Startup founders have about two weeks left to apply for the spring RAISE Forum, a pitch showcase that includes investors from around the Southeast.
Barry Etra, director of the RAISE and Keiretsu forums, said the showcase aims to push startups past the “valley of death” funding round, which is usually between $1-5 million.
"That’s a chasm that most companies never get over,” Etra said. “That’s the tough part — if you can get over that part, you’ll either become attractive enough to bigger investors or you’re self-funding at that point and don’t need more money.”
Etra says the forum spurred tangible growth for its previous startup participants. Since participating in the spring 2020 cohort, ModifyHealth, an Atlanta “food as medicine” startup, raised a $2 million Series A round led by Nashville Capital Network.
Atlanta health technology and telemedicine startup Physician 360 participated in Venture Atlanta a few months after the forum and continued product development, including an at-home Covid-19 test.
The RAISE Forum partners with the Emory University Goizueta Business School, which launched a Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation earlier this year.
The RAISE Forum, which started about six year ago, highlights one of the new center’s areas of focus — investing.
Amelia Schaffner, the CEI's director, said the center cultivates investment support from teaching students with pitch practices to hosting community investor showcases, such as the RAISE Forum.
Investors at the RAISE Forum are from the Southeast states, from Louisiana to Viriginia, which was expanded since the forum has been held remotely, Etra said. They must be able to write at least a $250,000 check, and it's only open to active investors.
Seven startups are chosen to pitch to these investors twice a year, in May and in November. Applications are due March 26 for the May 7 forum.
