Kingston Startup Ecosystem – Raising Capital: What Investors Look for and Why

Accessing capital isn’t about being in the right city, it’s about understanding how funders think, what signals they look for, and when a startup is truly ready to raise.

This Kingston Startup Ecosystem Panel brings together experienced founders and investors to unpack how investment decisions are made, particularly for entrepreneurs building and growing companies outside major financial centres.

Through a guided, open conversation, panelists will share practical insights, common pitfalls, and real-world examples from their own fundraising journeys. This is not a classroom session or a step-by-step workshop, but an opportunity to build clarity, confidence, and perspective as you shape your own capital strategy.

Whether you’re preparing for your first raise, considering non-dilutive funding, or refining how you talk about your business, this session will help you better understand where you fit, and how to move forward with intention.

The conversation will explore:

• How founders approach funding decisions, and what options tend to emerge at different stages

• The signals investors look for when assessing readiness, risk, and potential

• How valuation and raise size are typically shaped by milestones, momentum, and timing

• Ways founders build investor relationships and visibility over time, even without an established network

• What makes a pitch resonate beyond slides, and how storytelling influences funding conversations