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Upcoming Founder & VC Events Happening This Week + Why Smart Founders Start with the Exit

Author

Mariane Bekker
April 06, 2025

Table of Contents

Hi,

🚨 Early bird tickets end TONIGHT for our Alice In Wonderland themed Gigaparty — the wildest AI afterparty of 2025 — and we’ve got a bonus for the fastest movers:

💥 First 10 buyers today get a FREE VIP upgrade — includes investor meet & greets, family office panels, and exclusive VIP art galley lounge.

🎉 5 floors of immersive tech, lights & sound
🧠 2,000+ founders, engineers & VCs
🎧 Surprise sets from Justin Kan, Arielle Zuckerberg, Chris DND — and a robot DJ
💼 Meet VCs from Blackrock, TPG, SignalFire, Context VC, 500 Global, and more

🎟️ This is your last chance to lock in early bird pricing + score VIP:

Now for a little life update…

I’m in sunny Palm Beach right now with Kristopher Floyd for the Opal’s Impact Investing Family Office Summit 🌴☀️ I’ll be speaking Tuesday on why impact investing isn’t just good for the world—it’s smart business. Tonight we’re off to a polo match (my first ever 🐎) and dinner with the amazing Jasmine Shih (#girlnation!). Yesterday was all about Little Havana — live music, Ropa Bieja, Cuban sandwiches - Epic!.

Here are a few of our events happening this week:

💸 Fund Update: We are in the process of building our pitch deck! 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!

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

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.

Founders Bay Virtual Workshop - Fund & Management Co. Budgeting Strategies

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.

Women in Sustainability: Networking, Innovation, Leadership, Impact, Solutions

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.

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:

  • 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

🗓️ Monday, Apr 7

👉 Navigating the AI Tide: Empowering Global AI Ventures (1:30PM-5PM)
📍 San Jose
💬 Join us on Monday, April 7th from 13:30 to 17:00 for an insightful event co-hosted by Google Cloud and Master Concept. Join expert-led sessions on leveraging AI for success, practical insights into AI implementation, and building strategic partnerships. Highlights include direct talks with Google AI scientists, investment opportunities, and global market insights through real-world case studies.

👉 Founders Bay Virtual Workshop - Mastering the Perfect Pitch Deck (3PM-4PM) [HOSTED BY ME]
📍 Online
💬 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.

👉 Qdrant AI Builders: Deep Dive into MCP @ AWS Loft with CrewAI & Arize (5PM-8:30PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 Come spend an evening with us at the intersection of cutting-edge AI applications and infrastructure. We’re bringing together builders from across the AI stack to share how they’re using vector search and the Model Context Protocol (MCP) to power the next wave of intelligent apps.

👉 Beyond the Model! with TQ Ventures, OpenAI, and LangChain (6PM-8:30PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 Join AI developers and enthusiasts for a night of learning and laughs at Cloudflare HQ SF with TQ Ventures, OpenAI, and LangChain!

👉 BioML Seminar 2.2 - A Unifying Model of Gene Regulation with David Kelley (7PM-8PM)
📍 Berkeley
💬 David Kelley is a Principal Investigator at Calico Life Sciences, where he studies gene regulation in aging. He completed his PhD in computer science at the U. of Maryland with Steven Salzberg, working on algorithms for genome assembly and gene prediction. David has developed deep convolutional neural network toolkits for predicting tissue-specific regulatory activity of DNA sequences and applying these models to study gene expression and disease onset.

🗓️ Tuesday, Apr 8

👉 AI Lab SF Lunch & Learn - 🚀 Weekly AI Training Series: Vibe Coding with Azure OpenAI Service (12PM-1PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 Join us for power-packed 1-hour workshops designed to kickstart your AI-assisted development journey using the latest AI coding tools and intelligent IDEs. Whether you're a developer, founder, or AI enthusiast, these interactive, beginner-friendly sessions will show you how to harness AI to build real-world software — fast and effectively.

👉 Private VC / Startup Wine Tasting Mixer (5PM-8PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 Andrew Karsh, GP at Bay Bridge Ventures and Murray Newlands, Principal at Bay Bridge Ventures, will host a private VC/startup mixer. You must have a startup with over $100k ARR or have raised $500k+ in funding in the past 2 years to apply. Join us for an evening of networking!

👉 Turning AI into Action: Why LLMs + Iceberg + AWS = ❤️ and How to Build AI Products at Scale (5PM-8PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 Join us for an immersive session at the San Francisco AWS Loft, where you will learn how to use LLMs in end-to-end data workflows with Iceberg and AWS S3, plus hear lessons from an industry leader on building AI products at scale at Snowflake.

👉 AI in HR 2025 Kickoff Presented by Indeed.com's Venture Team! (5PM-7:30PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 Kick off the AI in HR 2025 series with the Indeed Investment Team at our new location! Enjoy networking, great conversation, startup demos, food, and refreshments. If you're building, investing, or using AI in HR, come join us!

👉 San Francisco AI Founder and VC Networking (5:30PM-8PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 Get ready to network and meet vetted founders, investors, and operators at the San Francisco AI Founders and VC Networking event hosted by Open Future Forum.

👉 Open Source AI Meetup (6PM-8:30PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 Join us for a fireside chat with LangChain CEO Harrison Chase and Principal AI Engineer, Pedro Vicente. This will be followed by an open-source showcase and networking event hosted at the BlackRock SF office.

🗓️ Wednesday, Apr 9

👉 AWS Dev Day: Building Generative AI Applications with Serverless (8:30AM-5:30PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 Join AWS experts for an immersive day exploring the intersection of Generative AI and Serverless architecture. You'll learn to build, deploy, and scale GenAI applications that deliver real business value using cloud-native AWS services.

👉 DeepTrust - Impact a Billion Webinar by TransformVC (10AM-11AM)
📍 Online
💬 AI-driven fraud is on the rise, and it’s crucial to understand how AI is being exploited for malicious purposes. This webinar will cover effective strategies to protect businesses and individuals, offering key insights on staying safe in an increasingly AI-driven world.

👉 Founders Bay Virtual Workshop - Common GTM Mistakes Made by Startups—and How to Avoid Them (11AM-12PM) [HOSTED BY ME]
📍 Online
💬 ​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.

👉 Gurobi Connect (3PM-6PM)
📍 Burlingame
💬 We’re excited to invite you to Gurobi Connect, an exclusive event designed for professionals exploring the power of mathematical optimization in the age of AI. Whether you’re new to Gurobi or mathematical optimization or already using optimization in your work, this event is a great way to gain insights, ask questions, and connect with peers.

👉 AI Agents in HealthCare (5PM-7:30PM)
📍 Palo Alto
💬 ​Discover cutting-edge innovations, connect with industry leaders, and engage in thought-provoking discussions about the future of ai agents in Healthcare. Whether you’re a startup founder, VC, corporate executive, or technology enthusiast, this is your chance to forge meaningful connections and gain actionable insights.

👉 Building Agents with fetch.ai’s Agent Technology (5PM-8PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 ​Join Fetch.ai Innovation Lab, and our expert facilitators to understand AI Agents and Fetch.ai’s Advanced Agent Technology, in just a few hours. Come with your laptop, to build your first agent.

👉 ELC South Bay / Silicon Valley Meetup (5:30PM-7:30PM)
📍 Mountain View
💬 Engineering leadership can feel like a lonely journey filled with painful challenges. But the truth is you’re not alone! We’re creating a place for local engineering leaders to come together, share challenges, gain outside perspectives, and become better leaders.

👉 Daytona AI Builders SF April '25 (5:30PM-8:30PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 ​​AI coding agents today are severely constrained by primitive infrastructure, leaving them “blind” to execution results and runtime context. Without proper infrastructure, agents are forced to write code they can never run, debug, or validate—like programming on paper.

👉 Humane Tech: Calling All Builders (6PM-7PM)
📍 San Mateo
💬 ​Are you building a Humane Tech application, have expertise to offer, or are interested in integrating Humane Tech into your product? This is for you. We're calling this the Builders Cohort.

👉 Cloudflare Dev Week: San Francisco (6PM-8:30PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 ​​We're launching new capabilities all week and want to gather with the San Francisco community to celebrate what we've shipped! Come mingle with Cloudflare and be among the first to experience the newest solutions with our developer platform.

👉 Consumer Hardware Dinner @ Studio 55 (SoMa) with Kickstarter and Peak Design (6:30PM-8:30PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 ​​There's no better way to do that than over dinner. A hardware focused dinner.
​We're going to try 30 person dinners, 3 courses, great venues, with a curated guest list on theme.

👉 LLM Fine-tuning Techniques: Day 1 (7PM-10PM)
📍 Fremont
💬 ​If you want to learn how to enhance the performance and specificity of AI models in-depth, welcome to the first day of the popular Fine-tuning techniques course! Over 3 hours of learning, labs, and paper reading, you will gain a deeper technical appreciation of the underlying foundations of and the vast potential for applications.

🗓️ Thursday, Apr 10

👉 Founders Bay Virtual Workshop - Fund & Management Co. Budgeting Strategies (11AM-12PM) [HOSTED BY ME]
📍 Online
💬 ​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.

👉 KODIF Partner Alliance: AI in Customer Experience for Digitally Native Brands (1:30PM-9PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 ​Come to San Francisco to hang out with peers who are crushing it with AI automation. Get the inside scoop on real wins: • Alma boosted chat engagement 7x with smart automation

👉 AI in Action | Deployment & Discussion (5PM-8:30PM)
📍 Redwood City
💬 ​Join us for the “AI in Action Meetup” and dive into the practical applications of AI in life sciences. This engaging, in-person event features a panel discussion with industry leaders, spotlight presentations by pioneering companies, and a networking happy hour to connect with peers. Discover how AI is transforming the field, share insights, and explore innovative solutions in a collaborative setting.

👉 Immigrant Founders Networking @ Microsoft Reactor (5PM-8PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 ​​Get ready to network and meet vetted immigrant founders, investors, and operators at Immigrant Founders Networking hosted by OpenSphere. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a fellow founder, or just curious about the future of the Immigrant founder ecosystem, this is the place to be.

👉 AI & Web Community Night at Cloudflare (5PM-8PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 ​Discover the latest advancements at the intersection of AI and modern web development in an evening packed with insights, hands-on demos, and networking opportunities. Learn how cutting-edge technologies like Vector Databases, Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), and modern web frameworks are shaping the future of intelligent applications.

👉 AI Builders Happy Hour @ Riza (5PM-7PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 ​We're hosting our first AI builders happy hour on Thursday April 10, 5–7 PM at our SF office right next to Tartine Manufactory. Expect good drinks, great people, and some fun AI discussions. (Hint: ask us about just-in-time programming.) If you’re working on something cool, come tell us about it!

👉 AI After Hours @ GitHub w/ Encord (5:30PM-8:30PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 ​​Join the Encord team at GitHub HQ - connect with fellow AI enthusiasts, learn from industry experts, & enjoy a slice of pizza 🍕

👉 Celebrating Women in AI and ML (5:30PM-7:30PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 ​Join us for an evening celebrating Women in AI and ML at Assembled's vibrant space in San Francisco! In honor of International Women in Tech day, Assembled is hosting an evening to bring together professionals working in the space and those interested in exploring opportunities in this dynamic field. Connect with folks making waves in industry, share stories, and build meaningful connections over tasty bites and refreshing drinks.

👉 Happy hour with the League of Women Voters of San Francisco (5:30PM-7:30PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 ​Interested in meeting other San Franciscans who want to make a difference in our community? Looking for a chance to connect with LWVSF members and volunteers? Come to our next happy hour on Thursday, April 10, 5:30–7:00 pm PT at Casements Bar in the Mission District. Members, volunteers, and non-members alike are welcome — so invite your friends!

👉 AI Agents for the Real World: A Founder & Engineer Meetup (5:30PM-7:30PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 This meetup brings together founders and engineers pushing the boundaries of AI automation. We’ll talk about what’s working, what’s not, and how teams are navigating the complexities of deploying AI agents in production. Expect short talks, open discussions, and plenty of time to connect with others figuring it out.

👉 HealthTech & AI Startup Pitch Night – Silicon Valley (5:30PM-8PM)
📍 San Mateo
💬 ​Join us for an exciting HealthTech & AI Startup Pitch Night, featuring live pitches from cutting-edge startups in AI-driven healthcare solutions, digital health, medical devices, biotech, and more. Gain valuable insights from an expert investor panel, connect with top VCs, founders, and industry pioneers, and explore the latest advancements in the rapidly evolving HealthTech and AI space.

👉 QonfX: Future of Testing | San Francisco (6PM-9:30PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 ​Join us at QonfX San Francisco, a mini-conference designed to explore and discuss the 'Future of Testing' with invite-only leaders from the QA and Engg space.

👉 AI & Robotics (6PM-8PM)
📍 Mountain View
💬 ​​​You are invited to a private gathering. An evening of networking and exploring robotics technologies poised to generate the next wave of outsized returns.
​​​The robots are coming, but let’s have small bites, refreshments, and new friends along the way.

👉 CompScience & AI Insurance Insider Table for Risk Professionals (6PM-9PM)
📍 Walnut Creek
💬 CompScience, the leading Active Workers' Comp Insurance program in the U.S., leverages AI-powered technology to drive significant workplace safety improvements. AI Insurance, an advanced insurance management platform for new programs, MGAs, and Captives, is revolutionizing the industry with AI-driven workflows and predictive analytics—automating applications, underwriting, and claims processes.

👉 Trends In Medtech & NeuroTech with AI @ UC Berkeley (6PM-8PM)
📍 Berkeley
💬 Join us for a forward-looking conversation on the emerging trends shaping MedTech and NeuroTech in 2025 and beyond. As innovation continues to accelerate, understanding where the industry is heading and what challenges and opportunities lie ahead—is essential for founders, investors, and healthtech professionals.

👉 Graph Neural Networks: Day 1 (7PM-10PM)
📍 Fremont
💬 ​If you want to learn the fundamentals of graph theory, network science, and advanced topics in graph neural networks (GNNs) in-depth, welcome to the first day of the popular Graph Neural Networks course!

🗓️ Friday, Apr 11

👉 San Francisco Bootstrappers Breakfast Startups at CityGroup Center (In Person) (7AM-8:30AM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 Connect with fellow startup founders in San Francisco for an inspiring breakfast meetup. This event is a chance to share ideas, build relationships, and discuss the challenges and successes of bootstrapped startups.

👉 Women in Sustainability: Networking, Innovation, Leadership, Impact, Solutions (10:30AM-12:30PM) [HOSTED BY ME]
📍 Sausalito
💬 ​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.

👉 Decode Your AMH for a Healthier Future (12PM-1PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 ​Did you know that your hormones play a crucial role in both fertility and longevity? Join us for a FREE AMH (Anti-Müllerian Hormone) blood test led by Dr. Kay Waud from HRC Fertility. This simple yet powerful test helps assess your hormones, giving you valuable insights into your reproductive health and how it connects to your overall well-being and aging process.

🗓️ Saturday, Apr 12

👉 Re-Weird the Web (9AM-9PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 ​People used to have fun on the internet. There were fewer trolls, bots, ads, and content farms. Web creators made straight-up magical wonders. These days, everything looks like Tailwind and smells like AI, and nobody’s making real art. THAT’S ALL ABOUT TO CHANGE.

👉 Visions of the Future Hackathon (10AM-6PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 ​Join us for a non-technical hackathon where curious minds come together to envision tomorrow's utopia… or dystopia, through short stories (vignettes) paired with AI-generated visual art.

👉 AI x Fintech Build Day (10AM-8PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 Fintech is evolving—and AI is powering its transformation. At the AI x Fintech Build Day, hosted by YZi Labs and AGI House, you'll develop next-generation AI solutions that redefine how financial services are delivered, enhance customer experiences, and drive growth. Whether you're a developer, designer, or business strategist, bring your innovation and creativity to shape a smarter, more efficient future in fintech.

🗓️ Sunday, Apr 13

👉 SPC x Anthropic Hackathon Demo Night (4PM-7PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 ​Stop by SPC to see the final projects produced during the SPC + Anthropic Hackathon! This event is open to the public. Please register so that we have an accurate headcount as space will be limited.

🔁 Build It Backwards: Why Smart Founders Start with the Exit

Last month, Harmony Oswald gave an awesome workshop to the community about a Backward Approach to Entrepreneurial Success. Below are the highlights.

Most founders are told to “just start.” Build the MVP, get it out there, iterate fast, pivot faster. But what if that momentum is sending you in the wrong direction?

Here’s a better idea: start at the end.

Become a Member to read the rest.

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