7-Week Capital Ready Accelerator for early-stage founders.
The Dream Ventures Accelerator is a 7-week program built to prepare early stage founders across consumer and consumer tech for their first fundraise through education, access, and community.
Less than 2% of venture capital goes to companies founded by women. That's not just a funding gap - it's an access gap. Dream Ventures expands access to the education, relationships, and trusted pathways women need to build meaningful businesses and take on the capital they need to grow.
Education
Structured curriculum designed to demystify fundraising and build lasting skills.
Access
Direct exposure to investors, operators, and founders who've been there before.
Community
A trusted network of peers who understand the journey and accelerate growth.
What is the Dream Ventures Accelerator?
A comprehensive program designed to take founders from preparation to pitch-ready.
Program Highlights
- 7 week accelerator
- Weekly office hours with Annie & Kelley
- Weekly expert speaker sessions
- Dedicated cohort WhatsApp
- Peer accountability groups
- NYC Celebration Day
Who is this program for?
- Early-stage founders exploring the fundraising landscape
- Building a sustainable funding strategy for your business
- We largely focus on consumer brands or consumer tech
- Exploring venture capital, angels, grants, or alternative funding
- You don't need a fundraise planned to join
Created and led by
Kelley Arena
Kelley's career spans operations at an NFL franchise, finance at Johnson & Johnson, and investment banking at Merrill Lynch. She founded Golden Hour Ventures to consult, advise, and invest in underrepresented founders. As an investor, she has backed 25 portfolio companies. Kelley is a strong advocate for democratizing access to venture capital and financial education.
Annie Evans
Annie co-founded Beautified, an app for booking on-demand beauty and fitness services, raising a seed round led by NEA. She also founded Dream Ventures, backing 25 companies across Health, Web 3, Fintech, and CPG, and helping founders raise seed capital through SPVs. With a network of 1,000+ founders, Annie has helped raise $25M for ventures. She also co-led Project Entrepreneur with UBS, supporting entrepreneurs.
A Word From Our Graduates
"The Dream Ventures program is truly exceptional—from the weekly content to the inspiring speakers and in-person celebration day. Their genuine dedication to empowering underrepresented founders extends well beyond the program."
Shaz Rajashekar
Co-Founder, SHAZ & KIKS
"A game changer that propelled me to the next level. Each session was carefully crafted—things you can't read in books or hear on podcasts. I pitched in front of 50 angels and came out feeling more confident than ever."
Andrea Huspeni
Founder, This Dog's Life
"Before joining, we weren't sure what our exit strategy looked like. After the incredible mentors and material, it's evident we WILL grow towards an exit. The network is second-to-none."
Jessica & Mari
Founders, HER Brand Co
Fundraising, simplified.
Modules designed to take you from preparation to pitch-ready.
Understand the venture landscape, funding options, and determine the right path for your business. Learn what investors look for and how to position your company.
Master the mechanics of fundraising—from building your target list to managing your pipeline. Create systems that work beyond your first raise.
Craft compelling narratives, perfect your pitch deck, and learn how to communicate with confidence. Practice with real feedback from peers and mentors.
Build investor-ready financial models, understand your key metrics, and learn to tell your story through numbers that matter.
Navigate term sheets, understand deal structures, and protect your interests. Demystify SAFE notes, convertible notes, priced rounds, and valuation caps—know what to negotiate and when to walk away.
Results founders can measure.
We're scaling access through education and community—without diluting depth or impact.
250+
Graduates
40%
BIPOC Founders
30%
Scholarships Awarded
$20M+
Raised Post-Program
About the Program
Frequently Asked Questions
The Dream Ventures Accelerator is a structured 7-week program. New educational content and modules drop weekly, accompanied by workbooks to help you apply what you're learning in real time. Each week includes live office hours sessions for Q&A and support, plus guest speaker sessions with investors and operators.
This program is for early-stage founders who want to understand the fundraising landscape and build a sustainable funding strategy for their business. Whether you're exploring venture capital, angel investors, grants, or alternative funding sources, this program will help you navigate your options and make informed decisions. You don't need to have a fundraise planned to join—understanding the full spectrum of capital sources will help you build a healthier business overall.
The program runs for 7 weeks with weekly content drops and live sessions. Plan to dedicate time each week for the educational modules and workbooks, plus attendance at weekly office hours and guest speaker sessions. The structure keeps you on track while allowing you to manage your schedule as a busy founder.
It's a hybrid format. Educational content drops weekly and you can work through the modules and workbooks on your own schedule throughout the week. However, each week includes live office hours sessions for Q&A and support, plus live guest speaker sessions to learn directly from investors and operators who've been there.
By the end of the program, you'll have an investor-ready pitch deck, financial model, data room, investor CRM, and a repeatable process for fundraising. Plus lifetime access to the DVA community.
Yes. We've awarded scholarships to 30% of our participants. We believe financial constraints shouldn't prevent talented founders from accessing this education. Apply and indicate your interest in scholarship consideration.
The Dream Ventures dream continues! After graduation, you'll join our graduate community—a network of founders who've been through the program and continue to support each other. You'll have access to alumni events, ongoing resources, and a community that grows stronger with every cohort.
A celebration day in NYC with your cohort. It's optional but highly recommended—it's your chance to meet fellow founders in person, celebrate your progress, and connect with the Dream Ventures community face-to-face.
Click 'Apply Now' to start your application. The process includes a short form and a brief video introduction. We review applications on a rolling basis and aim to respond within a couple of days.
Ready to become capital-ready?
Join a cohort of ambitious founders building the skills, relationships, and confidence to raise on their own terms.
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