Clean books, clear cash flow visibility, and smart tax planning are the difference between startups that thrive and those that run out of runway. Founders don’t need 100 tools — they need the right-sized finance stack and the awareness to use tax strategy to their advantage.
Most startups don’t fail because they can’t raise money — they fail because they don’t understand their finances and fail to watch their cash flows. The right finance stack keeps you on top of both. For 90% of startups, that means starting with QuickBooks Online (QBO).
And while taxes often feel like a burden, they can actually be your friend. The R&D tax credit is a powerful tool that can generate real cash for startups — even those operating at a loss — by offsetting employer payroll taxes and recovering a portion of qualified R&D expenses.
Keynote Speakers:
Jerry Lovatt (Fractional CFO, Silicon Valley Finance Group) — “Right-Size Your Finance Stack: From QBO to (Maybe) NetSuite”
Charlie Shureen (Tax Partner, Abbott Stringham & Lynch) — “Taxes as a Startup’s Secret Weapon”
Moderator:
Spencer Hamm - Senior Technical Recruiter, Woven by Toyota
Bonus Segment:
We will kick things off with live start-up pitches from a few early-stage companies building innovative solutions in the world of AI.
Early-stage tech start-ups are invited to pitch their solutions to a panel of industry experts. Gain exposure, investor connections, and a chance to be selected for the exclusive Draper University showcase on November 20, 2025.
Interested?? Submit your deck to: info@techlabcenter.com with subject 'Pitch Spotlight, (Company Name)', by October 26 (midnight PST).
Organized by:
Hero City at Draper University
TechLAB Innovation Center
Noteraiser – Manish Kasliwal
