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Welcome to the 18th edition of The Good News Newsletter—proudly serving over 3,376 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.
Help us build Plaza 210! Learn more about this exciting project here.

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INTRODUCING - FEATURE DAY: Founders Uncut Convos (Tulsa Tech Week)

Date: Tuesday, September 23
Where: Gradient
Hosts: Darrel Frater & Rodney Walton
Presented with support from: Tulsa Innovation Labs, Regent Bank, Visible Hands, and more

We’re bringing candid, no-fluff conversations with standout founders who are building real companies in and beyond Tulsa. Expect unfiltered lessons, practical playbooks, and the connections to move your venture forward.

What to expect

• Founder spotlights and live “uncut” interviews

• Tactical sessions on fundraising, sales, and growth

• Real stories from the Tulsa ecosystem — wins, losses, and what’s next

RSVP: https://lu.ma/igu9sdid
Nominate a founder: During registration, submit your pick for Founder of the Year—or email me directly at [email protected].

Special thanks to Tai Nehisi for leading the charge on Tulsa’s first Tech Week. You don’t want to miss it.

— Darrel Frater

P.S. If your company wants to partner or sponsor a segment, reply to this newsletter and we’ll connect.

Office Hours Recap:
We are now partnering with the Startup Community led by @TheBestOfAdam on X to bring our Office Hours to over 154,700 community members!

Session #1 - Arturo Piña, Founder & General Partner at AP1 VC

Stage: Pre-Seed

Industry: AI-first B2B startups, with a focus on PropTech, Supply Chain, and HealthTech

Check Size: $100K - $300K

How to Apply: Founders can connect with Arturo directly through AP1 VC’s website or via warm introductions. He values authentic founder relationships and is especially open to building connections before companies formally hit all milestones.

Key Takeaways from Session:

1. Fundraising is Like Being a Founder Again: Arturo noted that raising and running a new fund feels just like building a startup—except the product is him. LPs are his customers, and AP1 VC’s thesis is his go-to-market strategy.

2. Do-Diligence Over Due Diligence: His process includes a 30-day collaborative project with founders. This approach helps test how well they problem-solve together and builds mutual confidence before a check is written.

3. Focus on Defensible, Real Problems: Arturo is cautious of “thin wrappers” on existing AI tools. He looks for teams solving painful, large problems with defensible advantages—expertise, workflow knowledge, or unique access—rather than ideas that could be swallowed by the next GPT update.

Session #2 - Atlas Berry, Founder & General Partner at Mission One Capital (M1C)

Stage: Pre-Seed & Seed

Industry: Climate Tech, Energy, Industrial Automation, and Natural Resources (focus on energy abundance, industrial resilience, and Earth systems)

Check Size: $100K - $200K

How to Apply: Connect with Atlas via LinkedIn. Mission One Capital builds close relationships with founders and emphasizes storytelling, so strong narrative and authenticity are important when reaching out .

Key Takeaways from Session:

1. Storytelling Is a Superpower: Atlas emphasized that storytelling is one of the most critical skills for founders. A compelling narrative not only attracts investors but also helps in recruiting top talent and inspiring customers.

2. Specialist Thesis on Macro Shifts: Mission One Capital is a specialist firm, not a generalist. They focus on three pillars—energy abundance (renewables, storage, critical minerals), industrial resilience (automation, robotics, advanced manufacturing), and Earth systems (forests, water, natural infrastructure)—all tied to massive global macro shifts.

3. Peak Performance Value-Add: Beyond capital, M1C supports founders with coaching around leadership, longevity, and wellness. Atlas stressed that endurance and health are vital for navigating the long founder journey, and they bring in world-class coaches to support portfolio companies.

Funding Resources:

💰 Resources of the Week:

Quit & Thrive Challenge - $100K | Deadline: 9/2/2025

SVP Dallas 2025 Fast Pitch Competition - Up to $25K | Deadline: 9/6/2025

AI x New Energy Tech Startup Bootcamp - $100K | Deadline: 9/10/2025

Camelback Ventures 2026 Fellowship - $40K | Deadline: 9/10/2025

Alzheimer's Insights AI Prize - Up to $1M | Deadline: 9/12/2025

WomanUp & Pitch Competition - Up to $10K | Deadline: 9/19/2025

2048 Ventures Biotech Pitch Competition - $100K | Deadline: 9/20/2025

Purina 2026 Pet Care Innovation Prize - $25K | Deadline: 9/21/2025

Poker Power x IFW Small Business Grant - $100K | Deadline: 9/26/2025

DoorDash Local Business Disaster Relief Fund - Up to $15K | Deadline: 9/29/2025

Cornerstone Grant by Square - $10K | Deadline: 9/30/2025

She's Connected by AT&T - Up to $50K | Deadline: 9/30/2025

Catalyst by Beemok - Up to $1M | Deadline: 9/30/2025

NAACP Powershift Entrepreneur Grant - $25K | Deadline: 11/1/2025

Strategic Supply Chain Initiative - Up to $5M

Tulsa Remote - $10K | Rolling

💸 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.

Interested in 1 on 1 support from Darrel? In preparation for launching my own fund, I will be working 1 on 1 with select founders as an advisor. Interested founders can learn more and consider submitting their company here.

🎙️ Podcast of the Week:

The Product Market Fit Show - He Bootstrapped to $55M in Revenue—without ever having to hit 100% YoY growth. | Stéphan Donzé, Founder of AODocs

Summary:
Stéphan Donzé shares how he bootstrapped AODocs from a services company pivot into a $55M revenue SaaS business with 250 employees—all without raising venture funding or chasing unsustainable hypergrowth. He explains the discipline that comes with scarcity, the long-term advantage of being customer-funded, and how word-of-mouth within tight enterprise communities fueled early adoption. Stéphan dives into the trade-offs of bootstrapping vs. VC funding, the realities of enterprise sales cycles, and why doubling revenue every two years created healthier organizational stability than chasing 100% annual growth.

Why I recommend it:
This episode is a masterclass in building a durable, profitable company outside the VC treadmill. Stéphan proves that founders don’t need to burn capital to build real value—customer closeness, financial discipline, and patient growth can compound into a massive business. For entrepreneurs questioning the “raise fast or fail” narrative, this is a refreshing and practical perspective on building with independence and conviction. You can listen 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?

Join us the this Friday for more amazing guests joining us for Office Hours.

​​​​For session #1 we have Jay Kapoor, General Partner at VSC Ventures.

​VSC Ventures is a venture capital firm built by expert storytellers, backing exceptional early stage founders.

For session #2 we have Khadijah Robinson, General Partner at Fictive Ventures.

​Fictive Ventures is a network-driven, early-stage firm investing in exceptional Black founders building tech or tech-enabled startups.

If interested in joining and/or pitching, please register here.

You can see the full list of past and future VCs on this Calendar.

Be on the lookout for our newsletter next week where we’ll bring you more actionable advice, resources, and success stories.

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.