TechCrunch returned to Moscone West in San Francisco on October 27-29, 2025, and has brought together over 10,000 startups and VC leaders to see where innovation is improving. Among the must-see sessions is a candid panel of Builders Stage, one of the most high-stakes moments of the founder's journey. Raise the first round.
From pitch to partnerships: a real roadmap to fundraising
This dynamic panel brings together three veteran investors: Maria Palma (Freestyle Capital), Gabby Cazo (Harlem Capital) and Marlon Nichols (MAC Venture Capital) to unlock the reality of early stage fundraising. From creating a compelling pitch to choosing the right capital partner, they share honest and practical insights to help founders translate their interests into investments.
Maria Palma, general partner at Freestyle Capital, plays past roles in leadership positions at high-growth startups like Kindred Capital, RRE Ventures and Eyeview, bringing deep management and investment experience. She supports companies such as Fung Money, Lightning Labs, and Payman, and holds an MBA from Harvard University.
Gabby Cazeau is a partner at Harlem Capital and invests in pre-seed and seed startups for Enterprise Software and Applied AI. She holds an MBA from Yale and a BS in Chemical Engineering. Gabby has been featured in Business Insider's CNBC, Crain's 40 Under 40, and serves as the VC Startup Council of Startup: NYC.
Marlon Nichols, co-founder and managing general partner of Mac Venture Capital, leads one of North American top seed-stage companies with over $600 million AUM (managed assets). A multi-time winner on Business Insider's Seed 100 and Pitchbook's Top Black VC list, Marlon helps expand industry-based companies such as Blavity, Thrive Market and Mongodb.
What to expect from the builder stage
This is not your typical venture panel. Expect insight into how you can cut out noise, build pay raises, and create relationships that last beyond the term sheet. Whether you're preparing for the first round or giving advice to your founders, this is a session you don't want to miss.
Destroy live at TechCrunch in Moscon West, San Francisco, with over 250 high-tech heavyweights in Palma, Cazo, Nichols and six industry-specific stages, as well as breakouts and roundtable discussions. Sign up now and lock in your savings up to $675 before ticket prices go up!