Sessions · Advisor session
Venture Debt 101: How Debt Can Fund Your Business and Preserve Your Ownership
Tuesday, June 9, 2026 · 12–1 PM PDT
This session has ended.
About this session
Equity is expensive. Every dollar raised dilutes the founders, employees, and existing investors who built the company. Used thoughtfully, debt can extend runway, fund working capital, finance equipment or acquisitions, and bridge between equity rounds, all while preserving ownership and increasing equity value at exit.
This session unpacks when debt makes sense, what products are available at each stage, what it takes to qualify, and how the process actually works from first conversation to funded.
We will cover:
- Why debt belongs in the cap structure
- The venture debt product landscape
- Do you qualify? What lenders are actually underwriting
- What the debt process actually looks likern
- Stage-by-stage: what's available and what's appropriate
- Reading the term sheet
- Choosing the right lender
- When debt is the wrong answer
Hosting this session
Minh Le
Managing Director, Stifel Bank
Minh is a Managing Director at Stifel Bank and launched the firm's Venture Banking practice for the Pacific Northwest in March 2023, based in Seattle. He serves as a banking partner to technology, life science, and climate tech companies across all stages, from seed to pre-IPO.
With more than 20 years of experience lending to innovation companies, Minh has advised countless founders on capital strategy, debt financing, and growth capital. Prior to Stifel, he spent nearly 15 years at Silicon Valley Bank as Market Manager running the Tech Banking practice across Washington and Western Canada. Before SVB, he helped launch Square 1 Bank's Venture Banking practice in the Pacific Northwest. His commercial banking career began in 2000.r
Minh is a Pacific Northwest native and is deeply embedded in the Washington entrepreneurial and venture capital communities. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with concentrations in Accounting and Finance from the University of Washington.
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Next step
Have a question behind the session?
Share what you’re working through. If your company qualifies, we’ll reply personally within 24 hours.
For companies that have raised at least $1M from venture firms.