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- A Personal Invite To Our Upcoming Event + What if Joy Was The Strategy?
A Personal Invite To Our Upcoming Event + What if Joy Was The Strategy?
Mariane Bekker
May 30, 2025
Hi Friends,
I wanted to personally invite you to an event happening next week:
Also, I’m super excited to be speaking at the AI for Good Institute 2025 at Stanford University this June!
This program takes aspiring entrepreneurs from idea to investor-ready startup in just three weeks through hands-on AI prototyping, Stanford campus immersion, and mentorship from Silicon Valley's best.
🎯 Small cohort of 30 innovators
🏛️ Stanford University campus experience
🤖 AI prototyping (no technical background required)
💡 Guaranteed pitch to Silicon Valley VCs
📜 Professional certification & LinkedIn credentials
Registration deadline: June 3rd — final year for this comprehensive format.
Use code FOUNDERSBAY for 15% off registration.
Apply now: https://form.jotform.com/250827037483157
If we’re not already connected, I’d love to hear from you— follow me on LinkedIn and Instagram. Let’s connect!
But before I share more about our events, I want to take a moment to express how I’m feeling this week…
What if joy was the strategy?
With Andrew Taggart from The Chainsmokers
Not the reward.
Not the byproduct.
But the plan itself.
Lately, I’ve been thinking about how we design our lives.
We plan for growth, optimize for scale, chase product-market fit.
But what if—just for a moment—we optimized for joy?
Last week, I found it behind The Chainsmokers DJ booth.
We had just wrapped our VC/LP Summit, and as The Chainsmokers took the stage, I danced with my friends under neon lights—free, full, alive.
Not because the event was perfect (though it was pretty epic), but because I let myself feel it.
And I realized:
For the first time in my life, joy is no longer something I postpone.
It’s something I practice.
So this summer, I’m choosing joy as the strategy.
A walk with my kids.
A night of dancing.
A song that reminds me who I am.
A moment of connection that doesn’t require an agenda.
✨ I’m challenging myself to do one joyful thing every week—and I’m inviting you to join me.
Start small.
Start now.
Make space for joy—not just when everything is done, but while you’re still in the middle of it.
Because if you’re going to build the future, you might as well enjoy the present.
With warmth and a beat still stuck in my head,
Mariane
P.S. Hit reply and tell me: What’s one small thing that brings you joy? I’ll share a few in next week’s newsletter 💫
Founders Bay Upcoming Events
Want us to sponsor an event or partner together? Contact us here
Tuesday, June 3 - 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
With extensive experience as an investor, engineer, and community leader, I offer personalized advice to help your startup succeed. Here’s how I can assist you: fundraising strategy, technical guidance, co-founder matching, talent recruitment, and personal branding
Wednesday, June 4 - 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Join us for a founder-investor breakfast gathering designed to kickstart your day with real conversations, croissants, and warm intros.
Hosted by Startup Intros at Digital Garage, this event brings together early-stage founders, investors, and ecosystem builders for high-signal networking in a relaxed, coffee-fueled setting.
Thursday, June 5 - 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Artificial Intelligence is changing how we create, build, and do business—but what does that mean for protecting ideas? This workshop will help founders, creatives, and tech professionals understand how intellectual property (IP) works in the world of AI. Whether you’re training AI models, building products, or using AI-generated content, it’s important to know your rights.
Thursday, June 12 - 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Join us for a hands-on workshop designed to help you master the art of engaging inbound leads. This session will cover key strategies for converting inbound inquiries into valuable sales opportunities, optimizing your sales process, and building lasting relationships with prospects. Learn how to nurture leads effectively and turn them into loyal customers with personalized outreach and tailored messaging.
Tuesday, June 17 - 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.
June 18 - 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
AI is changing the way businesses grow, compete, and operate. In this beginner-friendly workshop, you’ll learn how to use AI tools and strategies to make your business more efficient, more innovative, and better prepared for the future. Whether you're a startup founder, small business owner, or team leader, this session will give you the confidence to take the first steps toward using AI in smart, practical ways.
Wednesday, June 25 - 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Join us for an insightful workshop on how to transform your Go-To-Market (GTM) strategy with the latest tech innovations. This session will explore emerging tools and technologies that can help optimize your GTM efforts, improve efficiency, and drive growth. Learn how the evolving landscape of GTM tech is reshaping marketing, sales, and customer success strategies for modern businesses.
June 9 until June 29 | Online + Stanford University
If you’ve been thinking about breaking into AI, launching a startup, or leveling up your founder skill set — this is an opportunity you don’t want to miss.
I’m thrilled to invite you to apply to the AI for Good Institute 2025 by Impact Genius, a prestigious, application-based program held online and at Stanford University this June— the birthplace of many iconic AI companies. I’ll be speaking during the on-campus week and would love to see members from the Founders Bay community represented.
👉 Apply now: impactgenius.ai/institute
🎟️ Use code FOUNDERSBAY if accepted to receive 15% off tuition
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.
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