The AI for Good Startup Fundraising Insights + Pitch Night at Stanford University was an electrifying evening of fundraising insights, startup lessons, and powerful networking. Organzede by Impact Genius and co-hosted by Stanford Entrepreneurs, this event brought together over 250 guests, 60+ venture capital firms, and 20 high-impact AI startups eager to pitch their innovations.
🚀 A Night of Learning, Networking, and Startup Innovation
AI and deep tech are reshaping industries, but for early-stage startups, securing funding and support is often a challenge. Mission-driven startups saling both returns and social impact need tailored advice as they raise capital. This event provided founders with expert advice, real-world fundraising strategies, and direct access to top investors in AI and impact-driven startups.
🔥 Key Highlights from the Event
🎤 Keynote Speakers: Actionable Insights from Experts
The night kicked off with insightful talks from leading experts in AI innovation, fundraising, and ethical AI:
Lindsey Mignano – Co-founder, SSM Legal | Stanford Women’s Impact Network: The State of Venture Capital & Fundraising Advice for Startups
Lindsey delivered a rich 30-minute presentation filled with practical tips and advice for early-stage founders aiming to raise seed capital from venture capitalists.
Nabila Elassar – Founder, Impact Genius | Co-President, Stanford Entrepreneurs: AI for Good Startup Innovation
Nabila provided a comprehensive definition of an AI for Good startup, sharing success stories of startups that have raised millions and scaled both returns and impact, serving as inspiration for attendees.
Ahmad Rushdi – Senior Director of Research Partnerships, Stanford HAI: Ethical AI Fundamentals
Ahmad shared key benchmarks and guidelines that should steer ethical AI technical product development, emphasizing the importance of aligning innovation with ethical standards.
Sponsor Keynotes:
Stephen Godfrey of Numantic Solutions discussed the critical role of data in AI development and its potential to drive impactful solutions.
David Mashhoodi of Escalon Services was a sponsor. Escalon provides seamless support in essential areas like accounting, HR, payroll, and finance for startups, ensuring they can focus on innovation and growth.
💰 Investor-Founder Panel: "What Makes an AI Startup Investable"
One of the most anticipated sessions was the investor-founder panel, featuring top VCs discussing funding trends, startup growth, and how to position AI startups for success:
Clayton Bryan – Partner, Head of Global Accelerator Fund, 500 Global
Arash Afrakhteh – Partner, Pear VC: AI Investments
Jing Kuang – Founding Partner, Y+ Ventures | Stanford GSB
Ekaterina Evchenko – Investor, BGV Ventures | Stanford MBA
Modrator: Nabila Elassar - Founder, Impact Genius | Stanford MA Ed. Policy | Co-President, Stanford Entrepreneurs
The panelists shared crucial insights into how they define impact and offered advice to AI for Good founders raising seed capital. They emphasized the importance of a clear value proposition, scalable business models, and alignment with ethical AI practices.
🎯 Live Startup Pitches + Expert Feedback
The energy in the room soared as 20 promising AI startups took the stage, pitching their solutions across healthcare, sustainability, fintech, big data, and robotics. The panel of judges provided real-time Q&A and feedback, helping founders refine their messaging and investor appeal.
Judging Panel:
Anish Srivastava – Partner, Swisscom Ventures
Ricardo Raphael Corona-Moreno – Juniper Ventures
Stephen Torres – StartX + Stanford Entrepreneurs
Vince Kohli – Stanford D-School
Nabila Elassar – Impact Genius + Stanford Entrepreneurs
🏆 Congratulations to the AI startups and founders who made it to the stage:
Sybil Health – Olga Grygoryan (Healthcare)
Good4Work – Geraldine Woloch-Addamine (Human Resources)
Addis Care – Nolan Singroy (Healthcare)
DAIMLAS: AI Ecosystem Platforms – Joseph Wehbe (AI Ecosystem)
123Brush – Simon Linwood (Healthcare)
OptiCloud – Alayna Van Dervort Wagner (Climate/Deep Tech)
YottaSecure – Sunil Ravipati (Cybersecurity)
ImpactMeter – Natan Zaidenweber (Financial Risk Management)
CoffeSpace – Hazim Mohamad (Human Resources)
AIx2.ai – Mohammad Rasouli (Fintech)
Mentor126 – Ted Theocheung (Human Resources)
NextPress – Pablo Hernandez Sanz (Deep Tech)
API for the Human Mind – Avery Krieger (Human Resources)
Autonomous Vehicles: Omar AI – Omar Mukhtar (Autonomous Vehicles)
AI-powered multi-omic multiplexing bio-data platform – Sungheea Yun (Data/Deep Tech)
Melurna AI – Abhishek Bhattacharyya (Privacy)
Amulet – Katie Joseff (Healthcare/Privacy)
Deedit – Marcos Polanco (GenAI)
LifeAmor – Prasanna Kumar (Healthcare)
WithBloom App – Ali / Zareeb (Social)
Each startup demonstrated how AI can be leveraged for both profitability and meaningful impact.
🤝 Meaningful Connections: 60+ VC Firms in Attendance
This event wasn’t just about pitching—it was also about building relationships and fostering opportunities. Founders had the chance to connect with representatives from top venture capital firms, including:
500 Global
Pear VC
Susa Ventures
BGV Ventures
Plug and Play Ventures
Y+ Ventures
StartX (XFund)
Swisscom Ventures
UpScaleX
Honeystone Ventures
Tach Ignite
Langrenusfund
WealthRyse
EnvisionX Capital
ZAKA VC
Reaction Global
Staenberg Venture Partners
Daydream ventures
AiLabs capital
MARL Meritage Group
Dangerous Ventures
Nivesha Ventures
KnightAI
Voyager Ventures
Bay Angels
KFC Ventures
Sand Hill Angels
HP Tech Ventures
E8
ASEI & Piyushventures
CCV Capital
Practical VC
VU Ventures
Fintech Next
TheFounderVC
Alibaba Group
Plug and Play
Human Capital Ventures
Trillion Ventures
Global Capital
AI & Robotics Ventures
Lattitude Ventures
This level of investor participation highlights the growing demand for AI-driven solutions that align impact with strong financial returns.
🌍 Why This Event Matters
AI is shaping the future, but it’s not just about technology—it’s about impact. The AI for Good Pitch Night was more than a fundraising event; it was about supporting AI startups that drive positive change while achieving financial success.
🚀 A Huge Thank You!
This event would not have been possible without:
Our amazing volunteers at both Impact Genius and Stanford Entrepreneurs.
Our incredible speakers, panelists, and judges who shared their expertise.
The founders selected to pitch their startups.
The investors & VC firms supporting AI for Good innovation.
Our engaged audience of founders, investors, and tech-for-good leaders!
💡 What’s Next?
This is just the beginning. Impact Genius is committed to empowering AI startups with education, mentorship, and funding opportunities. Stay connected with us for upcoming events, funding opportunities, and AI for Good startup resources!
Apply to the AI for Good Institute:
We are excited to announce two upcoming opportunities, also held at Stanford University designed to empower AI innovators and foster impactful collaborations:
AI for Good Institute™ (June 9–28, 2025): This world-class training program equips aspiring AI innovators and tech founders with the technical and business skills necessary to build responsible, impactful, and financially viable AI-driven startups. Developed by Stanford and MIT alumni, the Institute offers hands-on learning led by seasoned entrepreneurs, investors, business experts, data scientists, and engineers. The curriculum emphasizes real-world applications of AI innovation and startup development, combining theory with practice through projects, workshops, and investor pitch sessions. Participants will learn to create AI solutions that are ethical, user-centered, and scalable for impact and profitability. Learn more here. (https://www.impactgenius.ai/institute)
AI Summit (June 28–29, 2025): Following the Institute, the AI Summit will convene over 1,000 guests, including venture capitalists and founders, for an expansive exchange of ideas and networking opportunities. This event aims to facilitate learning and connections on a larger scale, building upon the insights and relationships developed during the Institute.
Whether you're a college student, young professional, or executive looking to transition into entrepreneurship, these events offer invaluable tools and knowledge to build responsible, scalable AI startups that achieve market success and impact. Designed for learners from diverse backgrounds, no prior coding experience is required to participate. Applications are now open for the AI for Good Institute. Applications open soon!
Don't miss this opportunity to join a community dedicated to leveraging AI for positive change.
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