FREE LIVE WEBINAROCTOBER 25, 2026
YOU HAVE A GREAT
STARTUP IDEA.
BUT ARE YOU
FUNDABLE?
Discover what angel investors and VCs really look for—and why becoming fundable begins with more than a great pitch deck. Learn how clarity of purpose, authentic founder vision, compelling strategy, and disciplined execution come together to build investor confidence.
Find Your Purpose. Strengthen Your Strategy. Become Fundable.
Join David Chen, an experienced angel investor and venture builder, for a free live webinar sharing insights from evaluating, investing in, and advising early-stage companies.
Sunday, October 252:00 PM ETLive OnlineFree Registration
Free to attend | Practical investor insights | Live Q&A
YOUR HOSTDavid Chen
Founder, Princeton Venture Studio
Founder & Director, AngelVest Fund
Sunday, October 25, 20262:00 PM Eastern Time (EDT)
75 minutes. A new perspective.Investor insights + live Q&A
Join from anywhereFree live online webinar
A GREAT IDEA IS ONLY THE BEGINNINGWhy Do Investors Say No
Why Do Investors Say No
to Promising Startups?
You've developed an exciting idea. You've worked on your product. You believe the market opportunity is significant.
But when you approach angel investors or venture capitalists, you hear:
“Interesting, but it's too early.”
“We need to see more traction.”
“It's not quite the right fit.”
Or perhaps you never hear back at all.
The problem isn't always your idea. Often, it's that your startup hasn't yet demonstrated the qualities investors need to see before committing capital.
Insufficient customer validation
02Weak differentiation or market positioning
03Incomplete fundraising strategy
04Pitching the wrong investors at the wrong stage
05Fundability isn't just about having a better pitch deck.
It's about building a business that investors can believe in.
It's about building a business that investors can believe in.
THE PVS DIFFERENCE
Fundability Begins with Clarity.
Great companies aren't built on pitch decks alone. They're built by founders who understand why their work matters.
At Princeton Venture Studio, we believe that one of the most overlooked dimensions of startup success is the founder's authentic connection to the mission.
- Why are you building this company?
- Why does this problem matter to you?
- Why are you uniquely positioned to solve it?
- And how does that conviction translate into a business that customers—and investors—can believe in?
Through PVS's approach to conscious entrepreneurship, we help founders connect self-discovery with practical business strategy, commercialization, and execution.
When purpose, market opportunity, and founder capabilities align, entrepreneurs can build more coherent strategies and communicate their vision with greater conviction.
Authentic Purpose
Know yourself, your mission, and the problem you're driven to solve.
Compelling Strategy
Translate your vision into customer value, differentiation, and a scalable business model.
Investor Confidence
Demonstrate the clarity, evidence, leadership, and execution potential investors seek.
Purpose alone doesn't make a startup fundable.
But clarity of purpose can be a powerful foundation for building one.
AN INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCE
More Than a Webinar. An Opportunity for Self-Discovery.
This won't be just another presentation about pitch decks and fundraising. You'll be invited to participate in guided reflection, brief mindfulness exercises, and interactive questions designed to help you examine your founder journey through a different lens.
The goal is to help you gain clarity—not only about what investors want, but also about what drives you as an entrepreneur.
01
The Founder Purpose Reflection
A short guided exercise exploring:
- Why am I building this company?
- What problem do I genuinely care about solving?
- Why am I the right person to lead this venture?
02
The Investor Mindset Exercise
Put yourself in the shoes of an angel investor.
Consider whether your startup demonstrates a compelling opportunity, clear differentiation, credible execution, and the potential for attractive returns.
03
The Fundability Self-Assessment
Evaluate your startup across the PVS Fundability Framework and identify areas that may need improvement before approaching investors.
Come prepared to think, reflect, participate, and leave with fresh perspectives on your entrepreneurial journey.
Participation in mindfulness and reflection exercises is entirely optional—no prior experience required.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
Get Inside the Mind of an Angel Investor
Discover the practical fundamentals of startup fundraising while exploring how authentic purpose and disciplined execution can help you build a stronger investment proposition.
01
How Investors Really Think
Learn how angel investors and VCs evaluate founders, markets, business models, risk, and return potential.
02
Why Promising Startups Get Rejected
Discover the most common gaps that prevent startups from securing investment.
03
What Makes a Startup Fundable
Understand the importance of founder quality, differentiation, traction, timing, execution, and investor fit.
04
Where to Find Startup Capital
Explore angel investors, angel networks, VC funds, family offices, strategic investors, accelerators, grants, and alternative financing.
05
How to Approach Investors
Learn how to identify suitable investors, prepare your story, build relationships, and manage the fundraising process.
06
Your Path to Becoming Fundable
Discover a practical framework for assessing your startup's readiness and identifying your next steps.
07
The Power of Authentic Founder Purpose
Explore how self-awareness, mission clarity, and founder–venture alignment can strengthen strategic decisions, storytelling, leadership, and investor conversations.
BONUS: THE PVS FUNDABILITY FRAMEWORK
Discover a practical way to identify the gaps between where your startup stands today and what investors need to see.
David Chen
Angel Investor · Entrepreneur · Venture Builder
MEET YOUR HOST
Learn from an Investor Who Has Been on the Other Side of the Table
David Chen is the Founder and Director of AngelVest Fund and Founder of Princeton Venture Studio (PVS). As an experienced angel investor, entrepreneur, and venture builder, he has worked with early-stage founders across technology, healthcare, biotechnology, artificial intelligence, and other emerging sectors.
Through AngelVest, his investing activities have included companies such as Light Phone, Scantrust, Hanson Robotics, and other innovative ventures.
David has been involved with Harvard Business School Alumni Angels (HBS Angels) and the broader angel investing ecosystem, bringing an investor's perspective to evaluating startup opportunities.
Through Princeton Venture Studio, David helps entrepreneurs and researchers transform innovative ideas into scalable businesses, focusing on strategy, commercialization, investor readiness, and sustainable growth.
His approach goes beyond pitch decks. He believes successful fundraising begins with a clear founder vision, a compelling business proposition, and disciplined execution.
Beyond conventional venture-building approaches, David is passionate about conscious entrepreneurship—helping founders discover their authentic purpose and align their personal vision with business strategy. Through Princeton Venture Studio, he integrates practical investor perspectives, case-based learning, founder reflection, and mindfulness techniques to support entrepreneurs in building purposeful, scalable ventures.
Founder — AngelVest Fund
Founder — Princeton Venture Studio
Board Member — HBS Angels
BUILT FOR YOUR NEXT STEP
Is This Webinar for You?
Aspiring Entrepreneurs
You have an idea and want to understand what it takes to attract startup capital.
Early-Stage Founders
You've launched a startup but aren't sure whether you're ready to approach investors.
Founders Currently Fundraising
You've been pitching angels or VCs but aren't getting the response you expected.
Researchers and Innovators
You have promising technology or intellectual property and want to commercialize it.
MBA Students and Professionals
You want to understand the startup funding ecosystem and how investors make decisions.
Whether you're preparing for your first investor conversation or looking to improve your existing fundraising strategy, this webinar will help you think more like an investor.
YOUR IDEA DESERVES A STRONGER STRATEGY
Your Journey to Becoming Fundable Starts with Clarity.
Join us for a free, interactive webinar that combines real-world angel investing insights with the PVS approach to founder self-discovery and venture building.
Discover what investors look for, what may be missing from your startup, and how to take the next step with greater clarity and confidence.
Sunday, October 25, 20262:00 PM Eastern Time (EDT)
Live online · 75 minutesPractical investor insights and live Q&A
Hosted by David ChenFounder, Princeton Venture Studio & AngelVest Fund
An Insider's Guide to Raising Capital from Angels and Venture Capitalists.
A FEW THINGS TO KNOWYour Questions,
Your Questions,
Answered.
Everything you need to know before joining us.
START WITH A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE
Your Next Investor Meeting Could Be Different.
Imagine approaching investors with a clearer strategy, a stronger investment proposition, and a better understanding of what they're looking for.
It starts with understanding where you stand today.