1. We helped our first VC (based in Silicon Valley) with pitch coaching for their own fundraising.

2. We hosted our first podcast session with Hobson Lane on The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly of AI - to be published this month. First of a series of expert discussions. More to come.

3. New partnership with the Maryland Innovation Center! We're working together this year to bring more hands-on programs for startup founders to grow. More details soon!

4. We were invited to speak at a new national social impact accelerator this year - Foundervine. Can't wait to share more!

5. You can now get Aurelius Gift Cards on our website. Good for corporate gifts to give to clients - our pitch coaching start at $500.

6. You can now book Pitch Coaching sessions and Pitch Audits directly on our calendar.

Exciting things cooking up in the year ahead:

• Launching Mastermind programs, Pitch Templates, & Online Content - a blend of hands-on, self-paced, and accessible resources

• Pitch Competitions

• Private Investor Dinners

• Partnering with more Entrepreneur Support Organizations (ESOs)

• Partnering with more talented consultants and experts like us

• ... and more~

For Entrepreneur Support Organizations:

Are you hosting a Pitch Competition or want to host a Pitch Mastermind this year? We'd love to help prepare your startups! We also offer event planning and event management for pitch competitions and showcases.

BRITE: Pitch & Present Series with the Maryland Innovation Center

Ideal for founders new to pitching - whether for a startup or small business. This hands-on 3-part series will help founders build a strong pitch deck, refine their delivery, and practice presenting for real opportunities.

What you may not know about my Co-Founder, Jordan Miles, is that he's an experienced educator - having taught English at the university level in China for nearly a decade, and a few other subjects like free diving and tae kwon do. If you participate in this workshop series, you'll get to work with him and walk away with increased confidence and better public speaking skills.

In person at the Maryland Innovation Center in Columbia, MD - January 21, 28, February 4. Click here to learn more.

Opportunities from our Partners:

Project Volunteer Matching: EmpowerBio is connecting biotech companies with PhDs transitioning into project management careers. These are PhDs who are currently pursuing or recently completed their PMP Certification (project management professional). Volunteers would contribute 8-10 hours  on project management initiatives. A win-win for startups gaining skilled support and professionals gaining real-world PM experience. If interested, please contact Amrita Madabushi at am@empowerbio.org.

• Accelerate Breakfast - Reston, VA - January 15, 7:30am

• Jazzy New Year (HCEDA, MIC) - Columbia, MD - January 15, 6-9pm

• Pitch & Present Series: Aurelius x Maryland Innovation Center - Columbia, MD - Jan 21, 28, Feb 6, 5:30-7pm

• Big Idea CONNECTpreneur Baltimore Forum - bwtech - Baltimore, MD - February 6, 8am-12pm

• Pitch & Mingle: Investor Showcase: Maryland Innovation Center - Columbia, MD - March 26, 5-8pm

• South by Southwest (SXSW) - Austin, TX - March 12-18

• Are you fundraising or helping those that do? If you fill out our 5-Minute Survey Prioritizing Your Next Funding Toolkit, you'll help us decide what to build next for people like you and you'll get a discount on it. Feel free to share the survey.

• Life Science Pathways - a free step-by-step guide for launching and growing startups in life sciences, med device, and biotech.

• BMore Tech Connect - the one-stop digital platform for startup resource navigation in the Baltimore Region. Click to check out upcoming events, live resources, recent news and more!

• Video: AI Tools for Startup Communication (UMD Startup Fundamentals) - We hosted a free webinar on a comprehensive look at the AI tools and strategies changing how startups connect with their customers, investors, and teams. Watch here.

• Video: Startup Pitching 101 (UMD Startup Fundamentals) - We hosted a free webinar on a holistic look at pitch decks and live pitching. Watch here.

In Good Company: Industry convenings hosted by UpSurge(GBC). One on Advanced Manufacturing, HardTech, & ClimateTech at Harbor Designs (Baltimore) and one on Life Sciences, Biotech, & Med Tech at 4MLK (Baltimore).

Both events had a phenomenal turnout, and lively discussion from attendees across aspiring founders, educators, service providers, and current startups. We got to tour both Harbor Designs and Connect Labs and see their state-of-the-art facilities.

The event series capstone on Life Sciences couldn't have been better with the biggest turnout yet with over 50 attendees! The event was covered by local news, Potomac24. Read more about the event here

Venture Forward Holiday Party - As a VC University alumni, we were invited to attend their annual holiday party which was held in New York City this year. Venture Forward is a nonprofit with the mission of creating access in an industry that relies on warm relationships. We got to hear from Howard Morgan, co-founder of B Capital Group, as well as meet many amazing individuals from across the country (as far as Vancouver!) who are breaking into VC, VC veterans, entrepreneurs, and supporting the ecosystem.

You can check out our Previous Updates here.