What we’re about
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.\
\
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.\
\
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!\
\
Join the group to be invited to our next event!
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- Pitch, Connect, Grow: Women Pitch PracticeConference Center, San Francisco, CA
Looking to sharpen your startup pitch? Whether you’re prepping for investors, an accelerator, or just want to get more confident telling your story — this event is for you.
Join us for an evening of practical pitch training + open mic pitching in a friendly, supportive space for women founders.
What to Expect
👉 30-min Workshop – Learn the essentials of crafting a clear, compelling pitch.
👉 Open Pitch Night – Step on stage for a 2-minute pitch and get live feedback from peers and experienced judges.
👉 Networking – Connect with other inspiring women building amazing companies.
You’ll Walk Away With- How to clearly explain your idea and value
- Tips for making a strong, memorable first impression
- Tools to tell your story with confidence and authenticity
- Practice answering tough investor questions
- Live feedback to level up your pitch
📅 Agenda
5:00PM – 6:00 PM | Dinner & Networking
6:00PM – 6:30PM | Fundraising & Pitch Workshop (Jeni Chang)
6:30PM - 7:30PM | Open 2 minutes Pitch Practice
With feedback from:
Mariane Bekker, Managing Partner, Founders Bay
Jeni Chang, Managing Director, Founder Institute
Milly Wang, Vice President, 65 Equity Partners
Natalie Pan, Founder, Funding Breakthrough Lab
7:30 – 8:00 PM | NetworkingWho Pitches?
Women from the audience and will do as many as time allows. Please limit pitches to 2 min MAX.Spectators are welcome!
Even if you don't want to pitch, you are invited to register, hear startup ideas, and watch how the experts analyze and critique new businesses.## 💥💥**RSVP HERE: https://lu.ma/qylset8z ** 💥💥
Hosted by Founder Institute, Founders Bay & Funding Breakthrough Lab
Interested about the SF/OAK program? Meet the SF Directors! Jeni & David
Our upcoming Fall cohort starts soon! Early deadline Aug 31 ($200 off)
➡️ https://fi.co/san-francisco - Step SF 2025: The AI & Tech Startup ConferenceMidway, San Francisco, CA
Global expansion as a startup is a beast. As an AI startup it's become even more complex.
💠Jeni Chang, our very own Managing Director (SF/Oak) will be sharing thoughts on it's unique challenges, funding, the right kind of capital, navigating market entry decisions and localization pitfalls.
💠If you're looking into broadening your international reach, She'd love to see you there!### Session "From Seed to Scale: Financing AI Startups Beyond Borders" - 8/21 @ 2:50 pm
### Joining the discussion:
🔹Sara Rona - Silicon Valley Bank
🔹Ashish A. Aggarwal - Chamaeleon Ventures
🔹Jeni C. - Founder Institute
🔹David Munir Nabti - Bloom.pm (moderator)
Session From Seed to Scale: Financing AI Startups Beyond Borders - 8/21 @ 2:50 pm### Step San Francisco 2025
🎟️ Tickets: https://lnkd.in/ghgYNYPE
💸 Discount code: JENI (https://lu.ma/StepSF25)
Join 1,200+ attendees and 150+ companies as we dive into AI agents, deep tech, GenAI, and global scaling - right in the heart of Silicon Valley.
Step is the global tech conference for founders, investors, and innovators - connecting thriving startup scenes across North America, the Middle East, and Europe.Here’s what to expect:
✨ Talks & Panels with top minds in AI, deeptech, and VC
🚀 Startup Showcase with investor meetings and live demos
🧠 Expo Area packed with new tools, products, and future-shaping tech***
View the Step SF 2025 schedule
🗓️ 20 August 2025:
5-7pm: Pitch Competition @ SVB Offices
7-11pm: Opening Party @ Barbarossa Lounge
🗓️ 21 August 2025:
9am-5.30pm: Step SF Main Event @ The Midway
6-8pm: Step SF Closing Party @ The Midway***
Interested about the SF/OAK program? Meet the SF Directors! Jeni & David
Our upcoming Fall cohort starts soon! Early deadline Aug 31 ($200 off)
➡️ https://fi.co/san-francisco - Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert FeedbackLink visible for attendees
To launch a great startup, it is critical to get feedback on your ideas from entrepreneurs who have been there and done that. On this live online event, we will gather several startup experts ready to provide feedback for entrepreneurs who aspire to be investor-ready. The event will start by providing guidelines to create a compelling elevator pitch, and then attendees will have the opportunity to share their pitch with other entrepreneurs, advisors, and investors at virtual tables for instant feedback. Even if you don't want to share your pitch, you can still join to hear other startup ideas and witness how the experts review a pitch.
ㅤ
❯ What You'll Learn:- How to give a concise, yet compelling, elevator pitch
- What investors are looking for in a startup pitch
- Specific advice and feedback on your pitch and startup ideas
ㅤ
❯ To get the most out of this Pitch for Feedback event:- Come ready for live video networking.
- Prepare by starting with your one-sentence pitch. See how it's done using our One Sentence Pitch Format.
- Fill out our Elevator Pitch Worksheet at http://bit.ly/FI-elevatorpitch
Additional Resources:
Find more Startup Events, discover Pitch Deck formats, and join an InfoSession to learn more about FI's Core Program.
ㅤ
ㅤ
❯❯ This live, interactive online event promises valuable insights! Ensure your participation by RSVPing now at 👉 https://fi.co/startupwebinar/19164 to receive the link to join us live! - Ask an Investor Anything: Q&A with Rich MaloyLink visible for attendees
Do you want to ask questions to startup investors about fundraising in a friendly, judgment-free environment? Are you looking to raise funding in the future, and want to learn what investors look for and how they evaluate potential investments? Then join us for this live, interactive Q&A event featuring Rich Maloy, Managing Partner at SpringTime Ventures. Don't miss this opportunity to expand your network and ask in-depth questions - Register now!
.
❯ What You'll Learn:- Key metrics and pre-requisites for raising funding
- How to make yourself more attractive to investors
- The best ways to source different funding resources such as Angel investors, Venture Capitalists, grants and loans
.
❯ Featured Speakers:- Rich Maloy - Managing Partner at SpringTime Ventures - Rich's mission is to rebuild the American dream through entrepreneurship. He works with early stage startups transforming the world, giving all people the opportunity to grow, learn and earn. With prior careers in finance and sales, he's now focused on startups investing through SpringTime Ventures where he is a Managing Partner. He's a father of two young children and loves sci-fi, skiing, and video games.
About the FI Venture Network
The FI Venture Network is an exclusive network of investors actively funding pre-seed and seed-stage startups before anyone else. Learn more by visiting the FI Venture Network page.
.
❯❯ This live, interactive online event promises valuable insights! Ensure your participation by RSVPing now at 👉 https://fi.co/startupwebinar/19495 to receive the link to join us live!
