Accel & Ironclad Founders: The Deal That Almost Created a Unicorn

Understanding the Founder-Investor Dynamic: A Conversation with Ironclad’s Jason Boehmig and Accel’s Steve Loughlin

The intricacies of a working relationship are best understood by those directly involved. Fortunately, we have the opportunity to engage in an open discussion with both Jason Boehmig, CEO and co-founder of Ironclad, and Steve Loughlin, his investor and board member at Accel.

Accel’s Initial Investment

Loughlin spearheaded Ironclad’s Series A funding round in 2017, marking it as one of his first Series A investments following his return to Accel. This initial investment laid the groundwork for a significant partnership.

This installment of Extra Crunch Live is scheduled for Wednesday at 3 p.m. EST/12 p.m. PST, consistent with the usual timing.

Exploring the Relationship

The conversation will delve into the origins of their connection, the factors that led them to collaborate, and how they’ve functioned as a team since then. Building trust, maintaining transparency, and discussing strategic direction will all be key topics.

Prior to his role as an investor, Loughlin demonstrated entrepreneurial acumen as the founder of RelateIQ in 2011, a company that received backing from Accel.

Loughlin’s Background and Investments

RelateIQ was acquired by Salesforce in 2014 for $390 million and subsequently evolved into Salesforce IQ. Loughlin rejoined Accel in 2016 and has since led investments in a diverse portfolio of companies, including Airkit, Ascend.io, Clockwise, Ironclad, Monte Carlo, Nines, Productiv, Split.io, and Vivun.

Boehmig’s Legal Expertise

Jason Boehmig, a prominent figure in the legal tech industry, is a qualified attorney, admitted to the California bar. He previously practiced law at Fenwick & West and served as an adjunct professor at Notre Dame Law School.

Ironclad’s Growth

Ironclad was established in 2014 and has since secured over $180 million in funding, with its valuation reportedly nearing $1 billion.

This session will offer a unique look into the dynamics of this investor-founder relationship, as well as insights from these tech leaders on broader trends within the enterprise technology landscape.

Pitch Deck Teardown

A pitch deck teardown will also be featured, where submitted decks from the audience will be reviewed and critiqued by our experienced guests. Founders can submit their decks for consideration in future episodes.

Audience participation is encouraged, with opportunities to submit questions throughout the event.

Networking Opportunities

Extra Crunch Live provides a platform for networking, beginning at 2:30 p.m. EST/11:30 a.m. PST and continuing for a half hour after the episode concludes. Connecting with peers is highly encouraged.

Extra Crunch Membership

Extra Crunch Live is exclusively available to members, offering founders and tech professionals valuable advice and perspectives from industry leaders. Non-members are invited to join and unlock access to this series.

Previous Speakers

Loughlin and Boehmig are joining a distinguished lineup of speakers who have previously appeared on Extra Crunch Live, including Gaurav Gupta of Lightspeed, Raj Dutt of Grafana, Aydin Senkut of Felicis, and Kevin Busque of Guideline. Members can access recordings of all past episodes on demand.

Further details regarding this episode, and upcoming events, can be found below.

We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday!

• Steve Loughlin (Accel) + Jason Boehmig (Ironclad) – February 17, 12 p.m. PST/3 p.m. EST
• Matt Harris (Bain Capital Ventures) + Isaac Oates (Justworks) – February 24, 12 p.m. PST/3 p.m. EST