Please note, this is a Hybrid session meaning you can join us in-person or virtually. If you plan to join in-person, please bring proof of full vaccination. Masks are required unless actively eating or drinking.

Join us for a fireside chat featuring:  

Jessie Garcia, Founder-in-Residence of our current OnRamp cohort and Founder of Tozuda Safety, a concussion awareness solutions company focused on head impact awareness. 

Heath Naquin,Vice President of Government and Capital Engagement at the Science Center and Managing Partner and Co- Founder of International Innovation Associates, a boutique consultancy firm focused with practice areas in Healthcare Innovation, Angel and Venture Capital Fund Creation. 

Do you know—really know—your customer? This is one of the most critical questions for any founder. Jessie Garcia, will share how diving deep into the needs of her customers led her to major pivots including re-envisioning her product and shifting her focus to a new customer segment.  

But once you know your customer, you also need to apply framework to know your investor. Heath Naquin advises that startups go as hard on investor discovery as they do in customer discovery. Sharing his experience both seeking and making investments, Heath will highlight why customizing your investor pitch is the minimum. 

At their core, both customer and investor discovery are about the importance of building relationships and doing the essential homework. We’ll learn how (and how not) to make the most of each opportunity.