Founders First Capital Partners Inc

10/21/2025 | Press release | Archived content

10-year-anniversary and San Diego Capital Activation

10-year-anniversary and San Diego Capital Activation

San Diego, CA - October 22, 2025 - After a decade of fueling inclusive growth for service-based small businesses nationwide, Founders First will mark its 10-year anniversary with two landmark events in San Diego: the Capital Activation Experience (CAE) on October 21-22 and the RISE Pitch Celebration on October 22, hosted at the Sharp Prebys Innovation & Education Center (SPIEC).

Press Release
Founders First Capital Partners

Founders First Marks 10-Year Anniversary with Landmark Events in San Diego and "Founders First Small Business Day" Proclamations

Capital Activation Experience and RISE Pitch Celebration hosted at Sharp Prebys Innovation & Education Center, October 21-22, 2025

San Diego, CA · October 22, 2025

After a decade of fueling inclusive growth for service-based small businesses nationwide, Founders First will mark its 10-year anniversary with two landmark events in San Diego: the Capital Activation Experience (CAE) on October 21-22 and the RISE Pitch Celebration on October 22, hosted at the Sharp Prebys Innovation & Education Center (SPIEC).

In recognition of Founders First's decade-long impact, the City of San Diego and the County of San Diego have each issued proclamations naming October 22 "Founders First Small Business Day."

This milestone celebration caps a national Capital Activation Experience series held in Chicago, IL; New York City, NY; Pittsburgh, PA; and now San Diego, CA - activating local ecosystems to increase access to flexible capital, strengthen advisory networks, and promote quality job creation for underinvested small businesses.

4,000+
entrepreneurs served since 2015
$15M+
deployed in direct investments
$200M+
in growth capital raised

"Ten years in, our mission is unchanged: to deliver patient, non-dilutive capital plus wrap-around advisory so service-based small businesses can hire, scale, and create premium-wage jobs."

Kim Folsom, Founder, Chair & CEO - Founders First Capital Partners

"This celebration is about the entrepreneurs who've done the work and the partners who've believed in them. Together, we're showing that inclusive capital can be both good business and good impact."

Kim Folsom, Founder, Chair & CEO - Founders First Capital Partners

Through a hybrid model of training, advisory, and financing, the organization is redefining how capital flows to small business owners historically excluded from traditional funding pathways.

Partner Voices

"Founders First meets founders where they are - combining flexibility, speed, and practical guidance that builds lasting capacity. A decade of measurable results is just the start; we're proud to back the next chapter of growth."

Adam Connaker, Director of Impact Investing - Surdna Foundation

"Public-private partnerships like the Initiative for Inclusive Entrepreneurship are widening the pathway for supplier-based small businesses to access capital and create quality jobs."

Shaolee Sen, Head of Small Business Philanthropy - JPMorganChase

"Founders First is a critical partner in this coalition. By aligning banks, CDFIs, and technical assistance providers, they've turned fragmented systems into intentional pathways for business growth and wealth creation."

Camron Doss, Director - Milken Institute Finance

"At the state level, we're seeing how inclusive capital approaches drive regional resilience. When you pair patient capital with supplier capacity, you unlock sustainable opportunity for thousands of small businesses."

Rafael Salaberrios, Senior Vice President - Empire State Development

"The County's partnership with Founders First aligns with our mission to grow capacity and job creation for local suppliers."

Steve Lockett, Deputy Director of Economic Development & Prosperity - County of San Diego

"I backed Kim early because she combines operational rigor and entrepreneurial grit with a commitment to shared success. A decade later, her vision has turned into a nationwide movement that's producing real companies, real jobs, and real wealth."

Giles Bateman, Co-Founder of Price Club & Founders First's First Investor

"Together, Founders First and National University have built synchronous, hybrid small-business programs that meet owners where they are. This is career-relevant learning that directly supports capital readiness and growth."

Dr. Christopher Graham, President - National University Foundation
Alumni Testimonials

"Founders First's capital and advisory helped us accelerate 4× growth while investing in our people and processes."

Linda Amaro, Co-Founder & CEO - Klarinet Solutions (San Diego, Inc. 5000)

"Their programs gave us the tools to become investment-ready. Through their guidance, we secured right-fit capital, doubled our business, and grew our team."

Tahira White, Co-Founder & CEO - 19th & Park (New York)
About the 10-Year Anniversary Events
Capital Activation Experience
Oct 21-22

Two days of curated networking and deal-making featuring bankers, funders, HR and accounting providers, and ecosystem partners including Western Alliance Bank, Endeavor Bank, TriNet, and Optima Office.

RISE Pitch Celebration
Oct 22

Recognition of alumni founders, ecosystem partners, and investors who have advanced Founders First's mission over the past decade.

Venue: Sharp Prebys Innovation & Education Center (SPIEC)

Address: 8695 Spectrum Center Blvd, San Diego, CA 92123

CAE San Diego: foundersfirstcapitalpartners.com/ceo-capital-activation-san-diego

RISE San Diego: accelerator.foundersfirstcdc.org/sandiegorise2025

About Founders First

Founders First Capital Partners is the largest minority- and women-owned revenue-based finance company in the U.S., delivering non-dilutive capital and wrap-around advisory to service-based small businesses generating $500K-$10M in annual revenue. Since 2015, Founders First has served more than 4,000 small businesses nationwide, made over 50 investments, and raised more than $200 million in capital to support inclusive economic growth. Change Catalyst Fund 2 is its third private debt fund.

Founders First CDC, its nonprofit affiliate, delivers cohort-based training and ecosystem programs - including FastPath, Passport, Zebra Leadership Academy, and Capital Activation Experience - that help entrepreneurs strengthen operations, access capital, and create premium-wage jobs in underserved communities.

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Founders First Capital Partners Inc published this content on October 21, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on May 26, 2026 at 05:44 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]