Hi All,

I wanted to personally invite you to a few of our upcoming events & workshops:

If we’re not already connected, I’d love to hear from you — please follow me on LinkedIn and Instagram. Let’s connect!

We just made Founders Bay way more powerful.

We’ve been quietly building something special — and it’s finally live.
Now you can connect directly with founders, investors, and operators inside Founders Bay.
No more guessing who’s who. Just real people, real opportunities, and real conversations.

👤 The Founders Bay Directory. View Here
Explore hundreds of founders, investors, and builders across the Bay Area (and beyond).
Filter by role, industry, or stage — and discover who’s building what. Sign up for the free account and browse hundred of VC firms!!

💬 In-platform Messaging
You can now message other members directly.
Ask questions, collaborate on deals, or set up a coffee chat — right inside your dashboard.

🌐 Smarter Profiles
Profiles now include startups, investment firms, and service providers — complete with logos, social links, and tags so people can instantly see what you do.

🔍 Advanced Search & Filters
Quickly find the right people — from AI founders to fintech investors — and connect in seconds.

This isn’t just a directory.
It’s a living network — built by founders, for founders — designed to make connection and collaboration effortless.

He walks in with confidence.
Charismatic. Sharp.

He knows how to make you feel seen — maybe for the first time in a long time.He listens, mirrors your words back to you, makes you believe he understands.
And before you even realize it, you’re invested.

In the partnership.
In the promise.
In the potential.

At first, it feels magnetic — the kind of chemistry that blurs your boundaries.
You tell yourself this is what growth looks like.
You adapt, you compromise, you bend.
You call it teamwork. You call it destiny.

He tells you you are the problem.
You tell yourself you just need to be better.
He tells you you are too sensitive.
You think your empathy can soften his edges —
that if you’re patient enough, kind enough, loyal enough — he’ll change.

But somewhere between the late nights and long talks,
between the apologies you didn’t owe and the justifications you didn’t need,
you start to disappear.

The truth is, the devil doesn’t bargain.
He thrives on your hope.
He knows how to twist sincerity into guilt and ambition into exhaustion.
He doesn’t negotiate peace — he feeds on it.

And so you walk on eggshells, mistaking tension for passion, control for care.
You convince yourself that if you just hold on a little longer,
the version of him you first met will return.

But he never does.
Because he was never really there —
only the reflection of what you needed to see.

Still, I know how it goes.
You’ll see the good moments and remember the promises.
You’ll tell yourself this time will be different.

And just like before, I can see that you’re sure.
You can change him,
but I know you won’t.

The hardest thing you’ll ever do is leave.
Not because you don’t know it’s right —
but because part of you still believes you can fix it.

But when you finally do, it will break you.
It will feel like failure, like loss,
like the end of something sacred.

But it’s not the end — it’s the return.
It’s the return of you.

If this resonates, know that help is available: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) | thehotline.org

Want us to sponsor an event or partner together? Contact us here

​​The SF AI Agent Meetup is a new & growing community for AI Agent Developers, Engineers, UX, Ops, and Applied Researchers exploring and leading the evolution of AI agents. Whether you're building autonomous systems, experimenting with LLM-powered assistants, or integrating AI agents into real-world applications, this meetup is the place to discover, share insights, and collaborate with your peers. Join us for talks, demos, discussions and networking with like-minded innovators shaping the next generation of AI.

​Where open minds meet open code — with a 360° view of the city.

​Join us for an unforgettable evening at The Starlite Room, featuring breathtaking 360° skyline views, an open bar, and delicious food as we bring together the brightest minds in AI, open source, and compute.

​This is where developers, founders, and innovators connect, collaborate, and unwind — all while celebrating the future of open, decentralized AI infrastructure.

​📍 The Starlite Room
🕖 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM
🥂 Open Bar & Food Included

​Come for the view, stay for the people building what’s next.

Friday, October 17 - 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

With a background as an investor, engineer, and community leader, I provide personalized support to help startups grow—offering guidance on fundraising, tech development, team building, co-founder matching, hiring top talent, and personal branding to position you for long-term success.

Tuesday, October 21 - 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

​​Founders Bay Expert Office Hours: 2-Hour Block Legal Advice is a chance for startup founders to get direct legal guidance from an experienced professional. Led by Jessica North (Jorrie), Partner at Perkins Coie LLP, this session is perfect for founders seeking clarity on legal matters. Jessica specializes in advising emerging companies, venture capital funds, and private equity investors, making her a valuable resource for startups at any stage.

October 18–19, 2025 @ Frontier Tower, San Francisco

Join 150+ innovators for a weekend of building, learning, and creating at this high-energy hardware hackathon. Compete for $13,000+ in prizes including 3D printers, gaming gear, laser cutters, and more. Showcase your ideas to industry judges, gain hands-on mentorship, and take your project home when it’s over. Enjoy free food, exclusive swag, and an unforgettable experience—no prior experience required!

Wednesday, October 22 - 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM

​Our speaker, Ellisha Blechynden, Principal Attorney at Blechynden Legal, will break down the essentials of due diligence readiness from a legal and operational standpoint. With years of experience advising startups and investors, Ellisha will share practical insights to help you anticipate investor questions and avoid common pitfalls.

Thursday, October 23 - 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM

​Securing funding is one of the biggest challenges for early-stage founders, and non-dilutive grant opportunities can be a powerful way to fuel growth without giving up equity. In this workshop, Kyle Pickett will guide founders through the complex landscape of grants, showing where to find opportunities, how to qualify, and how to strengthen applications.

October 24, 2025 @ Haas School of Business

The Berkeley Female Founders & Funders Summit returns on October 24 for a full day of empowering conversations, networking, and inspiration at Haas. Join leading entrepreneurs, investors, and changemakers driving the future of women-led innovation. Hear keynote insights from Vicky Tsai (Tatcha) and Rebecca Lynn (Canvas Prime), along with panels, workshops, and curated connection sessions. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn, grow, and connect with the next wave of trailblazing women in business.

Napa Valley Marriott Hotel & Spa, Napa, CA
October 22, 2025 - October 24, 2025

Come and join Opal Financial Group's Annual Family Office & Private Wealth Management Forum - West. Known for the fastest growing population of newly structured family offices in the world, Northern California is largely dominated by first and second-generation families from the Silicon Valley. Investment strategies such as Private Equity, Venture Capital, and Technology will be familiar themes throughout this conference. Investment managers and families will come together to discuss the foundations in which they built their wealth, and uncork the various investment strategies in which to keep their portfolios growing and plentiful. Additional hot topics such as impact investing, alternatives, and the trustee beneficiary relationship, will allow for delegates to sample a diverse blend of palatable subjects while networking amongst a top tier group of private wealth professionals.

Wednesday, October 29 - 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM

​Led by Aleks Gollu, Founder & CEO of 11Sight, the session will cover the realities of co-founder dynamics, equity decisions, and operational structures. Through real-world examples, Aleks will share mistakes that can derail momentum and the best practices that create a strong foundation for your company.

Wednesday, October 29 - 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM

​Join an exclusive evening of connection and conversation at the Founders Bay VC & LP Dinner, hosted at the iconic Millennium Tower in San Francisco. 🍷 This intimate gathering brings together venture capitalists, limited partners, and ecosystem leaders for a curated dining experience designed to spark collaboration, share insights, and explore the future of investing.

Thursday, October 30 - 10:00 AM –11:00 AM

​Get ready to pitch your startup to leading investors and venture capitalists at the next Founders Bay Virtual Investor Pitch Session. This online event connects early-stage founders with seasoned investors eager to discover the next wave of high-impact startups. Whether you’re raising your pre-seed or Series A round, this is your opportunity to showcase your vision, traction, and growth potential to an audience that matters.

October 27 – 29, 2025

THE BIGGEST TECH CONFERENCE IN THE WORLD IS HAPPENING SOON!

I’ll be speaking at Techcrunch Disrupt and hosting a panel on Family offices. Join me with coupon code FOUNDERSBAY25 to get 25% off

TechCrunch Disrupt is where you’ll find innovation for every stage of your startup journey. Whether you’re a budding founder with a revolutionary idea, a seasoned startup looking to scale, or an investor seeking the next big thing, Disrupt offers unparalleled resources, connections, and expert insights to propel your venture forward.

Thursday, October 30 - 11:00 AM –12:00 PM

​A strong personal brand can change the way opportunities come your way. Instead of constantly chasing investors, clients, or partners, the right brand presence makes them come to you. In this workshop, Bruna Grace will share how founders and leaders can create a brand that attracts attention and builds trust in competitive markets.

Thursday, November 6 - 11:00 AM –12:00 PM

​In today’s fast-changing, AI-driven world, leaders can’t afford to blend in. This workshop - provided by the team that created executive brands for leaders at Apple, Amazon, Omnicom, Booz Allen Hamilton, and New York City ​- is designed to help you understand how to align your unique strengths with market opportunities, so you can compete with confidence and position yourself as the voice people trust.

Wednesday, November 5 - 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM

​Join us for a laid-back evening of networking, drinks, and great conversations! Whether you're a startup founder looking for funding, a VC seeking the next big idea, or just someone passionate about innovation, this event is for you.

​Grab a drink, share your journey, and connect with people who can help take your vision to the next level! 🍹

Friday, November 7 - 3:00 PM –4:00 PM

​Spend an hour with Jessica-Rose Clark — professional mixed martial artist, world champion, and hands-on self-defence coach — as she shares practical tools to help you feel safer and more confident in everyday life. Jessy combines her years of experience in competitive fighting with her passion for teaching to make self-defence approachable and effective for everyone.

Hi! I'm Mariane Bekker, an investor and a tech executive with over a decade of experience building high-performing engineering teams at leading startups such as New Relic and Mindbody. I've led engineering through 5 acquisitions and 1 IPO. 

I’m the founder of Founders bay and Women Founders bay, connecting founders with expert guidance, events and funding opportunities in the Bay Area.