TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 returns to Moscone West in San Francisco from October 27–29, convening greater than 10,000 startup and VC leaders for an inside take a look at the place innovation is headed. Among the many must-attend classes is a candid panel on the Builders Stage about one of the high-stakes moments in any founder’s journey: elevating your first spherical.
From pitch to partnership: The true roadmap to seed funding
This dynamic panel brings collectively three seasoned buyers — Maria Palma (Freestyle Capital), Gabby Cazeau (Harlem Capital), and Marlon Nichols (MaC Enterprise Capital) — to unpack the realities of early-stage fundraising. From shaping a compelling pitch to selecting the best capital companions, they’ll share trustworthy, actionable insights to assist founders translate curiosity into funding.
Maria Palma, normal accomplice at Freestyle Capital, brings deep working and investing expertise, with previous roles at Kindred Capital, RRE Ventures, and management positions at high-growth startups like Eyeview. She’s backed firms together with Fung Cash, Lightning Labs, and Payman, and holds an MBA from Harvard.
Gabby Cazeau is a accomplice at Harlem Capital, investing in pre-seed and seed startups throughout enterprise software program and utilized AI. She holds an MBA from Yale and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering. Gabby has been featured in Enterprise Insider, CNBC, and Crain’s 40 Below 40, and serves on the VC Council of Startup:NYC.
Marlon Nichols, co-founder and managing normal accomplice of MaC Venture Capital, leads considered one of North America’s prime seed-stage corporations with over $600M AUM. A multiple-time honoree on Enterprise Insider’s Seed 100 and PitchBook’s record of prime Black VCs, Marlon has helped scale industry-shaping firms like Blavity, Thrive Market, and MongoDB.
What to anticipate on the Builders Stage
This isn’t your typical enterprise panel. Anticipate sharp insights on tips on how to minimize by means of the noise, construction your elevate, and construct relationships that final past a time period sheet. Whether or not you’re gearing up in your first spherical or advising a founder who’s, that is the session you don’t wish to miss.
Catch Palma, Cazeau, Nichols, and 250+ tech heavyweights throughout the six industry-specific phases, and in breakouts and roundtables, reside at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, at Moscone West in San Francisco. Register now and lock in as much as $625 earlier than ticket costs go up!