Dare
to Lead
Leading through change, crisis and opportunity.
A Rainmaking series produced for Tbilisi, Georgia.
A leadership conversation on what gets built, what gets backed, and what creates lasting value.
Featuring Jed Ng · Carsten Kølbek · Iro Tsagareishvili
Moderated by Sarah Grippay
Three chapters.
One series.
A new vocabulary for leading.
A three-part leadership series unfolding across 2026 — gathering founders, executives and thinkers around the questions that matter most.
- Date
- November 2026
- Format
- Panel discussion
- Location
- Tbilisi, Georgia
- Moderated by
- Sarah Grippay
- In partnership with
- AXEL — Georgian Business Angel Network
Decisions That Shape Companies
A leadership conversation on what gets built, what gets backed, and what creates lasting value.
AXEL — Georgian Business Angel Network
Every company is shaped by a series of consequential decisions: what problem to pursue, whom to trust, where to invest, when to scale, and when to change direction.
Decisions That Shape Companies brings together three perspectives from entrepreneurship, angel investment and company building.
The discussion will explore what experienced founders and investors recognise in strong companies, how they evaluate leaders and opportunities, and which decisions create — or erode — long-term value.
Designed for executives, investors, founders and ecosystem leaders, the session moves beyond fundraising to examine the judgement required to build, back and scale enduring businesses.
Three perspectives.
One conversation.
Founder of AngelSchool.vc and an operator-turned-investor who has built a global angel network and invested in early-stage technology companies.
“What makes someone worth backing before all the evidence exists?”
Co-founder of Rainmaking and Startupbootcamp, bringing the perspective of someone who has built companies and worked alongside founders across global markets.
“What actually makes a company worth building — and what determines whether it survives?”
Managing Director of AXEL — Georgian Business Angel Network, bringing the local investor perspective across startup sourcing, investment decisions and ecosystem development.
“What makes a company investable in Georgia today — and what still needs to change?”
What shapes
a company?
- →What leadership behaviours create confidence in early-stage businesses?
- →How do the best leaders decide when a company is ready to scale?
- →When should leaders change course — and what does making that decision well require?
- →How do business leaders create long-lasting value?
Join Chapter III.
Decisions That Shape Companies.
A leadership conversation on what gets built, what gets backed, and what creates lasting value.
Built Under Pressure: The Grit Code
Endurance athlete Paris Norriss — seven marathons, seven continents, under six days — shared what grit looks like when every instinct says stop. A full room in Tbilisi explored how leaders hold steady under pressure.
The Voices of Dare to Lead.
Why Dare to Lead exists.
The pace of change has never been greater.
Artificial intelligence is transforming industries. Economic uncertainty continues to challenge organisations. Leaders are expected to navigate disruption, inspire teams, and make decisions in increasingly complex environments.
Dare to Lead brings together globally recognised entrepreneurs, executives, innovators, and thought leaders to explore what leadership looks like when the rules are changing.
Across three chapters, Dare to Lead explores three capabilities increasingly essential to modern leadership: navigating transformation, building grit when pressure rises, and exercising the judgement required to build, back, and scale enduring companies.
- Founders and startup leaders
- Corporate executives and managers
- Innovation and transformation teams
- Investors and ecosystem partners
- Emerging leaders and professionals
- Students interested in leadership and resilience
A series produced by Rainmaking & Startupbootcamp Georgia.
Rainmaking is a global innovation and venture-building company operating at the intersection of leadership, entrepreneurship, and new business creation. Through Startupbootcamp Georgia, Rainmaking is helping strengthen Georgia's innovation ecosystem while creating opportunities for founders, corporates, investors, and future leaders to connect and grow.
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