VC Panel: What Kills Deals and What Excites Investors

What do investors actually think when a founder walks into the room? And what quietly kills a deal before a second meeting happens? Three investors across sovereign wealth, venture, and company building share what they look for, what gives them pause, and how fundraising in Kendall Square actually works. What the panel will cover The real reasons deals die. Not the polite reasons investors give founders, but the actual ones. What's genuinely exciting right now. The signals, theses, and business mechanics that are getting investors off the fence in 2026. Pitching Kendall Square specifically. This ecosystem has its own dynamics. What works here doesn't always translate from SF or NYC. How founders should position themselves. What to lead with, what to save for later, and how to frame your story so investors actually remember you. Term sheets, valuation anchoring, what "we'll follow" really means, and how to read the room. The panel Benson Chang , Managing Partner at Epipelagic Ventures Entrepreneur and angel investor for over a decade. Works hands-on with founders across operations,…