Cherub x SXSW 2025: Founders, Funders, and Real Talk in Austin 🌵

SXSW 2025 was a big one, and Cherub made sure to show up with good vibes, honest conversations, and real connections. From Thursday through Sunday, we brought founders and investors together to dive into everything from exit strategies to angel investing basics, with plenty of connections and cap table convos in between. Here’s a rundown of the highlights you might've missed:

Day 1: ayana x Cherub: Exits & Acquisitions (but make it real talk)

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We got things rolling Friday night alongside the ayana Foundation with a panel of founder legends: Kendra Scott (yes, the jewelry queen herself), Miki Agrawal (serial entrepreneur and founder of TUSHY), and Adriana Carrig (creator of Little Words Project). Hosted by Cherub’s Jaclyn Johnson, the conversation got candid quickly:

• Know Your Worth: Kendra Scott reminded us that knowing your company’s value—and your personal mission—is key during an acquisition.
• Pivot or Bust: Miki Agrawal championed adaptability, urging founders to keep their startups nimble for when big opportunities land.
• Authenticity Always Wins: Adriana Carrig doubled down on genuine relationships, because no acquisition story succeeds without a strong community behind it.

Post-panel, founders and investors connected over casual drinks and got to take the Cherub Angel ATM featuring over 30+ brands fundraising on the platform to test before they invest.

Day 2: Supper Club Magic with Create & Cultivate + Hannah Bronfman 🍽️✨

Sunday evening brought major vibes at the Create & Cultivate Supper Club, featuring entrepreneur and investor Hannah Bronfman (HBFIT, Conteur Capital). The evening was equal parts insightful and relaxed—think less conference, more intimate dinner party (with amazing food, obviously).

Hannah dropped one of our favorite gems of the weekend: “Investing in diverse founders isn’t charity—it’s smart business.” The room buzzed with founders and investors making authentic connections, swapping advice, and sharing real stories (no elevator pitches in sight).

Day 3: Angel Investing 101 at Create & Cultivate Future Summit 👼💸

Sunday afternoon’s packed-out workshop, “An Angel Gets Its Wings,” broke down angel investing in plain, jargon-free language. Cherub co-founders Jaclyn Johnson, Angeline Vuong, and SPV lead Alyssa Arnold tackled everything from deal structure basics to the mindset behind investing:

• Invest with Heart & Head: Alyssa encouraged attendees to choose investments that align with their values and passions.
• Everyone’s Invited: Jaclyn emphasized Cherub’s mission of opening up angel investing to diverse voices who traditionally haven’t had a seat at the table.
• Real Talk: The workshop offered practical tools, genuine insights, and encouraged attendees to confidently approach angel investing, regardless of their background.

By session’s end, the excitement was tangible, with attendees swapping contact info, ideas, and planning their very first investments.

Final Takeaways 🎯

Cherub’s SXSW 2025 events were all about keeping it real, accessible, and impactful. Founders and investors walked away feeling inspired, informed, and connected. And we left Austin feeling more energized than ever about continuing to build the platform and community that makes Cherub special. Until next year! 

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Photos and video by Good Vibe Media and Becki Smith of Smith House Photo

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