The Road To: Purpose-Driven Entrepreneurship
- Stephanie Roulic
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
Building a company with purpose isn’t just about doing good, it’s about doing business differently. Today’s founders and investors are rethinking what success looks like, shifting from pure growth to sustainable impact, thoughtful capital, and intentional partnerships. The Road To: Purpose-Driven Entrepreneurship brings together the voices shaping this evolution - from fund managers redefining venture models to founders and investors building ecosystems grounded in collaboration and long-term value.
Across these sessions, you’ll explore what it takes to raise and deploy capital responsibly, build meaningful partnerships, and lead with clarity in an unpredictable market. Whether you’re a founder, investor, or ecosystem builder, this series offers a roadmap for building companies and communities that last.
Table of Contents:
Gut Feel or Game Plan? Mastering Early-Stage Due Diligence
Investing in early-stage startups is as much science as it is art — and successful investors know how to balance both. This session offers a step-by-step look at how to evaluate founders, teams, markets, and technology with rigor and consistency. You’ll leave with a proven framework to make smarter, faster, and more confident investment decisions.
You’ll learn how to:
Build a structured and repeatable due diligence process
Assess founders, product-market fit, and technical capabilities effectively
Streamline diligence using practical tools, checklists, and key evaluation questions
Speakers: Ron Levin, Jillian Chase, Andy Bloom, James Massaquoi, Lucia Maffei
Beyond Equity: Cracking the Code on Venture Debt and Secondary Markets
Venture debt and secondary markets are reshaping how startups and investors manage liquidity, risk, and growth. This session breaks down when — and how — to use these tools strategically, offering clear frameworks and real-world examples to guide your decisions. You’ll leave ready to navigate alternative capital options with confidence and precision.
You’ll learn how to:
Determine when venture debt makes sense and how to structure it effectively
Avoid common pitfalls in secondary transactions and complex cap table scenarios
Leverage alternative financing to extend runway and optimize portfolio performance
Speakers: Janice Bourque, Yeng Felipe Butler, Matthew Ahern, Will Bernat, Will Kidston
Building a VC Fund from the Ground Up: What It Really Takes
Launching a venture fund is one of the most ambitious moves an investor can make — and one of the toughest to get right. This session pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to go from concept to first close, from refining your thesis to winning LP trust and building lasting infrastructure. You’ll leave with a clear, unfiltered view of the realities of starting and scaling a fund in today’s market.
You’ll learn how to:
Develop a differentiated investment thesis that stands out in a crowded market
Navigate the LP fundraising process and understand what investors truly value
Build the operational backbone needed to run and grow a successful fund
Speakers: Alex Benik, Rumika Sharma, William Lehman, Lily Lyman
AI Gold Rush or Bubble? Investing in AI in 2026
AI is transforming every corner of the economy — but for investors, the challenge is knowing what’s real, what’s defensible, and what’s just noise. This session breaks down how to evaluate AI startups with confidence, from assessing technical depth to understanding market potential and valuation dynamics. You’ll leave with sharper instincts for spotting genuine opportunity in the AI boom.
You’ll learn how to:
Evaluate AI companies using the right metrics for each stage
Identify red flags behind inflated valuations and weak moats
Uncover underexplored AI submarkets poised for long-term growth
Speakers: Maia Heymann, Chip Hazard, Jonathan Corbin, Heena Purohi, Habib Hadad
More Than Money: Turning Portfolio Support into a Competitive Edge
Venture capital is more than capital — it’s about building the systems, teams, and support that help startups truly scale. This session dives into how VC firms and accelerators are redefining portfolio operations to drive measurable impact and long-term success. You’ll walk away with actionable insights to strengthen how you support (or are supported by) your investment partners.
You’ll learn how to:
Design and scale portfolio support models that actually move the needle
Build and structure high-performing portfolio operations teams
Deliver value beyond capital through strategic, scalable founder support
Speakers: Tricia Bitetto, Steve Bernard, Brandon Oliver, Beth Porter
Venture Capital Crystal Ball: What 2026 Holds for Startups and Investors
The venture capital landscape is evolving fast — and the rules of the game are changing with it. This session dives into the trends, sectors, and strategies defining VC in 2025, from shifting valuations to new sources of capital and deal structures. You’ll leave with a sharper understanding of what’s driving the market and how to stay ahead in 2026.
You’ll learn how to:
Navigate key investment trends and macroeconomic forces shaping VC in 2025
Identify which sectors are attracting the most capital — and why
Adapt your fundraising or investment strategy to align with where the market is heading
Speakers: Vivjan Myrto, Aaron Pressman
Big Fish, Small Pond: Navigating Partnerships with Large Organizations
Partnering with large enterprises can open massive doors for startups—access to customers, credibility, and resources—but it also introduces new layers of complexity. This session unpacks the realities of working with big organizations, from navigating power dynamics to structuring deals that protect your startup’s momentum. You’ll leave ready to pursue enterprise partnerships with confidence and clarity.
You’ll learn how to:
Identify when an enterprise partnership is a smart strategic move
Spot early warning signs that a deal may be headed off track
Protect your startup’s interests while maintaining strong partner relationships
Speakers: Melissa Appel, Evan Grossman, Justine Jordan, Shankar Krishnan
The No-Budget Growth Hack: 10X Your Reach with Partnerships
Strategic partnerships can unlock massive growth for startups—helping you scale faster, reach new audiences, and build credibility without big budgets. This session dives into how to find the right partners, craft win-win collaborations, and build systems that make partnerships a repeatable growth engine. You’ll leave ready to turn connections into tangible traction.
You’ll learn how to:
Identify and evaluate potential partners for alignment and mutual benefit
Craft compelling partnership propositions that go beyond “exposure”
Measure success with meaningful metrics and avoid common pitfalls
Speakers: Leslie Forde, Julia Wu, Danielle Johnson
Purpose-driven entrepreneurship isn’t a trend, it’s the new foundation for how great companies are built. From smarter fundraising strategies to equitable partnerships and impact-oriented investing, today’s founders and funders are proving that values and velocity can coexist.
As Boston’s startup community continues to grow, the conversations from The Road To: Purpose-Driven Entrepreneurship remind us that real progress happens when we align ambition with intention. The future of startups isn’t just about exits, it’s about impact, resilience and building something that truly matters.
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