More than 10,000 founders, investors, and tech insiders will convene at Moscone West in San Francisco from October 27-29 for TechCrunch Disrupt 2025<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 one of the year\u2019s most anticipated tech conferences.\u00a0<\/p>\n Of the 250+ tech leaders taking the stage<\/strong><\/a>, don\u2019t miss this standout panel on the Builders Stage featuring two of the most respected early-stage investors in venture: Charles Hudson<\/strong><\/a> of Precursor Ventures and Navin Chaddha<\/strong><\/a> of Mayfield. Their session dives into one of the toughest moments in any startup\u2019s journey: raising your first round when all you have is a vision.<\/p>\n This honest and tactical conversation<\/a> <\/strong>will cover what really matters when raising your first institutional check, from telling a compelling story to building trust without traction. Hudson and Chaddha will share the traits they consistently look for in zero-to-one founders, the red flags that raise eyebrows, and the most common mistakes first-time entrepreneurs make when fundraising.<\/p>\n Pre-seed and seed fundraising often happens before there\u2019s a product, user base, or traction. That means investors are betting on the founder, not the business. And few know how to make that call better than Hudson and Chaddha. Between them, they\u2019ve backed hundreds of founders at the earliest stages, before the pitch decks were polished, before there were metrics to show, and often before a single line of code had shipped.<\/p>\n Charles Hudson, managing partner of Precursor Ventures<\/a>, has invested in more than 400 companies and supported over 450 founders. He\u2019s built his reputation on backing people with bold ideas and unique perspectives, saying recently, \u201cThe earlier you invest, the more important it is to believe in the founder\u2019s narrative and ability to adapt. It\u2019s not just about solving a problem \u2014 it\u2019s about whether I believe you\u2019re the one to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n Navin Chaddha, managing partner at Mayfield<\/a>, brings decades of experience identifying breakout founders and guiding companies to scale. With more than $120 billion in equity value created through his investments, Chaddha believes the earliest stages are when founder values matter most. \u201cWe invest in people first, markets second, and product third,\u201d he\u2019s said. \u201cWe look for founders who are mission-driven and wired for resilience.\u201d<\/p>\n Whether you\u2019re currently raising or planning for the future, this session will equip you with real, actionable advice on navigating early venture with clarity and conviction. Don\u2019t miss it live, in addition to 200+ sessions<\/strong><\/a> taking place across five industry stages. Register now to save<\/strong><\/a> up to $675 before prices increase after July!<\/p>\nWhy join this conversation on the Builders Stage?<\/h2>\n
Betting on people before the product<\/h2>\n
![\"Charles](\"https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/TechCrunch-Disrupt-Haje-Kamps-559.jpg)
Actionable insights on raising your first round<\/h2>\n