Keiretsu Forum Bellevue/Eastside goes beyond simply funding start-ups. It is a community of private equity investors, business leaders and entrepreneurs. We provide invaluable contacts, serve on boards, and provide strategic alliances to our entrepreneurs. Keiretsu Forum also provides high calibre speakers addressing investment topics. Our members are CEOs, VCs, active private equity investors and serial entrepreneurs.

We enjoy close relationships with VC firms, investment banking institutions, universities, and government institutions. These associations enable what is termed “swarm intelligence” and facilitate access to talent, technology and resources to establish a successful venture.

At Keiretsu Forum we encourage our membership to look at the entrepreneur from 3 different perspectives:

Mentoring
Members possess financial and corporate development expertise that can be transferred to presenting companies. Often more than funding, an entrepreneur is in need of strong leadership to keep the company moving toward success. When looking at deals, members are encouraged to take initiative in sharing their experience within the forum and during due diligence with the entrepreneur.

Marketing
Funding is no longer based solely on good ideas. Start-ups are now required to validate their opportunity with customers, markets and profitability. Members are encouraged to share their marketing expertise with entrepreneurs.

Money
While the funding that goes into a start-up is a necessary part of company progression, it is secondary to a thorough understanding of capital structure, pre and post-money valuation, funding requirements and a clear path to exit. In addition to sharing mentoring and marketing expertise, members are invited to contribute their financial aptitude as well.

Keiretsu Forum is not a fund and does not invest as an LLC. Members bring investment deals forward, collaborate on due diligence, but make individual investment decisions. Because members are accredited investors they understand the complexity, risk and illiquid aspects of private equity investing.