AI for Growth: Lessons from Leaders Jason Kraus

Jason Kraus is the Founder and CEO of Prepare 4 VC, where he works with early-stage founders—from pre-seed through Series A—to become investor-ready, sharpen their narrative, and scale with clarity and confidence. Under his leadership, founders in the program have raised over $480 million in capital while developing stronger decision-making, leadership discipline, and a deeper understanding of how to operate on both sides of the fundraising table.Jason is also an active venture investor through EQx Fund and Equity Venture Partners, with more than 20 investments spanning technology, life sciences, and proptech. His experience as both an investor and advisor informs his core belief that the most important asset in any venture is its people—and that high-EQ leadership is what ultimately turns ordinary ideas into meaningful, scalable solutions.Beyond his work with founders, Jason serves as Director of Startup Grind Boston, where he brings together entrepreneurs, investors, and operators for candid conversations about building and scaling companies. He is also the author of Venture Forward: Lessons from Leaders, a collection of real founder stories focused on resilience, perspective, and conviction in the face of uncertainty.