Join David Daeschler, CEO and Founder of SlideWave; Sandra Arber, Advisor to Startups; and Donovan Becker, Senior Project Lead at SlideWave, as they discuss what they have seen not work for startups in terms of product, building teams and raising capital.

They will explore topics such as what it means to be "not investable" and common rookie mistakes they have seen in their years of building companies, consulting to startups, and pitching to investors.

David Daeschler

CEO and Founder, SlideWave

David is a 20+ year veteran software architect and technology entrepreneur who thrives on making an impact in the world through medical and social technology.

I am the fractional CTO for a logistics startup that recently closed a $5.8MM seed round, one of the largest in the state. In addition, I am CEO and founder of SlideWave. At SlideWave, we help medical technology companies and others who are trying to make a positive impact on the world to build a great user experience. We do this by ensuring the users of your digital products are included in every stage of discovery and design, and follow that up with an expertly crafted implementation.

I work with medical technology companies, funded startups, and small businesses that take pride in the quality of their products and services—and that care about delivering a great experience for employees and customers. I also specialize in helping non-technology companies harness the power of custom software to improve their business.

I enjoy solving problems the right way, helping businesses grow and succeed, and being a part of innovative projects. Above all, I love collaborating with companies that are committed to making a positive impact on the world.

Sandra Arber

Advisor to Startups

My professional experience has alternated between working with investor groups and startups. I was Director of Investor Relations at New World Angels, the largest structured angel group in Florida. There I handled deal flow, coordinated due diligence, and investor outreach. I subsequently joined one of New World Angels' portfolio companies that has developed a platform to distribute live video across social media platforms. In 2019, I joined Tampa-based Florida Funders, a hybrid investing group (a venture fund combined with crowdfunding) that backs tech and tech-enabled startups. Most recently, I have been consulting to three startups, including SlideWave. The other two are: a venture-backed fintech healthcare platform startup and a "growth hacking" e-commerce marketing consultancy. I have an undergraduate degree in psychology from Harvard University and an MBA from the University of Virginia.

Donovan Becker

Senior Project Lead, SlideWave

I am currently Senior Project Lead at SlideWave where I work with our team of designers and developers to produce custom software, primarily focused on med device and healthcare. Over the last decade I have worked with several tech startups in the San Antonio area, both venture-backed and bootstrapped. In 2015, I co-founded MilTribe, an award-winning startup that assisted military personnel with relocating, which ultimately ran out of money.

I participated in a 6-week incubator created by TechStars as a founder. As a mentor, I have guided several startups through the 3 Day Startup program, as well as spoken on multiple entrepreneurship panels. I started my professional life in the restaurant and retail industries where I analyzed data patterns before discovering programming and switching fully to IT. In my spare time, I'm working on a home sensor network for garden and compost management.