Raising Capital Without Raising Regrets: Tips on Navigating Startup Valuation, Term sheets & Equity Division
October 7, 2025 | 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm ET | Lasell University Science and Technology Center, Newton MA USA Register!
Join us at the Boston Entrepreneurs’ Network (ENET) for an event designed to empower founders, entrepreneurs, and startups with the knowledge and expertise needed to navigate the challenging landscape of raising capital in a tight market, and other related issues.
Our panel of expert speakers brings views from a seasoned venture capitalist, startup entrepreneur, and attorney in the field. Our moderator will be an ENET Board member and longest tenured past Chair.
Among the topics expected to be discussed are the following:
- Options for funding pre-valuation (e.g. SAFEs)
- Valuation (incl. difference between pre- and post-money)
- Dilution
- How to approach investors
- Negotiation strategy
- Exclusivity / no-shop
- Types of equity: Founder (common) versus investor (preferred)
- Board seats and control
- Equity incentive pool and vesting
- Preferred equity and economics of a sale
- When to involve your lawyer!
Don’t miss this opportunity to glean insights from the experts and arm yourself with the knowledge and strategies needed to successfully raise capital for your startup. Join us at the Boston ENET event and take your fundraising efforts to the next level!
A question-and-answer session will follow the 5–10-minute speaker presentations, both a “Fireside Chat” with the Moderator and questions from the audience (so please do bring your questions!). Panelists will be available afterward for added responses to individual questions.
Speakers
Tom Grant
Chief Operating Officer, PanopticTom Grant is the Chief Operating Officer at crypto startup company Panoptic, a platform that lets people buy and sell open-ended options on crypto tokens. A Repeat Founder, Tom previously founded ILA Capital, an institutional marketplace-lending firm he later exited, and then co-founded Grantfin to develop research-driven strategies for blockchain liquidity. Before becoming an entrepreneur, Tom spent two decades working as a foreign exchange trader at major financial institutions. He holds a B.S. in Finance from the University of Alabama and a master’s in applied mathematics from Oxford.
Marcia Hooper
Partner, Branch Venture Group, LLCMarcia Hooper currently serves as a Partner of Branch Venture Group, LLC, an angel investing group focused on food startups, targeting food products, food technology, business services for food-related companies, ag-tech, and sustainability. She has over 35 years of venture investing experience having been a partner at Advent International and Ampersand Ventures. She also serves as a Senior Advisor to Bowside Capital, a private equity firm focusing in the small capitalization market. Marcia has served as a Director of over 30 private and publicly listed companies and began her career at IBM in marketing. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry and mathematics from Brown University. She also earned a Master of Arts degree in chemistry from Columbia University and a Master of Business Administration degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Business.
Caryn Davies
Founder, Podium LawCaryn Davies is the founder of Podium Law, a boutique corporate firm that helps startups and investors close deals with less friction—from formation and venture financings to commercial contracts and M&A. Before launching Podium Law, Caryn practiced at Goodwin in Boston. She speaks frequently to entrepreneur audiences on the legal aspects of launching a business. Caryn holds a J.D. from Columbia Law School and an MBA from Oxford Saïd Business School. Outside of law, she is a three-time Olympic rowing medalist (two gold, one silver) and recipient of the World Rowing Thomas Keller Medal, the sport’s highest honor.
Moderator
Robert Adelson
Principal, Adelson & Associates, LLCRobert Adelson is an executive employment attorney, principal of the Boston law firm Adelson & Associates, LLC., a boutique firm that represents C-suite executives across the US on job offers, equity issues, retention and separation. Since 2016, CEOWORLD magazine has published 52 articles he has authored on such issues faced by senior executives. Rob holds a J.D. Law Review from Northwestern Law School and an LL.M. in Taxation from NYU. Outside his practice, Rob is a current Board member and past Chair (2009-2019) of Boston Entrepreneurs’ Network (ENET). He is also a Board member of The Daily Free Press, the independent student newspaper at Boston University. Rob was the lead alumni speaker at the paper’s 55th anniversary celebration in May 2025.
The venue for this event is Lasell University Science and Technology Center. Navigate to 11 Central Street in Newton MA. This will bring you to the parking lot of the Science and Technology Center. See the map below – park, go up the ramp on the right side of the building, at the top turn left and enter through the glass doors.
