We believe there is a critical need for fundraising as a skillset and a tremendous opportunity for founders who invest in it.
We love what we do, and we can’t wait to meet you
Sara Batterby
Founder + the CEO
Hi, I'm Sara Batterby, Founder of the Equity Capital Collective (EqCo). I created EqCo after realizing that there was simply no good answer to the question "How do I raise money for my startup?" I have spent my entire career raising capital and 3 years embedding everything I learned into a course that is accessible, affordable and effective. It works, we have proven it and I hope I have the opportunity to share it with you.
Jacob Saiki
head of student education and experience
We hear daily how much our clients and community love Jacob and we get it! He’s pretty amazing.
As our Head of Student Education and Experience, Jacob is often the first person founders interact with at our company. He manages our classroom and our community online in addition to working with me to continually improve and share all the content associated with this course. Jacob is deeply committed to our community of founders and is inspired by seeing these founders transform into confident, capable fundraisers.
Jacob has a great appreciation for bridging cultures and building communities. He grew up in Hawaii - where his 2nd generation Japanese-American father was raised - and spent summers as a cowboy with his mother’s family’s ranch in rural Eastern Oregon. In both places, Jacob witnessed first-hand how access to capital transforms the outcomes and paths of different immigrant and racial communities.
Jacob loves thoughtful and inclusive processes, systems, and organizations, and works with the Organization Development Network. He enjoys working with other consultants to provide pro-bono consulting to local nonprofits helping them plan and execute small-scale change initiatives.
Jacob holds a B.A. in Politics from Willamette University, writing his thesis on government policy related to access and funding for healthy food in public schools. Before joining EqCo, he worked in environmental sustainability for Dining Services at Pacific University implementing composting, waste reduction, and educational programs.
When Jacob’s not working, he spends as much time as he can outdoors hiking and camping. He’s a huge podcast fan and particularly loves the Ezra Klein Show. He also loves meditation and yoga, which is probably why he always seems so calm and is such a pleasure to hang around. Ommmm…