Getting Creative About Capital When Your Calls Aren't Returned

Calls going unanswered? You're not alone. The Triangle builds serious hardware — but raises less capital for it than Boston, New York, or San Francisco. Founders here have to get creative. This session puts founders in a working conversation with the investors who underwrite first-of-a-kind initiatives, covering what sits between a strong pitch deck and a fundable financial package. Expect specifics on how catalytic, concessionary, and commercial capital stack, what diligence looks for in a university spinout story, and which questions a founder should be able to answer before they raise. You'll leave knowing what investors need to see before they return your call, and how to build a capital strategy that doesn't depend on a single check. Speakers Sasha Brown Sasha Brown is a Senior Partner at the Ecosystem Integrity Fund. Her responsibilities include investment due diligence, strategy development, process management, deal sourcing, and portfolio company support. She assists with system and sector analysis, firm operations, and financial structuring. Sasha serves as a board director at iyris, Claros Technologies, Ambient Photonics, Trashie, and Upflex. Lister Delgado Lister Delgado is Managing Partner and sole owner of IDEA Fund Partners, an early-stage technology fund he co-founded in 2006 and which is now among the most active seed investors in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic. Born in Lima, Peru, he came to the US at 17 speaking no English, worked construction for three years, and went on to earn a ScB in Electrical Engineering from Brown, an MS in Computer Engineering from UT Austin, and an MBA from UNC Chapel Hill. Lister began his career in telecommunications and semiconductors at AT&T Bell Labs and Lucent Technologies, then joined MCNC Ventures, where he designed and launched the NC IDEA grants program, now a key source of seed funding in North Carolina. An early-stage investor and advisor since 2001, he has evaluated thousands of companies and advised hundreds of entrepreneurs. With IFP IV, he is narrowing the fund's geographic focus and backing more diverse founders. Drew Geer Drew Geer is a climate investor with nearly 20 years of experience spanning venture capital, private equity, and clean energy. He previously served as Director of Investments & Innovation at Elemental Impact, Vice President at Carbon Drawdown Collective, and an advisor to Microsoft’s Climate Innovation Fund. Earlier in his career, he led M&A and strategy for private equity-backed companies. Dr. Ashley Rivenbark Dr. Ashley Rivenbark is a scientific writer, project manager, and grant strategist dedicated to accelerating technologies that improve human and environmental health. Over her 10+ years supporting early‑stage innovation, she has managed and submitted more than 250 proposals, including Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)/Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR), Department of Energy (DOE), National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Science Foundation (NSF), European Union (EU)—helping teams secure well over $15 million to advance solutions spanning biotechnology, sustainability, and climate‑relevant research. Ashley has spent two decades strengthening scientific communication for diverse research communities, with deep expertise in editing proposals and manuscripts for scientists. She holds a B.S. in Biological Sciences from NC State University and a Ph.D. in Toxicology from the UNC School of Medicine, where her research centered on cancer epigenetics and environmental drivers of disease. Her postdoctoral fellowship at UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, funded by the American Cancer Society, expanded her work on epigenetic regulation. Ashley is an American Society for Investigative Pathology (ASIP) Excellence in Science Award recipient and has published 25+ scientific works across journals, reviews, and book chapters. Location ​American Underground @ATC 📍 324 Blackwell Street, Bay 9, Durham (map) ​Questions? Learn more about Raleigh-Durham Climate Week plus get answers to your FAQs here: www.raleighdurhamclimateweek.com ​Partners Raleigh-Durham Climate Week is made possible by an Impact Partner Grant from the City of Raleigh.