Maria Poly — Co-Founder
I've spent over a decade helping founders and fund managers become visible to the people who matter for their next raise: investors, LPs, partners. I did this for VC funds (Pantera Capital, TMT Investments, Blockchain Coinvestors, Step Ahead Capital and others). Raising capital, building investor relationships, personal brands and learning what makes the difference between a founder or a GP who gets the meeting and one who doesn't. What I saw over and over: the ones who won weren't always the ones with the best product or investment strategy. They were the ones whose story made investors lean in before the pitch even started. Now I work with founders directly. I extract the narrative they can't see about themselves and build a system that makes the right people find them, through a story specific enough that investors, partners, and clients self-select. Here's what I've seen become possible when founders start showing up with the right narrative: → 18 investor meetings and 3 partnerships within the first two months of visibility → 2 new B2B clients in two months — people who reached out saying "I've been reading you" → A founder spotted a competitor's move early because the right people started engaging with his content. → Founders who posted a bold take, got real pushback, and used that feedback to sharpen how they pitch — before walking into the investor room → Investors, partners, podcast hosts, event organizers reaching out on their own — because the narrative made them self-select The pattern is the same every time: you put yourself into an ocean of relevant people, and the touch points start compounding. Not just meetings, market intelligence, positioning clarity, and a feedback loop with the people who matter for your next milestone. If this sounds like what you need right now — DM me
Stackforce AI infers this person is a Venture Capital and Strategic Partnerships expert with a focus on early-stage startups.
Location: San Francisco, California, United States
Experience: 13 yrs
Skills
- Venture Capital
- Personal Branding
- Strategic Partnerships
- Investor Relations
- Fundraising
- Capital Formation
- Ecosystem
Career Highlights
- Helped founders secure 18 investor meetings in two months.
- Built systems for visibility that attract investors and partners.
- Expert in narrative development for capital raising.
Work Experience
VC Lens
Founder & Narrative Strategist (11 mos)
Wonder Family
Head of Partnerships & Partner Programs (2 yrs 1 mo)
Blockchain Coinvestors & Fifth Era
Director of Investor Relations (2 yrs 2 mos)
Venture Platforms & Partnerships (Consulting)
Independent Consultant. Partnerships & Venture Platforms (2 yrs 8 mos)
Pantera Capital
Capital Formation Associate (5 mos)
TMT Investments PLC
Investor Relations & Partnerships — TMT Investments Ecosystem (6 yrs 9 mos)
Early-Stage Venture Programs & Ecosystem Platforms
Venture Programs & Ecosystem Operations (Early Career) (4 yrs 10 mos)
Education
Master of Science - MS at The Johns Hopkins University
Continuing Education at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford
Continuing Education at MIT Sloan School of Management
Continuing Education at Stanford University Graduate School of Business
Continuing Education at Stanford University Graduate School of Business
Bachelor of Economics at Synergy University
Accountant at Synergy University
