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YOU’RE INVITED

TO TFC DETROIT | Jul 30 – Aug 1

We’ve reserved your seat for The Founder’s Chair: Detroit, where hand-selected entrepreneurs are stepping away from their companies to meet a curated room of strategic angels. These founders aren’t just building something flashy—they’re solving real problems that people are actively paying to fix. At TFC, we’ve expanded our reach and deepened our network to bring you ventures with traction, humility, and a genuine desire to partner with seasoned investors who add more than capital. As a Funder, your value goes far beyond the check—and in this room, that’s exactly what founders are looking for.

WHEN

The event kicks off at 4PM ET on July 30th and concludes at 11:30AM ET on August 1st, following our morning Funder Debrief.

WHAT

A behind-closed-doors investment experience designed for depth over volume. No pitch competitions. No speed networking. Just real conversations that lead to real deals—with tailored opportunities and room for creative deal structures.

WHY

Because deals happen faster—and smarter—when the right people are in the room. Because you’ll be investing, collaborating, and staying ahead of the curve with a community that knows how this industry moves.

Did we mention that your food, beverages, and lodging are covered? All you need to do is get here!

 

WHERE

Right in the heart of Downtown Detroit

2025 Signal Advisors Office
The Monarch Rooftop
Gillys Interior
Gillys Rooftop
The Element Detroit
The Monarch Tower

Count me in for TFC Detroit!

Woohoo–you won’t regret it! Drop your details below so we can secure your spot and get you ready for Michigan! 

Secure My Seat!

Oh no! I can’t make this one.

We’ll miss you, but we totally understand! Since you’re unable to join us in Detroit, be sure to pencil us in for the next one!

Greenwich, Connecticut

October 8 – 10, 2025

Est. 1919 · Des Moines, Iowa

HOTEL FORT DES MOINES

A century of stories, one remarkable address

Famous Guests
Scandals & Secrets
Firsts & Innovations
The Beginning
1922
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1922

Helen Keller rang in the New Year here, staying at the hotel while in Des Moines for performances over New Year's Eve.

1927
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1927

Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig had breakfast here before an exhibition game. Two of baseball's greatest, at the same table, in Des Moines.

1927
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1927

Charles Lindbergh hosted a banquet here after his famous transatlantic flight. The menu featured boneless squab — reportedly a rare Des Moines delicacy at the time.

1933
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1933

Amelia Earhart visited the hotel to speak about her solo flight across the Atlantic — a rare chance for Iowans to hear her story firsthand.

1947
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1947

Mae West stayed here during her performance of "Come on Up" at the KRNT Radio Theater. One imagines she made an impression on the staff.

1959
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1959

Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev occupied the Presidential Suite during the height of the Cold War. This hotel has seen history made.

1960
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1960

JFK, LBJ, and Hubert Humphrey all attended dinner here and held a meeting on farm policy — three future or sitting presidents under one roof.

1980
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1980

Elizabeth Taylor stayed here during a Des Moines appearance. Hollywood glamour, right here in the heartland.

1980
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1980

Elizabeth Taylor stayed here during a Des Moines appearance. Hollywood glamour, right here in the heartland.

2003
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2003

Cher requested her own personal mattress be placed in room #1025. The hotel obliged. Room 1025 has never quite been the same.

2008
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2008

Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton both stayed here during the Iowa caucuses — rivals for the presidency, sharing the same address for a night.

1939
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1939

Police raided the Log Cabin Room on the 11th floor, seizing liquor and gambling equipment. The tip reportedly came from the men's own wives.

1927
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1927

When Lindbergh dined here post-transatlantic flight, he reportedly insisted on serving boneless squab, an extravagance that raised eyebrows across Iowa.

1959
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1959

The FBI monitored Khrushchev's stay closely. Guests on nearby floors reportedly had no idea who was sleeping down the hall.

1971
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1971

President Nixon greeted supporters in the lobby during his stay — a reminder that this hotel has always been where Iowa's political drama plays out.

1919
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1919

When it opened, every single room had a bathtub, purified chilled circulating water, and a window. Unheard of luxury for its era.

1938
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1938

The hotel announced the first air-conditioned guest room in Des Moines, a genuine technological milestone that made front-page news.

1953
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1953

100 rooms received TV sets in what was reportedly the largest single installation of televisions in Iowa at the time. The fee to operate yours? 25 cents.

1982
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1982

Governor Terry Branstad nominated the hotel to the National Register of Historic Places, cementing its place in Iowa's official history.

1919
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1919

The hotel opened on July 15, 1919, built for approximately $1.5 million and designed by the architectural firm Proudfoot, Bird & Rawson.

1919
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1919

Its opening was a statement of ambition: every room had a private bathtub, purified water, and a window. In 1919, this was genuinely extraordinary.

1974
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1974

Ronald Reagan attended WHO Radio's 50th anniversary celebration at the hotel, proof that Fort Des Moines has always been Iowa's premier gathering place.

2021
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2021

After major renovations, the hotel reopened as part of the Curio Collection by Hilton, a century of history, restored for the next hundred years.