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- Personal Invite to Our Upcoming Events + When the World Feels Heavy
Personal Invite to Our Upcoming Events + When the World Feels Heavy
Mariane Bekker
April 02, 2025
Table of Contents
Hi,
This weekend, I’m super excited to be traveling to West Palm Beach Florida with Kristopher Floyd and Jasmine Shih to go speak at Opal’s Impact Investing Family Office Summit! Before that on Friday, we are hosting a laid back Founders & VC Happy Hour @ Novela with an after-party at Madarae.
We’re also finalizing our speaker lineup for the next Gigaparty and just added some amazing family offices and top-tier VCs—Blackrock, TPG, Race Capital, and SignalFire—with over $11.8 trillion in combined assets, plus the incredible Fiona Ma, California State Treasurer! We’ve already sold hundreds of tickets, so grab yours now before we sell out — use code WEDNESDAYSPECIAL for $15 off, valid today and tomorrow only! 🎟️
Here are a few of our events happening this week:
💸 Fund Update: We are doing the fund modeling and are almost ready to share our pitch deck with all of you! We are looking for an investor to join us and be part of the team who has a good track record! If you’re interested, reply to this email. If you want to co-invest with us, apply here to be a limited partner » This is your chance to be part of something big — your support and involvement are key to our collective success. We’re all in this together!
If we’re not already connected, I’d love to hear from you—please follow me on LinkedIn and Instagram. Let’s connect!
Here’s how I’m feeling this week…
When the World Feels Heavy
Founders Bay Sharks Game This Weekend
Lately, it feels like the world is on fire.
Headlines are exhausting.
People are hurting.
And chaos—on every screen, in every conversation—feels constant.
Sometimes I sit down to write this newsletter and wonder what I could possibly say that would matter.
But then I remember: we don’t need to have the answers to stand together.
Even in the noise, we can be intentional.
Even in the chaos, we can still create clarity—for ourselves and the people we lead.
Some of us are building companies while navigating personal grief.
Some of us are raising capital while quietly holding fear.
Some of us are just trying to stay soft in a world that feels sharp.
But here’s what I’ve learned:
The strongest people I know aren’t the ones pretending to be okay—
they’re the ones willing to stand still in the storm, and reach out anyway.
So if the world feels like too much right now, you’re not alone.
If you’re showing up tired but still showing up, I see you.
Let’s keep building what matters—together.
Not just companies.
But trust.
Integrity.
Communities that hold each other up.
This is your reminder:
You don’t need to carry it all alone.
We don’t need to fix the whole world to make a difference in our corner of it.
And even in the mess—especially in the mess—there’s still space for beauty, connection, and hope.
I'm grateful to be in this with you.
Let’s keep going
Mariane
Featured Events
Want us to sponsor an event or partner together? Contact us here
Wednesday, April 2 - 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Most entrepreneurs are told to start at the beginning, but the smartest ones start at the end. This workshop will teach you the backward approach to success—a strategy used by top business leaders to visualize their end goal first and then reverse-engineer a clear, strategic path to achieve it. By planning with the outcome in mind, you can avoid common pitfalls, stay focused, and build a business that aligns with your long-term vision.
Thursday, April 3 - 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Marketing can be overwhelming for founders who are unsure where to invest their time and budget. This workshop, led by Wendy Louise Wilder, introduces the BASE3 Model, a practical framework designed to help startups make data-driven marketing decisions. By focusing on audience segmentation, key performance metrics, and strategic decision-making, founders will learn how to optimize their marketing efforts for sustainable growth.
Friday, April 4 - 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Join us for the Founders Bay Virtual Workshop featuring Monica Isgut, PhD, as we explore the latest breakthroughs in longevity biotech, AI-driven drug discovery, and the future of healthcare innovation. With rapid advancements in machine learning, computational biology, and biotechnology, the way we approach aging and disease treatment is transforming faster than ever. This session will provide key insights into how AI is reshaping research and accelerating new therapeutic discoveries.
Friday, April 4 - 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! 🍹
Monday, April 7 - 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Learn how to create a compelling pitch deck that grabs attention, tells your startup’s story, and wins investors. This workshop, led by Jeni Chang, will guide you through the essential slides, key messaging, and best practices to make your pitch stand out.
Wednesday, April 9 - 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Bringing a product to market is one of the biggest challenges for startups. Many founders struggle with finding the right customers, setting the right price, or scaling too soon. This workshop will break down the most common Go-To-Market (GTM) mistakes startups make and provide clear strategies to avoid them. Learn from real-world examples and expert insights to build a strong, successful launch plan.
Thursday, April 10 - 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Managing money for a startup or investment fund can be tricky, but having a clear budget makes all the difference. This workshop will teach you how to plan and manage finances for both a fund and a management company. Whether you're raising money, handling investor funds, or figuring out daily costs, you'll learn how to stay organized and make smart financial decisions.
Friday, April 11 - 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM
We’re hosting an exclusive breakfast for Women founders hosted by Mariane Bekker, CEO of Women Founders Bay.
Join a dynamic gathering of professionals, changemakers, and thought leaders at the Women in Sustainability Breakfast. This event is designed to foster meaningful connections, inspire innovative ideas, and empower leadership in the sustainability space. Attendees will gain insights into emerging sustainable solutions, discuss the latest trends, and explore ways to create impactful change within industries and communities.
Tuesday, April 15 - 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Founders Bay Expert Office Hours: 2-Hour Block Legal Advice is a chance for startup founders to get direct legal guidance from experienced professionals. Whether you have questions about setting up your business, protecting your ideas, handling contracts, or staying compliant with the law, this session will help you understand the essentials.
Thursday, April 17 - 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM
AI Founder Pitch Night is the perfect event for entrepreneurs building AI-powered startups. Whether you’re looking for funding, expert feedback, or connections, this is your chance to showcase your idea to investors, mentors, and fellow founders.
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!
Follow the White Rabbit into FIVE FLOORS of futuristic Wonderland filled with 2,000+ founders, visionary VCs, AI engineers, and tech trailblazers, all converging for a night of innovation, curiosity, and creativity.
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
🚀 Elevate Your Access with A Membership Tiers!
Price: $19/month $9/month Unlock a range of benefits to supercharge your networking and event participation:
| $99/month $49/month For those seeking the ultimate in networking and support, our VIP Access tier offers unparalleled benefits:
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Don’t miss out on these exciting new offerings! Upgrade your membership today and take your involvement to the next level.
Subscribe To Growth Access and get free tickets to: Founders Bay Virtual Workshop - Backward Approach to Entrepreneurial Success, Founders Bay Virtual Workshop - Digital Marketing Essentials For Founders, an introduction to the BASE3 Model, Founders Bay Virtual Workshop - New Era: Latest Advances in Longevity Biotech, Drug Discovery, and AI
Subscribe To VIP Access, get all the workshops above for free and get free tickets to: Founders Bay Virtual Workshop - Mastering the Perfect Pitch Deck, Founders Bay Expert Office Hours: Digital Transformation & AI Strategies, Founders Bay Virtual Workshop - Backward Approach to Entrepreneurial Success, Digital Marketing Essentials For Founders, an introduction to the BASE3 Model, New Era: Latest Advances in Longevity Biotech, Drug Discovery, and AI, Common GTM Mistakes Made by Startups—and How to Avoid Them, Women in Sustainability: Networking, Innovation, Leadership, Impact, Solutions, Women in Sustainability: Networking, Innovation, Leadership, Impact, Solutions, Founders Bay Virtual Workshop: Securing the Unseen: AI, Cyber Threats & the Battle for Trust, Founders Bay Virtual Workshop - Fund & Management Co. Budgeting Strategies, Down the AI Rabbit Hole GigaParty
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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