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- A personal invite to our event + Your petals are bruised
A personal invite to our event + Your petals are bruised
Block Party + AI B2B VC Breakfast
Mariane Bekker
March 19, 2025
Hi,
Last week, I was in New York for Opal’s Family Office Winter Forum and Opal Investing in Healthcare 2025, and I met some incredible investors and family offices. Tomorrow, I’m flying out to speak at the Newport Beach Investor Conference.
I wanted to personally invite you to a few of our events this week and next:
If we’re not already connected, I’d love to hear from you—please 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…
Your Petals Are Bruised, But You Are Still a Flower
They tell you that time heals. That if you wait long enough, the pain will fade, the memories will blur, and one day, you’ll wake up feeling whole again.
But some nights stretch longer than others. Some storms don’t pass—they settle inside you, lingering long after the world has moved on.
You learned how to measure your words. How to shrink yourself just enough to keep the peace. How to go quiet when you wanted to scream.
You go to work, you answer emails, you smile at strangers who will never know what it took for you to get out of bed.
But in the quiet moments—the ones that sneak up on you, pressing against your chest, making it hard to breathe—you remember.
You remember how to cry out loud but not to make a sound.
You remember how to stay still when you’ve fallen down.
You remember the silent plea and how you once forgot to be free
And yet — somewhere beneath it all,
You also remember the parts of you that refused to disappear.
The quiet defiance.
The small sparks of hope, even in the darkest places.
And, here you are.
Your petals are bruised, but you are still a flower.
You are still standing.
You are still reaching for the sun, even after the storm tried to bury you.
And here’s what I’ve learned…
You are not what happened to you.
You are what you choose to become.
And when I finally stepped into the light, I finally saw the truth —
I didn’t just survive.
I bloomed.
And you and I, my love, are still a flower.
🌿
Mariane Bekker
Featured Events
Want us to sponsor an event or partner together? Contact us here
Thursday, March 20 - 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Your brand is more than just a logo—it’s the story, personality, and promise that connect you with your audience. In this interactive session, you’ll learn how to craft a compelling brand identity that stands out in a crowded market. From defining your core values to creating a consistent visual and messaging strategy, this workshop will help you shape a brand that resonates and builds lasting trust with customers.
Thursday, March 20 - 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
AI is transforming how startups ideate, build, and scale—giving early-stage entrepreneurs a powerful edge in execution and efficiency. Join us for a hands-on session on how pre-seed founders can integrate AI into their workflows to accelerate their path to success.
Friday, March 21 - 5:00 PM - 2:00 AM
SFVIBE x Vently: Day & Night Takeover! 🎉
📅 Friday – Three Locations, One Epic Party
🔥 Three Venues. Nonstop Vibes. All Free.
Tuesday, March 25 - 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Struggling to grow your startup? Join Bryce Parrish for expert marketing advice tailored to early-stage founders. Whether you're refining your brand, optimizing customer acquisition, or scaling your marketing efforts, this session will provide actionable insights to help you navigate the complexities of startup marketing. Get personalized feedback, proven strategies, and data-driven tactics to accelerate your growth.
Thursday, March 28 - 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM
We’re hosting an exclusive breakfast at a stunning private residence in Noe Valley, co-hosted by Mariane Bekker and Kristopher Floyd from Founders Bay and Paul Jun, Managing Partner at Depth Capital Ventures
This event is designed for top investors founders to explore how AI can drive B2B innovation and growth. Over a curated breakfast, engage in meaningful discussions, gain actionable insights, and network with fellow founders & executives shaping the future of B2B AI.
Are you an investor who wants to speak at the event? Reply here
Friday, March 28 - 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Scaling a business requires strong, efficient operations. This workshop will help you build systems that support growth, streamline workflows, and reduce bottlenecks. Learn how to create processes that keep your business running smoothly as it expands.
Tuesday, April 1 - 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Join us for an exclusive expert office hours session focused on Digital Transformation and AI Strategies. As businesses navigate the rapidly evolving digital landscape, leveraging AI-powered solutions can drive efficiency, scalability, and innovation. This session is designed for founders, executives, and decision-makers looking to understand how AI can be integrated into business operations, enhance customer experiences, and create a competitive edge.
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.
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.
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.
Wednesday, April 16 - 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
This workshop will provide founders, technologists, and security professionals with the insights needed to navigate AI-driven security risks, build resilient defense strategies, and foster trust in AI-powered systems. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of emerging attack vectors, regulatory challenges, and the ethical implications of AI in security.
🚀 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 - Shaping Your Brand: Identity, Story, Impact, Founders Bay Virtual Workshop - Structuring Operations for Scale
Subscribe To VIP Access, get all the workshops above for free and get free tickets to: Founders Bay Expert Office Hours: AI Agent Startup Building Advice with Miles Maggio, Founders Bay Virtual Workshop - Shaping Your Brand: Identity, Story, Impact, Founders Bay Expert Office Hours: Marketing Advice with Bryce Parrish, Exclusive AI Founders & VC Dinner, Founders Bay Virtual Workshop - Structuring Operations for Scale, Founders Bay Expert Office Hours: Digital Transformation & AI Strategies, Founders Bay Virtual Workshop - Backward Approach to Entrepreneurial Success, Founders Bay Virtual Workshop - New Era: Latest Advances in Longevity Biotech, Drug Discovery, and AI, Founders Bay Virtual Workshop: Securing the Unseen: AI, Cyber Threats & the Battle for Trust
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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