Sbur’s proprietary AI-powered technology platform enables members to identify and bring together fellow entrepreneurs with the most relevant expertise and experiences. We share insights, seek guidance, and make introductions.
Sbur Founders’ Office Hours: Unblock Your Venture & Tour Sbur
Hosted by Varnit Khanna, Co-Founder • Sbur
Virtual Get-TogetherRSVP to see the link
Building a company shouldn’t be a solo sport. Join us for an open, unscripted Office Hours session designed exclusively for founders.
Whether you’re a prospective member curious about how Sbur can support your journey, or a current member looking to tap into the collective brainpower of the community, this space is for you. Drop in with your sharpest questions or current bottlenecks—from pitch feedback and fundraising sanity checks to GTM strategies, early hiring, and navigating product-market fit.
Come ready to get real answers, meet fellow founders, and see how Sbur operates behind the scenes.
Your newest machine is only as good as the person running it, and right now, that person may not exist.
Every Massachusetts shop I talk to says the same thing: the orders are there, the equipment is there, but the skilled operators aren't. We can keep competing for the same shrinking pool of talent, or we can solve this together.
That's why Accumet is joining Sbur and MassMEP to host a candid, CEO-to-CEO virtual conversation on practical solutions to the skilled labor shortage. There will be no sales pitches, just manufacturers sharing what's working, what isn't, and what we can build together.
You'll walk away with:
* Recruiting strategies for reaching untapped talent pools
* In-house training and apprenticeship models that shorten time to productivity
* Retention practices that keep skilled operators from leaving
* Ways to partner with MassMEP, schools, and workforce programs
* A network of peer CEOs tackling the same challenge
Who should attend: CEOs, owners, presidents, and operations leaders of Massachusetts manufacturing companies, especially those running machining, fabrication, or production operations.
Stronger Together: A Local Manufacturers' Collaboration Roundtable
Hosted by Helen Fang, CEO • Acclaro Corporation
RSVP to see the addressBoston
What if the partner who could double your capacity is already down the road, and you've never met?
We've seen how supply shocks, tariffs and workforce shortages hit hardest when companies go it alone. With our co-hosts Sbur, MassMEP and Synergy, we're inviting local manufacturers to collaborate, explore forming a consortium and do more business together.
Featured case study: Shlomo Assa and Helen Fang, Co-Founders of Acclaro will compare Candela's outsourced manufacturing model following its private-equity acquisition with Acclaro's all-U.S. manufacturing and sourcing for its skin treatment equipment. They will share the long-term advantages of going domestic: continuous cost reductions, faster and on-time delivery, stronger negotiating power on pricing, and a price premium from selling Made in USA equipment in 60 countries. Jeff Smith, a serial entrepreneur and manufacturer turned investor, will also share his perspectives, as his current limited partners are major Japanese manufacturers.
What you'll take away:
* Trusted connections: meet nearby manufacturers and robotics companies to buy from, sell to and partner with.
* A path to a consortium: how a local manufacturing alliance could be organized.
* Bigger opportunities: team up on contracts none of us could win alone.
* The domestic advantage: a real-world business case for Made in USA.
* Shared answers: swap ideas on workforce, automation and supply-chain risk.
Who should attend: Owners and C-suite leaders of manufacturing, robotics and AI companies.
Two Founders. Two ground breaking discoveries and innovations. Sbur, MassMEP, Synergy Boston, and Venture Cafe are excited to feature two trailblazer founders at Center of Excellence for Manufacturing, Robotics, and AI.Two Founders. Two ground breaking discoveries and innovations. Sbur, MassMEP, Synergy Boston, and Venture Cafe are excited to feature two trailblazer founders at Center of Excellence for Manufacturing, Robotics, and AI.
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Most founders think government contracts are only for defense primes. They're wrong.
Here's a fact worth sitting with: M&M's first customer was reportedly the U.S. government, which bought the candy-shell chocolate for military rations before it became the snack aisle icon it is today. Dual-use tec...Most founders think government contracts are only for defense primes. They're wrong.
Here's a fact worth sitting with: M&M's first customer was reportedly the U.S. government, which bought the candy-shell chocolate for military rations before it became the snack aisle icon it is today. Dual-use technology has always been bigger than people assume.
That's the thesis behind J2 Ventures, a Boston-based investor backing early-stage companies whose technology serves both commercial and national-security markets, bringing deep government and defense relationships that help portfolio companies win federal customers and secure non-dilutive funding.
That was the spirit of our latest roundtable, hosted by Jonathan Bronson, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at J2 Ventures, with RISE® Robotics’ Co-Founder Kyle Dell'Aquila. RISE builds at the intersection of robotics and defense: their SuperJammer robotic arm has reportedly lifted over 7,000 pounds, and their Beltdraulic platform replaces hydraulics with electric actuation. The government was among their first customers too.
Key takeaways for founders:
→ Solve the problem first — don't lead with your tech, lead with their pain point
→ The Air Force is often the best entry point for new technology
→ Simplify your message — sponsors and military buyers don't have time to decode jargon
→ SBIR funding pairs with a military proof point (~30% win rate); STTR (~70% win rate) buys you a real conversation
→ Three phases: find your fit → build a prototype → land the production contract
→ Pricing is typically cost-plus-markup
→ A Letter of Intent from the military is a milestone worth fighting for
→ Relationships and sponsors matter more than almost anything else
→ If you can be the prime contractor, be the prime — selling components alone is a fool's errand
→ You keep IP rights to sell into the private sector later
One-line summary: Treat the military as an R&D partner and relationship-first customer — not a bureaucracy to survive.
This Roundtable Series is organized by the Center of Excellence for Manufacturing, Robotics, and AI (“The Center”). The Center was founded by Sbur in partnership with MassMEP (Kathie Mahoney and Kristy Grignon). Special Thank-You to Kevin Marsh, Synergy, Matthew Leighton, Salem Five Bank, and Benjamin Howe, Foley Hoag LLP for the wonderful support.
This is part of an ongoing series where members of The Center share the tools and hard-won lessons driving real results on the shop floor. Sbur is an 850+ founders/builders’ community with 250+ founders Peer-to-Peer advisory sessions. MassMEP is a 30+ years old non-profit organization having helped thousands of local manufacturers to adopt new technologies and train their workforce.
For future sessions at Center of Excellence for Manufacturing, Robotics, and AI and for Sbur’s Free office hours, in-person, or virtual, or hybrid in-person or virtual meetings for various industry groups, go to www.sbur.com.
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Want to come and see how robotics, manufacturing, and AI come together, setting a Guinness world record? And mingle with movers and shakers of the field? Spot your next business opportunities with CEO decision makers? https://luma.com/sbur-xgqnWant to come and see how robotics, manufacturing, and AI come together, setting a Guinness world record? And mingle with movers and shakers of the field? Spot your next business opportunities with CEO decision makers? https://luma.com/sbur-xgqn
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
What happens when a founder who helped build a $565M exit sits down with other founders to talk shop?
You get the kind of unfiltered, high-signal conversation that doesn't happen in pitch meetings or panel discussions. It happens in a room built for smart decision making.What happens when a founder who helped build a $565M exit sits down with other founders to talk shop?
You get the kind of unfiltered, high-signal conversation that doesn't happen in pitch meetings or panel discussions. It happens in a room built for smart decision making.
That's exactly what took place at Sbur's Decision Lounge, hosted in partnership with Kevin Marsh of Synergy, where Palle Pedersen, Founder of The London Fund, and an investor and serial entrepreneur with numerous exits, such as Black Duck Software (acquired by Synopsys for $565M), led a Roundtable with our peer group.
The conversation ranged wide:
- Why entry-level jobs in law and coding have quietly disappeared — and what that means for the next generation of talent
- Companies rehiring, but using the moment to upgrade talent quality
Whether AI pricing holds once subsidies fade
- Investing in AI companies vs. AI products — and why most AI startups (outside the core labs like OpenAI and Claude) should be judged by their product, not their model
- The wildly different views founders hold on what a "reasonable" AI token budget per employee looks like
One-sentence takeaway: As AI reshapes hiring, pricing, and what counts as a defensible business, founders who reason clearly — instead of following hype — will make the better bets.
This is the value of being in the room. Sbur brings together 800+ founders and 240+ peer advisory roundtables built for exactly this kind of thinking.
Want in? If you are a builder, head to www.sbur.com for a free pass to office hours, in-person meetings, and virtual founder get-togethers.
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
90%+ of Pre-seed investments is done in SAFE. What can still trip up a Founder with SAFE. The article is based on discussions among Sbur founders and investors.90%+ of Pre-seed investments is done in SAFE. What can still trip up a Founder with SAFE. The article is based on discussions among Sbur founders and investors.
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
If you're a manufacturer, a builder or an investor, you're invited to join us on September 11, to learn about selling to the Government and discover opportunities to do business with one other.If you're a manufacturer, a builder or an investor, you're invited to join us on September 11, to learn about selling to the Government and discover opportunities to do business with one other.
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Most founders spend countless hours refining their pitch. Far fewer understand what happens on the other side of the table.
Recently at Sbur, a community of 750+ founders and 230+ peer-to-peer advisory roundtables, we sat down with Utsarga (Tito) A. (EOS Most founders spend countless hours refining their pitch. Far fewer understand what happens on the other side of the table.
Recently at Sbur, a community of 750+ founders and 230+ peer-to-peer advisory roundtables, we sat down with Utsarga (Tito) A. (EOS
EOS BioInnovation), Mona Chopra (Startup Angel Bazzar),
Rahul Singh (TiE Boston) to unpack how investors actually make decisions.
The goal behind these conversations is always the same: helping founders get to smarter decision making, whether they're raising capital or figuring out who to raise it from.
Key takeaways:
- Conviction is rarely built in one meeting. It's earned through a series of interactions, observations, and conversations over time.
- Investors evaluate more than the deck. They're watching how founders think strategically, take feedback, execute, and build trust.
- Fundraising isn't one-size-fits-all. Understanding an investor's thesis, portfolio, and focus areas before reaching out leads to stronger conversations and longer-term relationships.
In one sentence: funding follows conviction, and conviction is built through consistent, thoughtful engagement — not a single great pitch.
This session was part of Sbur Decision Lounge, held in partnership with Kevin Marsh of Synergy, where we bring founders and investors together to practice exactly this kind of smart decision making.
Want in on the next one? Head to www.sbur for free passes to our office hours, in-person meetings, and virtual get-togethers with fellow founders and investors.
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
At some point, every CEO was a first-time CEO.
That line came up during a recent Sbur founder roundtable — and it's stuck with everyone in the room since. Ben Pope, PhD, CEO/Founder, MelliCell, Inc., led a BioTech Founder and Investor Roundtable discussion at Sbur Decision Lounge @Synergy (Kevin Ma...At some point, every CEO was a first-time CEO.
That line came up during a recent Sbur founder roundtable — and it's stuck with everyone in the room since. Ben Pope, PhD, CEO/Founder, MelliCell, Inc., led a BioTech Founder and Investor Roundtable discussion at Sbur Decision Lounge @Synergy (Kevin Marsh).
If you're building a biotech company, here's what founders who've navigated Tier 1 VC skepticism, capital intensity, and multi-year timelines learned about getting from "interesting" to "funded."
Sbur Decision Lounge is a peer network of 780+ founders, including 230+ who meet regularly in small, peer-to-peer advisory roundtables to work through decisions exactly like this one.
Takeaways from this session:
- Tier 1 VC brand brings credibility — but conviction usually follows traction, not the reverse.
- Two paths to preclinical validation: "wait for the right moment" (incubate through university tech transfer until VCs commit) vs. "make it happen" (chase early believers, strategics, grants, advocacy groups).
- Early checks ($25K–$1M via SAFE/convertible) come with tradeoffs — some founders skipped friends and family to protect relationships; others regretted not letting them in when it worked out.
- Across the board: keep the cap table simple, get creative with capital efficiency, and let focused execution of real milestones matter more than whose name is on the round.
Sbur's Free passes are open — office hours, in-person meetups, virtual get-togethers with fellow founders and investors. Claim yours at www.sbur.com.
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
When should a founder pivot?
Every founder hits this moment: staring at the data, wondering if the market is telling you to change course, or just testing your conviction. The hard part isn't the decision. It's knowing which signal to trust.When should a founder pivot?
Every founder hits this moment: staring at the data, wondering if the market is telling you to change course, or just testing your conviction. The hard part isn't the decision. It's knowing which signal to trust.
This week at Sbur Decision Lounge (Matthew C. Phillips, Sbur; Kevin Marsh, Synergy; Daniel Guthorn, Pilot.com)
Ryan Bullard, Founder of Kandir, opened up about the pivot that reshaped his company, what the early signals looked like, what held him back, and the moment he realized standing still had become the bigger risk.
The room ran with it. Founders traded stories of pivots made, pivots avoided, and the constant pull between listening to customers and staying loyal to a long-term vision.
One line stuck: the market is always giving feedback, but not every signal deserves action. Knowing which ones to trust, and when to trust yourself instead, is one of the hardest skills a founder builds.
Key takeaways for founders:
→ Not every customer signal is a call to action, learn to separate noise from direction
→ The risk of inaction can outweigh the risk of change
→ Conviction and stubbornness look identical from the outside, know the difference
→ Pivots are rarely sudden, they're the result of signals you chose to ignore for too long
This is what Sbur is built for: helping founders make smarter decisions through real conversations with people who've lived it. Our community has grown to 780+ founders and 230+ peer-to-peer advisory roundtables, built on the same principle that shaped this one: smart decision making happens in the room, not alone at your desk.
Want in on the next conversation? Head to www.sbur.com for free passes to office hours, in-person meetups, and virtual founder get-togethers.
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Most founders think AI is a growth lever. Our roundtable of founders found something messier.
Last week, a group of founders sat down to talk honestly about AI in their businesses. What came out of it: real caution. Security and confidentiality concerns. Doubts about accuracy and reliability. The h...Most founders think AI is a growth lever. Our roundtable of founders found something messier.
Last week, a group of founders sat down to talk honestly about AI in their businesses. What came out of it: real caution. Security and confidentiality concerns. Doubts about accuracy and reliability. The hard truth that "bringing in AI" often means bringing organizational change nobody asked for.
That tension between AI's promise and the discipline it takes to adopt it well is exactly why these conversations matter. The goal is smart decision making knowing which bets are worth making, and which aren't, for your business specifically.
Founders walked away with:
- Ways to reduce burn rate using AI-driven efficiencies
- Approaches to accelerate product development cycles
- How to augment existing products/services — especially for teams whose offering isn't AI-native
- Practical use cases for AI agents in media, customer service, operations, and finance
This conversation happened inside Sbur, a peer-to-peer advisory community of 780+ founders, self-hosting 230+ roundtables built for exactly this kind of candid, high-trust exchange.
This roundtable is organized by Jack Boyles, a CFO, Restful, and a serial entrepreneur. Sbur wants to thank Venture Café Cambridge
for its support – Nathan Plummer, Alexander Cheung, Tricia Bitetto in particular.
If you're a founder trying to figure out where AI genuinely fits in your business (and where it doesn't), come talk it through with people in the same seat.
Sbur offers Free Passes for office hours, in-person meetups, and virtual get-togethers for founders. Learn more at www.sbur.com
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Software margins are dead. While the tech industry has spent the last two years screaming that artificial intelligence is table stakes for survival, the reality is that it drastically lowers the cost to create software while exponentially multiplying the cost to run it.
Sbur community of founders a...Software margins are dead. While the tech industry has spent the last two years screaming that artificial intelligence is table stakes for survival, the reality is that it drastically lowers the cost to create software while exponentially multiplying the cost to run it.
Sbur community of founders and builders gained great insights into what’s coming with an avalanche of startups and products in AI. Thank you again: Hope Hopkins, New England Venture Capital Association; Sean M., Eastward Capital; Carl Albrecht Becker, Schooner Capital; Matt Snow, MassVentures; Daniel Carbonero, PhD, PsyMed Ventures, and Kevin Marsh, Synergy, Co-host with Sbur.
The next wave of massive failures won't stem from a lack of product-market fit. It will come from growth-stage companies burning through their entire annual operational budget in a single quarter on token costs alone. If your business model relies entirely on a superficial AI wrapper, you don't own a high-margin software business—you have a leaky bucket.
A panel of investors confirmed a major shift away from simple momentum trades. True capital efficiency isn't about having a flashy frontier model story. It is about building highly defensible go-to-market strategies that protect your business from immediate copycats.
A sophisticated investor can tell instantly when you have jammed AI into a pitch just to stay in vogue. Build the exact tech stack you need to solve the core problem, even if it is just a simple script running on a background server and prioritize unit economics over market hype.
Agree or disagree that the era of the automated 80% software margin is officially over? Let’s debate it in the comments.
To participate virtual or in-person discussions like this, RSVP on www.sbur.com.
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Founders and Investors: Solve, Connect, and Celebrate!Founders and Investors: Solve, Connect, and Celebrate!
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Your product isn't the problem. Your distribution is.
That was the topic Mo Saeed, founder of CleoHR, led last week at a Sbur + Venture Café Cambridge (Nathan Plummer, Alexander Cheung, and Tricia Bitetto - Thank you guys!) Roundtable and it hit a nerve in the room.Your product isn't the problem. Your distribution is.
That was the topic Mo Saeed, founder of CleoHR, led last week at a Sbur + Venture Café Cambridge (Nathan Plummer, Alexander Cheung, and Tricia Bitetto - Thank you guys!) Roundtable and it hit a nerve in the room.
Here's where CleoHR stands: the product is done. The hard part now is getting in front of the right customers and building partnerships that scale. Mo Saeed is a serial entrepreneur and a member of Sbur.
The room worked through three questions every founder should be asking:
→ Awareness — how do customers even find you?
→ Trust — once they find you, do they believe you?
→ Virality — will they use it, and tell someone else?
The punchline: sharing can't be a feature bolted on later. It must be built into the product itself.
That's why CleoHR designed the Work Passport to be worker-owned. Every candidate who earns one has a reason to bring it, and share it, with their next employer. The distribution loop is the product.
Great room, sharp questions, and a reminder that founders spend too much time perfecting the product and not enough time engineering how it spreads.
This is exactly the kind of smart decision making Sbur exists to support. Sbur is a community of 750+ founders who have self-organized 230+ peer-to-peer advisory board meetings, where founders pressure-test decisions like this one together.
Free office hours online, in-person meetups, and virtual founder get-togethers at www.sbur.com.
#Distribution #Startups #FutureOfWork #FrontlineHiring
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Think crowdfunding is just a negative selection bias reserved for startups that can't secure traditional institutional capital? Tell that to the founders building real, fully autonomous physical technology in the suburbs while VCs sip espresso in city cafes.
Wealthy institutional investors often li...Think crowdfunding is just a negative selection bias reserved for startups that can't secure traditional institutional capital? Tell that to the founders building real, fully autonomous physical technology in the suburbs while VCs sip espresso in city cafes.
Wealthy institutional investors often live in an insular urban bubble where they don't experience everyday consumer frustrations, such as the fact that 30% of drive-through customers will simply drive away if the line looks too long. The crowd doesn't suffer from that bias. Everyday people live these exact pain points daily and are eager to buy skin in the game.
Rob Whitten and Jane Lo and the team at p!ng shared how they ignored traditional fundraising advice, pressure-tested their robotic concept through hundreds of direct community questions, and raised $600K directly from their customer base on WeFunder.
Choosing this path isn't the easy way out. Regulation Crowdfunding requires intense financial scrutiny, transparent auditing, and public compliance. This rigorous process actually prepares a founding team for major growth rounds.
Are you building a consumer or deep-tech product that traditional VCs just don't seem to get?
Join us in our in-person (Sbur in partnership with Kevin Marsh, Synergy) or virtual Roundtable discussions among fellow founders and investors at Sbur's (www.sbur.com) upcoming founder and investor roundtable discussions.
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Stop trying to raise money with nothing but a dream and a pitch deck. If you spend five months pitching every venture capitalist who answers the phone with an unproven idea, you aren’t fundraising—you’re just participating in a time-vampire dating game.
The fastest way to turn an investor's hesitat...Stop trying to raise money with nothing but a dream and a pitch deck. If you spend five months pitching every venture capitalist who answers the phone with an unproven idea, you aren’t fundraising—you’re just participating in a time-vampire dating game.
The fastest way to turn an investor's hesitation into a firm commitment isn't a better slide deck. It is a tangible proof of concept built with your own grit. When you stop talking and start actively building, the market notices, because velocity and execution momentum are the only metrics that truly matter.
The co-founders of p!ng (Rob Whitten and Jane Lo ☕️ Lo) openly admitted they wasted months on a text-heavy, generic pitch deck early on. The true turning point came when they risked $160K of their own funds to bootstrap a physical prototype, proved the customer touchpoints, and brought early skeptics back to the table. Tapping angel investors and crowdfunding sources, P!ng has now raised over one million dollars.
Stop waiting for a walking checkbook to legitimize your vision. Use cash, equity partnerships, and raw tenacity to take your technology out of the lab and into the active theater of operations.
What’s the single biggest milestone holding you back from bootstrapping your prototype today?
Let me know in the comments, and let's connect you with the right builders in our ecosystem at our next in-person peer-to-peer or virtual advisory sessions at Sbur in partnership with Synergy (Kevin Marsh).
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
10 Traps for a Priced Round That Can Quietly Wreck a Startup: What every founder should read before signing a term sheet.
Here's an uncomfortable truth: most founders don't get burned by a bad valuation. They get burned by a clause they never really understood, buried on page 14 of a document they ...10 Traps for a Priced Round That Can Quietly Wreck a Startup: What every founder should read before signing a term sheet.
Here's an uncomfortable truth: most founders don't get burned by a bad valuation. They get burned by a clause they never really understood, buried on page 14 of a document they skimmed the night before closing. This can happen first in the Seed and Series A round, setting the tone for later rounds.
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Leading institutional investors pulled back the curtain on the reality of founders’ cold outreach at a recent Founders Decision House Roundtable at Sbur.
A big Thank-You to: Hope Hopkins, New England Venture Capital Association; Sean M. MacDougall, EASTWARD CAPITAL PARTNERS, LLC; Carl Albrecht Beck...Leading institutional investors pulled back the curtain on the reality of founders’ cold outreach at a recent Founders Decision House Roundtable at Sbur.
A big Thank-You to: Hope Hopkins, New England Venture Capital Association; Sean M. MacDougall, EASTWARD CAPITAL PARTNERS, LLC; Carl Albrecht Becker, Schooner Capital; Matt Snow, MassVentures; Daniel Carbonero, PhD, PsyMed Ventures, and Kevin Marsh, Synergy, sponsor and partner with Sbur.
The investors confirmed that their tools have already been deployed to verify the genius of an entrepreneur before a conversation is active, rather than fishing for diamonds in a massive pile of cold inbound pitches.
Stop wasting your time trying to make your pitch deck look pretty for a venture capitalist. The truth is that the leading investors spend little time looking at your inbound materials. They are quietly tracking your updates and digital footprint online before you ever reach out.
The real game in capital raising isn't about launching a massive cold email blast. Top deep-tech and generalist funds are leveraging AI-driven sourcing tools to monitor founders, identify key triggers, and catch high-potential startups and founders before they formally announce.
If you are burning hours customizing general text for broad distribution, you are completely missing the strategic target. Instead of relying on generic problem statements like pointing out that there is too much carbon in the atmosphere, refine your thesis so deeply that a specialist fund sees exactly what no one else is thinking about. Let your execution and network effects do the heavy lifting.
Want to know the exact digital triggers that get an associate's attention before you even launch? Drop a comment below or join us on July 31. https://luma.com/sbur-ryqh
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
How to access pre-seed capital for your venture and weigh your options.How to access pre-seed capital for your venture and weigh your options.
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
As we celebrate July 4th, marking our nation’s birth from a fearless struggle for independence, we should also recognize the Founding Fathers’ remarkable interdependence. For example, Benjamin Franklin skillfully secured French support, which was crucial to America’s success.
The same principle app...As we celebrate July 4th, marking our nation’s birth from a fearless struggle for independence, we should also recognize the Founding Fathers’ remarkable interdependence. For example, Benjamin Franklin skillfully secured French support, which was crucial to America’s success.
The same principle applies to entrepreneurship. Founders must balance innovative and independent vision with resource acquisition (interdependence), such as raising capital.
On the capital front, Sbur is here to help this July 17th. If you’re a founder building your own product, join us on July 17th at the Sbur Decision House Grand Opening.
You'll have the opportunity to participate in multiple sessions with investors and fellow founders who have successfully raised funds.
Here’s a partial list:
New England Venture Capital Association
Eastward Capital
Schooner Capital
MassVentures
Longwood Ventures
P!ng (raised through a combination of angel and crowd funding)
We also offer several other valuable resources, including one-on-one mentoring from experienced entrepreneurs and experts.
All sessions will conclude with networking, celebration, food and drinks, and live music performed by fellow Sbur founders.
July 17th promises to be packed with value and fun. We look forward to seeing you there. RSVP https://luma.com/sbur-troy
Happy 4th!
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
It puzzles me deeply.
As I’m trekking the undulating path on the cliff’s edge at Santorini, Greece, the famous words of Heraclitus (540 BCE – 480 BCE), the Greek philosopher, ring in my ears.It puzzles me deeply.
As I’m trekking the undulating path on the cliff’s edge at Santorini, Greece, the famous words of Heraclitus (540 BCE – 480 BCE), the Greek philosopher, ring in my ears.
“The way up and way down is one and the same.”
Can this imply that in nature, life, and entrepreneurship, the beauty, happiness, and success are the same as unsightliness, despair, and catastrophe?
Entrepreneurship is a journey of ups and downs. The survival, near-ruin, optimism, and paranoia create constant highs and lows. How can they be the same?
The cliff trek is taking me onto cobblestone streets through villages, the Cycladic stairs, and rugged terrains full of volcanic gravel and jagged rocks.
The breathtaking views ahead and to my left shift from the large, black active volcanic island to the smaller one next to it. I’m looking straight down the steep inner cliffs of the caldera.
The path then leaves behind the volcanic islands and ushers in the entire crescent-shaped curve of the cliffs wrapping around the sea. The ocean and sky have now merged into one deep blue.
The caldera world of five islands below me has not changed, though my vista is shifting, as I trek along.
Interestingly, the volcano eruption some 3,500 years ago at Santorini created only three islands and another eruption 500 years ago created another two.
My vista of today’s five islands is merely a point in time, with peripheral and spacial limitations. The islands haven’t changed because of how I look at them. They are already there.
The trek on the cliff’s edge has made me understand what Heraclitus was talking about.
The joy lies in with the ups and downs, triumphs and tribulations of a journey (in life and entrepreneurship), because they are the same and equal part of the human experience, to be held in awe and appreciation.
It is just like trekking the ups and downs of Santorini’s cliff path, taking in the beauty of the caldera — the caldera as a whole and in its parts, which are the same.
“The way up and the way down is one and the same.” — Heraclitus (540 BCE – 480 BCE)
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Who won the $3,500 Cash Prize at Sbur, the only instant cash award among 600+ a16z’s Tech-Week Boston events last week?
Ben Pope, PhD! Ben is Founder, MelliCell, Inc. Congrats, Ben! We are proud of you as our Sbur member and your accomplishment. Who won the $3,500 Cash Prize at Sbur, the only instant cash award among 600+ a16z’s Tech-Week Boston events last week?
Ben Pope, PhD! Ben is Founder, MelliCell, Inc. Congrats, Ben! We are proud of you as our Sbur member and your accomplishment.
Sbur is grateful to its Cash Prize Sponsor, Salem Five Bank (Matthew Leighton, SVP) and its venue sponsor, CBIZ CPAs P.C. (Jason Moi, Managing Director). Both are wonderful Champions, supporting the Sbur community of founders.
Sbur’s gratitude also goes to our Investor Judges: Carl Albrecht Becker (Schooner Capital), Peter Hu (Morningside Venture Partners), and Jeffrey W. Smith (SIP Capital). You guys have been wonderful supporters and friends to our community.
Our Congrats also go out to the ten Finalists. We were oversubscribed by submissions. You’ve survived two qualifying rounds to make to the Final. We saw firsthand how much you had improved through Sbur’s Investor Led Pitch Practice sessions earlier during the year. You’ve all done a great job. Unfortunately, we had only one prize to give out. Next time, guys.
* Projit Aon, Co-Founder and CEO, nucleusRx
* Kevin Connolly, Founder and CEO, Vesiflo, Inc.
* Yani Deros, CEO and Co-founder, CIRQ+
* Elliot Greenblatt, Founder, SubIndex Al
* Rose Huang, Founder, Accelidea (Techstars Boston '25)
* Akila Narayanan, Founder, FamilyShield
* Ben Pope, PhD, PhD, Founder and CEO, MelliCell, Inc.
* Carter Powers, CEO and Co-Founder at FlowMo
* Reneldy Senat, Founder, Geoffrey AI
* Mark Stiles Stiles, Co-Founder, Joze.ai
If you have missed out the doubly “sold-out” Final Investor Pitch Competition last week, Sbur will begin featuring our members – founders and investors, including founders’ 4-minute pitches on Sbur’s new YouTube Channel: Founder Decisions. This new channel will go live during the week of the June 8. Tune in then.
If you want to gain warmer access to investors, join us on July 17, the Grand Opening of Sbur Decision House in partnership with Synergy (David Greaney and Kevin Marsh). It is a beautiful newly renovated space. This is super exciting and we are very thankful of Synergy’s support.
On that day, Sbur founders and investors will host multitude of Roundtable discussions, decision-makers networking, great food and drinks, and founder musician performing live.
This is for founders/builders and investors only. Our capacity is limited. Sign up early here. https://luma.com/sbur-troy
First come first serve. See you then.
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Sbur Biotech Roundtable – Key Insights for Founders
On April 7, 2026, Sbur Decision Lab, together with Zachary Dutton, Executive Director, Auxilium, and Gary Paul Magnant Magnant, General Partner, Formation Venture Engineering, and Jason Moi, Managing Director, CBIZ, hosted a Life Sciences and Medi...Sbur Biotech Roundtable – Key Insights for Founders
On April 7, 2026, Sbur Decision Lab, together with Zachary Dutton, Executive Director, Auxilium, and Gary Paul Magnant Magnant, General Partner, Formation Venture Engineering, and Jason Moi, Managing Director, CBIZ, hosted a Life Sciences and Medical Devices Roundtable and brought together top biotech minds to discuss the current “in-between” climate: capital is tight, and milestones are challenging. Here are actionable takeaways for founders and operators navigating today’s landscape. #Biotech #Startup #AI
- Cap table alignment matters: Misalignment can block your next round. Use side letters with warrant coverage to avoid MFN “cascade” effects.
- Pressure-test the $100M thesis: Ask yourself early and often: Why will your company reach $100M? It’s the foundation for strategy and fundraising readiness.
- Show real traction: Early-stage deep tech? Show issued IPs, academic licenses, animal proof-of-concept, regulatory clarity, and clinician validation. Evidence > vibes.
- Market sizing needs data: Investors want numbers. Example: surveying 100 OBGYNs to quantify demand from the ground up.
- In-person beats hybrid: Full in-person accelerator programs deliver better outcomes for founders.
- Operational basics matter: Don’t just focus on pitching. Learn governance, advisor compensation, investor fit, cap table management, and consider early exits.
- Worcester: An underrated hub: Local players (Worcester Polytechnic Institute, UMass Chan Medical School, Massachusetts Biomedical Initiatives (MBI), AbbVie) and Auxilium’s upcoming partnerships are putting Worcester on the map.
Bottom line: The companies that thrive in this cycle will be those who quantify their market, keep their cap tables clean, secure patient capital, and answer the $100M question with clarity. Sbur stands ready to connect founders with experienced operators, investors, and advisors.
What’s your biggest challenge as a founder in 2026? Drop a comment or connect!
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Entrepreneurship's Edge for College Students in the Age of AIEntrepreneurship's Edge for College Students in the Age of AI
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
I flipped on this bright red timer, watching it ticking down from four minutes, and then unleashing an ear-splitting alarm at zero, stopping founders from completing their presentations. Mo Saeed couldn’t resist calling me out on having fun with this evil clock.
In all fairness, four minutes was su...I flipped on this bright red timer, watching it ticking down from four minutes, and then unleashing an ear-splitting alarm at zero, stopping founders from completing their presentations. Mo Saeed couldn’t resist calling me out on having fun with this evil clock.
In all fairness, four minutes was such a short time for a founder to tell a startup story at Club Sbur last week. When we asked Lily Toto, Investor at Two Lanterns Venture Capital, “After reviewing hundreds and thousands of pitch decks, what is the single most important signal to you?”, she said, “Clarity.” One word. Simple as that.
We felt fortunate to have Lily join us again and help our founders (William Ferraro, CEO, Key To Amaze; Allan Stratton, Co-Founder, Checkit Technologies Inc; Justin Gelwicks, CEO, Contraca; Mark Stiles, Co-Founder, Joze.ai) practice their pitches and achieve “Clarity.” But how do you accomplish “Clarity” in four minutes?
Being a founder means making consequential decisions (such as what to include or not to include on a pitch deck) often in a vacuum. We built Sbur, a Founders’ Decision Lab, to fill the void of exercising judgements and making decisions alone. Today, it is a community of more than 660 founders, builders, and investors (every member thoroughly vetted) who can self-organize peer-to-peer advisory meetings to tap into brilliant minds like Lily Toto’s and those of fellow founders.
Here are some “Clarity” takeaways after hearing Lily’s suggestions to four founders who practiced their pitches:
· Less text and larger font. The pitch deck is an aid. Too many small words on a deck can distract, taking audience’s attention away from listening to the founder.
· Anecdote. Using stories, personal or otherwise, to illustrate a problem is a very effective way. This allows the investor to quickly understand the challenge.
· Numbers. Numbers help validate things: the problem, the solution, market size, and traction, etc. Use them for immediate clarity.
· Logos. If you have recognizable brands or logos for traction, team, or other slides, use them to provide investors with impressionable perspectives.
· Your buyers. Be very clear about who they are, why they want to buy your products, what kind of savings they will have, and how big this market is.
You can achieve “Clarity” if you know how to pull a few key levers and make small tweaks to your narrative.
Drop your thoughts on “Clarity” below. I read every comment.
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
I’m getting frustrated. I have a simple, but tedious and repetitive task. I’m writing a book chapter on Federer and Djokovic, two legendary tennis players. I want to prove out my “new” decision theory: winning is about playing a long and infinite game. I have a big problem though. I need to cull ma...I’m getting frustrated. I have a simple, but tedious and repetitive task. I’m writing a book chapter on Federer and Djokovic, two legendary tennis players. I want to prove out my “new” decision theory: winning is about playing a long and infinite game. I have a big problem though. I need to cull massive amount of player data online, tallying up stats on all the shots, points, games, matches, and tournaments to back up my theory. It will take up a massive amount of my time and I hate tedious and soulless work.
I know I can try learning how to use Claude Code or Claude Cowork to solve it, but it probably would take longer for me (a non-tech founder) to learn than my doing it manually, the dumb way. I am frustrated with either choice.
Sean Sanker Jr. (a fellow Sbur member) comes to my rescue! Sean has a decade of coding, as well as AI and product development experience and expertise. We get on Zoom; he asks what I need, and I watch him in real time prompting Claude Code. In about half an hour, I have all I need—rows and rows of data in an Excel spreadsheet. It’s quite magical. He has saved me hours upon hours of work. I am grateful.
I feel lucky to have within our Sbur community so many super talented founders and vast resources (almost always free of charge because of the generosity of our fellow members to each other).
Thank you, Sean!
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
What is an effective 4-minute investor pitch? Visual minimalism. Engaging delivery. Compelling investment case. What’s your opinion?
Sbur members were grateful to the opportunity of having ☀️Raza Shaikh, Managing Director, Launchpad Venture Group (170 Angel Investors) provide valuable guidanc...What is an effective 4-minute investor pitch? Visual minimalism. Engaging delivery. Compelling investment case. What’s your opinion?
Sbur members were grateful to the opportunity of having ☀️Raza Shaikh, Managing Director, Launchpad Venture Group (170 Angel Investors) provide valuable guidance on founders’ practice pitch by Andrew Lee, Founder, Surfbigdata ; Elliot Greenblatt, Founder, Eliyahu.AI; Mark Connell, Founder, SLBST Pharma. After the investor led guidance, Sbur members also helped Maria Teigeiro, Co-Founder, Real Time Taxes, refine her pitch.
Share your experiences and wisdom 🙂.
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Storytelling = Multiplier = Value Creation
Rob Walker and Joshua Glenn decided to run a wild experiment to prove a point. Storytelling = Multiplier = Value Creation
Rob Walker and Joshua Glenn decided to run a wild experiment to prove a point.
They bought 200 items from thrift stores and yard sales for about $130, with each item under $1. They were things like, a plastic banana, a wooden mallet, and a miniature basket.
They then asked their colleagues to write a story for each item and relisted them on eBay. They sold these items for over $8,000. A more than 6,000% return!
They proved their point. Narratives matter. Good storytelling increases value.
What’s your personal and venture story? How do you best tell your story? Can you move your readers and audience to tears, laughter, excitement, and action? What are the secret ingredients?
On April 16, Founders Decision Lab @Sbur and Mo Saeed, Founder, CleoHR (a serial entrepreneur, toast master, writer, having raised >$10 million) will host a roundtable discussion on powerful storytelling. You’ll learn the secrets.
Luma RSVP:
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
How much time, do you think, does an investor spend on reviewing a pitch deck? Much, much, much shorter than you think. Two or three slides in (after “Problem” and “Solution”), what is the most important next slide? It’s not what you think.
We were very fortunate to have Zach Jaffe, Investor, Glas...How much time, do you think, does an investor spend on reviewing a pitch deck? Much, much, much shorter than you think. Two or three slides in (after “Problem” and “Solution”), what is the most important next slide? It’s not what you think.
We were very fortunate to have Zach Jaffe, Investor, Glasswing Ventures join us recently at Club Sbur. Zach shared valuable insight and guidance based on his review of hundreds and thousands of pitch decks as an investor.
Sbur founders (Andrew Lee, CEO, Surfbigdata; Jocelyn Foulke, Founder, LiPhera; Reneldy Senat, Founder, Idoleyes Interactive;
Cole Maisonpierre, Founder, Nutrimatic) gave four-minute presentation each and received super honest and valuable feedback from Zach, in areas for improvement, such as pitch deck quality, presentation and handling of questions, team importance, product moat, AI impact, and distribution, etc.
Sbur facilitates investor coaching and roundtable discussion regularly at Club Sbur. A special Thank-You to Levon Gasparian, CEO, InfoPay for the support. If you are a founder/builder, join us next time.
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Founders’ Decision Lab @Sbur. The Lab brought together founders and investors to explore, debate, and discover answers to the mind-blowing challenges brought about by crushing velocity of AI. AI today is an exciting time. It is a threatening time.
Surprisingly, founders and investors agreed that t...Founders’ Decision Lab @Sbur. The Lab brought together founders and investors to explore, debate, and discover answers to the mind-blowing challenges brought about by crushing velocity of AI. AI today is an exciting time. It is a threatening time.
Surprisingly, founders and investors agreed that the key to surviving and succeeding today is returning more to traditional ways. Community. Relationships. Trust. Personal brands. Authority. These are the new products, moats, and distribution. Wow, who would have guessed!
We also critically examined the long-established software products, business models, markets, and channels. SaaS. Subscriptions. Email marketing. Page ranks. SEO. Influencers. Social media. What worked before have begun shifting and crumbling.
Founders’ Decision Lab @Sbur thanks Venture Café Cambridge
(Tricia Bitetto, Alexander Cheung, and Nathan Plummer) for supporting us. We believe in collective wisdom, while avoiding group-think. Join us in future discussions.
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Tanay Wakhare, Founder, Prompt Inversion , hosted, at Æthos,
an engaging product demo session for Sbur members/founders. Tanay Wakhare, Founder, Prompt Inversion , hosted, at Æthos,
an engaging product demo session for Sbur members/founders.
Some very innovative products by: Cole Maisonpierre , Founder, HAKO ; Allan Stratton, Co-Founder, CheckIT Invoice; Jerrold Shapiro, President, Floelle Inc.; Bill Simmons, Co-Founder, Orbit.me; Maria Teigeiro, Co-Founder, Real Time Taxes; Ray Bartlett, Founder, TripSquee LLC .
The key discussions, following each 4-minute product demo, were centered around potential markets and customers’ need for the products and the sales and distribution strategies to reach such markets and customers.
The future product demo sessions will be announced on www.sbur.com. If you’re a product builder, join us.
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Club Sbur recently welcomed a special guest – David Tuch. David, with a doctorate from MIT and Havard Medical School, is a serial entrepreneur who recently sold his medical device company (molecular imaging and sensing technologies). But his most astonishing discovery wasn’t in the laboratory.
...Club Sbur recently welcomed a special guest – David Tuch. David, with a doctorate from MIT and Havard Medical School, is a serial entrepreneur who recently sold his medical device company (molecular imaging and sensing technologies). But his most astonishing discovery wasn’t in the laboratory.
Buried deep within his own family’s past, David stumbled upon the long-concealed saga of his distant cousin, Harold Derber, a brilliant covert operative who would become the criminal mastermind behind the birth of modern drug trafficking.
David has written and published a new book, “The Wireless Operator”, unraveling Derber’s journey from operating wireless radios aboard British Merchant Navy ships during WWII, to smuggling arms into Isreal during its independence war, spiriting Cuban refugees to America following the Cuban crisis, and ultimately orchestrating daring drug runs from Colombia to the U.S.
David’s tale mesmerized the audience, shedding light on a shadowy world few have ever glimpsed.
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Matt Snow ❄️ , Investor, MassVentures, recently hosted an Investor Led Founder Pitch Practice and Coaching session. Each Founder had four minutes to present the venture, followed by feedback by investors and fellow founders. We were quite thrilled to see the presentations by Elizabeth A. , Founder,...Matt Snow ❄️ , Investor, MassVentures, recently hosted an Investor Led Founder Pitch Practice and Coaching session. Each Founder had four minutes to present the venture, followed by feedback by investors and fellow founders. We were quite thrilled to see the presentations by Elizabeth A. , Founder, A La Carte; Ray Bartlett , Founder, TripSquee LLC ; Maria Teigeiro, CTO, Real Time Taxes; Alexander Burton, Founder, LeaseHub; and Ellen Murphy, CEO, Sona . A special thank-you to Jason Margaca, Founder, Fundworthy, for providing the meeting facility and managing the electronics setup.
In addition to our monthly facilitated pitch practice sessions, Sbur is hosting two rounds of pitch contests - one in Boston and one in Providence, RI, later in May. From these two rounds, top ten contestants will be selected to present to a panel of investor judges on May 29 during the 16z Tech-Week in Boston. Beside potential investment, one winner will receive a free 7-Day Sbur Founders Retreat to Greece in June, joining 20 other Sbur founders.
If interested, sign up on www.sbur.com and submit your pitch deck on the website as well. The in-person pitch will be restricted to three minutes.
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Sbur members kicked off the Lunar New Year with a lively dim sum feast, ringing in the powerful Year of the Fire Horse — a symbol of passion, ambition, and unstoppable momentum. Here’s to a year galloping forward with bold ideas, fearless action, and unbridled success for all!
Thank you David Lee, ...Sbur members kicked off the Lunar New Year with a lively dim sum feast, ringing in the powerful Year of the Fire Horse — a symbol of passion, ambition, and unstoppable momentum. Here’s to a year galloping forward with bold ideas, fearless action, and unbridled success for all!
Thank you David Lee, Whale Capital Ventures, for organizing and hosting!
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
At Sbur's monthly Life Sciences, MedTech, Medical Devices Breakfast Roundtable in February at CBIZ (Thank you Jason Moi! for hosting), Rose Huang, CEO, Accelidea (Techstars Boston '25), led a discussion among AI-wearable CEOs, founders, and investors to explore the practical realities of navigating...At Sbur's monthly Life Sciences, MedTech, Medical Devices Breakfast Roundtable in February at CBIZ (Thank you Jason Moi! for hosting), Rose Huang, CEO, Accelidea (Techstars Boston '25), led a discussion among AI-wearable CEOs, founders, and investors to explore the practical realities of navigating today’s regulatory landscape.
The conversation centered on leadership perspectives, interpretation of recent regulatory signals, and the real-world tradeoffs teams face as innovation moves faster than policy.
More specifically, the discussion touched on: 1) What recent U.S. Food and Drug Administration signals mean in practice; 2) Where regulatory rigor is necessary vs. optional at early stages; 3) How teams are making decisions under uncertainty, and revisiting them later; 4) What founders and investors wish companies would clarify sooner.
If you're a Life Sciences, MedTech, Medical Devices founder interested in attending future monthly Breakfast Roundtable, please RSVP on www.sbur.com.
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Boston Founders: Winning a Free Trip to Greece!
Club Sbur is hosting its first-ever Founders Retreat in Greece from June 12 to June 20. Join us as we explore breathtaking Athens, Mykonos, and Paros while staying in stunning villa compounds. Boston Founders: Winning a Free Trip to Greece!
Club Sbur is hosting its first-ever Founders Retreat in Greece from June 12 to June 20. Join us as we explore breathtaking Athens, Mykonos, and Paros while staying in stunning villa compounds.
This is your chance to enjoy curated experiences, unwind, and connect deeply with 20 fellow founders for eight days of inspiration and collaboration.
Interested in winning a free trip? Submit your founder pitch for the opportunity to present to investors—one winner will travel to Greece for free!
Lindsay Clawson, Founder of No Bad Days Club, will be leading this unforgettable journey.
Ready to make memories and tap into invaluable brilliant minds? Sign up now and don’t miss out on this epic adventure.
https://lnkd.in/gijvNAr3
#ClubSbur #FoundersRetreat #Greece #BostonFounders #PitchCompetition
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Only 3 out of every 100 founders succeed in raising capital. Tough odds. By connecting with fellow founders and Sbur investor members, Sbur members gain the opportunity to practice their pitch, receive constructive feedback, and refine their naratives. These collaborative sessions help increase the ...Only 3 out of every 100 founders succeed in raising capital. Tough odds. By connecting with fellow founders and Sbur investor members, Sbur members gain the opportunity to practice their pitch, receive constructive feedback, and refine their naratives. These collaborative sessions help increase the chances of raising capital by 2 - 3 times.
At Club Sbur (Levon Gasparian, CEO, InfoPay), Jason Kraus, Partner at EQx Fund and Founder of Prepare 4 VC, facilitated a dynamic pitch practice and coaching session.
Four founders took the spotlight, presenting their four-minute pitches and benefiting from expert feedback designed to sharpen their delivery and maximize their fundraising potential.
Douglas Winneg, CEO, dinemait
Meghan Raman~AI Technology Expert, CEO, AVIVO
Deepanshi Bansal, Founder, ShineQuo
Reneldy Senat, Founder, Idoleyes Interactive
Our next practice is on Feb 3. Sign up here if you want to join us: https://lnkd.in/excwb6cd
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Elon Musk famously described the experience of launching a company as “eating glass and staring into the abyss of death,” a sentiment that resonates deeply with entrepreneurs who face constant adversity and uncertainty.
The journey of building a business is filled with difficult obstacles, complex...Elon Musk famously described the experience of launching a company as “eating glass and staring into the abyss of death,” a sentiment that resonates deeply with entrepreneurs who face constant adversity and uncertainty.
The journey of building a business is filled with difficult obstacles, complex decisions, and moments when the path forward is anything but clear.
In a recent Sbur Roundtable hosted by Joe Kellogg, Founder of Kellogg's Research Labs , Sbur members gathered at Venture Café Cambridge (Nathan Plummer, Alexander Cheung, Tricia Bitetto, Tom Dodge - Thank you for your support) to openly discuss these very challenges.
During the session, founders exchanged stories about navigating setbacks, weighing risks, and learning to trust both their instincts and multi-disciplinary thinking, when data was limited.
They emphasized the importance of resilience, adaptability, and seeking support from a like-minded community. Sbur ’s mission is to unite founders so they can collaboratively address the hurdles they encounter and share hard-earned wisdom.
Join Sbur members/founders in future discussions.
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Tim Jamison, Partner/Co-Founder/Investor, Transition State, organized and hosted a Founder Pitch Coaching Session at Club Sbur, together with Carl Albrecht Becker, Investor, Schooner Capital, and Levon Gasparian, CEO, InfoPay.
Five founders presented and received insightful feedback and guidance....Tim Jamison, Partner/Co-Founder/Investor, Transition State, organized and hosted a Founder Pitch Coaching Session at Club Sbur, together with Carl Albrecht Becker, Investor, Schooner Capital, and Levon Gasparian, CEO, InfoPay.
Five founders presented and received insightful feedback and guidance. They are Maria Teigeiro , CTO, Real Time Taxes; 🚀 Sergei Pull, Ph.D., CEO, 100XBIO; Xiaojing Li, Co-Founder and CEO, Allset Home LLC; Carter Powers, CEO & Co-Founder, FlowMo ; Justin Gelwicks, Founder & CEO, Contraca.
Sbur will conduct such investor led coaching sessions regularly. If you are interested in practicing your investor pitch and receiving investor and fellow founder’s guidance, sign up here: https://lnkd.in/excwb6cd
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Sbur members got together at Club Sbur (hosted by Levon Gasparian, CEO, InfoPay and videography by Tom Dodge, CEO, NewView.Media Video Marketing) and celebrated the holiday season and each other's successes --capital raised, sales achieved, challenges solved, and value realized in millions of dollar...Sbur members got together at Club Sbur (hosted by Levon Gasparian, CEO, InfoPay and videography by Tom Dodge, CEO, NewView.Media Video Marketing) and celebrated the holiday season and each other's successes --capital raised, sales achieved, challenges solved, and value realized in millions of dollars. So glad to hear our members' personal stories about Sbur which, as a community of fellow founders, had many times come together and supported each other during 2025. My deepest appreciation and gratitude to our Sbur members' true sense of community and impactful contributions. 2026 will even be greater. Happy New Year!
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Daniel Legmann, Director of Operations, Phoenix Tailings led a factory tour and lunch CEO roundtable discussion at Phoenix Tailings, rare earth manufacturing company grown out of MIT. Sbur, MassMEP, and Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce organized this meeting and invited their C-suite executiv...Daniel Legmann, Director of Operations, Phoenix Tailings led a factory tour and lunch CEO roundtable discussion at Phoenix Tailings, rare earth manufacturing company grown out of MIT. Sbur, MassMEP, and Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce organized this meeting and invited their C-suite executives in manufacturing, robotics and AI companies to this factory tour and roundtable discussion. The executives shared their experiences with, and wisdom on, the challenges and solutions resulting from rapid manufacturing and supply chain scale-up.
Phoenix Tailings is the world’s first fully clean mining and metals manufacturing firm right here in New England. Phoenix Tailings is a vertically integrated provider that collaborates with miners, manufacturers, and governments to onshore production of rare earth materials. The processes are designed to be scalable, cost-competitive, and compliant with US environmental standards. Zero-carbon emissions!
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
David Lee, an innovative Founder of Whale Capital Ventures, sparked a lively conversation among fellow Sbur members/founders at Venture Café Cambridge (special Thank -You to Nathan Plummer, Alexander Cheung
, and Tricia Bitetto for hosting us). David shined a light on a costly problem plaguing small...David Lee, an innovative Founder of Whale Capital Ventures, sparked a lively conversation among fellow Sbur members/founders at Venture Café Cambridge (special Thank -You to Nathan Plummer, Alexander Cheung
, and Tricia Bitetto for hosting us). David shined a light on a costly problem plaguing small restaurants: every month, countless dollars are lost when kitchen calls go unanswered. While most voice agent solutions target large chains, David’s vision is different—he’s on a mission to empower small, family-owned, and especially ethnically-owned eateries with a natural, multilingual AI agent that seamlessly handles phone orders and unlocks new streams of revenue in an often-overlooked market segment.
As he weighed the launch of an AI Voice-As-a-Service platform for restaurants—aimed at capturing every call and opportunity—David sought strategic input on how to break through in a crowded marketplace and the best approaches for building his tech stack. The group responded with enthusiasm: one suggestion was for David to test an existing AI voice tool already operating in two family-run restaurants, while another offered a collaborative, one-day sprint to help accelerate his technology’s development.
Energized by the support and actionable insights, David left the meeting with a list of founders to follow up with and a surge of momentum for his ambitious venture.
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Samir Karoum, Founder and GP of Bombellii Ventures, led a Roundtable Discussion at Æthos (Tanay Wakhare, CEO of Prompt Inversion) with Sbur’s members/Founders.
Samir revealed startling insights into the breakneck expansion of data centers, describing them as the most massive, power-hungry, intensel...Samir Karoum, Founder and GP of Bombellii Ventures, led a Roundtable Discussion at Æthos (Tanay Wakhare, CEO of Prompt Inversion) with Sbur’s members/Founders.
Samir revealed startling insights into the breakneck expansion of data centers, describing them as the most massive, power-hungry, intensely secure, and geopolitically critical buildings ever constructed. As AI training clusters race to outpace the very limits of physics and strain the global electric grid, data centers are evolving at an unprecedented rate.
Samir drew a compelling comparison to the space race of the 1950s and 1960s, emphasizing that today’s data center surge far eclipses the cable buildout from the early days of the Internet. With AI’s immense military potential, the competition for data center supremacy has become a matter of national security, igniting a new global race.
The founders expressed concerns about the potential high costs of deploying AI applications, driven by staggering energy demands. They actively exchanged solutions, underscoring the pressing need for innovation and efficiency as the world enters an era where the stakes—and the consequences—could not be higher.
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Rose Huang, Founder of Accelidea (Techstars Boston '25), organized a Founders Roundtable sponsored by CBIZ (Jason Moi), bringing together Sbur members and fellow founders from MedTech and Med Device companies.
Rose led the session with her signature skill and distinctive style, creating an environ...Rose Huang, Founder of Accelidea (Techstars Boston '25), organized a Founders Roundtable sponsored by CBIZ (Jason Moi), bringing together Sbur members and fellow founders from MedTech and Med Device companies.
Rose led the session with her signature skill and distinctive style, creating an environment where we could openly share our personal stories, superpowers, and challenges.
We connected, laughed, and engaged in genuine dialogue, experiencing a rare sense of relief from stress and worry. It truly felt like we were all supporting one another.
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Sbur (Tony Zhang) hosted a super fun evening of Founders’ product demos at Venture Café Cambridge (Nathan Plummer, Alexander Cheung, Tricia Bitetto) for Sbur members.
Sam P. Pevsner, Founder, Talking Toy Labs, showed us an AI talking plushie “Rocky” for children to have some fun dialog and game wi...Sbur (Tony Zhang) hosted a super fun evening of Founders’ product demos at Venture Café Cambridge (Nathan Plummer, Alexander Cheung, Tricia Bitetto) for Sbur members.
Sam P. Pevsner, Founder, Talking Toy Labs, showed us an AI talking plushie “Rocky” for children to have some fun dialog and game with.
Andrew Rollert, Founder, Wadda Hoppah, talked about Boston’s being the 4th most congested city and Wada Hoppah’s wakeless electric ferry near launch on Charles River.
Projit Aon, Founder, nucleusRx, demoed nucleusRx's hard/software-based virtual care platform, trusted by NSF iCorps, NIH and tier 1 US health system.
Martin Jong Whee Jeon, Founder, PAPER TABLE, LLC. shared with us the invention of wireless charging technology for large surface tabletops.
The founders had an interactive dialogue with the audience, not as a pitch, more as a user feedback and market intelligence gathering. Some of the investors in the audience got interested and have since invited some founders to have follow-on meetings.
Given the high level of investor interest, Sbur will host more of these going forward.
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Almost got eaten alive by a tiger just 20 feet away, she survived unscathed and shared her story with us at Club Sbur (Levon Gasparian, InfoPay).
Always with a warm smile, Lindsay struck one more as a club manager (no surprise, she is Founder and CEO of No Bad Days Club) rather than a daredevil ba...Almost got eaten alive by a tiger just 20 feet away, she survived unscathed and shared her story with us at Club Sbur (Levon Gasparian, InfoPay).
Always with a warm smile, Lindsay struck one more as a club manager (no surprise, she is Founder and CEO of No Bad Days Club) rather than a daredevil backpacker trekking through dangerous jungles in Southeast Asia.
Lindsay Clawson, Founder, and Shreya Singh, Co-Founder of No Bad Days Club, hosted a living-room-like chat among fellow members and founders of Sbur. It was so spellbinding that many did not even get up to get food from the counter, long after the normal dinner time. Lots of travel stories shared.
We explored travel today and tomorrow through our own eyes and the lenses of AI, AR, and VR—both physically and metaphorically. No Bad Days Club is piloting its AI, AR, and VR travel product first in Boston (in partnership discussions with the City of Boston) and then back in Southeast Asia and the jungles.
Perhaps this time around, its powerful new technologies will bring us up close to a hungry tiger, let us feel the adrenaline rush, all without the real risk of being eaten alive.
If you’re interested in becoming a beta tester or becoming a part of Travel Tech Circle in Boston, reach out to Lindsay Clawson or Shreya Singh.
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Greg Scher, VP Supply Chain, and Chelsea Snow, Senior Manager, AIS (www.ais-inc.com) hosted CEO members from Sbur, MassMEP (Kathie Mahoney), and Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce (Darnell J. Dunn) last week.
We toured the massive manufacturing facility in Leominster, MA. AIS is part of the t...Greg Scher, VP Supply Chain, and Chelsea Snow, Senior Manager, AIS (www.ais-inc.com) hosted CEO members from Sbur, MassMEP (Kathie Mahoney), and Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce (Darnell J. Dunn) last week.
We toured the massive manufacturing facility in Leominster, MA. AIS is part of the third largest office manufacturer in the U.S. AIS has over 1 million square feet of manufacturing and warehousing space and about 1,000 workers. The factory floor was bustling with activities, and we even saw a couple of driverless forklifts, weaving effortlessly in and out of workers and us visitors. AIS has a very low workforce turnover rate of only 1%, which shows how much its employees love working there. For us, it was amazing to see manufacturing alive and well right here in Massachusetts!
Following the tour, we had a lunch discussion among CEOs focusing on supply chain, tariffs, and AI. AIS sources from more than 20 countries. Greg shared how AIS had successfully managed itself through tariffs and other supply chain challenges through both thoughtful vendor relationship management and through its ERP systems that may become AI enhanced at some point.
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Matthew Healy, Associate Director of Emerging Technologies, MassMEP, hosted a CEO Roundtable Discussion at MassMEP’s office last week. Ahrar Naqvi, CEO, Ebryx LLC, and Tanay Wakhare, CEO, Prompt Inversion
led the discussion on the massive cyber security attacks and AI prompt injection risks faced b...Matthew Healy, Associate Director of Emerging Technologies, MassMEP, hosted a CEO Roundtable Discussion at MassMEP’s office last week. Ahrar Naqvi, CEO, Ebryx LLC, and Tanay Wakhare, CEO, Prompt Inversion
led the discussion on the massive cyber security attacks and AI prompt injection risks faced by manufacturers. MassMEP, Sbur, and Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce are Co-Organizers of this discussion for manufacturing companies. Matt, Ahrar, and Tanay are all members of Sbur.
Ahrar showed that about 50% of cyber-attacks is on manufacturers’ production assembly and control systems, and on their ERP/MES Databases. Highly targeted, personalized Phishing aimed at a specific individual or small group to steal credentials, install malware, trigger fraudulent payments, and initiate ransoms remains the most used attack method.
Tanay then flagged the new risks associated with companies deploying AI, vulnerable to Prompt Injection and Repetitive Extraction. Both methods can cause dangerous leakages of training data extraction (memorization leakage) and repetitive prompting on rare tokens, resulting in leakage of proprietary company and sensitive customer information. Such attacks can prompt engineer ways to bypass AI guardrails in place. Tanay highly cautioned the use of customer-facing AI Chatbot.
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Nick Graham, CRO, and Virginia C. Castagno, Formlabs, hosted a lab tour and a CEO Lunch Roundtable discussions on additive manufacturing at FormLabs' Somerville HQ.
We watched a demo. A sleek 3D printer hum softly as beam of lights dance across a surface, layer by layer bringing a part to life. Nick Graham, CRO, and Virginia C. Castagno, Formlabs, hosted a lab tour and a CEO Lunch Roundtable discussions on additive manufacturing at FormLabs' Somerville HQ.
We watched a demo. A sleek 3D printer hum softly as beam of lights dance across a surface, layer by layer bringing a part to life.
FormLabs is the world’s largest supplier of professional benchtop/desktop SLA (stereolighography) and SLS (selective laser sintering) 3D printers globally. It was founded in 2011 by three MIT Media Lab students - Max Lobovsky, Natan Linder, and David Cranor. It has sold its equipment to over 100 countries.
In attendance were Founder/CEO members of Sbur (www.sbur.com), MassMEP, and Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce.
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Ashwin L. Locapally, Founder, GiwoTech Inc., organized and led a Breakfast Roundtable Discussion among Sbur members/Founders in Life Sciences, Med Device, and MedTech at Foley Hoag LLP. What a great idea of bringing Founders together and helping one another on an ongoing basis! The Life Sciences spa...Ashwin L. Locapally, Founder, GiwoTech Inc., organized and led a Breakfast Roundtable Discussion among Sbur members/Founders in Life Sciences, Med Device, and MedTech at Foley Hoag LLP. What a great idea of bringing Founders together and helping one another on an ongoing basis! The Life Sciences space is going through some tough times, but we have each other to lean on.
Thank you very much, Benjamin Howe, Partner, Foley Hoag, for hosting us. A special Thank-You also goes to Gary Paul Magnant, General Partner, Formation Venture Engineering. Gary is not only an investor, but also a true selfless guide to our Founders with your generosity of time, guidance, introductions and your wealth of experiences as a serial life science entrepreneur.
At the Roundtable, Founders shared some fascinating innovations they are working on, from Spacial AI in fluid dynamics, to a MedTech company with 68 million patients on the platform in Latin America, and to AI modeling of protein folding dynamism. Founders also asked for help. Each one got at least one important introduction to key decision makers at a few major pharmaceutical or MedTech companies.
Reach out to Ashwin L., or Rose Huang, Founder, Accelidea (Techstars Boston '25), on LinkedIn, if you are a founder and would like to be invited to the next Breakfast Roundtable Discussion.
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Carl Albrecht Becker, Investor, Schooner Capital, recently led a Roundtable discussion among founders - Sbur and Aethos (Sam Rowe, Tanay Wakhare) members. It was a rare opportunity to meet in-person with an investor from a family office.
Carl talked about how a family office typically approached...Carl Albrecht Becker, Investor, Schooner Capital, recently led a Roundtable discussion among founders - Sbur and Aethos (Sam Rowe, Tanay Wakhare) members. It was a rare opportunity to meet in-person with an investor from a family office.
Carl talked about how a family office typically approached investment opportunities and worked with the companies in its portfolio, in many ways different from VC funds. Schooner was established some 50 years ago and has worked with many successful companies, such Iron Mountain and Best Doctors.
Schooner likes to lead a transaction, make faster decisions, have long-term investment horizon, and can be happy with companies operating in a smaller market and having smaller exits. It has greater flexibility of holding an investment indefinitely as there is no limited partner return constraints.
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Michael Langer, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, T.Rx Capital, recently led a Roundtable Discussion at Colliers (Matthew Furey) with Founders in Digital-Health and BioTech to explore viable solutions to tough funding environment, uncertain FDA/EMA pathways, CMS reimbursement, AI/ML in digital therap...Michael Langer, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, T.Rx Capital, recently led a Roundtable Discussion at Colliers (Matthew Furey) with Founders in Digital-Health and BioTech to explore viable solutions to tough funding environment, uncertain FDA/EMA pathways, CMS reimbursement, AI/ML in digital therapeutics, and scaling with talents in biology, data science, and engineering. Everyone at the meeting was a member of Sbur.
Michael previously led licensing at Pear Therapeutics, completing 15 transactions and was Founder, Old Silver VC, investing in over 20 companies, including multiple unicorns. Most interesting of all, Michael is also Executive Director of the IMAX film “Superhuman Body”, narrated by Matthew McConaughey, aimed at inspiring future scientists.
T.Rx Capital backs novel therapeutics and digital health initiatives – effectively combining technology and biology to revolutionize healthcare delivery. T. Rx has successfully closed its inaugural fund in September. Congrats Michael!
Founders around the table shared with each other what they were working on and sought advice from Michael, each other, and
Hyunmin Woo, Principal, VU Venture Partners ($2 billion invested in over 250 companies including 20 unicorns).
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Fire jumping, meat on the grill, the grill lid shut, we stand around chatting, laughing. An hour has gone by; hungry Mo Saeed opens the lid and sees the meat still sitting quietly on the grill, raw and motionless. The fire has gone out long time ago.
I go get help to re-light the grill. It fe...Fire jumping, meat on the grill, the grill lid shut, we stand around chatting, laughing. An hour has gone by; hungry Mo Saeed opens the lid and sees the meat still sitting quietly on the grill, raw and motionless. The fire has gone out long time ago.
I go get help to re-light the grill. It feels like I have to go get the Concierge every 10 minutes to relight the grill! It is a sacred grill, royally guarded. For the whole evening, the grill intermittently and nonchalantly cooks the chicken, pork, shrimps and vegetables. It is not at all happy: summer’s over, what’re these maniacs still doing to me?
Joe Kellogg , the Grill Master spent hours preparing the food the night before, hired a driver, drove all the way up from New Hampshire into Boston’s West End. Boston and this particular grill are quite hostile to this invading New Hampshire Chef. Chef Joe holds his ground gracefully under pressure and enemy fire.
The food finally comes out surprisingly delicious, fully cooked to crispy, though somewhat burnt, skins and tender juicy meat inside.
We are having a lot of fun, celebrating Joe Kellogg, CEO, Kellogg's Research Labs’ new business with Victoria Secret (still trying to figure what Nitinol can do here), Lindsay Clawson, Founder, No Bad Days Club ’s new partnership with City of Boston (the magic spell of “Manifestation”), Sam P., Founder, Talking Toy Labs ‘s launch of AI learning plushies, Mo Saeed, CEO, SalaryX’s new “professorship” tasking 40+ Northeastern students to toil away studying SalaryX, Tanay Wakhare, Founder, Prompt Innversion’s thriving AI venture fast approaching seven figures in sales, among many more exciting updates by our founders.
Fueled by food (though shrimps still refuse to be cooked, unlike the pork and chicken) and what appears to be a short supply of alcohol, punctuated by many urgent bathroom trips on the winding, disorienting Thoreau Parh, the party takes on new-found energy - at times bizarre and wild (Stephen Eccles’ search of a janitor’s closet in the dark labyrinth of basement floor of Building 10; planning of a hush hush mask party; many other exchanges a bit too wild to mention here, sorry folks.) Seriously, I thought we had run out of alcohol long time ago!
That was a lot of fun among Sbur members. Goodbye Summer!
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Chris Gardner, Partner, Underscore VC led a Roundtable AI discussion “To AI or Not to AI” among Sbur members at Colliers. Thank you Matthew Furey for hosting us!
Chris is like a master guitarist who takes a tangle of AI mumble jumble of notes and strips it down to a clear, unforgettable riff — sim...Chris Gardner, Partner, Underscore VC led a Roundtable AI discussion “To AI or Not to AI” among Sbur members at Colliers. Thank you Matthew Furey for hosting us!
Chris is like a master guitarist who takes a tangle of AI mumble jumble of notes and strips it down to a clear, unforgettable riff — simple, yet it says everything. Chris does play guitar.
The discussion touched on the interrelations between humans and AI machines, in dimensions, such as emotion and creativity, culture and leadership, and morality and insight.
Chris shared tremendous insights into the three AI waves, AI benefit drivers in various domains, vibe coding, and great AI founder attributes - Aware, Ability, Aptitude, Attitude, and Attractor. See the attached.
We also debated among ourselves AI’s mind-blowing capabilities, not-so-subtle limitations and new breeds of models in research and development.
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Every time at Club Sbur, I'm drawn to this plaque hung on the wall. The flow chart starts with "Does it Work", but always ends up in "No Problem". It's hilarious. A picture of the plaque attached.
Club Sbur is for entrepreneurs. This plaque is such an antithesis to entrepreneurship. We entre...Every time at Club Sbur, I'm drawn to this plaque hung on the wall. The flow chart starts with "Does it Work", but always ends up in "No Problem". It's hilarious. A picture of the plaque attached.
Club Sbur is for entrepreneurs. This plaque is such an antithesis to entrepreneurship. We entrepreneurs see problems and things not working everywhere. Until we magically make things work 😀.
Our Sbur member, Levon Gasparian, CEO, InfoPay, is a prime example of such entrepreneurship. He is a discoverer of problems to magically solve. He hasn't stopped spotting things that don't work. New and exciting products and solutions always follow.
Levon gathered together Sbur founder members and real estate industry executives to review and get feedback on InfoPay's new product, PropertyChecker (following InfoPay's other products: IDStrong, GoodCar, InfoTracer, SENTINEX, EntityCheck). PropertyChecker provides an amazing deal-making edge to stakeholders in the commercial real estate industry.
Now, back to the farcical plaque. Does it serve as a shot across the bow?
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
David Hagopian, COO, Medica Corporation hosted a Factory/Lab tour and Lunch Roundtable Discussion among CEOs and Founders of Life Science and MedTech companies. As a member of Sbur (Tony Zhang), David organized this in partnership with Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce
(Darnell J. Dunn) and Mas...David Hagopian, COO, Medica Corporation hosted a Factory/Lab tour and Lunch Roundtable Discussion among CEOs and Founders of Life Science and MedTech companies. As a member of Sbur (Tony Zhang), David organized this in partnership with Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce
(Darnell J. Dunn) and MassMEP (Kristy Grignon). The three organizations are co-program partners and cover thousands of manufacturing, robotics and AI companies in Massachusetts.
David showcased Medica’s point-of-care clinical chemistry, electrolyte, and blood gas analyzers, as well as OEM iron-selective electrodes modules. Medica was founded in 1983 and sells its equipment to over 100 countries.
David also led a round table discussion about its new AI powered hematology imaging equipment currently in development with massive market opportunities. David shared the exciting progress and the remaining challenges. Founders around the table offered their perspectives and ideas on solving such challenges.
If you’re a product building company C-suite executive interested in participating in, or hosting future sessions like, apply here: https://lnkd.in/evDzYJmx
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Ben Tao, Head of Strategy and Portfolio, Software & Control, Rockwell Automation, hosted a private C-Suite Excutive Roundtable and Lab Tour at a Rockwell facility in Chelmsford. As a member of Sbur, Ben organized this in partnership with MassMEP (Matthew Healy) and Worcester Regional Chamber of Comm...Ben Tao, Head of Strategy and Portfolio, Software & Control, Rockwell Automation, hosted a private C-Suite Excutive Roundtable and Lab Tour at a Rockwell facility in Chelmsford. As a member of Sbur, Ben organized this in partnership with MassMEP (Matthew Healy) and Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce (Darnell J. Dunn). These three organizations cover thousands of manufacturing, Robotics and AI companies in Massachusetts.
Rockwell is the largest company in the world dedicated to industrial automation and digital transformation. Jordan Reynolds, VP of AI and Autonomy, CTO Office, and Kate Sokolnicki, Global Business Director, Safety and Sensing Division, shared their insights into the rapidly evolving future and conversion of manufacturing, robotics and AI. C-Suite executives of local manufacturing, robotics and AI companies participated in an interactive discussion with Rockwell executives and among themselves.
The executives also capitalized on the opportunity to form connections and cultivate relationships among themselves for opportunities to collaborate on product sourcing and new product development.
In partnership with MassMEP and Worcester Chamber of Commerce, Sbur facilitates meetings like this among C-Suite executives of manufacturing, robotics and AI companies 1-2 times a month. If interested in participating, apply here: https://lnkd.in/eFFtTnBB
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
I dutifully slide a blue plastic recycling bin between the door and its frame. Irida Zaimi asked me to do so. Cannot help but wonder. The blue bin beckons the outside world into another one, once closed. Any person can now just wander in, checking out free food and drinks from the kitchen, loungin...I dutifully slide a blue plastic recycling bin between the door and its frame. Irida Zaimi asked me to do so. Cannot help but wonder. The blue bin beckons the outside world into another one, once closed. Any person can now just wander in, checking out free food and drinks from the kitchen, lounging on a couch, and trading secrets with Aethos tireless AI founders? The humble blue bin is a magical “Connector”!
Ignacio Castro, Partner, 128vc and Irida Zaimi, Head of Ecosystem Operations, Æthos warmly welcome Sbur members to an intimate Roundtable discussion about capital raising. Ignacio’s wisdom sparkles: founders, he insists, must spot their “Connectors” early. It’s not enough to innovate; you need to master the art of relationship-building. “Connectors” open doors to investment, resources, and unexpected wonders.
As if on cue, Rose Huang, founder of Accelidea, seizes her chance. She asks Ignacio —half-joking, wholly earnest— if he’d be her “Connector.” He grins and agrees.
Sbur, after all, is a Connector itself, weaving together countless such connections.
On July 4th, let’s remember to celebrate our legendary Connectors: Benjamin Franklin, ambassador to France, and the gallant Marquis de Lafayette, who charmed the French court into critically backing America’s fight for freedom with military support.
Here’s to the Connectors—past, present, and future! Happy July 4th!
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
The tension is thick. The air smells like dust and livestock. We see a chute, a snorting, twitching bull, and a cowboy climbing onto the bull.
The gate bursts open. The bull explodes into the arena, buckling wildly, twisting, and leaping. The cowboy hangs on with determination, body jerking v...The tension is thick. The air smells like dust and livestock. We see a chute, a snorting, twitching bull, and a cowboy climbing onto the bull.
The gate bursts open. The bull explodes into the arena, buckling wildly, twisting, and leaping. The cowboy hangs on with determination, body jerking violently. He is thrown! The bullfighters dash in, dancing dangerously in front of the angry bull. Fallen cowboy saved.
8 seconds of utter chaos.
Entrepreneurship is like bull riding: we don't control the beast, just learn how to adapt fast and hang on. We also need bullfighers to assist after being thrown, so that we can get up and ride again.
Sbur is a community of "bullfighters", "cowboys", and "cowgirls" of entrepreneurs. https://lnkd.in/evDzYJmx
Sbur members enjoyed an evening out at New England Rodeo in Rochester, MA. A big Thank-You to Gabriel Gavrilov, Founder, Throttl AI, for organizing.
Christopher Brown; Puck Fernsten; #entrepreneurship; #startups; #FounderLife; #Mindset; #Leadership; #Resilience; #Entrepreneurs; #Advisory; #founders; #rodeo; #cowboy; #bullfighters
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
The journey from Boston to Bedford, New Hampshire is no quick jaunt, yet we made the trip—for good reason.
There, nestled in the quiet charm of Bedford, Joe Kellogg, the visionary CEO of Kellogg's Research Labs, welcomes guests into his home with contagious enthusiasm. Outside, his commercial-grade...The journey from Boston to Bedford, New Hampshire is no quick jaunt, yet we made the trip—for good reason.
There, nestled in the quiet charm of Bedford, Joe Kellogg, the visionary CEO of Kellogg's Research Labs, welcomes guests into his home with contagious enthusiasm. Outside, his commercial-grade smoke ovens fire up, filling the air with tantalizing aromas as he masterfully grills a feast worthy of celebration.
But this gathering is more than just a culinary delight. Joe, alongside the ever-insightful Jack Boyles, CFO of Restful Pump, and the dynamic Amy Anahory, CEO of MicroPower Direct, unveil a bold new approach to one of manufacturers' most confusing, and costly challenges. Their breakthrough solution—ingenious, practical, and worth hundreds of thousands in savings—emerges from the spirited dialog around the table with other entrepreneurs.
What exactly did they discover? Chatham House rules. Suffice it to say, brilliant minds can solve the most difficult.
Yearning to be part of such game-changing conversations? Join Sbur and unlock the secrets only shared where trust, innovation, and inspiration meet. https://lnkd.in/evDzYJmx
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
I’m grabbing some sandwiches, drinks, and cookies at a Whole Foods on Cambridge Street, Boston for a Sbur meeting. A memory strikes me. I was flipping ingredients in jumping flames with a wok in a crammed Chinese restaurant kitchen in New York City. Quite some years ago. Amid the clattering pans, ...I’m grabbing some sandwiches, drinks, and cookies at a Whole Foods on Cambridge Street, Boston for a Sbur meeting. A memory strikes me. I was flipping ingredients in jumping flames with a wok in a crammed Chinese restaurant kitchen in New York City. Quite some years ago. Amid the clattering pans, swirling smoke, and haze, I strived to prepare each dish that captivated diners’ sight, sound, aroma, texture, and flavor. Utter chaos meets edible art!
Raising venture capital is like plating a gourmet dish – you’ve got to make it irresistible to investors in a short window. Captivating with five “Ts”, as recommended by Brian Ellenberger, Investor, Blu Ventures, is key.
Brian highlights five critical elements that founders should address when presenting to investors: Technology, Traction, Terms, TAM (Total Addressable Market), and Team, in addition to good storytelling. He also emphasizes adopting flexible strategies in the rapidly evolving AI landscape, such as smaller and more frequent funding rounds using SAFEs, particularly suitable for pre-seed and seed-stage startups. The swift pace of AI advancements demands constant recalibration of expectations in these key areas—Technology, Traction, Terms (like valuation), TAM, and Team—for both investors and founders alike.
Sbur specializes in facilitating small group and entrepreneur peer advisory board meetings. It offers its members unrestricted access to its network of 500 entrepreneur members and provides complimentary meeting facilities. Apply and join: https://lnkd.in/evDzYJmx
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
A chill runs down my spine. Walking the cobblestone path and entering the granite archways into Lewis Wharf, I step back in history into an early 19th-century waterfront warehouse. Built in 1761, it was the clipper-ship trade hub for sugar, salt, tar, cotton, and spices. 264 years later, it is a vi...A chill runs down my spine. Walking the cobblestone path and entering the granite archways into Lewis Wharf, I step back in history into an early 19th-century waterfront warehouse. Built in 1761, it was the clipper-ship trade hub for sugar, salt, tar, cotton, and spices. 264 years later, it is a vibrant hub of businesses, including bits, digits, and neural nets. I feel like I am chatting, all at once, with John Hancock, the one-time owner, and with modern-day seafarers braving the discovery of new lands of technologies.
Levon Gasparian, CEO of InfoPay, warmly welcomes us at Club Sbur, where members enjoy delightful drinks, food, and engaging conversations.
We welcome our newest member, Matthew C. Phillips, Palm Venture Studios. Palm Venture Studios in Somerville is one the eight locations in the country. It is a family office investment vehicle to startup founders. The family office through Palm Ventures has an enviable track record of 65 investments and acquisitions, 18 exits, and 21x return on invested capital.
Palm Venture Studios emphasizes patient capital, prioritizing sustainability over growth. It funds startup founders who have hit a wall with traditional VCs and are faced with existential crisis for the venture. It supports mission-driven ventures and offers "second chance" funding amplified by business development and operational expertise. Typical investments range from $500,000 to $5,000,000.
Sbur facilitates intimate in-person dialogs between investors and founders 1 - 3 times a month. As commented by Matt Phillips, building a relationship with an investor beats cold-emails, random encounters, or lukewarm introductions.
To meet in-person with other Boston based investors and begin developing trusted relationships, apply and join Sbur: https://lnkd.in/evDzYJmx
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Stepping out of the 7th floor elevator at One Broadway, I see no office sign of
Æthos (Irida Zaimi; Tanay Wakhare). This co-working space for AI founders is tucked away, completely hidden. I walk in. Nobody breaks their attention and sees me – now I’m "hidden". There are many founders sitting at sh...Stepping out of the 7th floor elevator at One Broadway, I see no office sign of
Æthos (Irida Zaimi; Tanay Wakhare). This co-working space for AI founders is tucked away, completely hidden. I walk in. Nobody breaks their attention and sees me – now I’m "hidden". There are many founders sitting at shared tables, headphones on and completely engrossed by their screens. Their focus will soon be diverted though.
Jeffrey W. Smith, a member of Sbur and the Managing Director at SIP Global Partners, is hosting a roundtable discussion with founders from Sbur and Æthos. His journey with AI began 25 years ago at the MIT Media Lab. Over the years, Jeff has built a distinguished career as a serial entrepreneur, spending first years in Asia and Europe before returning to the U.S. He has since successfully led several software and hardware companies in the U.S. to exit and currently manages a venture capital fund that has invested in notable local companies such as Lightmatter, XL Batteries, Realtime Robotics, Inc.
Jeff highlighted that among the 3,200 VCs in the U.S., many are currently facing challenges due to a lack of IPO opportunities and limited exits for their portfolio companies. While the secondary market has seen increased activity, reaching $60 billion last year with discounts ranging from 30-40%, stagnant exit conditions have made it tough for VCs. Many of them may not even be around in a couple of years.
Jeff provided practical advice to deep-tech founders, emphasizing key areas such as improving unit economics, achieving Minimum Viable Production (not Product), developing a solid debt plan, aiming for a 7 year exit strategy, and avoiding reliance on government subsidies. He also noted that approximately 75% of investor rejections are due to internal issues within venture firms rather than problems with the startups themselves.
Jeff also engaged in an in-depth discussion with several founders around the table, offering valuable insights and guidance on their strategies for raising venture capital.
Sbur facilitates THREE investor meetups—coffee, lunch, and dinner session – in June alone exclusively for Sbur founder-members. If you’re interested in participating and joining Sbur, please sign up here: https://lnkd.in/evDzYJmx
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
In my cozy Boston apartment, I anxiously click open an email from my landlord. Bam! A 12% rent increase! It’s Nor’easter outside, but I cannot sit still. The allure of discovering bold and innovative answers to the housing crisis pulls me out into the storm. I drive for more than an hour.
Ron Bour...In my cozy Boston apartment, I anxiously click open an email from my landlord. Bam! A 12% rent increase! It’s Nor’easter outside, but I cannot sit still. The allure of discovering bold and innovative answers to the housing crisis pulls me out into the storm. I drive for more than an hour.
Ron Bourque, AIA, the visionary CEO, and Scott Dennett, the dynamic CFO of
Integrity Modular Design & Construction, rolled out the red carpet as they hosted Sbur (www.sbur.com) members for an exhilarating plant tour, a delightful lunch, and an engaging roundtable discussion. A heartfelt thanks to Ron and Scott for their incredible hospitality!
Sbur also extends its gratitude to its programming partners—Darnell J. Dunn
of the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce, and Kristy Grignon
and Kristina Dearborn of MassMEP for their role in making this event a smashing success.
The tour showcased the groundbreaking modular design and manufacturing process of housing units inside a bustling factory. The innovation on display was nothing short of awe-inspiring: construction costs per square foot slashed by a jaw-dropping 50%, and project timelines compressed from a lengthy 18 months to an astonishing 6 months. The factory is buzzing with activity, tackling an impressive backlog of 19 projects.
Sbur members were electrified by the discussions, diving deep into comparisons between modular manufacturing’s cutting-edge techniques and the transformative technologies of AI and 3D printing. It was a day brimming with inspiration, collaboration, and bold ideas for the future of housing innovation!
Apply to join Sbur: https://lnkd.in/evDzYJmx
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Last week, Sbur (www.sbur.com) proudly partnered with the Front-End Innovation Conference in Boston for an exhilarating Startup Competition! 🎉 The conference was a great success, with over 350 technology companies, startups and corporate senior executives from major US corporations in attendance, i...Last week, Sbur (www.sbur.com) proudly partnered with the Front-End Innovation Conference in Boston for an exhilarating Startup Competition! 🎉 The conference was a great success, with over 350 technology companies, startups and corporate senior executives from major US corporations in attendance, including giants like Microsoft, Google, PepsiCo, CooperSurgical, Colgate-Palmolive, Welch's, Procter & Gamble, Kimberly-Clark, Cargill, Volvo Group, Visa, The Clorox Company, The Hershey Company, Johnsonville, and U.S. Bank. 🌟
The conference was brilliantly hosted and moderated by the amazing Seth Adler (a valued Sbur member) from Informa who kept the energy high and the discussions engaging. Sbur is incredibly proud of its members, Rose Huang, Founder of Accelidea and Sesha Kadakia, Founder of Tangify, who shone brightly as finalists in a large pool of startup applicants and presented their innovative ideas in front of corporate executives. Kudos to Seth, Rose, and Sesha! 👏
Adding to the excitement, The Sbur Band – The Founders – rocked the conference with their performances over two days! 🎸 The founder musicians,
Steve Engdahl, Co-Founder of Deal Board, led the band, while Cole Maisonpierre, Founder of Hako, Michael Rooney, Chief Revenue Officer, Swirl®
Bryson Lang, Founder of The Cure for the Common Show, captivated the audience as Lead Singers and Guitarists, together with other band musicians, such as drummer Andre Bouchard, General Counsel, Charles River Development. A huge congratulations to The Founders (The Sbur Band)! 🎶
Sbur members also enjoyed a delightful dinner alongside other startup founders and corporate executives, hosted by Christian Williams, Vice President at JPMorganChase and a valued member of the Sbur community. Thank you, Christian and Seth, for making the evening memorable! 🍽️
The conference featured an incredible lineup of luminaries, including Steve Wozniak (Apple Co-Founder), Steve Blank (Stanford and a pioneering leader of the lean startup movement), Linda Hill (Harvard Business School). The intimate roundtable discussions allowed startup founders to engage in meaningful dialogues with corporate executives, fostering a deeper understanding of the corporate innovation environment and brainstorming solutions to challenges. 🌟
One of Sbur’s key objectives is to connect our founder-members with potential customers. We actively facilitate such opportunities and dialogues between founders and established companies, paving the way for our members to showcase their products and services. 🚀
Join us and be part of this vibrant community! Apply now and embark on an exciting journey with Sbur! 🌟 https://lnkd.in/evDzYJmx
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Sbur (www.sbur.com) recently hosted a delightful evening with Lord Rees of Easton (Marvin Rees OBE) at Club Sbur. As a former Mayor of Bristol, UK, Lord Rees captivated the audience with his insightful views and innovative initiatives on sustainability of major global cities. The evening was furthe...Sbur (www.sbur.com) recently hosted a delightful evening with Lord Rees of Easton (Marvin Rees OBE) at Club Sbur. As a former Mayor of Bristol, UK, Lord Rees captivated the audience with his insightful views and innovative initiatives on sustainability of major global cities. The evening was further enriched by engaging discussions between Sbur Founder-members and Lord Rees, exploring the transformative impact of AI on the cities of tomorrow. The event was beautifully complemented by delicious food and drinks, courtesy of Levon Gasparian, CEO, InfoPay.
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Masterminds Helping Sbur Founder Members
Benjamin Howe, Partner, Foley Hoag LLP and Sertac Karaman, Co-Founder, Optimus Ride, and MIT Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and Director, Lab for Information and Decision Systems (the oldest continuously operating lab at MIT) hosted Sbur members ...Masterminds Helping Sbur Founder Members
Benjamin Howe, Partner, Foley Hoag LLP and Sertac Karaman, Co-Founder, Optimus Ride, and MIT Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and Director, Lab for Information and Decision Systems (the oldest continuously operating lab at MIT) hosted Sbur members at a Lunch Roundtable Discussion at Foley Hoag. Optimus Ride had a very successful exit.
It was a rare opportunity to hear two Masterminds share their stories and perspectives on navigating a venture’s ups and downs, including capital, founding team, product-market-fit, and go-to-market strategies and execution. They also provided valuable advice to founders on dealing with their venture specific challenges.
The two Masterminds also offered tremendous insight into the future of Physical AI and Social AI, associated with machine learning, robotics and agency, computing and sustainability, and computing and society.
Sbur’s Mastermind Series brings together successful Entrepreneurs and Experts to provide practical and real-time guidance to startup founders facing with their own challenges. Sbur facilitates such sessions of between 10-40 times a year. To enjoy the direct access to Masterminds, like Sertac and Ben, apply to join Sbur: https://lnkd.in/evDzYJmx
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Table Turned on Investors
Founders undergo rigorous due diligence and face rejection from 95-99% of investors. Among the 1-5% who show interest, whose money should a founder accept? Is the founder desperate enough to take any money?Table Turned on Investors
Founders undergo rigorous due diligence and face rejection from 95-99% of investors. Among the 1-5% who show interest, whose money should a founder accept? Is the founder desperate enough to take any money?
☀️Raza Shaikh, Managing Director at Launchpad Venture Group, emphasizes the importance of founders conducting due diligence on investors. Having experience as both a serial entrepreneur and managing one of Boston's largest angel investor groups with over 170 members, Raza offers valuable insights. The meeting was hosted at Schrödinger (Christopher Brown).
Key considerations include the venture fund’s investment stage, size, focus, and follow-on investment capacity. Understanding an investor’s expectations, approach, and behavior in various situations (good and bad times) is crucial. References from failed portfolio companies can be useful.
Assessing the strategic value an investor brings is also important. This includes introductions to follow-on round investors, potential customers, industry expertise, and decision-making support.
Raza discusses various investor types, their investment horizon, value drivers, and patience span, such as family offices, strategic investors, and non-dilutive grants. He highlights the importance of warm introductions to potential investors.
Sbur facilitates up to 24 intimate small group meetings among investors and founders annually, fostering relationships and introductions. We occasionally make ad hoc, warm introductions when we see a good fit. To apply and join Sbur: https://lnkd.in/evDzYJmx
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Calling all CEOs and Entrepreneurs in manufacturing, robotics, and AI!
Are you grappling with complex business challenges and hungry for breakthrough insights, real-world solutions, and powerful peer connections? Then don’t miss the Builders Lunch Series on May 22 at Integrity Modular Design and C...Calling all CEOs and Entrepreneurs in manufacturing, robotics, and AI!
Are you grappling with complex business challenges and hungry for breakthrough insights, real-world solutions, and powerful peer connections? Then don’t miss the Builders Lunch Series on May 22 at Integrity Modular Design and Construction.
This high-impact Get-together among CEOs features:
🔥 A dynamic CEO Roundtable
🔥 A behind-the-scenes tour of a cutting-edge manufacturing plant
🔥 A mouthwatering Brazilian Steakhouse lunch — fully catered
Jointly presented by Sbur (an Entrepreneur/CEO peer advisory board without the high cost), the Worcester Chamber of Commerce, and MassMEP, this series is designed to spark innovation, fuel collaboration, and help you lead with confidence in today’s fast-evolving industrial landscape.
We host these CEO Get-togethers monthly — come experience the difference.
RSVP: https://lnkd.in/ey2DbmQt
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Join us for dinner and music with Lord Rees of Easton at Club Sbur. For leaders. RSVP: https://lnkd.in/e42GtasFJoin us for dinner and music with Lord Rees of Easton at Club Sbur. For leaders. RSVP: https://lnkd.in/e42GtasF
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Sbur's (www.sbur.com) founder members got together with Lily Toto, Senior Associate, Two Lanterns Venture Capital at Schrödinger's (Christopher Brown) beautiful facility on the Charles. Lily shared her views on the current investment environment and a few good pointers. She was delightfully optim...Sbur's (www.sbur.com) founder members got together with Lily Toto, Senior Associate, Two Lanterns Venture Capital at Schrödinger's (Christopher Brown) beautiful facility on the Charles. Lily shared her views on the current investment environment and a few good pointers. She was delightfully optimistic about the current investment environment. The following are some highlights:
💡The investment structure and terms are returning to the pre run-up/exuberant period.
💡Investors in general are taking more time (up to 6 months on the East Coast), evaluating opportunities and performing due diligence. Two Lanterns typically takes 2-6 weeks (sometimes longer) from the first meeting to a decision.
💡It's important for founders to spend time and cultivate trusted relationships with potential investors, before the actual pitch. Equally important is to develop good relationships with the associates at the investment firms, as they are the first to review all the pitch decks, conduct the first meetings with founders, and recommend the deals to partners.
💡After the investor has invested, it is more important to continue building and nurture good relationships. A founder goes through ups and downs of a venture and needs strong support from the investor. Your relationship with an investor is typically longer than an average marriage 🙂.
💡Two key investment areas for Two Lanterns are digital health and B2B SaaS.
💡Two Lanterns places strong emphasis on a solid founding team. Based on an observed pattern of its 37 investment portfolio companies, a good indication is the length of time the co-founders have known each other and worked together.
Sbur facilitates intimate Investor Coffee Chat for its members up to 24 times a year, in addition to its other entrepreneur peer advisory board meetings, such as Builders Lunch Series, Founders Roundtable, Mastermind Lunch Series, and Club Sbur Dinner and Live Music. Sbur is specialized in its member self-organized small group get-togethers that encourage in-depth discussions among entrepreneurs. Sbur is your peer advisory board without the high cost. If interested, apply here: https://lnkd.in/eXuxj2HT
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Sbur (www.sbur.com) is thrilled to host Raza Shaikh, Managing Director, Launchpad Venture Group on May 6. Not all money is created equal. When the term sheets roll in, smart founders ask the right questions. Who’s backing you—and are they accelerating your vision or adding friction. Even before th...Sbur (www.sbur.com) is thrilled to host Raza Shaikh, Managing Director, Launchpad Venture Group on May 6. Not all money is created equal. When the term sheets roll in, smart founders ask the right questions. Who’s backing you—and are they accelerating your vision or adding friction. Even before the start of your fund raising, how do you decide who should be on your target list. Raza will share his insights and provide guidance to Founders currently navigating found raising. All founders are welcome by RSVP: https://lnkd.in/exsig-Yk
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Builders Lunch Series 4/17/25
Jack Finn, CEO, John Finn, COO, Jason Thurm, CPA, FIBA Technologies, Inc. hosted a plant tour, lunch and roundtable discussion with fellow Sbur members. FIBA, founded in 1958, is a global leader in manufacturing and servicing gas containment equipment. Sbur members w...Builders Lunch Series 4/17/25
Jack Finn, CEO, John Finn, COO, Jason Thurm, CPA, FIBA Technologies, Inc. hosted a plant tour, lunch and roundtable discussion with fellow Sbur members. FIBA, founded in 1958, is a global leader in manufacturing and servicing gas containment equipment. Sbur members watched in awe the spin-forging process in its 400,000 SF facility. FIBA is one of the three U.S. based manufacturers of industrial gas equipment to critical U.S. industries in aerospace/aviation, energy, medical, and electronics.
At lunch, John and Jason shared their challenges with tariffs. With US Steel closing its US tube facility in 2025, China remains the only viable supplier. FIBA is now faced with a total of 195% tariffs on its imports. This creates significant challenges to FIBA.
The Sbur members shared their take on the situation and hope that there will be more clarity or resolutions to the current situation faced by FIBA and many other manufacturers, many of which may be in a worse situation than FIBA.
The tour and lunch discussion also gave technology founders first-hand insights into what a manufacturer is wrestling with on the production floor and what innovative solutions in terms of material science, robotics and AI applications that they really need in addressing operational challenges.
In the words of a deep-tech serial entrepreneur and investor, he would like to visit a factory once a week, if there are such opportunities. It's a different world out there.
Sbur Builders Lunch Series aims to bring together manufacturers, robotics, and AI company founders to share with each other their challenges and solutions and to encourage collaboration among them.
Interested in joining Sbur? Sign up here for the upcoming 5/22 Builders Lunch Series: https://lnkd.in/eM5Td2fA
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
More than 60% of CEOs now expect a recession this year according to a survey. How prepared are you in navigating uncertainty? Sbur empowers entrepreneurs to self-organize Founder Roundtable discussions among peers anywhere, anytime, in-person, or virtually. Join us in-person on April 24. RSVP: h...More than 60% of CEOs now expect a recession this year according to a survey. How prepared are you in navigating uncertainty? Sbur empowers entrepreneurs to self-organize Founder Roundtable discussions among peers anywhere, anytime, in-person, or virtually. Join us in-person on April 24. RSVP: https://lnkd.in/dKQ_H76r
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Amidst all the chaos and uncertainty, our founders can find respite and peace at Club Sbur. Join us for dinner, drinks and live music. Founders - The Sbur Band, is playing. All costs covered. Next Club Sbur gathering: May 13. Approval required. RSVP: https://lnkd.in/d6mE8-Xq. See you there!Amidst all the chaos and uncertainty, our founders can find respite and peace at Club Sbur. Join us for dinner, drinks and live music. Founders - The Sbur Band, is playing. All costs covered. Next Club Sbur gathering: May 13. Approval required. RSVP: https://lnkd.in/d6mE8-Xq. See you there!
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Buckle up!
Rollercoaster rides are the norm for us nowadays. For startups, the rides are all-weather, all-terrain and all the time. Come hear such an electrifying story told by a venture lawyer and a serial founder braving storms together in a thrilling journey to success. Buckle up!
Rollercoaster rides are the norm for us nowadays. For startups, the rides are all-weather, all-terrain and all the time. Come hear such an electrifying story told by a venture lawyer and a serial founder braving storms together in a thrilling journey to success.
RSVP: https://lnkd.in/ecegkFnR
Following the successful launch of the "Builders Lunch Series", and the "Investor Coffee Chat Series", Sbur is back launching a brand new "Mastermind Lunch Series"! Arm yourself with the knowledge, insights, and strategies to navigate through times of turbulence.
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Investor Coffee Chat Series.
Lily Toto, Two Lanterns Venture Capital, is hosting a coffee chat with founders on April 29. Greater market volatility and economic uncertainty invite us to timely assess, at this coffee chat, potential changes to the early stage funding environment for founders and...Investor Coffee Chat Series.
Lily Toto, Two Lanterns Venture Capital, is hosting a coffee chat with founders on April 29. Greater market volatility and economic uncertainty invite us to timely assess, at this coffee chat, potential changes to the early stage funding environment for founders and investors alike.
Sbur (www.sbur.com) facilitates Investor Coffe Chat - once or twice a month for investors and founders to get together in person. Founders are welcome to join us. Scan the QR code to RSVP.
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Following the success of Sbur's 3/27 kickoff of Builders' Lunch Series at Accumet Engineering, Inc., John Finn, COO, FIBA Technologies, Inc. is hosting our next one on 4/17.
We will have together successful and well-established Manufacturers with exciting and young Robotics and AI companies. Th...Following the success of Sbur's 3/27 kickoff of Builders' Lunch Series at Accumet Engineering, Inc., John Finn, COO, FIBA Technologies, Inc. is hosting our next one on 4/17.
We will have together successful and well-established Manufacturers with exciting and young Robotics and AI companies. The main objectives of the lunch series are two: (1) decision makers collaborating and doing business with one another, and (2) brilliant minds sharing insights and helping solve tough challenges. All founders, owner operators, and C-suite executives of product building companies are welcome.
RSVP is required. Scan the QR code in the attached flyer. See you there.
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Builders' Lunch Series Kicks Off!
Greg Sexton, CEO of Accumet Engineering, Inc. (and a proud Sbur member), launched Sbur’s (www.sbur.com) exciting new lunch series. Accumet, a precision materials processing company with over 50 years of experience, manufactures vital components for some of the most...Builders' Lunch Series Kicks Off!
Greg Sexton, CEO of Accumet Engineering, Inc. (and a proud Sbur member), launched Sbur’s (www.sbur.com) exciting new lunch series. Accumet, a precision materials processing company with over 50 years of experience, manufactures vital components for some of the most innovative technology companies. Greg, who has a background as a rocket engineer, shared insights into the company's work and its role in advancing cutting-edge technologies.
The event featured a plant tour, followed by networking, lunch, and engaging discussions among fellow builders. During the event, Greg highlighted his company’s challenges in improving job scheduling, prototyping, and new order quoting. Currently, the systems in place are under pressure and are prone to breakdowns and inefficiencies.
AI and technology company founders (Jay Cody, FlareAI; Tanay Wakhare, Prompt Inversion; Qiuyan Xu, Gravitate AI; Jesse Silverberg, Multiscale Systems; Travis McQueen, Mimory) shared their expertise on cost-effective ways to improve operations by combining off-the-shelf SAAS tools with machine vision and AI, which can boost efficiency from around 60% to over 90%, and by deploying precision, data-driven strategies for customer engagement and conversion.
The Builders' Lunch Series is more than just a chance to share insights and solve problems. It’s also designed to help founders create new business opportunities and drive cost savings. For example, one component manufacturer was securing an order from a medical device company, while an advanced materials company considered purchasing equipment that can save $100,000 in operating costs. The AI companies will follow up with manufacturers for potential collaborations as well.
Sbur extends its thanks to Darnell J. Dunn from the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce for partnership on programming and distribution, and to Kristy Grignon and Kristina Dearborn from MassMEP for their attendance.
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Sbur is thrilled to announce the launch of a new Sbur series - Coffee with Investors.
We are excited to feature Aidan Kittredge, Program Manager, Techstars Boston. Aidan is going to introduce Techstars Boston Accelerator program and the opportunity to apply. All product builders/founders are w...Sbur is thrilled to announce the launch of a new Sbur series - Coffee with Investors.
We are excited to feature Aidan Kittredge, Program Manager, Techstars Boston. Aidan is going to introduce Techstars Boston Accelerator program and the opportunity to apply. All product builders/founders are welcome to join us. Please RSVP.
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Sbur (www.sbur.com) is excited to announce the launch of Builders’ Lunch Series! Local manufacturers will host plant tours, followed by Lunch Roundtable discussions among fellow entreprenuers - founders and C-suite executives of manufacturing, robotics, and AI companies.
This creates wonderful o...Sbur (www.sbur.com) is excited to announce the launch of Builders’ Lunch Series! Local manufacturers will host plant tours, followed by Lunch Roundtable discussions among fellow entreprenuers - founders and C-suite executives of manufacturing, robotics, and AI companies.
This creates wonderful opportunities for entrepreneurs to share and learn about the amazing things they are working on and to explore profitable collaborations among fellow builders and entreprenuers.
Approval required for attendance. please use the QR and link in the attached flyer to RSVP.
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Product Launch on March 1!
Karen Kelly 🌈 Founder, Purposely Social, organized a get-together among fellow founders of Sbur (www.sbur.com) at Venture Café Cambridge (Nathan Plummer, Alexander Cheung, Tricia Bitetto) with Venture Cafe members. Product Launch on March 1!
Karen Kelly 🌈 Founder, Purposely Social, organized a get-together among fellow founders of Sbur (www.sbur.com) at Venture Café Cambridge (Nathan Plummer, Alexander Cheung, Tricia Bitetto) with Venture Cafe members.
Karen is launching her new product in App Store and Google Play on March 1. This product helps address our country’s loneliness epidemic by taking the work and anxiety out of social planning, particularly for busy parents. Sign up: www.purposelysocial.com.
At this meeting, Karen shared her insights and also sought the understanding of male POV on connecting with friends and the friction involved in making plans. It was a very engaging discussion. The people there were already asking for the next get-together like this.
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Explosive, mind-blowing, the Sbur Band set the stage on fire at Big Night Live. The jaw-dropping vocals soared effortlessly, while the Band delivered pulse-pounding sound. An absolute feast for the senses - heart-racing music, decadent appetizers, gourmet food, top-shelf drinks, infectious laughte...Explosive, mind-blowing, the Sbur Band set the stage on fire at Big Night Live. The jaw-dropping vocals soared effortlessly, while the Band delivered pulse-pounding sound. An absolute feast for the senses - heart-racing music, decadent appetizers, gourmet food, top-shelf drinks, infectious laughter, electric charisma and energy among more than 300 corporate executives and entrepreneurs - members of Sbur (www.sbur.com) and FEI Boston. What a night of celebration of music, business and finance, and innovation among the best and brightest of Boston.
Cheers to the Sbur Band members - amazing Founders and Musicians:
Steve Engdahl, Cole Maisonpierre, Andrew E. S., Mark Connell, Michael Rooney, Bryson Lang, Andre Bouchard.
A big Thank-You to Priya Chanduraj and Michelle Katz for your amazing work in bringing our two organizations together to celebrate the Business of Music and to Tom Dodge for the beautiful videography (to be released later).
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Albert Chen, CEO, Anago and Tanay Wakhare, Founder, Prompt Inversion, gathered together with fellow members (founders and investors) of Sbur (www.sbur.com) and conducted an insightful discussion about the DeepSeek phenomenon. Armed with their rich and deep experiences of working with enterprise cli...Albert Chen, CEO, Anago and Tanay Wakhare, Founder, Prompt Inversion, gathered together with fellow members (founders and investors) of Sbur (www.sbur.com) and conducted an insightful discussion about the DeepSeek phenomenon. Armed with their rich and deep experiences of working with enterprise clients and MIT PhD work in AI, they demistified the hype and reality of various AI models and their practical applications, constraints, costs, and the speed of implementation. AI security has also become a paramount concern as the models evolve fastly. The AI era will become increasingly more chaotic and unpredictable, but it will also be the most exciting age ever for technological progress.
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Celebrating Business, Innovation, Music & Valentine's Day Week!
On what might be a cold February night, we're turning up the heat. Electrifying live music by Sbur Founder musicians. Riveting C-suite panel discussion: Live Nation, Buzz Knight Media, Truist, Wilbur Theatre, and iHeartMedia. Amazing n...Celebrating Business, Innovation, Music & Valentine's Day Week!
On what might be a cold February night, we're turning up the heat. Electrifying live music by Sbur Founder musicians. Riveting C-suite panel discussion: Live Nation, Buzz Knight Media, Truist, Wilbur Theatre, and iHeartMedia. Amazing networking among hundreds of C-suite execs, entrepreneurs, and Boston's movers and shakers. And incredible food and drinks!
This exclusive gathering is just for Sbur and FEI members - but in the spirit of Valentine's Day, we are sharing the love with our non-member friends and inviting you.
Scan the QR to apply and RSVP. Registration closes by 3:00 PM on this coming Sunday.
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Founders of the Sbur Community gathered at Club Sbur at Lewis Wharf (Levon Gasparian, Founder, InfoPay) last week.
Alex Bichuch, Founder, ByteUnited, unveiled an AI powered fall detection technology and sought advice from fellow founders. They helped Alex evaluate the viability of this new techn...Founders of the Sbur Community gathered at Club Sbur at Lewis Wharf (Levon Gasparian, Founder, InfoPay) last week.
Alex Bichuch, Founder, ByteUnited, unveiled an AI powered fall detection technology and sought advice from fellow founders. They helped Alex evaluate the viability of this new technology in light of other existing technologies, user needs and privacy concerns, the most receptive market and first users, and the most scalable distribution channels.
Sbur also unveiled one of its new formats in 2025 in addition to its peer advisory roundtable and investor workshop discussions. It will work towards creating more opportunities for founders to get in front of potential customers and decision makers. Potential customer interactions will help a founder vet the product-market-fit, and secure paying customers more quickly. This will help pave the way for more compelling capital raise.
Executing on such a new format, The Sbur Band will perform in front of hundreds of C-Level executives in February, and Sbur members can sign up and spend time with the decision makers. In May, Sbur AI founders, if selected, will present in front of hundreds of corporate innovation leaders and change-makers, moderate Roundtable discussions and network with these decision makers.
More exciting things to happen in 2025. Stay tuned.
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Happy Holidays! Sbur celebrated the holidays at its own Club Sbur (Levon Gasparian, InfoPay) with its own Band Sbur formed by Sbur’s Founder musicians, such as, Andrew E. S., Cole Maisonpierre, Rosemary Ajuka-LeCroy and others. Thomas Dodge,
NewView.Media Video Marketing captured the moment and...Happy Holidays! Sbur celebrated the holidays at its own Club Sbur (Levon Gasparian, InfoPay) with its own Band Sbur formed by Sbur’s Founder musicians, such as, Andrew E. S., Cole Maisonpierre, Rosemary Ajuka-LeCroy and others. Thomas Dodge,
NewView.Media Video Marketing captured the moment and recapped what Sbur is all about.
During 2024, SBUR Founders/entrpreneurs, investors, and masterminds have self-organized over 50 Roundtable discussions, peer advisory board meetings and investor workshops. Sbur is where entrepreneurs gain capital access, share vital insights, perform critical introductions, develop trusted relationships and generate sales!
So many of our members have helped build this amazing community. We owe them a heartfelt Thank-You! Due to LinkedIn mention limit, the following is only a partial list of those amazing members who have helped the Sbur community very meaningfully. Thank-You to those we are able to fit into the limit here and to those we cannot (will lobby LinkedIn to change this).
Christopher Brown,Tim Jamison,Harry Flood, Nathan Plummer, Christian Williams, Anthony Loumidis, Kenneth Levine, Helen F., Kristen Craft, Palle Pedersen, Puck Fernsten, Mo Saeed, Laura Stoffel, Jeffrey W. Smith; Vikas Goyal, Alexander Cheung, Sanjay Manandhar, Vinit Nijhawan (he/him), Giuseppe Stuto, Sage Nye, Mohan Chunduri, Savannah Nimmo, Carla Reimold, Rachel Leigh Gross, Chris Gardner, ☀️Raza Shaikh,Joe Kellogg , Gary Paul Magnant, Jason Moi, Jeff Rick, James McSherry, Ali Mahmoud, Scott Killoh
https://lnkd.in/eQJ6UX3r
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Laura Stoffel, Partner, Gunderson Dettmer, and a member of Sbur (www.sbur.com), hosted a roundtable discussion on the potential issues founders can be faced with currently. Gunderson has been ranked #1 for venture capital and emerging companies globally. Its AI tool helps founders self generate ce...Laura Stoffel, Partner, Gunderson Dettmer, and a member of Sbur (www.sbur.com), hosted a roundtable discussion on the potential issues founders can be faced with currently. Gunderson has been ranked #1 for venture capital and emerging companies globally. Its AI tool helps founders self generate certain legal documents with speed and reduced costs.
The issues discussed at the roundtable included US District Court’s preliminary injunction halting the enforcement of CTA’s beneficial ownership reporting by the year end; CFIUS mandary declaration requirements of foreign investment in US’ critical technologies and potential penalties; US export control over sensitive technologies, such as AI-related products, to the US sanctioned list of foreign companies.
The roundtable also discussed in depth the current startup funding environment and financing options, such as SAFE (CAP vs. Discount) and valuations for the seed stage companies.
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Holiday Season Cheers! Advertising displays. Shopping carts. Gathering with families and friends. That wonderful time of the year again!
It’s also high time to solve some tough challenges: big screen non-interactive and boring displays; long checkout lines; dirty shoes bringing streets into homes. Holiday Season Cheers! Advertising displays. Shopping carts. Gathering with families and friends. That wonderful time of the year again!
It’s also high time to solve some tough challenges: big screen non-interactive and boring displays; long checkout lines; dirty shoes bringing streets into homes.
Luckily, we have three amazingly elegant solutions. 360-degree digitally interactive pods/displays. Smart shopping carts powered by AI. Patented sole cleaner that leaves dirty streets at the door.
Three founders: Evert Rotteveel, Founder, Purisoles; Alfredo Merino, Founder, MODUL-AD LLC; and John Hopkins, CMO, HiCart Corporation, gathered together with other Sbur (www.sbur.com) members/founders and demoed and discussed their products and sought advice at Club Sbur, a private space for Sbur members, generously provided by a Sbur member, Levon Gasparian, Founder, InfoPay.
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
We owe a big Thank-You to all the 1099 workers on this Thanksgiving Eve and the Holiday Season that follows! Rain, snow, or shine - you go the extra mile to make the season special for everyone. We are so grateful for you!
Our country at the same time is fast becoming a Gig Nation. Mo Saeed , F...We owe a big Thank-You to all the 1099 workers on this Thanksgiving Eve and the Holiday Season that follows! Rain, snow, or shine - you go the extra mile to make the season special for everyone. We are so grateful for you!
Our country at the same time is fast becoming a Gig Nation. Mo Saeed , Founder, SalaryX, asked the fellow Sbur (www.sbur.com) founders for guidance on his just launched new product “Scan & Hire” at Venture Café Cambridge (Nathan Plummer, Alexander Cheung, Tricia Bitetto & Emmi Dolph. Thank you guys for your support!). “Scan & Hire” reduces days it takes for an employer to hire a worker to within 24 hours. This solution deploys a host of solutions, such as biometric authentication, Face-ID Match, Liveness Test, Instant Backgrond Check, Crimial and Drug, etc. The signicant time saved generates thousands of dollars in economic value to both workers and employers alike.
Sbur members/founders provided Mo with their assessment of the product applications, market opportunities and adoption, channel scaling ideas, and potential technology integration issues, etc. They have helped Mo fine tune his Go-to-Market strategies.
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Big changes afoot. Huge uncertainties. Potential opportunities. Kristen Craft, VP, Fidelity Private Shares, organized and led a Roundtable discussion among Sbur (www.sbur.com) members (founders, investors, and C-level execs) at Schrödinger (Christopher Brown, Executive Director). It was a non-po...Big changes afoot. Huge uncertainties. Potential opportunities. Kristen Craft, VP, Fidelity Private Shares, organized and led a Roundtable discussion among Sbur (www.sbur.com) members (founders, investors, and C-level execs) at Schrödinger (Christopher Brown, Executive Director). It was a non-political discussion focused on 2025 policy changes and their potential impact on startups.
The group debated the potential loosening of the IPO market condition, increased M&A actitives, and more venture funding availability to startups. There are, however, currently no such signs in the marketplace.
The group examined the likely outcome of new energy policies, their impact on gas prices and energy costs, and the new energy projects’ long buildout lag time, and the change in federal government renewable energy credits. ClimaTech companies may be affected by new policies.
Manufacturing can also be impacted by tarrifs and immigration policies. There will be some re-reshoring. There can also be higher material costs and further manufacturing labor shortages. Robotics startups may play a more significant role in the coming changes.
The group also reviewed the four pillars of the Mass economy: life sciences, financial services, education, and new technologies.
Due to deregulation, financial services may enjoy more positive impact and as a result, such positive benefits may also accrue to FinTech startups.
For life sciences, any potential funding cut to NIH or even NSA, and public health agency reform, such as preventative care focus, may alter the life sciences startup trajectory, positively or negatively.
For higher education, the potential creation of “American Acadamy” funded by taxes on private university endowments, coupled with AI can affect college education’s long term prospect. AI driven educational innovations and startups may be at the cusp of such a trend.
Thanks also to the following individuals who support expert and founder led roundtable discussions like this:
Christian Williams, JPMorganChase
Connie Chenfang Dai, Esq, LION's Law
Jeff Rick, Maitri Services
Jennifer Yang, CFA, Morgan Stanley
Jack Boyles & Jason Moi, CBIZ
James McSherry, Shovel Town Microwbrewery
Kenneth Levine, Insperity
Laura Stoffel, Gunderson Dettmer
Mohan Chunduri, Mallard Enterprises
Paul J. Scott, GoingClear | Digital Agency
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
AI making investment decisions? Jason Mackey, Managing Director of Athenian Capital, hosted a Roundtable discussion among fellow SBUR (www.sbur.com) members at Insperity (Kenneth Levine, sponsor). Jason shared Athenian Capital’s unique and proprietary AI LLM model and approach to the firm’s invest...AI making investment decisions? Jason Mackey, Managing Director of Athenian Capital, hosted a Roundtable discussion among fellow SBUR (www.sbur.com) members at Insperity (Kenneth Levine, sponsor). Jason shared Athenian Capital’s unique and proprietary AI LLM model and approach to the firm’s investment decision making. Very interestingly, the model cancels out noises and bias about a founder and generates insights based on more than a thousand datapoints.
Athenian capital is a First-Check early stage investor with its fund focus on the dual use of civilian and military technologies and applications. The AI assisted founder selection and investment decision making approach generated engaging discussions among the founders around the table.
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
How much higher has the bar become? ARR requirement more than doubled for Series A? ARR required for Seed? How about Pre-Seed? Unicorn exit - 1 in 800 invested companies? The best time to start a new venture?
Chris Gardner, General Partner, Underscore VC, conducted a Roundtable discussion an...How much higher has the bar become? ARR requirement more than doubled for Series A? ARR required for Seed? How about Pre-Seed? Unicorn exit - 1 in 800 invested companies? The best time to start a new venture?
Chris Gardner, General Partner, Underscore VC, conducted a Roundtable discussion and shared his candid insights into the current tight investment environment with founders of the SBUR (www.sbur.com) community this Tuesday evening at Insperity (Kenneth Levine, sponsor).
Chris listened to a short venture introduction of each founder at the table. He also conducted short case studies of three founders’ ventures, soliciting peer advice around the table, and providing his own feedback and guidance.
A terrificly fun and informative
evening with Chris. He brings unique perspectives not only as an investor, but also as a serial entrepreneur who sold his most recent startup to Paypall.
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Tough Tech is tough. What are the top 3 early indicators that you have the highest chance to achieve Product-Market-Fit?
Jeffrey W. Smith, General Partner, SIP Capital Ventures, led a Roundtable discussion with fellow founders of the Sbur community (www.sbur.com) at the beautiful Schrödinger (Ch...Tough Tech is tough. What are the top 3 early indicators that you have the highest chance to achieve Product-Market-Fit?
Jeffrey W. Smith, General Partner, SIP Capital Ventures, led a Roundtable discussion with fellow founders of the Sbur community (www.sbur.com) at the beautiful Schrödinger (Christopher Brown) office with a 180 degree view of the The Charles. Jeff shared his experiences and views on how a tough tech startup should think through and tackle Product-Market-Fit along three key dimensions.
Jeff is a successful serial entrepreneur, having led both private and publicly traded companies as CEO and a principal investor. His most most recent investment he led as CEO grew from a lab based tough tech company to over $150 million in sales. He generated a more than 10x return for the investors. Jeff and his current firm, SIP Capital Venture, have recently invested in Kodiak Robotics (autonomous driving trucks - $125 million B round) and Lightmatter (photonic computing - $400 million D round).
Jeff led the discussion with three tough tech founders at the table in robotics, 3D printing, and climatech, helping them think through their products, partners, markets, and paths forward, regarding PMF.
SBUR’s founders can self-organize meetings like this, share insights, and tap into each other’s brains, so that smarter decisions are made.
A special Thank-You to SBUR’s corporate members/sponsors for their invaluable expertise and support:
Jack Boyles, Marcum LLP
Christopher Brown, Schrödinger
Tricia Bitetto, Venture Café Cambridge
Alexander Cheung, Venture Café Cambridge
Mohan Chunduri, Mallard Enterprises
Connie Chenfang Dai, Esq, Lion’s Law
Kristen Craft, Fidelity Investments
Levon Gasparian, InfoPay
Kenneth Levine, Insperity
James McSherry,Shovel Town Brewery
Jason Moi, Marcum LLP
Nathan Plummer, Venture Café Global Institute
Jeff Rick, Maitri Services
Paul J. Scott, GoingClear | Digital Agency
Laura Stoffel, Gunderson Dettmer
Christian Williams, JPMorganChase
Jennifer Yang, CFA, Morgan Stanley
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
Sbur (www.sbur.com) life sciences and medtech founders had a great roundtable discussion Tuesday night at Club Sbur, Lewis Wharf (generously sponsored by Levon Gasparian, CEO, InfoPay). Two of Sbur members with experiences on both the operating and investing sides of biotech shared their fascinating...Sbur (www.sbur.com) life sciences and medtech founders had a great roundtable discussion Tuesday night at Club Sbur, Lewis Wharf (generously sponsored by Levon Gasparian, CEO, InfoPay). Two of Sbur members with experiences on both the operating and investing sides of biotech shared their fascinating stories about their startup’s twists and turns and critical insights into capital raising.
Vikas Goyal, a Venture Partner at Longwood Fund ($650 million), used the example of his time with Pandion Therapeutics. He began as a board member at Pandion representing the SR One venture fund. After a year-and-a-half on the board, he took a fulltime operating role as SVP Business Development. The company, which began with an immune system modulator and developed a second product, financed its operations with two rounds of venture funding before going public in the summer of 2020 during the biotech surge. Multiple partnering deals were considered, including a consummated license deal with Astellas and an acquisition offer from Merck, which was rejected. Ultimately Merck, which had been in conversations since 2018, ended up making a successful tender offer to acquire Pandion at a value of $1.8B.
Founder members at Sbur help one another by sharing critical insights and performing critical introductions to opportunities. Sbur is all about trusted relationships.
LinkedIn post by Tony Zhang, Founder, Sbur
This Tuesday evening, Club SBUR (www.sbur.com) was in full swing at this beautiful water-view building on Lewis Wharf. Built in 1836, the building was formerly owned by John Hancock. Club SBUR is Boston’s 1st private Founders-Only club.
A special Thank-You to Levon Gasparian, Founder, InfoPay for ...This Tuesday evening, Club SBUR (www.sbur.com) was in full swing at this beautiful water-view building on Lewis Wharf. Built in 1836, the building was formerly owned by John Hancock. Club SBUR is Boston’s 1st private Founders-Only club.
A special Thank-You to Levon Gasparian, Founder, InfoPay for completely remodeling the space and turning it into Club SBUR with a beautifully stocked bar! Levon is a very successful entrepreneur, and his bartending and exotic cocktails are just as supreme!
Erik Modahl, Founder, beantrust , played some beautiful songs on his clarinet. Ilya Silchukou, an internationally sought-after Kavalier baritone also performed before the spellbound audience members.
Sbur is in the process of forming Boston’s first Founders’ Band - Band Sbur, performing at Club SBUR and potentially for a fee at other founders’ gatherings as well.
Club SBUR is now the place where Founders can connect, collaborate, and conquer. Building trusted relationships is of utmost importance for a founder.
Among our founders this evening and through other meetings with fellow founders, some have gained their venture-specific insights, allowing them to achieve faster Product-Market-Fit; and others, to effective pivot to more profitable business models. Some founders have generated 6, 7, or even 8 figure sales by doing business with fellow founders or through trusted relationship introductions to hidden opportunities.
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