CEO, and tips on handling the job
9. Personal lessons from a lifetime of curiosity and play that anyone can follow.

 and much more!

In this episode of Invisible Ink, we talk with deep tech expert Dr. Tanya Ramond, an expert in taking deep tech startups to market. check out Tanya's insightful and actionable insights on:

1. Why commercializing deep tech is challenging
2. The one mindset shift technical founders  must make to succeed
3. How to leverage the biggest element of your technical education to drive your startup's success
4. A simple approach to mastering new skills
5. How to overcome the lone wolf mentality and activate progress
6. The secret to finding the best market for your innovation
7. How to bridge the gap from lab to market
8. Insider tips to successfully cross the "Valley of Death"
9. How to design successful pilots for funding and traction
10. The trick to engaging with the right industry accelerators
11. How to build the right team for your deep tech startup
12. How to demonstrate traction to investors with your deep tech startup

and much more!

In this episode, Patricia Liu, an MIT-educated computer scientist turned angel investor and Stanford lecturer, shares her diverse career journey—from consulting at Accenture to working in Michelin-starred kitchens and now teaching pitch decks to startup founders.

Patricia shared her  takes on the common threads across her careers, the core elements that stay constat regatdless of what endeavor you're engaged in. Check out her thoughtful and unique views on:

1. How to set up your pitch so investors pay attention from the first slide
2. The one thing that makes your pitch unforgettable to investors
3. What the best pitches have in common, even when they describe complex technologies 
4. The one underrated activity that can make or break your funding chances
5. How to build trust and keep investors hooked with this simple hack
6. How to really demonstrate a big and credible competitive edge
7. The one thing that can kill your pitch—and how to avoid it
8. Simple tools that can  turn complex ideas into instant investor buy-in
9. The simple activity anyone can do to expose the weak spots you never noticed
10. How to make your deck stand out in a sea of forgettable pitches

and much more!

In this episode of Invisible Ink, Eva Doss, president and CEO of The LaunchPlace, discusses her work in venture development, managing a portfolio of 27 startups, and supporting early-stage companies through every part of their startup journey.

Listen to Eva's experiences as she shares her journey in building The LaunchPlace, including her insights on:

1. Why your cap table is the linchpin in your fundraising story
2. How to stay on top of your cap table as an early stage founder
3. How to use cap tables strategically to manage financing, ownership, and regulatory compliance.
4. How startup valuation approaches differ by type of investor
5. How to support your valuation estimate when you don't yet have a track record
6. Why a high valuation isn't always a good thing
7. The lowdown on SAFEs - what are they, really?
8. Cap table implications of SAFEs and convertible notes
9. The practical tradeoffs of raising ona a SAFE
10. The soft factors that impact your fundraising vehicle
11. Practical insights on how to build positive investor relationships

and much more!

In this episode, Liz Sigety, chair of Fox Rothschild's Emerging Companies and Venture Capital practice, shares her expertise in working with startups, her role as a co-founder of the Delaware Crossing Investor Group, and her extensive experience as an angel investor.

Tune in to hear Liz's thoughts on funding mechanisms for early-stage companies, how to pick the right funding vehicle, the differences between SAFEs and convertible notes, and what founderss should think about in selecting the right one for their raise.

Get a deep dive on the Angel Capital Association's new Model Convertible Note straight from the source! Liz headed the team at the ACA that worked to develop and publish this comprehensive new template!

Hear Liz's thoughts on: 

1. The critical factors that drive your choice of funding vehicle
2. Primary differences between SAFEs and convertible notes
3. How legal fees impact your choice of funding vehicle, and what ti keep in mind
4. The little known tax issue that can make or break your deal for investors
5. Why tax matters for you as a founder, and how ti minimize your tax risk
6. How the ACA's new model convertible note changes the game for founders and investors
7. The make or break features of your convertible note: discounts, valuation caps and maturity
8. The "iceberg" factors of convertible notes: early sale, board representation, information rights and more
9. How to put together a foolproof term sheet as a first time founder
10. Insider tips for women founders in STEM from an experienced angel and attorney

and much more.

Only on Invisible Ink!

In this conversation, Vicki Knott, CEO of Crux OCM, shares her entrepreneurial journey from oil and gas to starting her own company. Vicki describes her background and how she met her co-founder, Roger Shirt, and how they developed the idea for Crux OCM.

Tune in to listen to her facscinating journey as she shares her thoughts on:

1. The power of cross-pollinating ideas - origin story of an innovative startup
2. The difference between working and selling in the same industry - powerful founder lessons
3. First steps - why accelerators matter in your startup journey
4. How to select the right accelerator program for your deep-tech startup
5. Why location matters - and how to make a smart location decision
6. The surprising power of financial acumen - from fundraising to selling
7. How to build financial acumen one day, one step at a time
8. How to navigate the challenges of selling complex software solutions to large, traditional industries.  
9. Valuable do's and don'ts in the journey to financial fluency
10. How to build confidence and overcome imposter syndrome as a female founder in a male-dominated field.  

and much more!

Join us for a fascinating conversation with Kameale C. Terry, Co-founder and CEO of ChargerHelp! In this conversation, Kameale shares her entrepreneurial journey in the electric vehicle (EV) charging sector, detailing her transition from supporting EV drivers to founding her own company focused on enhancing charging reliability. Tune in to find out:

1. How to transform life circumstances into entrepreneurial opportunity
2. The single biggest secret to sustainable startup success
3. How to leverage problem mastery to gain investor credibility
4. How to play the fundraising game like a chess pro
5. The oath to financial fluency, why it matters, and how to get it
6. The ins and outs of raising a priced round
7. How to find great legal counsel before you have funding
8. What Henry Ford can teach you about go-to-market success
9. How to make smart bets when the stakes are high
10. The last word: how to stay in the game for the long haul

and much more!

In this episode, Tasneem Dohadwala, a venture capitalist in early-stage medical device investment, shares her insights on navigating the venture capital landscape and the unique challenges within the medical devices space.

Check out this information-packed conversation to learn more about:

1. The categories of med-tech ventures, and how they differ
2. Why large markets have outsize importance in med-tech relative to other verticals
3. What factors drive fundability in med-tech, and why it's so challenging to build successful ventures in med-tech
4. Not all med-tech is made equal - categories within med-tech
5. How AI will change the game in therapeutics
6. How to tell if your med-tech startup has what it takes to be funded
7. How the regulatory and reimbursement pathways make or break your startup's success 
8. How to be a CEO investors want to bet on
9. What to watch for as a woman founder in med-tech

and much more!

In this episode, Brianna McDonald, an experienced early-stage investor, shares key insights from her two-decade journey in the startup world, emphasizing the significance of a well-crafted capitalization strategy for founders. Brianna discusses the importance of not falling in love with the product alone, instead focusing on the executive team's execution and the market potential.

She highlights the misconceptions around fundraising, urging founders to view it as selling pieces of their companies, and stresses the necessity of understanding cap table management from day one.

She also covers the current challenges in the investing landscape, the impact of economic shifts on startup funding, and the critical need for thorough market research and relationship building with potential investors.

Key takeaways from the episode include:

• Why capitalization strategy matters for founders more than ever in the post Silicon Valley Bank era
• How to use market research to create credible go-to-market strategies and believable financial projections
• How to cultivate genuine relationships with investors for successful fundraising and support 
• Why managing and understanding the cap table from day one is key to minimizing dilution and maintaining control 
• What to watch out for before raising on "cheap" vehicles like SAFE notes
• How to target the right investors based on your company’s growth trajectory.
• Why the math matters - on your cap table, your valuation and your deal, and how it can make or break your company
• How to build a solid plan for your startup so your company, your investors and you come out ahead

Named one of Inc. Magazines Top 100 Female Founders of 2020, Colette Courtion is a distinguished and award-winning consumer marketer, inventor (24 issued patents), and business leader steeped in brand building, marketing, strategic planning, and finance with leading consumer product, retail, and medical device companies.

She is the founder of Joylux, the leading menopausal intimate health company with Halle Berry, the acclaimed actress and menopause advocate, as an investor, brand ambassador and co-developer of products.Prior to founding Joylux, she founded and lead two other VC-backed aesthetic companies. She was also a marketing executive with Starbucks responsible for launching and growing the Starbucks Card and Customer loyalty program into a multi-billion-dollar business. 

In this episode, Colette shares the good, the bad and the shocking on her founder journey. Tune in to hear more about:

1. The origin story of a pathbreaking startup
2. How to validate the market opportunity when it's never existed before
3. How to break old barriers and blaze new trails - the founder's way
4. The quick primer on FDA approvals, and the role of luck and ingenuity
5. When life hands you a pandemic, turn it into profits
6. How to think strategically about your IP strategy
7. How to sell your startup to investors when they don't want to hear about the problem, and still win!
8. How to keep investors happy without losing your mind
9. How to hitch your wagon to a star

and much more!