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Hey there, dusty dreamers and fundraising warriors!

Next week, 70,000 people will descend on Nevada's Black Rock Desert for Burning Man (Aug 24 - Sept 1). Among the fire dancers and art cars? Some of Silicon Valley's biggest VCs, including the founders of Google, Tesla's Elon Musk, and enough venture capitalists to fund your next three rounds.

But here's the kicker: Building a startup is exactly like building a city in the desert. Let me explain...

🏗️ The MVP = Your Desert Camp: Both Built on Nothing But Dreams

At Burning Man, people adopt "playa names" and alternate identities to explore different aspects of themselves. "Sparkle Pony" by day might be Sarah, the CFO by night.

Here's the startup secret: Your pitch persona is your playa name.

Real Burning Man VC Stories:

• Dustin Boyer met Google's founders in "full spandex bodysuits" on the playa: Got hired at Google

• Israeli VR founders met VC Shervin Pishevar, covered in dust: Secured $15M on the spot

• A pediatrician became "Dr. Digital" at Burning Man: Pivoted to healthtech, now runs four startups

Your Fundraising Alter Ego Needs:

1. A compelling backstory (not your resume, your mission)

2. Vulnerability (VCs invest in humans, not robots)

3. Radical authenticity (fake it till you make it doesn't work anymore)

Action Item: Before your next pitch, ask yourself: "What would my playa name be?" That energy is what VCs actually buy.

💰 The Hidden VC Oasis: Where Deals Actually Get Done

Forget Sand Hill Road. Here's where VCs are actually accessible:

At Burning Man:

• Camp Mystic (unofficial VC headquarters)

• Robot Heart sunrise sets (where Skrillex DJs and deals flow)

• Center Camp Café (the only place selling coffee = guaranteed VC sightings)

In Real Life (Next Week While They're Gone):

• Their inbox is quiet (everyone's in the desert)

• Associates are in charge (and eager to prove themselves)

• Competition is literally offline

The "Burning Man Arbitrage" Strategy:

1. Week Before (This Week): Send emails knowing they'll read them on the flight

2. During (Aug 24-Sept 1): Follow up with associates, not partners

3. Week After: Reference Burning Man in subject lines (instant opener)

Email Template That Works: "Subject: While you were at Robot Heart... we hit $100K MRR

Hey [Name], hope the playa treated you well. While you were offline, we crossed a major milestone..."

🛠️ Tools for Desert/Startup Survival

Burning Man Essentials = Startup Essentials:

📊 By The Numbers: Burning Man VC Edition

• $15M: Funding secured at Burning Man by one VR startup

• $16,500: Cost per head at one billionaire's camp party

• 85%: Of Burning Man attendees who work in tech

• 2011: Last time Burning Man didn't sell out (until 2024)

• 40%: Of your competition who'll be offline next week

🎯 Your Action Plan (Whether You're Going or Not)

If You're Going:

1. Camp with purpose: Join Ideate Camp or Tech Taco Tuesday

2. Bring gifts: Best networkers bring value (LED lights > business cards)

3. Time it right: Best networking happens at sunrise, not sunset

4. Document nothing: What happens on playa... builds trust

If You're Staying:

1. Schedule sends: Hit inboxes while VCs are in wifi withdrawal

2. Target associates: They're holding down the fort

3. Build FOMO: "While you were at Burning Man, we..."

4. Prep for September: Post-Burn clarity = investment decisions

🚨 The Truth Nobody Tells You

Juicero's founder went to Burning Man during their crisis. The company folded. SoundCloud's CEO partied while burning cash. Lost his job.

The lesson? There's a time to burn and a time to build. Know which season you're in.

🚩 Red Flags:

• Going to Burning Man during fundraising = bad look

• Posting playa pics during layoffs = worse look

• Missing critical deadlines for "self-discovery" = startup suicide

✅ Green Checks:

• Using the week for strategic planning

• Building authentic relationships (not pitching in dust storms)

• Coming back with clarity, not just Instagram content

🏆 Pitch Competition Alert: Your Shot at Millions

Mark your calendars, future unicorns:

August 2025:

• AgeTech After Dark (Aug 31 deadline) - Perfect for solving aging problems

• EforAll Pitch (Multiple dates) - Local competitions with mentorship

• Tech Fuel San Antonio (Apply early Aug) - $100K grand prize for Texas startups

September 2025:

• SXSW EDU Launch (Sept 7 early deadline) - Education startups, pitch March 2026

• 3686 Festival Nashville (Sept 8-10) - Southeast's premier startup summit

October 2025:

• SXSW Pitch 2025 (Nov 3 deadline) - The big one! 93% of participants get funded

• Milken-Penn GSE (Apply now) - $80K for education ventures

• AgeTech Open Mic (Oct 23) - Quick pitch opportunity

November 2025:

• AWE EU Vienna (Nov 19-20) - XR/AR/VR focus

• Web Summit PITCH (Nov 10-13) - Battle with 105 top startups

Year-End Power Moves:

• Veteran Shark Tank (Dec 8) - $50K grand prize during Army/Navy week

• CES 2026 Startup Stage (Apply now) - Multiple competitions, $25K+ prizes

Pro tip: Y Combinator Fall 2025 batch closes Aug 4th. Start that application NOW.

Ready to pitch? Pick ONE competition above and commit. Winners aren't just lucky—they're prepared.

💬 Share Your Desert Wisdom

📊 Quick Poll: Your Burning Man/Startup Parallel?

💬 Last Thing: Drop Your Win

Made it this far? You deserve recognition.

Reply with your biggest win this week, whether it's a new job, a side project launch, a successful raise, or just surviving another week in tech.

Who's ready to make moves? 🚀

Thank You To Our Partners

Big investors are buying this “unlisted” stock

When the founder who sold his last company to Zillow for $120M starts a new venture, people notice. That’s why the same VCs behind Uber and eBay also backed Pacaso. They made $110M+ in gross profit to date. They even reserved the Nasdaq ticker PCSO. Now, you can join, too.

Invest for $2.90/Share

_{Paid advertisement for Pacaso’s Regulation A offering. Read the offering circular at invest.pacaso.com. Reserving a ticker symbol is not a guarantee that the company will go public. Listing on the NASDAQ is subject to approvals.}

🤝 PARTNER WITH US

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P.S. - Google's founders met their first team member at Burning Man. Your next co-founder might be there too. Or they might be the smart ones staying home and building.

P.P.S. - If you're fundraising during Burning Man week, you're either a genius or insane. Either way, we respect the hustle.

P.P.P.S. - This newsletter saved you $16,500 (the cost of a billionaire camp ticket). You're welcome. Now build something.

Remember: In the desert and startups, the only way out is through.

Dust to dust, fund to fund.