Odun O.’s Post

We’re in. Those were Maia's first words on our second call. After putting much of my own savings into starting Insight7, we needed more capital to keep taking shots at finding product–market fit. Through Forum Ventures, Maia Benson invested $100K when every other investor passed. We were extremely frugal, and that funding was enough to turn us into a customer-funded business. When I told Maia about investors who shared similar backgrounds but passed, she said, “Who’s going to change the narrative if people like that don’t back founders like you?” Here’s the thing: Investors care about exponential returns and no rational will pass on a fast-growing startup. But there are moments when it’s not obvious, when the signals aren’t clear and conviction is hard. That’s when investors like Maia show up. They bet on the story. The founder. The passion. They make a difference and reshape what’s possible. Maia remains on our advisory board, and today is her birthday. Celebrating you today, and grateful for the support you gave us in those early, uncertain days.