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May 16, 2023 @ 9:30 am - 11:30 am PDT
FreeIterating to Success: Building a Startup in an Unfamiliar Industry with Bharath Krishnamoorthy
When they decided to launch a fintech startup in the freight and logistics industry, Bharath Krishnamoorthy and his best friend and business partner Shawn Vo were first-time founders with experience in finance and law.
“At the time, a truck to me was just this thing you get stuck behind in traffic,” says Bharath. “I quickly learned trucks were only one small part of a large supply chain that involved several parties.”
Bharath and Shawn took passenger trains and intercity buses to visit each other in Washington, D.C. and New York. That’s when they became interested in how the economy moves people and goods. Dissatisfied with their day jobs, Bharath and Shawn quit their careers in M&A law and finance respectively to develop a platform to streamline the transportation industry.
A few years and a few iterations later, Bharath and Shawn launched Denim, a freight payments system for SmartBrokers. Denim’s platform offers an ecosystem of easy-to-use financing, payment, and automation tools.
In 2022, Bharath wrapped up the Series B funding round for Denim. The company raised $26 million in equity capital and $100 million in debt financing to fuel growth. Now, Denim is doing more than $15 million in payments each month.
In his global keynote for Founders Network members on May 16, Bharath will share insights from his experience using fintech to innovate the entrenched freight and logistics industry.
In the webinar, he will also discuss:
- Picking a co-founder
- Financing your idea
- Pivoting to find your niche
- Knowing when you’ve found the right opportunity
- Building on momentum
Opening Remarks @ 9:30am PT
Join us for opening remarks with Dina Fattom, Member Success Manager at Founders Network, to get the latest updates from the Network and opportunities for getting involved.
Keynote Speaker @ 9:40am PT
Bharath Krishnamoorthy is a lawyer and entrepreneur. With his high school best friend Shawn Vo, he founded Denim, a fintech platform for freight and logistics. Before founding Denim (then Axle Payments) in 2019, Bharath was an associate at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher.
Stage-Based Roundtables @ 10:30am PT
Complimentary Ticket:
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About Founders Network:
Founded in 2011, Founders Network offers lifelong peer mentorship to over 600 tech startup founders globally. Our platform, programs and high-touch service facilitate authentic experience sharing, warm introductions and long-term professional relationships. Additional benefits include over $500k in startup discounts and promotion to 2,000 newsletter readers. Members are located in San Francisco, New York City, Los Angeles, Vancouver, Toronto, London and other tech hubs. Each month our Membership Committee admits a new cohort of full-time tech founders who are nominated by an existing member. Learn more about us here
Confidentiality Policy
All information shared within Founders Network is strictly confidential. We are built on a foundation of trust, and the community takes confidentiality seriously. Investors, members, and staff all share experiences and opinions off the record. In this roundtable forum, we continue to model our fnValues of Reciprocity, Humility, Authenticity and Inclusivity. Read more about our Privacy Policy here.
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