Founders Club NY: Poker Night
- Date
- 2026-04-28
- Location
- New York, NY, USA
- Host
- Not Another CEO
About this event
Founders Club NY: Poker Night is a different kind of networking event: less stiff small talk, more real conversation across the table. If you’re tired of crowded mixers where everyone trades intros and disappears, this is a chance to meet other founders, operators, and ambitious builders in a setting that actually gives people time to connect. The game creates a natural rhythm. You’ll sit with the same group long enough to move past surface-level chatter, while still meeting new people over the course of the evening. Whether you play regularly or just know the basics, the point is simple: spend a night with sharp people in New York and make the kind of connections that feel useful the next day. About the Event Founders Club NY: Poker Night is an in-person social and community gathering built around poker as the format for connection. Instead of centering the night on formal programming, panels, or rushed introductions, the event uses a shared activity to make conversations easier, more relaxed, and more memorable. This works especially well for founder and operator communities because poker naturally reveals how people think. You notice who is analytical, who is bold, who stays calm under pressure, and who knows how to read a room. Those moments often tell you more than a standard networking conversation ever could. Expect a room that feels social first, but still intentional. People are there to have a good time, meet others in the New York startup and business community, and build relationships that may turn into friendships, collaborations, introductions, or future opportunities. You do not need to treat this like a high-stakes competition to get value from it. The structure is designed to make it easy to participate, settle in, and connect with people through the flow of the game and the conversations around it. What to Expect The evening begins at 6:30 PM EDT on Tuesday, April 28 in New York, USA. Early arrivals will have the easiest time getting situated, meeting a few people before play gets going, and easing into the room before tables settle into their rhythm. Once the event is underway, expect a mix of poker, casual conversation, table-to-table introductions, and natural networking. Rather than forcing people into formal icebreakers, the night creates repeated openings to talk: before a hand starts, between rounds, while watching how others play, or when tables shift and new people sit down. A likely flow for the night will feel something like this: Arrival and check-in Casual mingling and getting settled Poker play and rotating conversations Time to connect more directly with people you clicked with A relaxed close to the evening rather than an abrupt finish The atmosphere should feel social, smart, and easy to navigate. Some attendees will come primarily for the community, others for the game itself, and many for both. That mix is part of what makes the night work: there is always a reason to start a conversation, and there is always enough structure that you never feel stranded in the room. Why Attend Most networking events ask you to create momentum from scratch. Poker Night does the opposite: it gives you a shared context, which makes conversations more grounded and more genuine. You are not just exchanging what you do; you are interacting, observing, and building rapport over time. That matters if you care about meeting people you might actually want to know beyond one event. Shared experiences create stronger first impressions than a quick hello ever will. By the end of the night, you are more likely to remember who someone is, what they are building, and whether there is a reason to follow up. You should attend if you want: Better conversations than a typical mixer produces Access to a community-oriented New York crowd A social environment that still attracts ambitious people A more natural way to build trust and familiarity An evening that is enjoyable even if you are not in constant networking mode There is also value in the setting itself. A game changes the energy. It lowers the pressure to perform, gives introverts something to anchor to, and helps extroverts connect without dominating the room. The result is usually more balanced, more human interaction. Practical Details This is an in-person event in New York, USA, scheduled for Tuesday, April 28 at 6:30 PM EDT. Because it is a social evening built around a live activity, plan to arrive on time or slightly early so you can get oriented and make the most of the opening part of the night. The format is best suited to people who are open to conversation, comfortable in a social setting, and interested in meeting others through a shared activity rather than a formal program. You do not need to show up with a rehearsed pitch. In fact, you will likely get more from the event if you come ready to be curious, present, and genuinely interested in the people around you. A few practical ways to prepare: Bring the same energy you would want from others: open, respectful, and engaged Be ready to introduce yourself clearly and briefly If you know poker, great; if not, come willing to learn the flow and enjoy the setting Leave room in your schedule to stay for real conversations instead of rushing out If you are looking for a New York event that blends community, social energy, and meaningful connection without feeling overly programmed, Founders Club NY: Poker Night offers a strong reason to step out and meet the room.
Who should attend
This is for you if you want a more natural, social way to meet people in New York without the forced energy of a standard networking event. - You’re a founder, startup operator, investor, or builder who prefers conversation with context over quick-fire intros and business card swaps. - You enjoy meeting ambitious people in relaxed environments where relationships can develop more organically. - You like the idea of networking through a shared activity, especially one that gives people time to reveal how they think, communicate, and handle pressure. - You’ve been to mixers before and want something with more structure, more personality, and better chances of remembering who you met. - You play poker already and see it as a fun excuse to spend an evening with a strong community crowd. - You’re poker-curious, not necessarily an expert, but open to learning the flow and using the game as a way to settle in and connect. If you want an evening that is social, smart, and grounded in real interaction, you’ll likely feel at home here.