Founders Launchpad: Legal Strategy, Fundraising & Building Strong From the Start

For early-stage founders, future founders, and experienced professionals preparing to launch.
Join us for a curated evening panel and networking experience designed to help founders build more strategically from day one. This conversation is for people who want to better understand the legal, financial, and structural decisions that shape a company as it is formed, funded, and grown.
Whether you are in idea stage, pre-seed, or preparing to launch, this event is designed to give you practical insight you can actually use.
✨ What We’ll Cover
company structure and early legal setup
fundraising readiness and investor-facing credibility
hiring, employment, and early people decisions
tax considerations founders often overlook
common mistakes that become expensive later
what to document, formalize, and clean up early
🎯 Who Should Attend
early-stage founders
idea-stage and pre-seed founders
founders preparing to raise
experienced professionals preparing to launch a company
operators, advisors, and future co-founders
founders in fintech, digital health, healthcare, AI, and SaaS
💡 Why Attend
hear directly from attorneys and operators without paying for a private consultation
get clarity on what matters early and what can wait
ask thoughtful questions in a curated room
meet founders, professionals, and potential collaborators afterward
connect with people who may become future advisors, operators, co-founders, or strategic relationships
🗓 Event Flow
5:00 PM – 5:30 PM
Arrival, check-in, light networking
5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
Panel discussion
6:30 PM – 6:45 PM
Audience Q&A
6:45 PM – 7:10 PM
Lightning round: the best thing a founder can go do immediately
7:10 PM – 7:45 PM
Networking
📍 Location
Reitler’s Office
New York City
(Exact details shared upon RSVP / confirmation)
🎤 Speakers
Chris Edwards — VC & Emerging Company Lawyer, Reitler Kailas & Rosenblatt
Christopher is a corporate lawyer who helps venture capital firms and other investors make investments into tech and other growing companies, and helps tech and other companies grow from formation through financing rounds and to a sale.  His firm is ranked #8 globally by PitchBook for venture capital deal volume.

David Jasphy — Tax Attorney, Cole Schotz P.C.
David is a tax attorney at Cole Schotz PC, a full-service national law firm with deep roots in the metropolitan area. He advises businesses and ultra-high-net-worth individuals on a wide range of federal and state tax matters. He has authored more than twenty tax articles in publications including NJCPA, Law360, and New York University’s Institute on State and Local Taxation.
Ioanna Mantzouridou Onasi - Founder, Dextego
Ioanna is the Founder & CEO of Dextego, an AI coaching platform helping sales teams improve human performance through behavioral intelligence, self-awareness, and real time coaching.
🤝 Hosted For
A curated room of founders, operators, and professionals who want to build with more clarity, stronger foundations, and better relationships from the start.
⚠️ Note
This is not legal advice. It is an educational and networking experience designed to help attendees better understand the kinds of questions, risks, and decisions that matter early.