Help Is Closer Than You Think

Insights from our May 23rd Investor Office Hour Sessions

AuthorAuthor

Darrel Frater & Precious Xpert
May 26, 2025

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Welcome to the 10th edition of The Good News Newsletter—proudly serving over 2,995 founders! Here, we break down the latest insights from our weekly Investor Office Hours sessions and equip you with tools to help you secure capital, customers, and talent for your business.

Missed the live session? Listen to the recording here.
Want to join the next session? Check out the full list of investors here.
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Plaza 210 Update: With your help, we more than DOUBLED our campaign progress in one week! 🤯

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Philippians 1:6 says, “Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” so we will continue to operate in FAITH until the work is complete.

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But even more importantly than monetary support, we need your prayers and encouragement! Building anything new is not an easy task so I ask you all to pray for me and my family.

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Office Hours Recap:

Session #1 - Tristan Schaeffer, Founder & Managing Partner at Worldview Capital

Stage: Seed to Pre-IPO

Industry: Generalist, with a focus on critical industries such as manufacturing, defense, health, logistics, robotics, and biotech

Check Size: $500K to $2M+ (deal-by-deal via SPVs/syndicates)

How to Apply: Relationship-driven; Tristan prefers to build rapport early. Founders can connect via warm introductions, trusted mutual networks, or by demonstrating traction and alignment with Worldview’s values and thesis.

Key Takeaways from Session:

  1. Syndicate-Driven, High-Conviction Investing: Worldview Capital operates through a syndicate model, evaluating and syndicating each deal individually rather than investing from a traditional fund. This model emphasizes deep diligence and requires Worldview to “earn” LP capital each time—resulting in only high-conviction deals being pursued.

  2. Strategic Focus on People, Place & Purpose: Worldview favors deals that revitalize underserved communities and operate within “critical industries.” While technically generalist, their lens filters for companies solving real-world problems, especially in the U.S. heartland. Founders with a mission rooted in transformation and sustainable impact resonate most.

  3. Alternative Capital Advice & Faith-Based Alignment: Tristan emphasized that VC is just one path—encouraging founders to consider grants, non-dilutive funding, venture debt, or even local PE. He also shared that faith and prayer influence his decision-making and underscored that founders should view fundraising as relationship-building, not just transactional outreach. He urges founders to target investors who genuinely understand or align with their space.

Session #2 - James Oliver, Jr., Managing Partner at Kabila Ventures

Stage: Pre-Seed

Industry: Industry-agnostic with a focus on overlooked founder teams

Check Size: $50K–$100K

How to Apply: Not currently deploying capital; fund is actively raising. Founders are encouraged to connect via LinkedIn or join the Kabila founder community (kabila.mn.co) for updates and support.

Key Takeaways from Session:

  1. Backing Resilient, Overlooked Founders: Kabila Ventures is committed to investing in overlooked founding teams—those often underrepresented by gender, race, ethnicity, or geography. James emphasizes resilience and adaptability as non-negotiables in founders, stating he only invests in those as persistent as he is.

  2. Community-Driven Deal Flow and Value Add: With deep roots in the founder community, James leverages extensive founder networks to source deals and provide support. Kabila already operates a thriving founder community through Mighty Networks and is building out mental health support programs as a unique value add for portfolio companies.

  3. Grounded in Mental Health & Human Connection: One of the fund’s standout differentiators is its commitment to founder mental health. Kabila offers therapy grants and support services even pre-investment, underscoring the belief that mental wellness is essential to building sustainable, high-performing companies. James also shared how relationships—built through years of giving first—opened doors with tech leaders like Brad Feld and David Cohen, and why community-first, non-transactional relationship building is core to his investing philosophy.

Session #3 - Founder Debrief & Open Discussion

This week's Founder Debrief we shared a personal update—Darrel be stepping back for six weeks to welcome his second daughter, Mariah Grace Frater. With that joyful announcement, he led a powerful moment of prayer, covering the founder community, their businesses, and the collective mission to build ventures that serve others. Though the conversation was brief, it reinforced what makes this space special: a community of builders rooted in faith, purpose, and mutual encouragement. The sessions will resume on July 11, but the spirit of unity and support continues strong in the meantime.

Funding Resources:

💰 Resources of the Week:

GENIUS NY, operated by CenterState is a startup accelerator sponsored by Empire State Development that invests $3M annually into seed-stage startups focused on uncrewed aerial systems, automation and advanced air mobility.

Up to $1M | Deadline: 5/28/2025

The Dream Makers Founder Grant aims to provide underrepresented entrepreneurs with the opportunity to scale their businesses and continue our mission of fostering an ecosystem where more founders can thrive.

$25K | Deadline: 5/30/2025

The Fund Her Future Grant, powered by Block Advisors by H&R Block and Hello Alice, is awarding $100,000 in total funding to up to six outstanding small businesses.

Up to $50K | Deadline: 5/30/2025

A live, in-person pitch competition for climatetech founders on July 10th.

Up to $100K | Deadline: 5/30/2025

Each year Women Founders Network creates a unique opportunity for Female Founders to pitch and receive valuable mentoring, coaching and in-kind sponsorships.

$25K | Deadline: 5/31/2025

As part of the Good Soil Forum presented by Wells Fargo, this competition offers significant funding and expert mentorship to fuel the entrepreneurial spirit.

Up to $200K | Deadline: 6/1/2025

Over 20 weeks you’ll validate your idea, build your MVP and gain real traction with hands‑on workshops, user testing, mentorship, funding, coworking and network access.

$20K | Deadline: 6/8/2025

Pathway to Opportunity is a competition designed to connect small businesses with corporations seeking to expand their supply chain with innovative products and services; providing a $5K cash prize to three winners.

$5K | Deadline: 6/9/2025

This program is for talented entrepreneurs designing innovative solutions that generate greater economic mobility for low- and moderate-income Americans, i.e., the 60%+ of Americans who are living paycheck to paycheck.

$220K | Deadline: 6/11/2025

The Prize seeks exceptional solutions that strengthen disaster resilience in the United States.

$250K | Deadline: 6/12/2025

The Cartier Women's Initiative is an annual international entrepreneurship program that aims to drive change by empowering women impact entrepreneurs. Founded in 2006, the program is open to women-run and women-owned businesses from any country and sector that aim to have a strong and sustainable social and/or environmental impact.

Up to $100K | Deadline: 6/24/2025

Santander’s Cultivate Small Business helps early-stage entrepreneurs build and sustain businesses in the food industry providing a 12 week food-focused curriculum, mentorship, and up to $20K in capital grants.

Up to $20K | Deadline: 7/8/2025

Pinnacle Atlanta Innovation Accelerator, powered by gener8tor and sponsored by Pinnacle Financial Partners, invests in up to five companies per year focused on fintech or related industry. Each startup selected for the 12-week program receives a $100,000 investment and a high-touch, concierge accelerator experience.

$100K | Deadline: 7/22/2025

🎙️ Podcast of the Week:

In this candid episode, Adam Robinson shares the rollercoaster story of nearly selling his startup for $70M—only to have the deal fall apart at the last minute. What seemed like a crushing failure turned out to be a blessing in disguise, leading to even greater business success, personal growth, and a deeper understanding of financial discipline.

Why I recommend it: Every founder dreams of the big exit, but this episode is a powerful reminder that timing, temperament, and stewardship matter more. Adam’s story is a masterclass in resilience, self-awareness, and learning how to build lasting wealth—without getting crushed by short-term wins or losses. A must-listen for any entrepreneur navigating the highs and lows of startup life. You can listen here.

💸 Alternative Funding Sources:

Access up to $2M in non-dilutive debt financing. Request information here.

Raise up to $5M in equity capital through a Community Round. Request information here.

Need 1 on 1 support in securing capital? I will be working 1 on 1 with select founders to help. Interested founders can learn more and consider submitting their company here.

Inspiration

💬 Tweet of the Week

🙏🏽 Scripture of the Week

That’s all for this week’s edition of The Good News Newsletter. We hope you found these insights valuable as you continue your journey to securing funding.

What’s next?

Our 2nd child, Moriah Grace Frater, is due the first week of June so I will be taking a 6 week leave.

Many have asked so here is the link to her Baby Registry.

Office Hours will resume on July 11th!

Let’s All, spread ‘The Good News’

Best,
Darrel Frater
Co-Founder
The Frater Family Foundation
Linkedin | Twitter/X | 609-804-5999

P.S. - If you enjoyed this newsletter, forward it to a founder you know who could benefit from these insights!

P.S.S. - Got ideas or suggestions for The Good News? Shoot me an email at [email protected] for us to discuss!

About TFFF: The Frater Family Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the family office of Darrel and Roselly Frater, dedicated to promoting human prosperity through entrepreneurship. To learn more, reach out to Darrel Frater directly.

Ask: I am exploring new roles in venture where I can support in fundraising efforts for a current or future funds and be involved on the investment side. If you know any funds or accelerators that I should be speaking with, please let me know.

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