Stay up to date on upcoming events, deadlines, news, and more by signing up for our newsletters!
In Week 4 of the 2025 Summer Launchpad (SLP), founders focused on customer acquisition and go-to-market strategy by examining user behavior in greater depth.
Week 4 Recap:
Workshop: Building an Audience Workshop
Caroline Huber (Stern ‘23)
On July 1, Caroline Huber (Stern ‘23), co-founder & co-CEO of Jones, a startup helping people quit nicotine, led a workshop where she shared her journey as an SLP alumna. Huber recalled the early days of posting in Reddit communities for quitters as part of a scrappy, low-cost marketing campaign. It shows how much founders can achieve through thoughtful connection, even with limited resources.
Caroline Huber on Community Building:
“Community building continues to be a challenge. It’s not something you figure out once and then you’re set forever. I’d say the constant in business is really about testing and learning.”
Workshop: Metrics That Matter
Andrew Kangpan (Stern ‘13)
Andrew Kangpan (Stern ‘13), co-founder of MetaLayer Ventures and frequent guest speaker at the Leslie eLab, returned for a workshop on startup metrics as founders are beginning to quantify their work in weekly presentations.
Kangpan emphasized that metrics aren’t one-size-fits-all and depend largely on each startup's business model. Even for investors, numbers are only one way to understand what’s happening within a business, not a strict measure of investability.
Andrew Kangpan on the Purpose of Metrics:
“The metrics you set shouldn’t be solely for fundraising purposes. They can help you understand what’s working, where to direct resources, and how to run experiments effectively.”
Workshop: Revenue Models
Phuong Ireland
On July 2, Phuong Ireland from Interplay VC led a workshop on revenue models for the SLP cohort. Building on Kangpan’s session, Ireland encouraged founders to choose revenue models tailored to their business goals. She also highlighted that even early-stage founders should charge for their product and test different models to see what resonates. The aim is to capture value without underpricing, while staying flexible enough to adjust as the business evolves.
Stay tuned for more updates from SLP as teams approach their halfway point!
