Hi All,
Super exciting news — we’re growing at Founders Bay! 🎉
Please join me in welcoming Pramanya Guda, our new Events & Developer Lead, and celebrating David Carvalho, who’s been producing our events for the past year and is now stepping into the role of Chief Growth Officer.
Together, they’ll be expanding what we started — creating more events, building the online platform, growing the network, and launching new programs to support founders like you.
CALL TO THE COMMUNITY: IF you’re a VC and would like to speak at any of our events below, please reply to this email and we’ll get you featured!
I wanted to personally invite you to a few of our upcoming events & workshops:
[East Bay] Founders & VC Happy Hour @ STAK Ventures
If we’re not already connected, I’d love to hear from you — please follow me on LinkedIn and Instagram. Let’s connect!
One day, I was standing in the kitchen, apologizing to my ex-husband for something I didn’t even do.
I wasn’t even sure what I was apologizing for — I just wanted to keep the peace.
And in that moment, I realized: somewhere along the way, I had stopped speaking up.
I had learned to shrink myself to avoid conflict.
To stay quiet so things wouldn’t get worse.
Maybe you’ve had that moment too — when you realize you’ve been quiet for so long, you almost forgot what your own voice sounded like.
But silence slowly erased me.
Until one day, I decided — if I kept quiet, I’d disappear completely.
So I made a choice: to speak again.
And once I did, I promised myself never to go back.
That’s why I started building communities like Founders Bay — to help other women and founders find their voice, too.
But with visibility comes vulnerability — and yes, sometimes, rumors.
Recently, I’ve heard a few —
Representing Founders Bay & You.com at Techcrunch Last Week!
that I “gave up” on Founders Bay to take a corporate job,
that I’m “moving on,”
even rumors about my relationship.
So let me set the record straight.
💡 I didn’t give up on Founders Bay.
We’re continuing to grow it together every single day — and as you saw above, the team is stronger than ever. At the same time, joining You.com as Head of Developer Relations has been an incredible opportunity to bring both my passion for community and tech to a new arena.
AI is moving faster than anyone expected, and I’m proud to be part of a team helping thousands of founders and developers build, create, and imagine what’s next.
❤️ And yes, I’ve found someone who supports me, makes me feel safe for the first time in a long time, and makes me genuinely happy.
He’s got the biggest heart — and he turned his love for music into a multi-million-dollar business. Turns out, passion and purpose can build incredible things.
If you’re ever curious, just ask me.
I’ll always choose transparency over speculation.
But it’s made me reflect…
Why do we talk about people behind their backs?
I know we all do it — I do sometimes too.
But I’m realizing that with every careless word, we chip away at someone’s voice.
We’re all just trying to do our best to survive in this world.
We’ve all been through tough times.
We’ve all made mistakes.
That’s what makes us human.
So instead of spreading rumors,
Let’s keep shining.
Let’s keep lifting each other up.
Let’s keep building a world where we amplify each other’s voices — not silence them.
Because no one gets to write your story but you.
With Love,
Mariane
Want us to sponsor an event or partner together? Contact us here
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! 🍹
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.
Friday, November 7 - 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Founders Bay is excited to partner with AI INFRA SUMMIT, the premier gathering for builders, investors, and innovators shaping the future of AI infrastructure.
As a Founders Bay community member, you can save on your ticket using this 35% discount link: 👉 https://luma.com/aiinfra_4?coupon=FOUNDERSBAY35
Connect with top leaders from AMD, Supermicro, WEKA, top NeoClouds, and more as we explore the technologies powering the next wave of AI.
Don’t miss this one-day event packed with insights, networking, and opportunities. Register now — space is limited!
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.
November 8 to November 9 | 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
HSI is back! Join Hack for Social Impact once again to tackle real-world challenges! We are teaming up with non-profit partners to present you with important, pressing, and well-scoped challenges. These problems can be solved by you!
Wednesday, November 12 - 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Start your morning with a dynamic gathering of founders and investors shaping the future of AI and technology. The VC & Founder Breakfast brings together innovators, builders, and funders for candid conversations over great coffee and an inspiring atmosphere. Whether you’re scaling your next big idea or exploring where to invest next, this breakfast sets the stage for collaboration and breakthrough thinking. 🚀
Friday, November 14 - 11:00 AM –12:00 PM
Change is constant in the startup journey — from shifting markets to rapid product pivots. In this workshop, Executive Coach Weronika Sobolak, former Meta & Facebook leader and Founder of Weronika Sobolak Coaching & Consulting, will guide founders through proven strategies to stay grounded and confident amid complexity.
Saturday, November 15 - 9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Join us at DevFest organized by GDG San Francisco x GDG Fremont, sponsored by Google Developers Group. It's the ultimate gathering of developers, creators, and tech-enthusiasts. We’re bringing together visionary minds with hands-on experiences, creative challenges, and plenty of fun to fuel your next big idea.
Tuesday, November 18 - 10:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Founders Bay Expert Office Hour: 1-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.
Tuesday, November 18 - 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Join us for the AI & Emerging Tech Pitch Battle, hosted by Mariane Bekker from Founders Bay, where visionary founders showcase groundbreaking innovations transforming industries through artificial intelligence, deep tech, and frontier technologies. This dynamic event brings together top founders, investors, and industry experts to spotlight the startups shaping the future of technology.
Apply to pitch: https://forms.gle/XDWzGJYXkU2suU116
Thursday, November 20 - 11:00 AM –12:00 PM
In this high-impact session, veteran startup leader and investor Larry Udell, Founder of the LES Silicon Valley Chapter, draws on his extensive experience launching, scaling and advising tech companies to reveal how founders transform bold ideas into enduring success. You’ll gain an inside view of the pivotal decisions, growth inflection points and mindset shifts that mark the journey from founder to fortune.
Friday, November 21 - 11:00 AM –12:00 PM
In today’s competitive startup landscape, your personal brand is one of your most valuable business assets. As a founder, how you show up on LinkedIn can directly shape your company’s visibility, reputation, and growth opportunities. In this session, Diandra Escobar, Founder of Distinctiva, will share proven strategies for building an authentic and influential LinkedIn presence that drives real business outcomes.
Friday, November 21 - 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
This Thanksgiving season, we’re gathering the startup community for an evening of connection, gratitude, and collaboration. Join us for the Founders & VC Thanksgiving Dinner at Focus Innovation Studio — a warm, open event where founders, investors, and friends of the innovation ecosystem come together to share stories, ideas, and a festive meal.
Thursday, December 4 - 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Start your morning with inspiration, connection, and community at the Women Founders Breakfast — a gathering designed to bring together women leaders, innovators, and investors who are shaping the future of entrepreneurship. Hosted at Focus Innovation Studio, this breakfast offers a relaxed and empowering space to share insights, exchange stories, and build meaningful relationships with fellow founders and supporters in the startup ecosystem.
Thursday, December 18 - 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Celebrate the season with an exclusive evening of fine dining and high-impact conversations at the Founder/VC Holiday Dinner in San Francisco. This invite-only gathering brings together visionary founders, venture capitalists, and tech leaders to connect over shared insights, emerging trends, and the future of innovation in AI, frontier tech, and startups.
Managing Partner, Founders bay
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.