Your goals as an entrepreneur are not always clear. They may be centered on making a profit, which means a lot of decisions need to be made on prioritization. But your goals as an entrepreneur should also be centered on building a brand that can deviate from a script, and consider alternatives. 

“Real estate is a relationship business and at a time when most of our relationships exist through screens, it is more important than ever to have a tool that can enhance those interactions.” - @foundersnetwork
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Julie Leonhardt, co-founder and CEO of Vuse, believes that her understanding of the real estate industry, combined with her listening to the pain points of the agents with whom she speaks on a daily basis, has allowed her to create the perfect tool for the agents’ toolkit. Vuse is a mobile platform that enables real estate professionals to create and share captivating, pro-quality videos on the go. Her former life as the COO of Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates, Inc. and the SVP of Affiliate Services and Head of Operations, EMERIA region, for Christie’s International Real Estate, and her partnership with award-winning filmmaker, Leanna Creel, creates the perfect team to build a product that the real estate market really needs right now.  

“Launching in March 2020 was definitely a risk,” Leonhardt explains. “However, once everyone realized that COVID was not going to be a minor blip on our year, my phone and email were blowing up with agents begging for Vuse. Vuse combines my real estate background with my co-founder, Leanna’s, amazing filmmaking acumen to create a product that is uniquely designed for agents. Real estate is a relationship business and at a time when most of our relationships exist through screens, it is more important than ever to have a tool that can enhance those interactions. ”

“Are you able to pivot where the industry is pushing you? That is so key to product nimbleness. You may not be able to find full market fit right away. Some companies may have to do a few degrees shift as the market changes so they…
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Vamshi Gunukula, COO of DirectShifts, didn’t have to search hard to find the opportunity in the global pandemic. His team found itself in the middle of the moment. DirectShifts is a tech-enabled staffing platform that matches clinicians with employers. As the need for qualified medical professionals grew, his team pivoted toward helping hospitals and clinicians source from a variety of locations. They also focused on sourcing more specialties.

“We diversified because we saw the market needed it,” Gunukula said. “We always create our product with a vision to serve certain aspects of the industry. But the industry will push you laterally. Are you able to pivot where the industry is pushing you? That is so key to product nimbleness. You may not be able to find full market fit right away. Some companies may have to do a few degrees shift as the market changes so they find their sweet spot.”

“This was an extension of my passion, but also very much trying to solve a problem. And as it turns out, it was a problem that basically every single traveler in the world has experienced or will experience some time in the future…
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Zephyr Seat is geared toward the air traveler who in this new normal seeks more private space, among other benefits. The Zephyr Seat would allow airlines to provide double-decker. lie-flat seating in a 2-4-2 configuration. CEO Jeffrey O’Neill, a frequent traveler and designer, came up with the idea after seeking a way to get some good sleep on a very long flight from at the economy price point.

“This was an extension of my passion, but also very much trying to solve a problem,” O’Neill shared with allplane.tv. “And as it turns out, it was a problem that basically every single traveler in the world has experienced or will experience some time in the future when they travel again.”

While O’Neill’s idea was born well before the pandemic in 2017, it arrives at the right time,  just travelers would appreciate isolation and social distancing. It’s poised to be a significant disrupter in the travel industry, should airlines adopt it. At this stage, the Zephyr Seat team is still hunting for the first taker. 

Hear more about how these founders are moving their products forward by joining our Product Panel on August 24. Sign up to join us in this FREE event and find out if you qualify for full membership and get insights on:

• How to pivot where the industry is pushing you with product nimbleness
• Why you should sell your meaning, not just your product
• How to extend passion to propose a solution
• Attract the attention of customers through experiences 
• It’s not about products, it’s about unmet needs

You’re a founder with a team, a product, a market and a bit of sales traction. You’re looking to grow — and there are several important steps founders must take to prepare for this stage of the journey. 

That’s according to Rashmi Gopinath, General Partner at B Capital Group. At B Capital Group, Gopinath manages equity investments in venture and growth-stage startups that have achieved customer traction, and shares her insights with Founders Network. 

“At the growth stage, most of the core product and market risks have been de-risked,” she said. “Product-market fit has been identified, sales motion starts to get figured out, the pricing of the product gets defined, and you’re differentiated from other vendors in the landscape.”

If you’re looking to raise a Series B and beyond, register for Rashmi’s growth webinar and see if you qualify for membership to Founders Network and get insights on: 

• Key Growth Milestones
• Hitting Your Metrics
• Staffing for Growth
• Planning Your Expansion
• Identifying Profit Goals

The growth phase

The growth phase comes with differing demands, milestones and expectations. At this stage, investors will scrutinize metrics that paint a picture of efficient and scalable top-line growth: Customer acquisition costs, sales efficiency numbers, burn rate and others come into focus. Prospective investors want to see that you can grow sustainably, and ultimately drive profits. “A typical, healthy SaaS business should be showing gross margins in the mid-70s to high 80s at this point, LTV:CAC ratios of 3 or better, net retention percentages at 120% or better, <12 months to recover CAC,” Gopinath explains. Startup management teams must be able to show a  pathway to profitability. 

“One thing that the current pandemic and market downturns have taught us is that ‘growth at all costs’ is not going to be looked at as favorably anymore.” - @GopinathRashmi
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“One thing that the current pandemic and market downturns have taught us is that ‘growth at all costs’ is not going to be looked at as favorably anymore,” Gopinath says. “Investors want to make sure that companies can show a path to profitability and focus on strong underlying business metrics.” 

“Investors want to make sure that companies can show a path to profitability and focus on strong underlying business metrics.” - @GopinathRashmi
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The team

As your startup evolves, so does your team. And it is very important to have the right leadership in place to steer your business through its next stage of growth. Ideally, your management team includes star performers with specific and relevant experience in high-growth environments. 

“This is the time when founders should think about upgrading their management teams to ensure they are well-staffed with people who have the right experience of scaling and growing companies,” she says. “For example, a head of sales is most likely someone who has had experience in the same or adjacent sector, and has grown sales from $20 million to $200 million+.” Likewise, in other key roles like marketing or product management, having C-level leaders with specific expertise in helping to scale companies will instill more confidence in your ability to execute, and drive smart strategic decisions. 

“Within the core team DNA, it’s a very different skill set that’s needed for growth, so this is a time when the management team starts to evolve.” - @GopinathRashmi
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“Within the core team DNA, it’s a very different skill set that’s needed for growth, so this is a time when the management team starts to evolve as well,” she adds. 

Startup founders must be prepared to make a lot of critical strategic choices at the growth stage as well, and having the right team in place helps to facilitate and guide decision-making on when, where and how to expand. 

During this stage, startup founders and their core team should be planning where the next phase of growth is going to come from, whether through strategic and channel partnerships or otherwise. Important build/buy/partner decisions are made during this stage. Growth strategies can include expansion beyond your core geographies and into new markets like Europe and Asia. It could also mean partnering up with larger enterprises for strategic growth investment, access to different markets, or other valuable business connections. 

“How do you grow and expand from your current customer base? Do you want to expand your business to a new geography, develop a distribution or channel network, launch new products in adjacent spaces, or acquire other companies to drive inorganic growth?” Gopinath says.

“A lot of important decisions come up during this period. A lot of it starts with having best-in-class people on your team, and the right set of investors and advisors.” - @GopinathRashmi
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“There are a lot of important decisions that come up during this period. A lot of it starts with having best-in-class people on your team and the right set of investors and advisors to help navigate through scaling challenges to drive exponential growth.”

For any startup founder, one of the most important skills to master is the art of the pitch. 

A good presentation can unlock deals and many other opportunities. And yet presentation skills are rarely intuitive: A good pitch requires time, knowledge and feedback to master. 

Nancy Hayes, principal at NKH Group, is a management consultant, executive coach and angel investor who also held executive roles at IBM, at nonprofits, and in higher education. Register at Founders Network for Nancy’s full webinar on presenting to angel investors and venture capitalists. 

Join Nancy for actionable advice on: 

• Crafting Your Presentation
• Tailoring Your Pitch
• Building the Perfect Deck
• Making “the Ask”
• How You’ll Be Graded

“Investors want to see a CEO that they can envision being the CEO of the company as it grows, and attracting a team that will be successful in meeting the goals of the company.” - @nancyhayes
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The CEO of the company

Venture capitalists and angel investors want to see someone they can envision being the CEO of the company as it grows, attracting a team that will be successful in meeting the goals of the company, and someone that we can picture being at meetings with for the next seven to 10 years, responding to challenges in the environment. “In fact, most studies of investors have shown that the number one deciding criteria, although there are many important things, is the team and the CEO,” Hayes explains.

“Most studies of investors have shown that the number one deciding criteria, although there are many important things, is the team and the CEO.” - @nancyhayes
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Projecting confidence and an exciting vision for your startup is only one part of the equation. When pitching to angel investors or venture capitalists, it’s critical to understand your audience. There are notable distinctions between the two sets of investors, how their funds work, and what types of startups they tend to be interested in. And startup founders need to tailor their presentations to the environment: a timed meeting to a busy investor, versus a one-on-one meeting, will have distinct limitations and demands. 

“A common mistake is forgetting that the investor is not a potential customer, but is investing in a company,” Hayes says. “Investors are evaluating the risk-reward profile of an investment, not necessarily the specific features of your product,” Hayes adds. 

“A common mistake is forgetting that the investor is not a potential customer, but is investing in a company.” - @nancyhayes
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The pitch deck

Then there’s the pitch deck. Successful pitch decks will contain a few essential elements that reflect what investors are looking for, according to Hayes, and outline your business plan: Your team, the opportunity you’re pursuing, your product and how it fits into the market, traction to date, revenue model, etc. Nancy shares her formula with Founders Network, as well as pitfalls to avoid, such as relying on too much dense text to get your message across. 

Startup founders should also be aware of how they’re being evaluated. Investors are likely to score presenters on a range of criteria that reflect the content of the pitch, the soundness of your product and strategy, and how well you’re likely to execute your business plan. Ultimately, investors are evaluating the potential to get a sizable return on their investments — another reason why confidence, preparation, and knowing what your audience wants are so important.

Revenue-based financing

For some startups, revenue-based financing can be a great way to fund your growth without giving up any ownership of your business or establishing a long-term relationship with an investor. This works best for companies that already have some revenue, but won’t necessarily grow to the scale that a venture capitalist might expect. Revenue-based financing is commonly pursued by enterprise software startups, or companies with a social mission that will generate some revenue, but not enough to get the attention of many investors. 

“Revenue-based financing is a way of getting financing that does not result in permanent ownership transfer of the company, and it works best for companies that have a potential to grow and be profitable.” - @nancyhayes
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“Revenue-based financing is a way of getting financing that does not result in permanent ownership transfer of the company, and it works best for companies that have a potential to grow and be profitable — but are not going to scale large enough to attract an exit of the company,” Hayes explains. “So what resulted from this is the concept of a loan where I give you $10,000, and you hold back a single digit percent of your revenue each year. And then you use that to start paying me back until I’ve reached a predetermined return. Then the relationship is over.”

We can’t wait to see their contributions and successes through Founders Network!

Abhishek Agarwal, founder & CEO of Croudify. Croudify provides various tools to manage your P2P, Real Estate Investing, Small Business Lending, Merchant Advances, Equity investments. They provide a unified marketplace to institutions and retail investors. Abhishek is based in San Francisco, CA.

Ben Dempster, founder & CEO of Nearlist. Nearlist is a mobile-oriented marketing platform where customers and small businesses can connect to establish highly personal and efficient marketing and communication channels. Ben is based in San Francisco, CA.

Cayley Wetzig, founder & CEO of Infinity. Infinity is wearables for women, designed by women. Cayley is based in San Francisco, CA.

Danielle Patton, founder & CEO of Kid Carpool. Kid Carpool matches parents with other parents to ease the pains around finding and scheduling carpools for their kids. DriveLessPlayMore. Danielle is based in San Francisco, CA.

David DeMember, founder of Bassline. Bassline is in stealth mode. David is based in Millbrea, CA.

Gilad Gershoni, co-founder of Amplive. Amplive gives content creators the power to reach an audience in real-time to increase tune-in, engagement, lead generation or conversion. Gilad is based in San Francisco, CA.

Gunnar Counselman, co-founder & CEO of Fidelis. Fidelis is building a well integrated and comprehensive learning platform for fidall types of learning communities be they Universities, Companies, Military Units, Government organizations, or NGOs. Gunnar is based in San Francisco, CA.

Joel Garcia, co-founder & CTO of TidalWave. TidalWave has developed a SaaS and cloud solution allowing users to build business and transactional capabilities with a simple drag & drop. Joel is based in San Francisco, CA.

Landry Ngambia, founder of Huddlon. Huddlon is building a platform to revolutionize the way we create and preserve souvenirs associated with gatherings we organize or attend. Landry is based in San Francisco, CA.

Matthew Ramirez, founder & CEO of WriteLab. WriteLab draws on natural language processing algorithms to analyze your text and give thoughtful responses. Matthew is based in San Francisco, CA.

Naga Surendran, founder & CEO of Liri App. With Liri App, you can be effective on mobile with a unified search across E-mail, Salesforce, Evernote, Asana, Dropbox and more. Naga is based in San Francisco, CA.

Oren Boiman, founder of Magisto. Magisto is an application for Web, iOS and Android that offers users a fun and easy waymag to share their experiences through video. Oren is based in San Francisco, CA.

Tudor Cobalas, co-founder & CEO of SafeDrive.  SafeDrive improves the traffic safety and gets you discounts on products and services you need. Earn points for not using your phone while driving your car. Tudor is based in Amsterdam.

With the addition of the June ’15 Cohort, Founders Network is now more than 500 members strong! You can check out our previous cohorts here. 

We are passionate about combining the rich and diverse experience and perspectives all of our members bring to our peer mentorship community of tech startup founders. Together, we are taking management and personal risk off the table and ensuring mutual success. Stay tuned to Founders Edge for startup updates, tips and lessons learned from each of our new members. To learn more about Founders Network click here.

A big welcome to our March ’15 cohort of tech startup founders!

One of the strengths of Founders Network is the distinctive breadth and depth of experience that our members bring to our community. This month, our newest Founders Network members include backgrounds in education, medicine,  non-profit work, nutrition, and real estate — and a wealth of talent and accomplishments that range from MBAs at Berkeley and Northwestern, with work experience from Google, IBM, Microsoft, and more.

Founders Network is truly a global community, with our newest members joining us from throughout the United States, through Canada, Finland, and Poland.  We welcome our newest 2015 cohort and can’t wait to see their growth and impact in FN!

Emily Baum, CEO and Founder of Keyrious

Keyrious is the first luxury wearables solution that inspires and enables extraordinary experiences. Emily is based in the SF Bay Area, CA.

Chad Fisher, Co-Founder of Content Runner

Content Runner is a marketplace for connecting users and writers for the exchange of unique written content. Chad is based in Seattle, WA.

Alexandra Greenhill, CEO and Cofounder of myBestHelper

myBestHelper works to fundamentally improve how families find help around the home. Alexandra is based in Vancouver, Canada.

Helge Hellberg, CEO and Founder of Organic Media Network

Organic Media Network online publisher of education and entertainment for the lifestyle of health and sustainability. Helge is based in the SF Bay Area, CA.

German Heller, Founder and CEO of 3dar

3dar is an award-winning studio specializing in content creation.

Fahrzin Hemmati, Founder of chain reaction

chain reaction uses advanced algorithms to optimize manufacturing assembly lines. Fahrzin is based in the SF Bay Area, CA.

Timo Kari, Founder of Ostio.

Ostio is a platform for questions and answers, simplified. Timo is based in Finland.

Sebastian Krakowski, CEO and Founder of my.safenetwork

my.safenetwork is an innovative way to turn your home network into a private cloud. Sebastian is based in Poland.

Michael Meram, Founder of VOWD.

VOWD is the world’s first all-in-one collaboration site that links users to crowdsourcing, crowdfunding, and e-commerce. Michael is based in Detroit, MI.

Hubert Palan, Founder and CEO of ProductBoard

ProductBoard is a software-as-a-service platform for strategic product management. Hubert is based in San Francisco, CA.

Robert Reyes, CEO & Founder of M-Novation, Shouteri

Shouteri, a media startup currently in stealth mode. Robert is based in Texas.

Wojciech Sobczuk, Founder & CEO DynaDo

DynaDo is a comprehensive solution for team management, communication and productivity platform for doing business better. Wojciech is based in Poland.

Jason Wiener, Founder of GraphFM

GraphFM is a platform to raise developers abilities to the next level. Jason is based in San Francisco, CA.

With the addition of the March ’15 Cohort, Founders Network is now more than 500 members strong! You can visit our previous cohorts, here. 

We are passionate about combining the rich and diverse experience and perspectives all of our members bring to our peer mentorship community of tech startup founders. Together, we are taking management and personal risk off the table and ensuring mutual success. Stay tuned to Founders Edge for startup updates, tips and lessons learned from each of our new members. To learn more about Founders Network click here.

We are proud to introduce our February ’15 cohort of tech startup founders!

Our newest members join Founders Network with backgrounds in a diverse number of fields — from food, to fitness, software engineering, and e-commerce. Among our 13 newest members, we welcome a Yale MBA, a professor of entrepreneurship, as well as founders with previous work experience at SanDisk, Texas Instruments, and Yahoo. These founders join with decades of tech startup experience, representing tech hubs in London, New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.  We welcome this second cohort of 2015 and can’t wait to see their growth and impact in FN!

David Calabrese, Founder of Healthy Cheats.

Healthy Cheats specializes in providing expertly-curated, great tasting (and nutritious) snacks at reasonable prices. David is based in San Francisco, CA.

Holly Cardew, Founder and CEO of Pixc.

Pixc provides a quick, efficient way to have retail-ready photos for use in less than 24 hours. Holly is based in San Francisco, CA.

Maria Fernandez Guajardo, Co-Founder and CEO of Magnetic Will, Inc.

Magnetic Will helps turn an exercise goal, into a lifelong habit. Maria is based in Silicon Valley.

Kevin Hailstock, Founder of Insightful Art, Inc.

Insightful Art offers an interactive website that helps you discover and create your own personalized art style. Kevin is based in New York City, NY.

Jay Hung, Founder of Mixture Labs

Mixture Labs — parent company for Bevvy — is a data-and-socially-driven online recipe platform for libations, and a community for imbibers. Jay is based in San Francisco, CA.

Han Jin, Founder and CEO of Lucid VR

Lucid VR brings to VR not only the world’s first portable double ultra-wide lens, 3D HD camera, but also an online portal to share your world: GoPro meets virtual reality. Han is based in London, UK.

Jake Risman, COO of Power Supply.

Power Supply provides table-ready, yawn-free meals crafted by local chefs and delivered weekly. Jeff is based in Washington DC.

Joshua Kriger, Co-Founder of Power Supply.

Power Supply provides table-ready, yawn-free meals crafted by local chefs and delivered weekly. Jeff is based in Washington DC.

Niles Lichtenstein, CEO / Co-Founder of The History Project.

The History Project is a multi-media platform that gives individuals and organizations a simple and powerful way to capture, build, and experience their history. Niles is based in San Francisco, CA.

Pat Santora, Application/Systems Architect of Swaddo.

Swaddo is a mobile device app that empowers parents and caregivers of infants and toddlers by enhancing communication. Pat is based in San Francisco, CA.

Maurizio Tripi, Founder & CEO of Real Contacts, Inc.

Real Contacts is the first mobile app that helps users understand the value and dynamics of their real life relationships, and bridges a gap between merely connecting on social networks and creating meaningful real life relationships. Maurizio is based in San Francisco, CA.

Tanya Troshyna, Curbsidr.

Curbsidr is a United States-based company developing a mobile application to find, buy, and deliver gourmet products to companies, curbside. Tanya is based in San Francisco, CA.

Daniel Uyemura, Founder of Push Press.

Push Press PushPress provides robust, simple, and elegant recurring billing and membership management solutions. Services the niche industry of fitness. Daniel is based in Los Angeles, CA.

With the addition of the February ’15 Cohort, Founders Network is now more than 500 members strong! We are excited about the deep and diverse experience sets and perspectives each new member brings to our peer mentorship community of tech startup founders. Together we are taking management and personal risk off the table and ensuring mutual success. Stay tuned to Founders Edge for startup updates, tips and lessons learned from each of our new members. To learn more about Founders Network click here.

Arun Agrahri, Co-Founder and CTO of Airseed. Airseed is a platform that provides consumer data focused tools, analytics, and intelligence. Arun is based in San Francisco, CA.

Mark Anderson, Founder of Verse Buy Verse. Verse Buy Verse is a publishing startup in stealth mode. Mark is based in Los Angeles, CA.

Jose Batalla, Founder of Eazylingo. Eazylingo is a hybrid online and traditional language center that combines an effective teaching method with a user-friendly platform. Jose is based in San Francisco, CA.

Chandra DeKeyser, Co-Founder and CEO of MoodMe. MoodMe allows users to create living emoticons with their faces. Chandra is based in Palo Alto, CA.

Rafael Jimenez, Founder and CEO of Seenapse. Seenapse is a search engine for creative people who are looking for non-obvious, divergent results to spark ideas. Rafael is based in Mexico City, Mexico.

Tobi Kornwasser, Founder of MicroDynamics. MicroDynamics is a technology company with deep expertise implementing business process analysis and BPM solutions. Tobi is based in Melbourne, Australia.

David Plonsky, Founder of MyStandby. MyStandby is in stealth mode. David is based in New York, NY.

Raj Ray, Founder of VIP Bidding. VIP Bidding connects people making last minute plans with popular night clubs in Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Raj is based in Chicago, IL.

Rachael Rusting, Founder and CEO of Kesetodo Inc. Kesetodo Inc. is in stealth mode. Rachael is based in San Francisco, CA.

Roberto Scaccia, Founder and CEO of VeebProject. Veeb aims to change the way people communicate around the world using a collective visual vocabulary. Roberto is based in San Francisco, CA.

Alex Tang, Founder of Gruv Music. Gruv Music is bringing social music creation to everyone. Alex is based in the Silicon Valley.

With the addition of the December ’14 Cohort, Founders Network is now more than 500 members strong! We are excited about the deep and diverse experience sets and perspectives each new member brings to our peer mentorship community of tech startup founders. Together we are taking management and personal risk off the table and ensuring mutual success. Stay tuned to Founders Edge for startup updates, tips and lessons learned from each of our new members. To learn more about Founders Network click here.

Nitin Pachisia announces Unshackled, a new $3.5M early stage fund (via Jordan Crook, TechCrunch). Unshackled is an innovative way of seeding startups by hiring founders on payroll, including those on visas.

Jay DeDapper, Founder of Buzztala announces the general availability of its Organic Video Ad Network (via PRWeb). Buzztala is reinventing paid search for retailers and brands with stackable, searchable, tasty short video product review summaries.

William Li announces that Knightscope will have 10 robots deployed by the end of the fiscal year (Mashable). Knightscope is developing technology that will predict and prevent crime utilizing autonomous technology, robotics and predictive analytics.

Jeremy Almond announces that PayStand is partnering with the Santa Cruz Warriors (via PRWeb). PayStand makes it simple for anyone to sell or receive money online – directly on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Blogs or any Website.

Jesse Maddox announces that TripLingo is partnering with Travizon Inc (via PRWeb). TripLingo develops mobile applications that help international travelers translate various languages.

Shannon Ong announces the launch of The Catch (via Jessica Nemire, SF Weekly). The Catch is a playful online dating game.

Founders Network offers peer mentorship for over 500 tech startup founders. If you are interested in learning more about our approval process, please click here.

Check out Founders Network members making tech startup news headlines in this week’s member news roundup. Founders Network offers peer mentorship for over 500 tech startup founders. To learn more about FN, please visit www.foundersnetwork.com

Miguel Amaro‘s Startup UniPlaces raises $3.5M in Series A funding (via Natasha Lomas, TechCrunch). UniPlaces is the fastest-growing international website for booking student accommodations online.

Michael Meinhardt, Founder of Cloudwords announces they are the 1st marketing globalization platform to integrate with Oracle Marketing Cloud (via Marketwired). Cloudwords accelerates content globalization at scale, dramatically reducing the cost, complexity and turnaround time required for the localization of all marketing content.

Stacy Chapman, Founder of SwoopTalent announces a strategic partnership with TalentCircles (via PRWeb). SwoopTalent is a subscription based sourcing platform which semantically searches a range of social platforms to identify, match and rank quality passive candidates for recruiters, and then uses the social networks of employees to connect, reference check and refer these candidates for faster, more effective hiring.

Taylor Umphreys, Founder of Zuli announces that they have simplified the smart home (via Michael Brown, PC Advisor). Zuli is creating a brand new experience for the home, in which the home adapts to who you are, what room you’re in, and what your preferences are to make you more comfortable and energy efficient.

Alec Matias‘ startup Pawzii wins the Edg3 Fund competition (via Kitsapsun Peninsula Business Journal). Pawzii is on a pet-focused mission to rescue the lost, rehabilitate the injured, and rehome the abandoned.

If you are interested in learning more about our approval process, please click here.

Check out Founders Network members making tech startup news headlines in this week’s member news roundup. Founders Network offers peer mentorship for over 500 tech startup founders. To learn more about FN, please visit www.foundersnetwork.com

Ioannis Verdelis, Founder of Fleksy announces it is the new keyboard to add on iOS 8 (via Natasha Lomas, Tech Crunch). Fleksy is the fastest keyboard in the world.

Jeremy Almond‘s startup PayStand releases an API that provides all-in-one checkout and payment process for Bitcoin, eCheck and credit cards (via PRWeb). PayStand is a next generation payment & eCommerce checkout system that enables any organization to receive money in their Website, Social Network, or Web Application without transaction costs.

Phoenix Gonzalez, Founder of Dotstudioz announces the launch of dotstudioPRO (via Broadcasting & Cable). Dotstudioz is an entertainment technology company that provides digital media professionals access to innovative tools and technologies that empower them to create successful business models in the emerging new media space, at affordable rates.

Alex Wolf‘s startup Na2ure announces their game Ani-gram-it made Dr Toy’s 10 Best Games for 2014. Na2ure is a NYC EdTech startup out to change the way that children learn about science through elegantly designed and intuitive games.

If you are interested in learning more about our approval process, please click here.