Tips for Applying to LongJump from Andy Freivogel and Luisa Castellanos of Science on Call

Thanks for sharing your tips with other founders, Andy and Luisa! To start us off, tell us about Science on Call and your mission.

Science On Call is a tech support platform for restaurants.  We love restaurants and hospitality, and we take great pride in being a cost-effective, subscription-based solution to one of the most acute sources of stress and anxiety for restaurants:  the unwieldy tech stack.  Our north star is democratizing the rapid resolution of technology challenges that cost restaurants money, and we are continuing our investment in automation of the most common resolutions so that any restaurant can thrive with technology, not struggle with it.

Why did you decide to apply to LongJump? Why did you choose to partner with us?

We truly felt like the partners at LongJump understood what it was like to be in our shoes as founders. Their connection to our team and excitement for what we’re building made it a no-brainer.

What would you tell future applicants about how to best prepare their applications, and how to approach their interviews with us?

Fundraising is a job, and it’s a job that can best be done as a team, if there are multiple founders.  Applying for LongJump is no different:  review the requirements of the application with all founders in your company, set dates for completion, and PRACTICE your pitch with one another.  Because they are founders themselves, we found the LongJump team to be empathetic and understanding, but when you’re talking to them, don’t forget you are talking to investors, and that you need to put your best foot forward in all meetings and interactions.

What's been the most valuable thing that LongJump has helped you & the company accomplish since we invested?

The almost constant flow of advice about how to run and grow a company, in addition to the many introductions to other mentors and potential investors, tracks closely to the kind of experience some might have with some of the stronger accelerator programs.  Having six experts dedicated to your success, and available whenever you need them, is irreplaceable.

What one piece of advice would you give other founders raising their first round of outside capital?

DON’T SWEAT A LITTLE DILUTION.  Dilution doesn’t matter if you don’t grow your company and/or exit at some point. Bonus advice:  If you don’t ask, you won’t receive.  Be clear and unafraid with your requests for assistance and guidance, and when you get it, be appreciative and respectful of the team’s time.