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A personal invite to our upcoming events + This isn’t where I thought I’d end up

Get Your Tech Gigaparty ticket TODAY and enter a chance to win a VIP Backstage Pass to hang with The Chainsmokers

Author

Mariane Bekker
April 17, 2025

Hi Friends,

This week, I finalized the speaker lineup for The Tech Summit + Gigaparty — and oh wow… it’s going to be next level.


We’ve got some of the top billion-dollar VCs and family offices in the world flying in, and the room will be worth over $4 trillion in capital.

💥 BONUS: Everyone who buys a Gigaparty ticket today gets entered into a raffle for 2 exclusive SUPER VIP backstage passes to our upcoming The Chainsmokers BlockParty (code: vibe) 🎶

🎟️ Use code CHAINSMOKERS for 25% off → RSVP here

🔥 Gigaparty Highlights — April 24 @ Temple SF:

🚀 Panels with VCs from LG Ventures, Blackrock, SignalFire, TPG, Race Capital, Boost VC, Plug & Play
🔥 Fireside with Fiona Ma, California State Treasurer ($3.7T AUM) on unlocking state funding for startups
🏦 Billion-dollar family offices from Avestix, Cazel, Paris-Roubaix & more
🎤 Tech Pitch Roast — where VCs & comedians roast startup pitches (featured in Forbes & The Washington Post)
🎧 DJs from Justin Kan (Twitch co-founder) and TITANICSEND
🤖 A humanoid robot DJ performing live with AI Quantum Art and Music

Here are a few of our events happening this week:

But before I share more about our events, I want to take a moment to express how i’m feeling this week…

This isn’t where I thought I’d end up. But it turns out — it’s exactly where I needed to be.

The First Gigaparty

I used to think that if I made the right plans, followed the right path, and worked hard enough, I could engineer a perfect life.

Then everything changed.

I went through a divorce.
I became a single mom.
I took Zoom calls while wiping tears — mine and theirs.
I built this community while holding a baby on one hip and a toddler on the other.
I carried hope and heartbreak in the same breath.

This wasn’t the version of my life I imagined.
But somehow, it became the most honest version of me.

Not polished.
Not perfect.
But real.

And from that place — I started creating spaces where others could show up as they are, too.

That’s what The Down The Rabbit Hole Tech Summit + Gigaparty is.

Not just a tech summit. Not just a party.

It’s a moment of rebirth — for all of us who’ve lost something, carried too much, or are still figuring it out.

It’s for the founders who feel behind.
The investors who are quietly burned out.
The creatives rebuilding their voice.
The ones still holding it together… and the ones who stopped trying to.

It’s a space where we come together — not just to build, but to belong.

Through music.

Through conversation.

Through the courage to show up — even when you’re not sure who you are anymore.

On April 24, we take over Temple SF with:

  • Panels with VCs from LG Ventures, Blackrock, SignalFire, TPG, Race Capital, Boost VC, Plug & Play

  • Fireside with Fiona Ma, California State Treasurer ($3.7T AUM) on unlocking state funding for startups

  • Billion-dollar family offices from Avestix, Cazel, Paris-Roubaix & more

  • Tech Pitch Roast — where VCs & comedians roast startup pitches (featured in Forbes & The Washington Post)

  • DJs from Justin Kan (Twitch co-founder) and TITANICSEND

  • A humanoid robot DJ performing live with AI Quantum Art and Music

🎟️ RSVP: https://lu.ma/gjtpkqe1?coupon=REBIRTH15
Use code REBIRTH15 for $15 off — today only (browser only)

If you’ve carried more than anyone knows…
If you’ve ever had to hold it all together while everything was falling apart…
If you’re ready to feel alive…

Join us.

We’ll meet you in the rabbit hole.

— Mariane

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

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

Founders Bay Virtual Workshop - Free Hubspot for the Startup

Thursday, April 17 - 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

​Join us for a virtual workshop tailored for startup founders looking to optimize their marketing, sales, and customer service using HubSpot’s free CRM. This session will guide you through essential tools and strategies to automate workflows, manage customer relationships, and generate leads, helping you grow your startup efficiently.

Thursday, April 17 - 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM

​​AI Agents are no longer just copilots—they're becoming closers, coders, researchers, and deal-makers. From outbound sales to internal ops, startups are using autonomous agents to 10x how B2B businesses run.

​Join us for an exclusive panel with top AI founders, engineers, and investors diving into the rise of intelligent agents in B2B.

​Whether you’re building an agent startup, investing in the space, or exploring how to integrate AI into your workflows—this conversation is for you.

Monday, April 21 - 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM

​The panel will explore how investment strategies are evolving in response to AI's rapid advancement, what sustainable value creation looks like beyond the hype cycle, and the practical challenges of building startups in the space today.

Thursday, April 24 - 6:00 PM - 2:00 AM

Embark on a one-of-a-kind adventure down the rabbit hole at the official afterparty for the AI Rabbit Hole 2025 conference — a night where reality bends, imagination thrives, and wonder awaits at every turn!

Highlights

🚀 Panels with VCs from Blackrock, SignalFire, TPG, Race Capital, Boost VC, Plug & Play
🔥 Fireside with Fiona Ma, California State Treasurer ($3.7T AUM) on unlocking state funding for startups
🏦 Billion-dollar family offices from Avestix, Cazel, Paris-Roubaix, and more
🎤 Tech Pitch Roast — where VCs & stand-up comedians roast startup pitches (as seen in Forbes & The Washington Post)
🎶 DJs from Justin Kan (Twitch co-founder) and TITANICSEND
🤖 A humanoid robot DJ performing live with AI Quantum Art and Music

💥 BONUS: Everyone who buys a ticket today gets entered into a raffle for 2 exclusive SUPER VIP backstage passes to our upcoming The Chainsmokers BlockParty (code: vibe) 🎶

🎟️ Use code CHAINSMOKERS for 25% off → RSVP here

The AI Rabbit Hole 2025 [FBAY30 for 30% off]

30% off - FBAY30

Thursday, April 24 - 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM

​🎩🤖 Venture through the looking glass and into the whimsical world of AI Wonderland!

​Join us in San Francisco for a tea party of innovation, where algorithms dance, machines chatter, and ideas twirl in a curious mix.

​For Founders, Engineers, Investors and Corporate Leaders

Tuesday, April 29 - 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Need quick legal guidance to navigate your startup journey?
Sign up and you'll be assigned a 15-minute 1:1 session with Arohi Kashyap, a seasoned attorney specializing in Startup Law, Technology Law, Data Privacy, and Cross-Border Transactions.

Thursday, May 1 - 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Join us for an in-depth virtual workshop designed to guide startup founders through the essential steps of raising a seed round. Whether you're looking to raise capital for the first time or refine your fundraising approach, this session will equip you with the strategies and insights needed to attract investors and secure the funding you need.

Sunday, May 25 - 3:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Grammy-winning and chart-topping duo Alex Pall & Drew Taggart bring their signature sound to The Midway. From breakout hits like #Selfie to multi-platinum anthems like Closer, Don’t Let Me Down, and Something Just Like This, The Chainsmokers have dominated charts and festival stages worldwide. Their fusion of indie, progressive, and pop continues to push boundaries, making them one of the most influential acts in electronic music.

​We will be hosting the main room inside Midway with DJ David Carvalho and the SFVibe DJs!

​➡️ USE PROMO CODE “VIBE” FOR A DISCOUNT AND CHANGE TO WIN AN EPIC PRIZE!

🚀 Elevate Your Access with A Membership Tiers!

Price: $19/month $9/month

Unlock a range of benefits to supercharge your networking and event participation:

  • Early Event Previews: Get the scoop on events happening 2 weeks ahead.

  • Discounted Conference Tickets: Enjoy significant savings on top conferences.

  • Free Workshops: Receive free access Founders Bay workshops.

  • Premium Content: Stay informed with our exclusive newsletter content tailored for founders and VCs.

  • Community Access: Join Founders Bay exclusive Founder & VC Circle.

$99/month $49/month

For those seeking the ultimate in networking and support, our VIP Access tier offers unparalleled benefits:

  • Early Event Previews: Get the scoop on events happening 2 weeks ahead.

  • Free Conference Tickets: Get complimentary tickets to key conferences and events.

  • Monthly 1x1 Office Hours: Benefit from a complimentary personalized monthly session with Mariane Bekker and legal experts.

  • Free Workshops: Receive free access Founders Bay workshops.

  • Personal Branding Session: Enjoy a complimentary strategy session to enhance your personal brand.

Don’t miss out on these exciting new offerings! Upgrade your membership today and take your involvement to the next level.

Upcoming Events

🗓️ Wednesday, Apr 16

👉 AI DISRUPT (8AM-7PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 ​AI is transforming every industry, but technology and business leaders face a critical challenge – integrating it seamlessly with their data and systems while ensuring accuracy and transparency.

👉 AI User Conference 2025 - Designer Day (8AM-8PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 ​AI is transforming marketing at an unprecedented pace. Imagine creating highly targeted campaigns in just a few clicks, instantly engaging your customers, gaining deep insights on demand, and automating repetitive tasks.

👉 VeloxCon ’25 (9AM-3PM)
📍 Menlo Park
💬 Data processing is a core component of various modern applications ranging from business intelligence to AI/ML technologies.

👉 HealthTech Hang's April Helpful (and Happy) Hour (2:30PM-5PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 JOIN US for a "Helpful Hour" and empower fellow HealthTech founders, builders, operators, and enablers! Don't worry, it will be happy too 🥳

👉 Microsoft Private Mixer (5:30PM-8:30PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 ​Brought to you by Microsoft Private Mixer. Details: Microsoft Insights – Ashley Tarver

👉 Scaling with AI: Live Discussion with UpHonest Capital and AI Founders (5:30PM-8PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 ​Join us for an exciting gathering in San Francisco that connects enterprise leaders with leading startup founders! Hear insights from Alan Zong, Partner at UpScaleX.

👉 vibe copying night | TabTabTab (5:30PM-9PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 ​Calling all productivity obsessed folks. We're TabTabTab, a Mac app that brings AI everywhere to your computer using copy & paste, making you insanely productive.

👉 Built on Bedrock Demo Nights (5:30PM-7:30PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 Join us for an exciting evening of Generative AI demos from local startups leveraging Amazon Bedrock. Generative AI is truly changing our lives and the way we work - opening up new use cases and opportunities.

👉 An Intimate Discussion on Developer Productivity: Measuring AI Investments (6PM-8PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 ​Join us for our second installment of "An Intimate Discussion on Developer Productivity", where we dive into the best (and worst) practices around measuring the impact of AI investments.

👉 The Future of Engineering Leadership (6PM-9PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 ​Network with fellow engineering executives over hosted food & cocktails, then hear from a panel of leading CTOs & Engineering Leaders sharing practical advice.

👉 AI Agents for Enterprise (6PM-8:30PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 We’re bringing together visionaries, builders, and leaders from Silicon Valley’s top tech and AI companies for a night of connection, innovation, and insight.

👉 🧠 The Thought Experiment Lab [public] (6:30PM-8PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 "Imagination without reason is mere fancy, but reason without imagination is sterile. That is partly why scientists and philosophers alike have always used imaginary scenarios to help sharpen their ideas and push them to their limits."

👉 Code Lab: OPEA, InfiniEdge AI, and AI Governance (7PM-9PM)
📍 Berkeley
💬 ​Join us for a dynamic, hands-on Code Lab focusing on cutting-edge open-source AI technologies and responsible AI governance practices.

👉 AI & Tech Networking in San Francisco (7PM-10PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 Join the AI Tech Networking Event in San Francisco! Every month, we bring together startups and investors from diverse industries. This is your opportunity to connect with entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, share ideas, and grow your business.

🗓️ Thursday, Apr 17

👉 AI User Conference 2025 - Developer Day (8AM-8PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 AI is revolutionizing software engineering by making coding, debugging, and deployment faster and more efficient.

👉 Microsoft AI Roadshow - CTO Live Workshop - By Invitation (9AM-11:30AM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 Kick off the morning by connecting with leading industry figures, founders, and investors. The workshop is part of the "AI Keynotes at Microsoft" series, providing an exclusive opportunity for invited attendees to engage in insightful discussions and network with peers.

👉 Founders Bay Virtual Workshop - Free Hubspot for the Startup (11AM-12PM) [HOSTED BY ME]
📍 Online
💬 This virtual workshop is tailored for startup founders looking to optimize their marketing, sales, and customer service using HubSpot’s free CRM. Learn how to set up HubSpot’s CRM, leverage email marketing, automate sales processes, and use reporting tools to track performance.

👉 AI Talk Series: AI Agents in B2B Panel & Networking (5:30PM - 8PM) [HOSTED BY ME]
📍 Palo Alto
💬 AI Agents are no longer just copilots—they're becoming closers, coders, researchers, and deal-makers. From outbound sales to internal ops, startups are using autonomous agents to 10x how B2B businesses run.

👉 The AI Kaleidoscope: For Founders by Founders (2PM-5PM)
📍 Mountain View
💬 The Founders Creative Kaleidoscope Series invites top AI experts from various sectors to engage in cross-sector collaborations.

👉 [Zero Gravity] Agentic RAG Hack Night at GitHub (4PM-9PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 Join us for an exciting evening of hacking, networking, and innovation at GitHub. This event, presented by Weaviate, focuses on exploring AI’s potential to create impactful solutions alongside fellow developers.

👉 Intimate Conversations: AI Insights Driving Therapeutic Programs with Fauna Bio (4:30PM-6:30PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 Join Ashley Zehnder, CEO of Fauna Bio, for an intimate discussion about AI-driven drug discovery. Fauna Bio leverages data from 100 million years of evolved disease resistance in mammals, using AI to revolutionize therapeutic programs.

👉 Shaken, Stirred, and Slightly Unhinged: A Book Happy Hour (4:30PM-6:30PM)
📍 Oakland
💬 Enjoy an irreverent night of book talk and mixology magic. Featuring authors like Elisabeth Saake and Jennifer Newens, this event blends witty conversation and creative beverages.

👉 GenAI Expert Fireside Chat (5PM-7PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 Dive into the latest advancements in Generative AI with experts from New Math Data. This fireside chat will cover GenAI’s impact on industries like energy and finance, and explore real-world applications of this transformative technology.

👉 Llama Lounge 17: The AI Startup Event Series at Stanford (5PM-9PM)
📍 Stanford
💬 This event at Stanford is a must-attend for AI entrepreneurs. Network with investors, corporate leaders, and fellow startups as you showcase your work.

👉 ai agent swarms | no code build w/ flo, ceo of lindy ai (5:30PM-8PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 Join this no-code AI build sprint and test new AI features with Flo, CEO of Lindy AI. This session offers a hands-on opportunity to demo, get feedback, and discuss AI applications.

👉 AI Keynotes at Qlay: Perspectives of Industry Leaders (5:30PM-8PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 Join top enterprise leaders and AI startup founders at this exciting event. Learn from industry experts who will share their perspectives on the latest trends and innovations in AI.

​👉 Product Growth Forum (6PM-9PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 Statsig has teamed up with top tech leaders to dive deep into product growth strategies. Join a panel of experts to gain insight into what’s driving product development today.

👉 Real Intelligence Book Club (6PM-7:30PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 Love books and lively discussions? Join the Real Intelligence (RI) Book Club for engaging conversations over snacks and drinks.

👉 🧠 GenAI Collective x Thesys ➕ Exploring Generative UI 📟 (6PM-9PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 Join an evening at the forefront of human-computer interaction as we explore Generative UI, the next evolution in building software.

👉 AI Founders - Living Room Discussion (6:30PM-8:30PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 AI founders are invited to an intimate living room discussion. This informal setting offers an opportunity to connect with fellow AI founders, exchange ideas, and collaborate on emerging challenges in the AI industry.

👉 SF AI Panel: Predictive Intelligence, AI Agents, and Competitive Advantage | Feat. CPO Crunchbase, CTO Inscribe, and CEO Zock Communications (6:30PM-8:30PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 Join an insightful panel discussion featuring experts like Megh Bartma (CPO, Crunchbase), Conor Burke (CTO, Inscribe), and Mark Gilbert (CEO, Zock Communications).

🗓️ Friday, Apr 18

👉 Google Cloud Next Build Weekend - Day 1 (5AM-8PM)
📍 Hillsborough
💬 This is Day 1 of the two-day Google Cloud Next Build Weekend, cohosted by Google and AGI House, designed for AI founders, researchers, and builders.

👉 Mtn View Bootstrappers Breakfast at Red Rock Coffee (In Person) (7AM-8:30AM)
📍 Mountain View
💬 Mtn View Bootstrappers Breakfast at Red Rock Coffee (In Person)

👉 Founders Bay Virtual Workshop: How To Get Into Top Accelerators (11AM-12PM) [HOSTED BY ME]
📍 Online
💬 Join us for a candid and info-packed virtual session with Daria Kroshkina (Dasha) — a serial founder and alum of Techstars NYC and Berkeley SkyDeck — as she shares her real-world tips, strategies, and application hacks for getting accepted into competitive accelerator programs.

👉 Signal Fire Presents: ⚡ One Day Vibe Coding Hackathon — Build with AI, Code by Vibes (12PM-5PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 Are you a non-technical founder ready to break through technical barriers? Or a technical team using AI to 10x or even 100x your velocity?

👉 Startup Art Fair San Francisco 2025 (2PM-7PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 The fair returns April 18-20, 2025, to the fun and funky Hotel del Sol, the iconic 1950s motor lodge in the beautiful Marina District adjacent to the Bay, the Palace of Fine Arts, and the Golden Gate Bridge.

👉 AI Privacy Forum (3PM-7PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 AI has become more prevalent in our daily lives but with glaring concerns around security and privacy. Join us on April 18th as we discuss the importance of confidential computing and privacy in AI in order to address these issues.

👉 Minerva Hacks - AI in Education | Hackathon & Essay Contest (3PM-8PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 AI is changing the way we learn – but isn’t it making us lose critical thinking skills? At Minerva Hacks, we’re challenging you to create AI tools that for the better, redesigning teaching to have the learner at its center.

👉 Planting Workshop with David of Rhizome Urban Gardens (3PM-5PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 Join us during Friday happy hour for a planting workshop with David Hunt, the owner and CEO of Rhizome Urban Gardens. He will bring supplies to teach you how to pot and take care of your own plant!

👉 Tech Start Up Founders Gatherings (READ Description) (4PM-6PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 In the world of startups, success often hinges on who you know. In a vibrant ecosystem like San Francisco, your connections can be the difference between stagnation and explosive growth.

👉 Next Protest At OpenAI (4:30PM-6:30PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 Help us say, "Close OpenAI!" OpenAI is the company leading the race to smarter-than-human AI, also known as Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), i.e., an AI that is smarter than all human experts across all technical domains.

👉 VIBE25-1: After Dark Vibe-Coding Hackathon (5PM-11PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 Let’s take vibe coding to the absolute fullest. Come build something experimental, fast, and actually useful. No pitching. Just deploying. We're kicking off the FIRST VIBE25 event this year!

👉 Hack on ARC Prize or Fine-tune Deep Seek: Strong Compute + GPUs included (6PM-8:30PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 Join a curated, interview-only hackathon alongside top AI researchers, engineers, and developers to tackle the ARC Prize.

👉 AI for the Enterprise: Building Next-Gen Tools for Workflow Automation & Productivity (6PM-8PM)
📍 Mountain View
💬 Join EntreConnect for an exclusive panel discussion exploring how AI is driving workflow automation and business productivity across enterprise software, talent management, and technical documentation.

👉 SF UAP Hackathon (6PM-11:30PM)
📍 Alameda
💬 We're going back to the USS Hornet for another Hackathon! This time the theme is UAPs - biologics analysis, materials science, identification, and tracking.

🗓️ Saturday, Apr 19

👉 smol hackathon for smol models v0.2 (9:30AM-6:30PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 A place to start that weekend AI project, a new feature for your product, or just to explore something new. Whether you're building a product or experimenting with AI, this hackathon offers an environment for collaborative learning and creative growth.

👉 Transforming Rare Disease Care Through AI (10AM-7:30PM)
📍 Berkeley
💬 Let’s make a difference for those living with rare diseases! Join our event to explore innovative solutions, team up with experts, and make a meaningful difference for millions.

👉 Google Cloud Next Build Weekend - Day 2 (10AM-10PM)
📍 Hillsborough
💬 This is Day 2 of the two-day Google Cloud Next Build Weekend, cohosted by Google and AGI House, designed for AI founders, researchers, and builders.

👉 Green Business Expo at the 2025 Yerba Buena Gardens Conservancy Earth Day Festival (10AM-3PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 Celebrate San Francisco Green Businesses at the Yerba Buena 2025 Earth Day Festival! This event, hosted in partnership with the Yerba Buena Gardens Conservancy, showcases sustainable practices and local green businesses.

👉 Mission Creek History Exhibit & Evolved SF "Creative Bar" for Climate Week (12PM-3PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 Join us for an interactive activation combining the history of the Northeast Mission ("Mission Creek") neighborhood with the culture and creativity of community artists from Evolved SF.

Mariane Bekker, 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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