The Competitive Edge of Startup Funding: How to Attract Investors and Secure Capital

Access to funding can make or break a startup but standing out to investors takes more than a great idea. This session brings together leaders from , VIPC, and Dominion Energy to share insider perspectives on what makes startups attractive to funders, the strategies that spark investment, and the common missteps to avoid. Gain practical insights into navigating the capital landscape, positioning their ventures for success, and leveraging regional resources to compete at the highest level

Braden has over a decade of experience supporting startup communities and building entrepreneurship programs at R1 institutions; taking the Syracuse University Blackstone LaunchPad from zero to 4,000 entrepreneurs in 3 years. He has presented training on entrepreneurship ecosystem development internationally (China, Indonesia) and published a novel entrepreneurship ecosystem canvassing method. He has coached 500+ entrepreneurs from idea stage to acquisition and currently spends a significant portion of his time helping advanced energy startups commercialize cutting edge technology.

Joe Benevento leads VIPC as President and CEO and previously served as Deputy Secretary of Commerce and Trade for the Commonwealth of Virginia. Benevento began his career at Goldman Sachs and THL Partners and brings 20 years of business strategy and investment management experience across direct equity investing, business operations growth, and executive board advisory spanning early-stage startups, small-/mid-size businesses, and Fortune 500 companies. 

Prior to serving the Commonwealth of Virginia, Benevento was Managing Director of a Richmond-based family-office investment firm and has advised, invested, managed or monitored over $10 billion in enterprise value and contributed to the successful raising of newly closed investment funds ranging from $250 million to $20 billion in size.

Benevento earned his B.S. in applied economics and management at Cornell University and his MBA from Harvard Business School.