Founder vs Investor: Point/Counterpoint From Two Startup Community Leaders
Founder (Jes Lipson) vs Investor (Lister Delgado) Go Head-to-Head
About the Keynote Speakers:
Jesse Lipson, CEO of Levitate
Levitate founder Jesse Lipson has always loved creating magic. As a kid, he learned magic tricks. As an adult, the magic comes in the form of innovative software. Having previously founded ShareFile, a secure file-sharing software for small businesses (later acquired by Citrix), Jesse made the observation that the people and companies he gave repeat business to were the ones who did a good job of keeping in touch and staying top of mind personally and authentically; but most small businesses didn’t have the time. He looked at the available marketing and CRM software out there, but it was all made for large product-oriented businesses; not the nuanced needs of service-focused small businesses that rely on relationships to grow.
Lister Delgado, Managing Partner of IDEA Fund Partners
Lister is the co-founder and managing partner of IDEA Fund Partners, an early-stage Venture Capital firm headquartered in Durham, NC. He is passionate about helping technology entrepreneurs build the next set of technology startups that will change the world. He has a BS in Electrical Engineering from Brown University, an MS in Computer Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin, and MBA from UNC. Over the last couple of decades, Lister has volunteered his time to several entrepreneurial economic development entities, including the Center for Entrepreneurial Development and NC IDEA.
Additional Resources:
Find more Startup Events, learn about Finding a Co-Founder, or visit our Insights Blog for more startup tips.
About Founder Institute:
The Founder Institute is the world’s most proven network to turn ideas into fundable startups, and startups into global businesses. Since 2009, our structured accelerator programs have helped over 7,000 entrepreneurs raise over $1.75BN in funding. Based in Silicon Valley and with chapters across 100 countries, our mission is to empower communities of talented and motivated people to build impactful technology companies worldwide.
Speakers
Platinum Partners
.png)
Local Partners
Related Events
The Founder Institute is the world’s most proven network to turn ideas into fundable startups, and startups into global businesses. Since 2009, our structured accelerator programs have helped over 7,500 entrepreneurs raise over $1.85BN in funding. Based in Silicon Valley and with chapters across 100 countries, our mission is to empower communities of talented and motivated people to build impactful technology companies worldwide.