Curated Social Poker with Tech Founders #37
- Date
- 2026-06-11
- Location
- London, England, United Kingdom
- Host
- TechGames
About this event
If you do your best conversations away from conference halls and crowded mixers, this night will feel like a better use of your time. Curated Social Poker with Tech Founders #37 brings together people in tech for an in-person evening in London where the atmosphere is social, the format is structured enough to make meeting people easy, and the poker gives everyone a shared activity instead of forced small talk. This is built for people who value good company, sharp conversation, and a room where the mix of attendees matters. Whether you come for the game, the founder community, or the chance to spend a Thursday evening with ambitious, interesting people, the format is designed to help real connections happen naturally. About the Event At its core, this is a community-driven social poker night for people in and around tech. The focus is not on high-pressure competition or a generic networking event where everyone circles the room collecting introductions. It is a curated gathering where poker acts as the structure that makes conversations easier, more relaxed, and more memorable. The appeal of poker in this setting is simple: it creates a shared rhythm. You are not standing around trying to invent an opening line every few minutes. You are sitting with a small group, reading the room, talking between hands, and getting a much better sense of how people think, build, and communicate. That tends to produce a different kind of connection than a standard meet-and-greet. Because this is the #37 edition, the event also carries the feel of an ongoing series rather than a one-off experiment. People who come to gatherings like this usually care about the quality of the room: founders, operators, builders, and tech-minded people who appreciate a more intentional social format. Expect an evening that is social first, structured second, and transactional last. The point is not to pitch everyone at the table. The point is to spend time with smart people in a setting that rewards patience, personality, and genuine interaction. What to Expect The evening starts Thursday, June 11 at 6:00 PM GMT+1 in London and unfolds as an in-person social experience built around poker and conversation. Rather than a packed agenda with back-to-back programming, the event format is likely to feel more fluid and table-based, giving people time to settle in, meet others, and ease into the room. You can expect a mix of: Introductions and table conversation as people arrive and get oriented Social poker play that gives the evening structure without making it feel rigid Natural networking between hands, rounds, and table changes Smaller-group interaction that makes it easier to go beyond surface-level chat A curated community atmosphere with people who share an interest in tech, startups, and thoughtful conversation One of the strengths of this format is that it balances activity with openness. Poker gives you something to do, but it also creates space for discussion about products, companies, hiring, fundraising, new ideas, career moves, and the realities of building in tech. Some conversations will stay light and social; others may become unexpectedly useful. If you have ever left a large networking event feeling like you met plenty of people but did not really connect with any of them, this setup aims to solve that. Sitting across a table from the same people for longer stretches tends to create more honest, interesting exchanges. Why Attend For founders and tech professionals, time is limited, and most evening events are not worth much beyond a change of scenery. This one offers a clearer value proposition: meet strong people in a format that helps conversation happen organically. The poker is not a gimmick. It is the mechanism that makes the social dynamic better. There is also a real difference between meeting someone in passing and spending an evening sharing a table. You get a better read on their temperament, curiosity, communication style, and sense of humor. For people building companies, hiring teams, exploring ideas, or simply wanting a stronger network in London tech, that depth matters. You might attend because you want to: Build relationships with founders and operators outside formal work settings Expand your network without the awkwardness of typical networking events Spend time with people who are ambitious, engaged, and enjoyable to be around Add a recurring community event to your calendar that feels both social and useful Enjoy a more relaxed way to meet people in tech than panels, demo nights, or loud mixers Even if you are not usually drawn to networking events, this may be a better fit precisely because it does not revolve around networking as a performance. It revolves around a shared table, a bit of strategy, and the kind of conversation that develops when people have time to relax and engage. Practical Details This is an in-person event in London, United Kingdom, taking place on Thursday, June 11 at 6:00 PM GMT+1. If you are based in London or nearby, it is a straightforward after-work option that offers more substance than a standard social night out. Because the event is in person and community-led, it is worth arriving ready to participate rather than observe from the edges. The most rewarding version of the evening comes from being open to meeting new people, joining the flow of the tables, and treating the poker as both a game and a conversation starter. A few useful expectations to keep in mind: This is best suited to people who enjoy interactive, social formats The event combines community and activity, so you do not need to force conversation nonstop The London setting makes it especially relevant for local founders and tech professionals looking to deepen relationships in the city The evening starts at 6:00 PM, so plan like you would for an after-work gathering rather than a drop-in conference session If you want a room full of the right people, a format that makes talking easier, and a Thursday night that feels genuinely well spent, this event does exactly that. It is a simple idea executed in a way that gives founders and tech professionals a better environment to meet, talk, and enjoy the evening.
Who should attend
This is for you if you want stronger conversations than a typical networking event and you like the idea of meeting people through a shared activity rather than working the room. - **You are a founder, operator, builder, or investor in tech** and want to meet peers in a setting that feels more natural than panels or mixers. - **You enjoy poker or are curious about the social format around it**, especially if you like environments where strategy, personality, and conversation all matter. - **You are London-based or regularly spend time in the London tech scene** and want to deepen your local network with people you would actually want to see again. - **You prefer smaller-group interaction over loud, crowded events**, and you tend to have better conversations when there is a shared table and a bit of structure. - **You are intentional about how you spend your evenings** and want an event that can be both enjoyable and professionally useful without feeling transactional. - **You value curated communities** and are looking for smart, ambitious people who are easier to get to know when the format gives everyone time to settle in.