Founder Groups New York
Connect with fellow NYC entrepreneurs

AI TECH & Startup Night — Manhattan, New York
Tue, Sep 22, 10:00 PM**Nomad Global Hub** brings together builders, founders, and tech professionals for a night of curated networking and high-impact startup pitches. **Community Pass spots are limited — reserve yours before they're gone.** **RSVP: [Reserve your spot](https://luma.com/pxw105o1)** With a track record of **235+ events** across **23 global cities** worldwide, we have welcomed over **5,000 attendees** and featured **1,200+ startup pitches** on our stages. We intentionally keep our meetups intimate because the best partnerships happen in focused, high-quality conversations, not in loud, overcrowded halls. **What to Expect** * **Live Tech Startup Pitches**: Watch selected early-stage founders present AI & Tech projects followed by sharp audience Q&A. * **High-Quality Networking:** Connect with a hand-picked audience of founders, investors, engineers, and tech leaders who value substance over small talk. * **Global Exposure:** Join a community that bridges **23 tech hubs worldwide**, providing you with a network that extends far beyond a single city. **Who Should Join** * Founders & Co-Founders looking for peers, feedback, investors and collaborators. * Tech Professionals & Builders seeking a high-quality community. * Ambitious Individuals ready to dive into the AI & Startup ecosystem. **For Investors** Active investors and VC partners are welcome to join the event and scout for early-stage talent, meet other investors, and see what teams are building. To access the startup database, please fill out the **[Investor Application Form](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScUkSdbmDb_tchKrZNf2A4c6HjrPLd87Ub3W-5WPfOgsszI9Q/viewform)** and ensure you have purchased a ticket. **For Pitching Startups** Selected startups gain live stage time and visibility within our global network among our database of investors. Purchase a Speaker Ticket to pitch, submit your **[Pitch Deck](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScZ1fGVQ-br2hQQnSsq7zz5XCAEvN5FfaYfJ7VSppMkujV8YQ/viewform)** and ensure it is accessible for viewers. **Nomad Global Hub \| 235\+ Events \| 23 Cities** *Note: To support our venue partner, we kindly encourage every guest to purchase at least one drink at the bar during the event.*

Founders Live NYC
Thu, Oct 8, 10:00 PM**\*\*PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL ATTENDEES MUST [REGISTER ON OUR LUMA PAGE](https://luma.com/founderslive-new-york-city-2026-10)\*\*** **Founders Live New York City is Back for October!** Founders Live is NYC’s premier networking event for early-stage startups and part of the [global Founders Live community](https://www.founderslive.com/). Our monthly pitch competition welcomes anyone interested in New York City’s startup ecosystem, including founders, investors, operators, students, and more. The format is simple: ▸ 5 founders ▸ 99-second pitches ▸ 4 minute audience Q&A ▸ Your votes decide the winner Attendees are invited to arrive with friends and coworkers up to an hour before (doors at 6:00) for networking and included refreshments. ## **Presenting Founders** Our October presenters will be announced shortly. ▸Interested in pitching at this or a future event? **[Apply here!](https://www.founderslive.com/pitch)** ▸Know someone who should pitch? **[Open The Door](https://www.founderslive.com/open)** ## **Winners** The winner of the pitch competition will receive the following: ▸ **[Front Row membership](https://www.founderslive.com/frontrow)** with unlimited access to **Backstage Intelligence** and the **Backchannel** community. **▸Founders Live Booster Pack**, featuring over $1,000,000 in cash savings on 100+ essential apps and services for startups. ▸An appearance in the[ ](https://www.founderslive.com/primetime)**[Founders Live Prime Time](https://www.founderslive.com/primetime)** regional qualifiers with a chance to advance to our **Prime Time** global livestream tournament. ## **Our Partners** ▸ **Venue Sponsor:** [Belong](https://belongnyc.com/) is a premium, beautifully designed "third space" and urban oasis in the heart of SoHo (218 Lafayette St.). Bridging the gap between work, travel, and lifestyle, the venue offers versatile coworking spaces, private meeting rooms, and high-end amenities like luxury shower suites and luggage storage. It serves as the perfect city-center haven for remote workers, travelers, and professionals looking to work, connect, and refresh in an elegant, inspiring environment. ▸ **Presenting Sponsor** Success as an early-stage founder isn't just about finding people to invest in your ideas; it's about building a team that can help you move them forward. Without an existing network, it's not always clear where to get started, though. We know because we've done it. Venture Scale is the premier online space for the startup community. We're helping founders like you find the investors, advisors, and operators that can accelerate their growth. Create a free profile at venturescale.com to get started. ▸ **Supporting Sponsor** [Lovable](https://lovable.dev) is the AI app builder letting anyone turn a plain-English idea into a real, working product—frontend, backend, and database included—powering everything from scrappy side projects to apps built by teams at Klarna and Uber.  [Pensato](https://pensato.ai/founders-live/?=utm_source=founderslive&utm_medium=luma&utm_campaign=backstage) is a secure layer for local AI, checking every request going in, tracing every answer coming out, and keeping a person accountable throughout, across any industry, workflow, or team. [Get a free AI Governance Readiness Evaluation](https://pensato.ai/founders-live/?=utm_source=founderslive&utm_medium=luma&utm_campaign=backstage): know where your local AI stands before the audience votes.  ## **Enter the Pitch Video Challenge!** This is your chance to **share your story in a 99-second pitch video**. Prizes start at 250 votes. **[Get notified when entries open for the 2026 edition!](https://www.founderslive.com/pitch-video-challenge)** ## **What do you need help with?** Nick will connect you directly to a partner who can help. **[Get started toward success](https://www.founderslive.com/solve-founder-problems)**  ## **Do something great for someone else today** Tell them to attend an event, pitch their startup, or even lead a Founders Live city. **[Open The Door](https://www.founderslive.com/open)**  ## **Front Row membership is here** The operating system and network for global founders. **[Claim your FREE account](https://www.founderslive.com/frontrow)** Keywords: #FoundersLive #Startups #NewYorkCity #PitchCompetition #Entrepreneurship #NYC

Founders Running Club :: New York
Sat, Sep 26, 1:00 PM**Founders Running Club (FRC)** brings founders, investors, tech, and creative people together for weekly easy runs and networking. We keep the pace comfortable and finish with coffee and conversations. Choose your pace or follow a pacer. Pets, friends, and family are welcome. 📅 Running + networking + community 🏃♀️ Conversational pace (anyone can join) ☕️ Hang out at a coffee shop after the run 🌍 FRC is now in 35+ cities Join the WhatsApp community: [http://foundersrc.com/chats](http://foundersrc.com/chats) Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/frcnewyork/](https://www.instagram.com/frcnewyork/) Website: [http://foundersrc.com/](http://foundersrc.com/)

Founders, Investors & Talent Networking Mixer NYC
Wed, Sep 30, 10:00 PM**Startup networking event in NYC for founders, investors and tech talent**. Meet builders and connect with Ascent Valley community. Join founders, investors and tech talent at this curated startup networking event in NYC Manhattan. Meet ambitious builders, exchange ideas and discover new opportunities in a dynamic community environment. **RSVP:** [Use this link](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/startup-networking-new-york-founders-investors-talent-mixer-tickets-1987708214778?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true) ***Please note that RSVP is managed via Eventbrite to control attendee lists — don’t ignore it to avoid issues with on-site payment.*** **💡 Why This Event Is Different** Most networking events end with exchanged LinkedIn profiles. This one focuses on real conversations and real opportunities. We bring together founders, investors, engineers, operators and talent in a curated environment designed to create meaningful connections. Through interactive networking rounds, open conversations and pitch opportunities, participants can share challenges, exchange insights and build relationships that last beyond the event. 🤝 **What to Expect** **Interactive Networking** Structured networking rounds where participants briefly introduce themselves, share current challenges and explore collaboration opportunities. **Talent Corner** Recruiters and hiring managers can briefly share open positions, while engineers and operators can introduce their skills and interests. **Startup Conversations** Open discussions about fundraising, product development, growth and startup challenges. **👥 Who Should Attend** • Startup founders • Investors and angels • Engineers and builders • Operators and product managers • Recruiters and HR professionals • Sales and business development professionals • Job seekers interested in startups • Newcomers to the NYC Manhattan tech ecosystem **🎤 Want to Pitch?** A limited number of founders will have the opportunity to present their startup. Selected founders will showcase their pitch deck to the audience and attending investors, followed by a short Q&A where participants can ask questions and share feedback. [Apply by sending your pitch](https://ascentvalley.com/pitch) ***Spots are limited and founders will be selected in advance.*** **💼 For Investors** We invite local investors, angels and venture capitalists to join the event. Investor participation is complimentary. After verification, investors receive access to the Ascent Valley ecosystem, including: • curated startup introductions • access to our startup digest • access to our platform and founder community [Interested investors can request verification](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd0FOsbIU0WPT79m90Xy4Q8IqDkaZAydjQ1DGpfYDKhJy7cLA/viewform)

AI & Tech Networking Event in New York by Ascent Valley
Wed, Sep 30, 10:00 PMJoin founders, investors and tech talent at this curated **startup networking event in New York.** Meet ambitious builders, exchange ideas and discover new opportunities in a dynamic community environment. **RSVP: [Use this link](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ai-tech-networking-event-in-new-york-by-ascent-valley-tickets-1997058013277?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true)** **Please note that RSVP is managed via Eventbrite to control attendee lists — don’t ignore it to avoid issues with on-site payment.** **🚀 Meet investors, founders, AI experts, operators, and immigrant entrepreneurs building the next generation of global companies.** * Share your project and get feedback. * Connect with capital. * Expand your network. * This is where conversations turn into partnerships. * Use our participant mini app to keep every contact and insight from the event — nothing gets lost. 👥 Who You’ll Meet • Startup Founders • Angel Investors & VC firms • AI Experts • Entrepreneurs from Europe, Asia & the UK • Marketers, Sales leaders & Business Advisors • Builders & Game Changers Startup Pitch Session Selected founders take the stage for a focused 5-minute presentation in front of active investors and tech leaders. Each startup receives: ⚡ Professional evaluation ⚡ Investor feedback ⚡ Visibility inside our global ecosystem **Why You Can’t Miss It** • Meet Tech & Business professionals, founders, and active investors • Gain real feedback from venture capitalists and angel investors • Discover new opportunities in AI, Tech & early-stage startups • Build meaningful connections in a global entrepreneurial community If you’re serious about startups — you should be in the room. 📈 Want to Pitch? Send your deck to: 📧 events@ascentvalley.club or fill [form](https://forms.gle/u4pDA4GMmUZVJHwV7) Limited spots. Curated selection. 🏆 The startup recognized as “Most Investment-Worthy” will be featured across our social media and included in our investor newsletter. **🌟 About Ascent Valley** [Ascent Valley ](https://ascentvalley.com/infrastructure)is a global ecosystem connecting founders, innovators, and investors. We believe great ideas shouldn’t stay hidden — they deserve to be heard, challenged, and supported by the right people. Our mission is to create environments where ambitious builders connect, collaborate, and grow together.

Startup Pitch & Themed Networking New York | Unlock Your Idea
Wed, Sep 30, 10:00 PMJoin founders, investors and tech talent at this curated **startup networking event in New York.** Meet ambitious builders, exchange ideas and discover new opportunities in a dynamic community environment. **RSVP: [Use this link](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/startup-pitch-themed-networking-new-york-unlock-your-idea-tickets-1997058016286?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true)** **Please note that RSVP is managed via Eventbrite to control attendee lists — don’t ignore it to avoid issues with on-site payment.** Most of us are in the same loop. You have an idea. You workshop it with ChatGPT, read another newsletter, tell three friends who don't quite get it. The idea stays in your head. Or worse — it never gets the kind of pushback that would have made it sharper. Research on creative work is clear: people who articulate their idea to like-minded peers begin to understand it deeper. Quality feedback isn't validation — it's the thing that changes how you see your own work. We mix the room on purpose. Different industries see the same process from different angles — that's where value compounds. We ask for your LinkedIn in registration so we can group you with the right people, not random tables. **How the evening runs (3 stages)** **Stage 1 — Themed Networking** You vote on the night's themes through the registration form (Fundraising, HR, GTM, Product, Pricing, Hiring — whichever wins the room). We group you by background. Each group's representative shares the conversation's main takeaway on stage. Featured contributors get a Featured Founder spotlight on ascentvalley.com — that's how the conversation scales across the ecosystem. **Stage 2 — Pitches** 5 curated startups present their idea for live feedback and investor introductions. After the event, we add them to our private founder database and route their application to the right investors inside the Ascent Valley network. **Stage 3 — Chill & Network** The structured part wraps. The bar stays open. The connections you started solidify here — most of our repeat attendees say this is where the real value lands. **Who's in the room** * Accelerator representatives — talent and dealflow scouts from New York-based and EU-wide programs * Investors — angels, fund representatives, scouts from syndicates * Founders, Pre-seed to Series A — building across SaaS, AI, ClimateTech, FinTech, ConsumerTech * Operators — PMs, engineering leads, GTM leaders from scaling startups * Entrepreneurs across industries — fresh perspective is the point * Founders traveling through New York — from Tel Aviv, Berlin, London, NYC, Lisbon nodes * Hiring leads from companies actively scaling teams **About Ascent Valley** Ascent Valley is a 3-layer ecosystem: Community, DealFlow, Events. Our mission is to break local boundaries and enable cross-region growth through real connection between founders, operators, and investors. **Philosophy: [IDEA → PROCESS → RESULT.](https://ascentvalley.com "https://ascentvalley.com")**
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