About us
Startup Founder 101 brings together aspiring and experienced tech entrepreneurs to discuss, meet, and collaborate to build great new startups, and to push the local startup ecosystem forward.\
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This group hosts numerous free events throughout the year where you can learn the best practices of starting a company from people who have been there and done that. You’ll have the opportunity to meet local founders and investors, exchange ideas with experts, get feedback on your idea, participate in startup workshops, and more.\
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Typical startup event topics include:\
• Coming up with a strong startup idea\
• Startup legal basics\
• How to pitch your startup\
• Starting a company without quitting your day job\
• How to raise funding for your startup\
• And much more!\
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Join the group to be invited to our next event!
Featured event
FounderX Silicon Valley: VIP Gathering of Global Founders/ Investors
Three days in Silicon Valley. A night of curated introductions, a day of closed-door AI workshops and investor meetings, and a finale at STEP San Francisco with 50+ speakers across four stages.
Not a conference. Not a summit. A working session for the people building the agentic era.
FounderX (FounderX.com) is the exclusive VIP gathering of founders, mentors, investors, LPs, and accelerator leaders from the world's largest startup network.
This highly-curated, intimate 'un-conference' includes:
✅ Practical AI Workshops: Structured, hands-on workshops from the people building and funding the future of startups with AI.
🎉 Curated Networking Events: A welcoming party with party games, a brew hall, and a view of the San Francisco skyline. A private breakfast, lunch, and happy hour. An afterparty at at hip bar in Oakland. And that's just days 1 and 2.
🤝 AI-Assisted Matchmaking: We've partnered with Boardy, an AI Superconnector to help you meet the right people at FounderX and beyond. Plus, every attendee gets 12 months of Boardy Pro for free!
🌎 Access to STEP San Francisco: Day 3 of FounderX converges on STEP San Francisco, where you'll get special access and our own dedicated space at the premier international Silicon Valley conference. 50+ speakers, four stages, and thousands of attendees.
❯❯ Meetup members get $300 off here: https://luma.com/659pksxq?coupon=GJ3H7P
TO REGISTER, YOU MUST RSVP AND PAY AT THE LINK ABOVE. RSVPING TO THIS MEETUP DOES NOT GRANT YOU ACCESS TO THIS EVENT.
Previous speakers for FounderX events include Steve Jurvetson (DFJ), Esther Dyson (Angel & Philanthropist), Jason Calacanis (Author, angel, and "All-In" host), Allison Ellsworth (Co-Founder of Poppi), Evan Goldberg (Co-Founder of Netsuite), and many more.
See all the latest event details at http://FounderX.com (exact details and speakers will not be updated on this Meetup page).
Please note: this event is mainly for Founder Institute investors, alumni, mentors, and leaders - so Meetup availability will expire.
The goal of FounderX is to facilitate meaningful connections and learning across the FI and Decile Group Networks, which span 40,000+ innovators across 100+ countries and 6 continents.
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Upcoming events
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How to Get Customer Feeback on your Startup Idea in the Age of AI
·OnlineOnlineEven in the age of AI, it is crucial for aspiring entrepreneurs to speak with potential customers to gain a deep understanding of their pain points. On this interactive event, Jonathan Greechan (Co-Founder & CEO of the Founder Institute) will share practical insights on how to leverage AI to interview potential customers and glean valuable insights for your new startup ideas - whether you have a product or not. You'll walk away with a step-by-step framework, as well as AI prompts and workflows that anyone can use.
❯❯ RSVP now at https://fi.co/startupwebinar/26691 to get your link and join us live!
❯ What You'll Learn:
- How to use AI to stress-test your startup idea and run faster customer development.
- Specific prompts and tool combinations for market research, competitive analysis, and prototyping.
- How to craft and practice your pitch using AI, including building a full pitch deck with Claude Skills.
❯ Featured Speaker:
- Jonathan Greechan - Co-Founder & CEO of the Founder Institute - Jonathan Greechan is the Co-Founder & CEO of the Founder Institute, the world's largest pre-seed startup accelerator. Since 2009, he has grown and scaled the organization to chapters in over 200 and across over 100 countries, producing over 9,000 portfolio companies with nearly $[total funding] in venture funding. In his long career in tech and marketing, Jonathan has advised thousands of startups on marketing, growth, and product strategy and has spoken at startup conferences on four continents.
❯ Who Should Attend?
- Aspiring founders who want to start a business but lack technical skills
- Entrepreneurs exploring how AI can accelerate their startup journey
- Professionals considering launching a side project or solo startup
- Early-stage founders interested in AI-powered workflows
.
❯❯ Don’t miss this live, interactive online event packed with valuable insights! RSVP now at https://fi.co/startupwebinar/26691 to get your link and join us live!
1 attendee
AI Happy Hour: Founder Institute x Founders Bay
Flying Figs Wine Bar, 1870 Fillmore St., San Francisco, CA, US🥳🎉Join us for an evening of great conversations, new connections and all things AI!
Whether you're a founder, engineer, investor, researcher, or simply curious about the latest developments in artificial intelligence, this is a relaxed opportunity to meet others in the community and exchange ideas.
✨ What to expect:
• Meet AI founders, builders, and enthusiasts
• Share ideas, projects, and insights
• Discuss the latest AI trends and opportunities
• Expand your network in a casual setting💥Don't miss this event especially if you'd like to learn more or are interested in SF/OAK's Fall program! ➡️https://fi.co/san-francisco
If you're not, no worries! Come and take break with us!
Hosted by Founder Institute & Founders Bay
Interested in the SF/OAK program? Meet the SF Directors! Jeni & Dave
Our upcoming Fall cohort starts soon! Apply by Oct 12th ➡️ https://fi.co/san-franciscoAdditional Resources:
Find more Startup Events, learn about Funding Benchmarks and Milestones, or visit our Insights Blog for more startup tips.
About the FI Venture Network:
The FI Venture Network is an exclusive network of investors actively funding pre-seed and seed-stage startups.
About Founder Institute:
The Founder Institute is the world’s most proven network to turn ideas into fundable startups, and startups into global businesses. Since 2009, our structured accelerator programs have helped over 7,000 entrepreneurs raise over $1.75BN in funding. Based in Silicon Valley and with chapters across 100 countries, our mission is to empower communities of talented and motivated people to build impactful technology companies worldwide.
About Founders Bay:
Founders Bay is a membership community of 30,000 founders and VCs coming together to grow their startups through curated weekly events, expert-led virtual workshops, and educational resources. Proudly women-owned and operated by Mariane Bekker, we are dedicated to empowering a diverse and inclusive startup ecosystem. Subscribe to our newsletter. Become a Founders Bay VIP and get access to all our upcoming events for free — including this one! Here’s 50% off your membership: 👉Become a Member Now2 attendeesFounderX Silicon Valley: VIP Gathering of Global Founders/ Investors
STAK Space - 1900 Broadway, 1920 Broadway, Oakland, CA, USThree days in Silicon Valley. A night of curated introductions, a day of closed-door AI workshops and investor meetings, and a finale at STEP San Francisco with 50+ speakers across four stages.
Not a conference. Not a summit. A working session for the people building the agentic era.
FounderX (FounderX.com) is the exclusive VIP gathering of founders, mentors, investors, LPs, and accelerator leaders from the world's largest startup network.
This highly-curated, intimate 'un-conference' includes:
✅ Practical AI Workshops: Structured, hands-on workshops from the people building and funding the future of startups with AI.
🎉 Curated Networking Events: A welcoming party with party games, a brew hall, and a view of the San Francisco skyline. A private breakfast, lunch, and happy hour. An afterparty at at hip bar in Oakland. And that's just days 1 and 2.
🤝 AI-Assisted Matchmaking: We've partnered with Boardy, an AI Superconnector to help you meet the right people at FounderX and beyond. Plus, every attendee gets 12 months of Boardy Pro for free!
🌎 Access to STEP San Francisco: Day 3 of FounderX converges on STEP San Francisco, where you'll get special access and our own dedicated space at the premier international Silicon Valley conference. 50+ speakers, four stages, and thousands of attendees.
❯❯ Meetup members get $300 off here: https://luma.com/659pksxq?coupon=GJ3H7P
TO REGISTER, YOU MUST RSVP AND PAY AT THE LINK ABOVE. RSVPING TO THIS MEETUP DOES NOT GRANT YOU ACCESS TO THIS EVENT.
Previous speakers for FounderX events include Steve Jurvetson (DFJ), Esther Dyson (Angel & Philanthropist), Jason Calacanis (Author, angel, and "All-In" host), Allison Ellsworth (Co-Founder of Poppi), Evan Goldberg (Co-Founder of Netsuite), and many more.
See all the latest event details at http://FounderX.com (exact details and speakers will not be updated on this Meetup page).
Please note: this event is mainly for Founder Institute investors, alumni, mentors, and leaders - so Meetup availability will expire.
The goal of FounderX is to facilitate meaningful connections and learning across the FI and Decile Group Networks, which span 40,000+ innovators across 100+ countries and 6 continents.
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2 attendees
How to Create a Great First Startup Pitch using AI
·OnlineOnlineAI is a powerful tool to help aspiring entrepreneurs create a great pitch, but when used poorly it can also produce a pitch that sounds just like every other. Jonathan Greechan (Co-Founder & CEO of Founder Institute, GP at Founder Capital) has worked with 10,000+ startups in his career and seen even more pitches. On this live event, he'll walk you through a structured process to create the first pitches for your startup idea, and share the tools and prompts founders are using in the Founder Institute to create memorable and effective pitches.
❯❯ RSVP now at https://fi.co/startupwebinar/26692 to get your link and join us live!
❯ What You'll Learn:
- How to create an elevator pitch and your first pitch deck
- Which AI tools to use, and which to skip, during the pitch formation process
- How Investors look at startup pitches
- Helpful AI prompts, skills, and tools to supercharge your pitch-building process
❯ Featured Speaker:
- Jonathan Greechan - Co-Founder & CEO of the Founder Institute - Jonathan Greechan is the Co-Founder & CEO of the Founder Institute, the world's largest pre-seed startup accelerator. Since 2009, he has grown and scaled the organization to chapters in over 200 and across over 100 countries, producing over 9,000 portfolio companies with nearly $2BN in venture funding. In his long career in tech and marketing, Jonathan has advised thousands of startups on marketing, growth, and product strategy and has spoken at startup conferences on four continents.
❯ Who Should Attend?
- Aspiring founders who want to start a business but lack technical skills
- Entrepreneurs exploring how AI can accelerate their startup journey
- Professionals considering launching a side project or solo startup
- Early-stage founders interested in AI-powered workflows
.
❯❯ Don’t miss this live, interactive online event packed with valuable insights! RSVP now at https://fi.co/startupwebinar/26692 to get your link and join us live!1 attendee
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