Upcoming Founder & VC Events Happening This Week

Upcoming Events & The Week’s 10 Biggest Funding Rounds

Author

Mariane Bekker
September 02, 2024

Happy Labor Day to all our dedicated readers! Enjoy the long weekend, and take a moment to celebrate your hard work and achievements. We appreciate you!

Table of Contents

New: Events Calendar Is Now On Luma → Subscribe here

New: You can now submit your event directly to us → Submit it here

New: Need Guidance For Your Startup? → Book An Initial Consultation With Me

Wednesday Sep 4 - 10AM - 11:30AM

Join Women Founders Bay for our monthly brunch series, where we invite members of our community to come together, share their journey’s and learn from one another in an intimate setting over fantastic food and conversation. 

Wednesday Sept 4 - 2:00PM - 3:00PM (Zoom)

Interested in breaking into venture?

​Want to start investing in startups?

​Join Mariane Bekker, Mala Ramakrishnan, and Raymond Lee for a casual chat on investing.

Thursday September 5 - 5PM - 7PM

Did you know that 65% of high-potential startups fail due to preventable co-founder conflict? Don't let your startup be part of this statistic! Join us for an exclusive, must-attend workshop led by NYC-based startup team expert Annie Garofalo. Gain invaluable insights into co-founder dynamics, building healthy founding teams, and navigating conflicts.

Monday September 23/24 - 9:30AM - 8:00PM

​It's an Agentic AI World, and Agents will be running the show. Agentic AI World is the place to see what's brewing in the world of Agentic AI, and meet the brew masters.


We're bringing together the top Agent platforms and service providers to share the state of AI Agents and show us where the future is headed.

Saturday September 21/22 - 9:30AM - 8:00PM

It's an Agentic AI World, and agents will be running the show. This is the place to see what's brewing in the world of AI agents, and meet the brew masters.
We're bringing together the top agent platforms and service providers to share the state of AI agents and show us where the future is headed.

​This high energy hackathon leverages the latest cutting edge tools and platforms, giving teams the opportunity to build agentic driven solutions with the potential to break out and become the next unicorns (or decacorns) in the space.

Managing Partner, Founders Bay

With my extensive background as an engineering executive, investor, and advisor, I provide hands-on, customized guidance to address your specific challenges. From scaling your product to refining your pitch and finding the right talent, I offer practical insights to help you succeed.

Why book a session?

  • Real-World Expertise: I’ve led engineering teams and scaled startups, bringing hands-on knowledge to your specific needs.

  • Targeted Guidance: Receive customized advice on scaling your product, tackling technical issues, preparing for fundraising, and refining your business strategy.

  • Pitch Preparation: Get help crafting and perfecting your pitch to attract investors and make a strong impression.

  • Branding and Positioning: Learn how to build and communicate a compelling brand that resonates with your target audience.

  • Talent and Co-Founder Matching: Get support in finding top talent and building the right team or co-founder relationships.

Want to add your event to the list? Submit it here.

🗓️ Monday, Sep 2

👉 AI Investors & Networking (4:00 PM - 6:00 PM)
📍 Palo Alto
💬 Come and meet featured investors.
Featured investor: Murray Newlands

👉 Tech Detox Meetup: Labor Day Cookout! (4:30 PM - 7:30 PM)
📍 San Mateo
💬 Tired of networking events that don't lead to meaningful connections? Tech is an extroverted industry, but many still feel lonely. Come make real friends!

👉 Italian 🇮🇹 Tech Community Networking w/ Stanford (5:00 PM - 8:00 PM)
📍 Palo Alto
💬 Network with the Bay's Italian 🇮🇹 Innovation ecosystem at this exclusive event on Stanford Campus.

👉 ⚡️Energy Happy Hour ⚡️ (6:30 PM - 9:00 PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 Calling all founders and energy enthusiasts! ⚡️ Join us for a casual happy hour to chat about the energy space, network, and enjoy good beer. 🍻

🗓️ Tuesday, Sep 3

👉 📣 9-3 Web3 (+AI): Pitch Competition (5:00 PM - 8:00 PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 # ​Join Aiify.io, DraperU, Stellar, DAOPlanet.org, Synexis, and more for the 9-3 Web3 (+AI) Startup Pitch Competition at Edge & Node; House of Web3!

👉 SF Real Time Video AI Developer Meet and Greet (5:30 PM - 7:30 PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 Interested in building AI-driven video interfaces? Meet the team at Tavus!

👉 Silicon Valley Entrepreneur Meet & Greet (6:00 PM - 8:00 PM)
📍 San Jose
💬 AAPI entrepreneurs! Join us for the "ACE NextGen Entrepreneur Meet & Greet" for National ACE Conference attendees and local AAPI entrepreneurs.

🗓️ Wednesday, Sep 4

👉 Product Marketing Summit (8:00 AM - 3:30 PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 Learn from PMM experts as they share case studies, best practices, and industry trends to boost your career.

👉 Women Founders Bay Brunch Series: Resilience (10:00 AM - 11:30 AM) [HOSTED BY ME]
📍 San Francisco
💬 Join Women Founders Bay for our monthly brunch series to share journeys, learn from each other, and enjoy fantastic food and conversation.

👉 🧠 GenAI Collective x AWS x Invisible Technologies 🛠️ SLMOps Workshop (10:30 AM - 3:00 PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 # AWS Technical Workshop: How to Fine-Tune & Host SLMs for Increased Accuracy & Efficiency

👉 Foundry x Pear AI Happy Hour (5:30 PM - 7:30 PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 Join Foundry, Pear, and other AI founders & operators for a happy hour in SF!

👉 AI For Marketers #18 (6:00 PM - 9:00 PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 Learn how to harness AI for marketing strategies, including content generation, marketing automation, and AI for social media.

👉 Enterprise AI Deep Dive (6:00 PM - 8:00 PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 This event is for AI enthusiasts to network and hear insights from teams at Airbyte & Snowflake about their AI tech stack.

🗓️ Thursday, Sep 5

👉 Morning Tech Brew ☕ (8:00 AM - 10:30 AM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 Join us for Morning Tech Brew coffee hour to share experiences and learn from other tech builders.

👉 San Francisco Fintech Coffee (8:00 AM - 10:00 AM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 Join This Week in Fintech for SF Fintech Coffee at the end of summer!

👉 Culture Shifting Summit Silicon Valley 2024 (9:00 AM - 6:00 PM) [I’m Speaking]
📍 Palo Alto
💬 The invite-only Culture Shifting Summit unites 200-350 leaders for deal-making events across multiple cities.

👉 The Information’s San Francisco AI Summit (1:00 PM - 6:00 PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 The Information’s AI Summit will address pressing industry questions.

👉 INNOVIT Demo Day - Intesa Sanpaolo, Up2Stars Batch (4:00 PM - 8:30 PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 Join us for a VIP Panel and Demo Day featuring 12 pioneering Italian startups.

👉 Co-Founder Dynamics - Healthy Founding Teams @ Menlo Ventures (5:00 PM - 7:00 PM) [HOSTED BY ME]
📍 San Francisco
💬 Avoid startup failure due to co-founder conflict by attending this workshop with NYC-based expert Annie Garofalo.

👉 AI Innovation in SaaS (5:00 PM - 8:00 PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 Discover how generative AI is transforming the SaaS industry at this event.

👉 Immigrant Founders Networking @ Microsoft Reactor (5:00 PM - 8:00 PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 Network with vetted immigrant founders, investors, and operators hosted by Young Entrepreneurs Hub and OpenSphere!

👉 GeoMeetup: Cloud Native Spatial Data Stack (6:00 PM - 8:30 PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 Join us for talks on the cloud native spatial data stack, computer vision, and raster inference.

👉 Private Investment Opportunities for Women (6:00 PM - 8:00 PM)
📍 Tiburon
💬 Learn about investing in innovative companies and enhancing women's health through venture capital funds.

👉 116th SF Hardware Meetup @ Sofar Ocean | Climate Infra (6:00 PM - 9:30 PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 Enjoy the September weather with great views of the bay at Sofar's office during this hardware meetup!

👉 AI Salon: Ethical AI (7:00 PM - 9:30 PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 Join SuperHuman Society for an intimate dinner conversation on the ethics of AI.

🗓️ Friday, Sep 6

👉 Culture Shifting Summit Silicon Valley 2024 (9:00 AM - 6:00 PM)
📍 Palo Alto
💬 The invite-only Culture Shifting Summit unites 200-350 leaders for deal-making events across multiple cities.

👉 Pitch & Run SF 8a Friday Runs! (8:00 AM - 9:00 AM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 Founders, in tech: operators, investors, angels, runners: join Pitch and Run SF Friday AM's!​

👉 Culture Shifting Summit Silicon Valley 2024 (9:00 AM - 9:00 PM)
📍 Palo Alto
💬 The invite-only Culture Shifting Summit unites 200-350 leaders for deal-making events across multiple cities.

👉 Silicon Valley Bootstrappers Breakfast in Downtown San Jose (9:00 AM - 10:30 AM)
📍 San Jose
💬 Come join entrepreneurs who eat problems for breakfast®. At a Bootstrappers Breakfast® we have serious conversations about growing a business based on internal cashflow and organic profit: this is for founders who are actively bootstrapping a startup.

👉 Gen AI Hackathon: Compound AI Systems (10:00 AM - 8:00 PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 CreatorsCorner, collaborating with LangChain, Cohere, AWS, MultiOn, Sema4, Avahi, Galileo, Porter, Marly, Senso, Multion and others enthusiastically welcomes individuals and teams to join our hackathon! Seize this opportunity to create cutting-edge solutions that enhance human potential through AI-powered software.

👉 Network with AI CTOs and Deep-tech Researchers (4:00 PM - 6:00 PM)
📍 Palo Alto
💬 Our goal is to bring together deep-tech researchers from both academic and industry backgrounds, as well as VCs interested in the deep-tech domain. This event fosters collaboration and networking among these diverse groups, facilitating the exchange of ideas and the formation of new partnerships.

👉 Farcaster Fridays (5:00 PM - 7:00 PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 Introducing Farcaster Fridays, a new community-driven initiative for farcasters to get together IRL on the first Friday of every month in cities around the globe.

👉 Longevity & Healthspan Optimization 101 (5:30 PM - 8:30 PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 Join us for an exclusive masterclass on personalized longevity, where cutting-edge science meets practical health solutions.

👉 Christian Founders in SF - Integrating Faith and Purpose into Your Entrepreneurial Journey (6:00 PM - 10:00 PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 Join us for an inspiring evening where Christian founders and faith-based entrepreneurs come together to explore how to integrate Christianity and purpose into their work. This event is an opportunity to deepen your faith journey while connecting with like-minded individuals who share your values.

🗓️ Saturday, Sep 7

👉 Culture Shifting Summit Silicon Valley 2024 (11:00 AM - 3:00 PM)
📍 Palo Alto
💬 The invite-only Culture Shifting Summit unites 200-350 leaders for deal-making events across multiple cities.

👉 Useless Fun AI Build-A-Thon (9:00 AM - 6:00 PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 Are you sick of AI hype? Are you tired of the same old meetups where you eat cold pizza and passively watch product demonstrations?
Developers are kinesthetic learners. We grow our skills by creating. Come build silly projects together, purely because they give you joy. Forget "solutions." Forget saving the world. Welcome to the Useless Fun AI Build-A-Thon. Sponsored by Haystack, deepset.ai, Cloudflare, and AssemblyAI.

👉 Founders & Talents Speed-Dating by AI+ (4:00 PM - 7:00 PM)
📍 Palo Alto
💬 Are you an AI unicorn founder looking for like-minded talents ready to dive into a groundbreaking startup?

👉 Show & Tell: AI, Health and Bio (6:30 PM - 9:30 PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 Show and tell where founders and researchers can talk about their projects or research in AI, health, and biotech. (3-5 min)

🗓️ Sunday, Sep 8

👉 LLM x Law Hackathon @Stanford #4 (8:30 AM - 9:00 PM)
📍 Stanford
💬 As generative AI continues to push the frontier of industries across the globe, the legal sector is no exception. LLMs, a foundation model capable of understanding and generating natural language text, have the potential to transform legal research, contract analysis, dispute resolution, and much more.

👉 Pawsomic Sunday: Paws and Their Founders (10:00 AM - 1:00 PM)
📍 San Francisco
💬 Pawsomic Sunday is a relaxed way to enjoy your morning stroll with your beloved pups while meeting founders and their furry friends 🐶🐾!

How to Prepare Your Startup for Fundraising: A Simple Guide

By Mariane Bekker

You've worked hard to bring your idea to life, and now your startup is showing early signs of success. Congratulations! To move forward and raise the funds you need, make sure you’re fully prepared. Here’s a checklist to help you get ready:

1. Company Setup

  • Incorporate as a Delaware C-Corp
    Ensure your startup is incorporated as a Delaware C-Corporation. This structure is preferred by investors due to its favorable tax benefits and legal framework.

  • Establish a Solid Cap Table
    Maintain an organized cap table that details ownership percentages among founders, employees, and past investors. This helps provide transparency and clarity about equity distribution.

  • Draft Key Corporate Documents
    Prepare essential documents such as your company’s bylaws, operating agreements, and any shareholder agreements. These documents outline the rules for operating your business and managing equity.

  • Find a Lawyer It’s important to consult with a lawyer who specializes in startup funding. They can help you navigate the complexities of term sheets, legal documents, and ensure everything is in order for fundraising.

  • Understand Term Sheets
    Before negotiating with investors, familiarize yourself with the standard components of term sheets, such as valuation, equity stakes, investor rights, board composition, and liquidation preferences. Understanding these terms will help you better negotiate and align the terms with your company's goals.

2. Pitch Materials

  • Calculate Your Funding Needs and Valuation
    Determine how much capital you need to raise and at what valuation. Clearly define your pre-money and post-money valuation. This will be critical in setting investor expectations and structuring the investment terms.

  • Prepare a Teaser Deck or Executive Summary
    Create a brief, one-page teaser or executive summary for initial outreach. This document should highlight the most compelling aspects of your startup, such as the problem you’re solving and your unique solution.

  • Create a Great Pitch Deck
    Design a compelling pitch deck that clearly explains your business idea, market opportunity, business model, traction, and team. Use professional visuals and keep it concise to capture investors' interest.

3. Due Diligence Material

Due diligence typically happens after you agree on the term sheet but before you finalize the investment. It’s the process where investors carefully review your business details to ensure everything is as expected and to identify any potential risks.

  • Financial Statements
    Investors will review your financial health through balance sheets, income statements, and cash flow statements. Ensure these documents are accurate, comprehensive, and up-to-date.

  • Financial Model and Projections
    Present a detailed financial model that includes revenue projections, cost structures, and growth plans for the next three to five years. Make sure your projections are realistic and supported by market research.

  • Legal Documentation
    Ensure all legal documents are in order, including:

    • Intellectual Property Assignments: Proof of ownership and protection of your IP.

    • Patents and Trademarks: Documentation of any granted or pending patents and trademarks.

    • Licenses and Permits: Any necessary operational licenses and permits.

  • Contracts and Agreements
    Provide copies of key contracts and agreements, such as:

    • Customer Contracts: Agreements with major customers or clients.

    • Partnership Agreements: Any partnerships or collaborations with other entities.

    • Employment Agreements: Contracts with key employees, including any stock options or equity grants.

  • Customer Testimonials and References
    Gather testimonials from satisfied customers or partners that vouch for the value and impact of your product or service.

  • Compliance Documentation
    Ensure that you have documentation proving compliance with industry regulations and standards, including:

    • Data Protection Policies: How you handle customer data and comply with privacy laws.

    • Industry-Specific Compliance: Any certifications or compliance requirements specific to your industry.


Proper preparation is key to a successful fundraising effort. By organizing your materials and strategies into these categories, you’ll be in a stronger position to attract investors and secure the funding necessary to take your startup to the next level. If you need additional guidance on fundraising, you can book an initial consultation with me here.

The Week 10 Biggest Funding Rounds

This week we saw several major funding rounds, and huge valuations:

1. Magic

  • Sector: Artificial Intelligence

  • Funding: $320M

  • Details: San Francisco-based Magic, which develops AI models to write software, raised $320 million in a round led by new investors including Eric Schmidt and Sequoia. This follows a reported $200 million raise at a $1.5 billion valuation. Founded in 2022, Magic has now raised $465 million.

2. Cribl

  • Sector: Data Infrastructure

  • Funding: $319M

  • Details: San Francisco-based Cribl secured a $319 million Series E, combining $200 million in new capital and a $119 million secondary offering. The round was led by GV, valuing the company at $3.5 billion. Cribl provides data observability tools, and has raised over $600 million since its founding in 2018.

3. Codeium

  • Sector: Artificial Intelligence

  • Funding: $150M

  • Details: Mountain View-based Codeium raised $150 million in Series C funding led by General Catalyst. The company’s AI-powered coding assistant is valued at $1.25 billion. Founded in 2021, Codeium has now raised $243 million.

4. Elektrofi

  • Sector: Biotech

  • Funding: $112M

  • Details: Boston-based Elektrofi, a biologics startup developing novel drug delivery methods, raised approximately $112 million in Series C funding. The company, founded in 2016, has raised a total of $154 million.

5. Navigator Medicines

  • Sector: Biotech

  • Funding: $100M

  • Details: Scotch Plains, New Jersey-based Navigator Medicines, focusing on immune regulation and restoration therapies, closed a $100 million Series A. The round was co-led by Forbion Capital Partners and RA Capital Management. Founded in 2024, this is the company’s first disclosed round.

6. Parry Labs

  • Sector: Defense Tech

  • Funding: $80M

  • Details: Alexandria, Virginia-based Parry Labs, which develops digital systems for the defense industry, raised $80 million in its first institutional round. Led by Capitol Meridian Partners, this round continues the trend of significant investment in defense tech startups.

7. RentVine

  • Sector: Real Estate

  • Funding: $74M

  • Details: Estero, Florida-based RentVine, a property management software platform, raised $74 million from Mainsail Partners. This round marks the company’s first disclosed funding since its founding in 2005.

8. Bridge

  • Sector: Cryptocurrency/Web3

  • Funding: $58M

  • Details: San Antonio-based Bridge, a Web3 payment firm, raised $58 million with a $40 million lead investment from Sequoia and Ribbit Capital. Founded in 2022, this is the company’s total raised amount to date.

9. Noetik

  • Sector: Biotech

  • Funding: $40M

  • Details: San Francisco-based Noetik, focusing on AI-enhanced cancer therapeutics, secured a $40 million Series A led by Polaris Partners. Founded in 2022, Noetik has now raised $54 million.

10. Butlr

  • Sector: Sensors

  • Funding: $38M

  • Details: Burlingame, California-based Butlr, which uses sensors to understand human interactions in buildings, raised $38 million in Series B funding led by Foundry Group. The company, founded in 2019, has raised a total of $68 million.

Source: Crunchbase

Donate Today: Power the Next Wave of Women Entrepreneurs

Women-founded startups receive less than 2% of venture funding, but with your support, we can change that. As one of the largest and most active communities of tech female founders in the Bay Area, Women Founders Bay uniquely positioned to make a significant impact.

Join us in empowering women entrepreneurs in San Francisco! Your donation to our campaign will directly support women-led startups, providing them with the resources they need to thrive. Every contribution makes a difference.

Managing Partner, Founders Bay

Hi! I'm Mariane Bekker, 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 Women Founders Bay, a community of tech female founders on a mission to increase funding going to women. Donate today →