Upcoming Founder & VC Events Happening This Week

Upcoming Events & The Week’s 10 Biggest Funding Rounds

Author

Mariane Bekker
April 15, 2024

MongoDB GenAI Hackathon SF (Hosted by Me) (Link)

Saturday April 20 9:30am - 10:00pm

​Calling all generative AI Engineers, Software Developers and early stage startups! We are thrilled to bring the GenAI community together for a day-long hackathon at MongoDB’s downtown SF office.

🧠 GenAI Collective x Girls in Tech 🙍‍♀️ Diversity and Equity in Tech (I’m Speaking) (Link)

Wednesday April 17 6:30pm - 9:00pm

We're addressing the critical issue of equity in tech. Focusing on harnessing the untapped potential of unbiased data in both AI modeling and the crafting of diverse, dynamic teams in the startup ecosystem.

Networking events are a great way to meet fellow founders and investors. Here are events happening in San Francisco this week for founders.

🗓️ Monday, Apr 15

📍 Palo Alto

💬 ​We are Open Future Forum. We are leaders, investors, founders and engineers based in the Bay Area CA.

​Featured VC: ​Joanne Chen Jing Kuang, Founding Partner at Y+ Ventures

📍 Palo Alto

💬 ​Get ready for an electrifying evening that promises to stretch your imagination and challenge your views on the future of the world, given the current state of technology!

📍 Palo Alto

💬 Moon Creative Lab will hold a networking lunch open to all startups, corporations, and friends of the startup ecosystem. Come meet the Moon team and tell us about your business and ideas! Learn about the support Moon offers from our Chief Creative Officer and hear firsthand about one of our exciting ventures looking to revolutionize the fashion industry.

🗓️ Tuesday, Apr 16

📍 San Francisco

💬 The future of work is Everyday AI — that is, AI so ingrained and intertwined with the workings of the day-to-day that it’s just part of the business. But how can organizations get there?

📍 San Jose

💬 We want to get to know you and introduce you to thought leaders who are curious and open to new forms of networking, like you.

📍 San Francisco

💬 ​Welcome to an enlightening event hosted as part of the INNOVIT acceleration program.

📍 San Francisco

💬 ​Excited to host Bryce from indie.vc for an intimate chat with 2nd time founders, about the future of funding.

📍 San Francisco

💬 ​Calling all AI founders in San Francisco! 🧠 Join us for an evening of networking, learning, and fun as we connect with fellow founders, explore fundraising strategies, and discover the latest advancements in AI. 📈

📍 San Jose

💬 Four co-located summits accelerating value-driving AI applications to production.

🗓️ Wednesday, Apr 17

📍 San Francisco

💬 Fully Connected is a conference for the builders pioneering the Generative AI industry. Learn from foundation model builders, enterprises fine-tuning LLMs, and developers deploying GenAI applications.

📍 San Francisco

💬 ​Join the "Transatlantic AI Symposium: Europe's Heartbeat of Innovation" hosted by NRW.Global Business, trade and investment agency of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW). We're celebrating the NRW-USA Year 2023/2024, underscoring the strong ties between NRW and the United States.

📍 Redwood City

💬 Join us on the third Wednesday of every month at The Hub Redwood City for a chance to socialize with other startup founders & entrepreneurs. Founder Institute members will be there, but it’s not restricted (other than those 21 & over!) and there will be no requirement to join. We plan to add presentations and round table discussions to the format, but initially, it will mainly be a meet and greet opportunity.

📍 Palo Alto

💬 This information-packed event focuses on terms and term sheets for a seed, angel, convertible debt, Safe (pre-money and post-money) and Series A round, in an interactive, informative session with great take away materials and actionable items.

📍 San Francisco

💬 ​Join us for a simple group run winding through some landmarks of FiDi, San Francisco! We finish the day with happy hours at WeWork, networking about our projects, startups, running, professional needs, or anything in life.

📍 Dublin

💬 Learn the latest about AI’s New Role in Developing Patents, Attracting Investment, and Conducting Clinical Trials. The evolving landscape of intellectual property rights in the realm of AI technology reflects the profound impact of artificial intelligence on innovation. With AI systems increasingly contributing to the creation of novel inventions, the issue of inventorship has become notably complex. To address this complexity, the United States Patent Office (USPTO) has provided clear guidance and frameworks to evaluate inventorship in AI-assisted inventions. By doing so, the USPTO’s aim is to ensure that human inventors receive proper recognition and protection for their contributions. Hosted by StartUp Tri-Valley.

📍 Palo Alto

💬 ​Autonomous Humans is a community focused on how AI can enhance productivity and personal fulfillment. As AI becomes more common, individuals are using it to handle routine or tedious tasks, allowing them to focus more on meaningful activities. This shift helps people spend more time with loved ones, reflect personally, or work on more significant projects. The goal is not only to increase productivity through AI but to also find greater personal satisfaction in both work and life. Autonomous Humans aim to use AI thoughtfully to shape a future where technology serves deeper personal, professional, and societal goals.

📍 San Francisco

💬 ​We're addressing the critical issue of equity in tech. Focusing on harnessing the untapped potential of unbiased data in both AI modeling and the crafting of diverse, dynamic teams in the startup ecosystem. This event is a significant point for those ready to challenge the norms and passionately pursue a tech world where diversity is not just a buzzword but a fundamental pillar. Join us to redefine the future of technology, where equity leads and innovation follows! 😄

📍 San Carlos

💬 ​Join Light Dao and our community of conscious entrepreneurs and investors for a salon evening filled with connection, deep conversations, and a fireside chat with Ani Chahal Honan and Ruby Yeh, Co-Founder of Light Dao.

🗓️ Thursday, Apr 18

📍 Sunnyvale

💬 Whether you're deeply immersed in AI or just getting started, this is an opportunity to learn, share knowledge, and connect with colleagues across the company interested in artificial intelligence.

📍 Sunnyvale

💬 We are counting down to April's Indian Tech Network event on April 18th at 5pm at the Plug and Play HQ. Join us for this exciting gathering of Indian tech enthusiasts, industry professionals, and investors!

📍 Sunnyvale

💬 Connecting AI Startups with Leading Venture Investing Experts in Silicon Valley

📍 San Francisco

💬 ​This is the once-in-a-lightyear opportunity to mix with SF based early-stage tech founders and Silicon Valley's top tier VCs to design the next decade.

📍 Palo Alto

💬 Join us for an engaging evening of insights and networking brought to you by Founders Network SV and Nordic Innovation House.

📍 San Francisco

💬 AIF BAYP is excited to host Zero to Ek: Builders & Investors - a night of insightful dialogue and networking with some of the Bay Area’s most influential founders, investors, and leaders in tech.

🗓️ Friday, Apr 19

📍 San Francisco

💬 🎩🤖 Venture 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. Don't be late! It's a mad adventure down the rabbit hole of technology! 🐰🤖🌟

📍 Mountain View

💬 Are you a tech company with legal questions? Join us for office hours. You'll meet one-on-one with experienced tech attorney, Satya Narayan. She can help answer your questions regarding intellectual property, licensing, contracts, and much much more.

📍 San Jose

💬 ​Join Women in AI Club at Top Golf🏌🏻‍♀️! We will be bringing together a group of Women in AI founders to help foster connections and discussions focused on building AI startups as female founders.

📍 Palo Alto

💬 ​​Join us for AI Product Creators in the Peninsula, SF Bay Area. We are excited to be hosting this event with the sponsorship of Shuum and Lamarka.

📍 Pleasanton

💬 Gen AI Builders East Bay Happy Hour

📍 San Francisco

💬 ​​Join spatial creators, spatial app builders, infrastructure tech developers, investors, hackers and explorers in spatial computation including AR, VR, XR, metaverse, Vision Pro and more.

🗓️ Saturday, Apr 20

📍 San Francisco

💬 Agent Ops and MindsDB would like to invite builders for an agent focused hackathon! If you’re looking to spur up your next side hustle or turn your existing project into a reliable business. You have 48 hours to hack.

📍 San Francisco

💬 ​Calling all generative AI Engineers, Software Developers and early stage startups! We are thrilled to bring the GenAI community together for a day-long hackathon at MongoDB’s downtown SF office.

📍 San Francisco

💬 We'll run 5 — 10km at your conversational pace and talk. We'll have a few pace groups if needed. You can run at your own pace as well, especially if there is someone who runs with you at the same pace with approximately the same effort. After the run, we meet for non-alcoholic beer/coffee somewhere nearby.

📍 Hillsborough

💬 Join us on 4/20, Saturday, to innovate with Google Gemini Pro 1.5 API, the only model in production boasting a 1M token context window. Thanks to our generous sponsor, all participants will receive early access to Gemini Pro 1.5 API.

The Week’s 10 Biggest Funding Rounds

We're seeing a large amount of really big funding rounds again. This week, there are eight rounds where companies got over $100 million (and nearly nine!)


1. Cyera

  • Sector: Cybersecurity

  • Funding: $300M

  • Cyera, based in New York, raised a $300 million Series C led by Coatue, bringing its valuation to $1.4 billion. Founded in 2021, Cyera offers a platform to help companies understand, secure, and assess risks associated with their data, especially important for AI initiatives.

2. Monad Labs

  • Sector: Blockchain

  • Funding: $225M

  • Monad Labs, headquartered in New York, secured a $225 million funding round led by Paradigm. Founded in 2022, Monad is a layer-1 blockchain compatible with Ethereum Virtual Machine but faster in transaction processing.

3. Torl BioTherapeutics

  • Sector: Biotech

  • Funding: $158M

  • Los Angeles-based Torl BioTherapeutics closed a B-2 financing round at $158 million led by Deep Track Capital. Founded in 2018, Torl focuses on developing novel, antibody-based therapeutics to fight cancer.

4. Guesty

  • Sector: Hospitality

  • Funding: $130M

  • Guesty, located in Covina, California, raised a $130 million Series F led by KKR India Asset Finance. Founded in 2013, Guesty provides property management software for short-term rentals and operates in over 80 countries.

5. Platform Science

  • Sector: Transportation

  • Funding: $125M

  • San Diego-based Platform Science raised $125 million with investors including Daimler Trucks and RyderVentures. Founded in 2015, the company's platform equips commercial fleets with mobile devices and applications for improved flexibility and productivity.

6. Collaborative Robotics

  • Sector: Robotics

  • Funding: $100M

  • Collaborative Robotics, headquartered in Santa Clara, California, secured a $100 million Series B led by General Catalyst. Founded in 2022, the company focuses on collaborative robotics solutions.

6. FloQast

  • Sector: Accounting

  • Funding: $100M

  • Los Angeles-based FloQast closed a $100 million Series E led by Iconiq Growth at a valuation of $1.6 billion. Founded in 2013, FloQast offers finance and accounting operations platform.

6. Seaport Therapeutics

  • Sector: Biotech

  • Funding: $100M

  • Boston-based Seaport Therapeutics raised a $100 million Series A co-led by Arch Venture Partners and Sofinnova Investments. The company focuses on developing medicines for depression, anxiety, and neuropsychiatric disorders.

9. Nectero Medical

  • Sector: Biotech

  • Funding: $96M

  • Tempe, Arizona-based Nectero Medical closed a $96 million Series D led by Norwest Venture Partners. Founded in 2017, Nectero is focused on developing therapies to treat aneurysmal disease.

10. Grow Therapy

  • Sector: Healthcare

  • Funding: $88M

  • Grow Therapy, based in New York, closed an $88 million Series C led by Sequoia Capital. Founded in 2020, Grow Therapy develops software for the mental health industry.

This week's funding rounds reflect a diverse range of industries, with biotech, social media, and energy among the notable sectors receiving significant investments.

CEO, 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 recently founded Founders Bay, a venture studio for early-stage founders with a mission of empowering women founders to grow their startups. Learn more: www.foundersbay.com