Make More Progress by Doing Less...

Welcome to the 15th edition of The Get Funded! Newsletter—proudly serving over 2,589 founders! Here, we break down the latest insights from our weekly VC Office Hours sessions on Twitter/X and equip you with tools to help you ‘Get Funded’.

Missed this session? Listen to the recording here.
Want to join the next session? Check out the upcoming VCs and register here.

1. Overview:

This week, we hosted two insightful sessions with our fantastic guest investors:

• Session #1: Andrew Firman, Managing Partner at Kaleo Ventures
  Kaleo Ventures is an early-stage venture firm that seeks to invest equity in 50+ faith-aligned entrepreneurs across Africa each year.

• Session #2: Mansi Patel, Investment Analyst at Cortado Ventures

  ​​​​Cortado Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm that invests in ambitious, growth-focused companies, backing a new generation of economic prosperity for the Midcontinent region.

Investment Announcement: SmartWiz

We are pleased to announce our eighth investment in SmartWiz. SmartWiz is a software company that helps tax professionals streamline tax preparation, cutting preparation time by 50%. SmartWiz is based in the Southeast and works with small-to-medium sized businesses and independent tax professionals throughout the United States. Read more about why we invested HERE.

Good Read: A Tweet Changed My Life

Jacqueline Hall shares how a single tweet was the catalyst to her incredible founder journey. Her story is a testament to the power of community and highlights the importance of putting yourself out there. Don't miss her actionable tips for leveraging social platforms to create life-changing moments!

2. Office Hours Recap:

Key Takeaways from the VC Office Hours on January 3rd:

• Session #1 - Andrew Firman, Managing Partner at Kaleo Ventures:

  • Stage: Pre-Seed (Pre-Revenue)
    Industry: Sector-agnostic with a focus on startups driven by faith and operating in Africa.

    Check Size: $25K - $50K initial; up to $150K follow on
    How to Apply: Fill out this form. Warm introduction recommended.

    Key Takeaways from Session:

    • Faith-Driven Founders: Kaleo Ventures focuses on investing in Christian founders, highlighting how values-based leadership can influence entrepreneurial success.

    • Unique Early-Stage Focus: The firm invests in startups as early as possible, even before significant traction, emphasizing their belief in identifying high potential at the foundational stage.

    • The Importance of Warm Intros: Kaleo relies heavily on warm introductions through scouts, founders, or trusted connections. They believe the extra effort to secure an intro reflects a founder’s ability to take initiative, which is crucial for future success.

• Session #2 - Mansi Patel, Investment Analyst at Cortado Ventures:

  • Stage: Pre-Seed - Series A
    Industry: B2B sectors, including energy, aerospace, biotech, fintech, manufacturing, and logistics.
    Check Size: $250K–$1M
    How to Apply: Submit on the Cortado Ventures website here or reach out to Mansi directly.

    Key Takeaways from Session:

    • Geographic Focus: Cortado Ventures prioritizes investments in companies with a presence in Oklahoma or surrounding states, especially those with R&D or executive operations based in Oklahoma.

    • Sector Specialization: While sector-agnostic, the fund emphasizes industries like aerospace, energy, biotech, and logistics, focusing on companies with a minimum viable product and early traction.

    • Collaborative Ecosystem: The Midcon region fosters collaboration among investors, creating opportunities for shared deals and strong founder support, distinguishing it from competitive coastal ecosystems.

3. Funding Resources:

Resources of the Week:

• Greentown Labs ACCEL Accelerator

  ACCEL provides up to $25K in non-dilutive grant funding to support BIPOC founders building in climatetech.

  Deadline: 1/7/2025

• NewSchools

  NewSchools provides unrestricted grants ranging from $150K to $250K to the ideas and energy of education leaders and entrepreneurs who are advancing innovative solutions that expand the definition of what works.

  Deadline: 1/8/2025

• The National a2 Pilot Awards Competition

  Provides up to $200K in non-dilutive grant funding for technology projects that utilize artificial intelligence (AI) approaches and technology to improve care and health outcomes for older Americans.

  Deadline: 1/15/2025

• 757 Accelerate

  A 9-week-long mentorship-driven, milestone-based program; receive $20K in funding.
  Deadline: 1/24/2025

• Midwest House '25 SXSW Midwest Madness

  An opportunity to pitch during SXSW for a $10K prize and travel stipend.

  Deadline: 1/31/2025

• Village Capital: Women in Tech Accelerator

  An initiative to support women founders developing solutions to improve economic mobility and equitable access to essential services for women, families, and communities across the US with an opportunity for a $25K grant.

  Deadline: 1/31/2025

• South Park Commons (SPC) Founder Fellowship

  The Founder Fellowship helps entrepreneurs start a high growth, venture-backable startup with targeted support in the -1 to 0 idea phase; offering $400K in capital.

  Deadline: 2/2/2025

• VOA Futures Fund Community Health Incubator

  A 14-week accelerator with partnership opportunities for ventures in community health that provides a $15K grant and business training to help you scale.
  Deadline: 3/5/2025

• OHUB’s Climate Tech Bootcamp

  A 10-week pre-accelerator program for climate tech and new energy entrepreneurs from around the country that have an interest in building in or expanding to South Louisiana; opportunity to receive a $100K investment.

  Deadline: 3/28/2025

Book of the Week:

• The Mom Test by Rob Fitzpatrick
  The Mom Test is a practical guide to mastering the art of customer discovery and learning how to validate your startup ideas effectively. Fitzpatrick shares insights on how to ask the right questions to uncover honest and valuable feedback without being misled by overly supportive responses (like those from your mom).

• Why I recommend it: This book is essential for founders looking to build products people truly need. It teaches you how to approach customer conversations in a way that delivers actionable insights, helping you avoid wasted time and resources on unvalidated ideas. If you're serious about building something that solves real problems, The Mom Test is a must-read! You can get your copy here.

Alternative Funding Sources:

• Access up to $2M in non-dilutive debt financing. Request funding here.

• Raise up to $5M in equity capital through a Community Round. Request information here.

Serac Ventures has made 8 investments in 2024 and is beginning to look for investment opportunities for our 2025 pipeline. We are looking to invest $250K - $500K initial checks into 8-10 companies building in FinTech, SaaS, and the Future of Work in 2025. Learn more and consider submitting your company here.

4. Founder Spotlight:

Featured Founder: Jacqueline Hall, Founder of Maiven Energy

• Overview:
  Jacqueline Hall, with over a decade of experience in the energy sector, founded Maiven Energy to tackle critical inefficiencies in the industry. Despite her expertise and a strong MVP, Jacqueline initially struggled with funding and navigating the startup ecosystem. A pivotal tweet from Darrel Frater connected her to their weekly VC Office Hours, sparking a journey of transformative growth.
  

  Their Success Story:
  After participating the pitch session, Jacqueline joined the OHUB x NETI Climate Tech Bootcamp, which equipped her with the tools to refine her business model and pitch deck. In 2024, she achieved major milestones: acceptance into Techstars Boulder, launching pilots, securing contracts with major customers, and building a talented engineering and data science team. Jacqueline also closed a pre-seed funding round, positioning Maiven Energy for significant growth.
  

  Future Plans:
  In 2025, Maiven Energy aims to leverage its strengthened team, customer relationships, and funding to scale its impact in the energy sector. With a focus on innovation and operational efficiency, Jacqueline plans to expand Maiven’s reach, refine its technology, and continue fostering industry collaboration through case studies and thought leadership.

What we can take away:
Jacqueline's story emphasizes the importance of seeking mentorship alongside funding, pursuing every opportunity with determination, and building a strong support network. Her journey highlights the power of having mentors and connectors in your life who help break down systemic barriers to create access and equity in the startup ecosystem.

5. Tweet of the Week:

That’s all for this week’s edition of The Get Funded! Newsletter. We hope you found these insights valuable as you continue your journey to securing funding.

What’s next?

Be sure to join us for the next Get Funded! VC Office Hours session. You can view and register for upcoming sessions using this Calendar.

Be on the look out for our newsletter next week where we’ll bring you more actionable advice, resources, and success stories.

Let’s All, Get Funded!

Best,
Darrel Frater
Investor at Serac Ventures
Twitter/X | Linkedin | Preneur

P.S. If you enjoyed this newsletter, forward it to a founder you know who could benefit from these insights!

P.S.S. Got ideas or suggestions for Get Funded? Shoot me an email at [email protected] for us to discuss!

About Serac: Serac Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm that targets companies at the pre-seed and seed stage writing initial checks between $250K - $500K. Our core sectors include fintech, SaaS, and Future of Work. Learn more at SeracVentures.vc.