Rippling & Notion Founder & VC Link-Up
- Date
- 2025-05-07
- Location
- San Francisco, CA, USA
- Host
- Rippling Startup Events Calendar
About this event
If you build, back, or bet on early-stage companies, this is the kind of room you want to be in. Rippling & Notion Founder & VC Link-Up brings together founders, operators, and investors in San Francisco for an evening built around real conversations, strong network overlap, and the kind of introductions that can actually move things forward. This is not a conference and it is not a passive panel night. It is a focused, in-person meetup for people who care about company-building, product, hiring, fundraising, and the practical realities of scaling ambitious businesses in the Bay Area tech ecosystem. About the Event At its core, this event is a founder and VC link-up: a chance for people across the startup stack to meet in one room and talk candidly about what they are building, where they are investing, and what they are looking for next. The emphasis is on connection, relevance, and momentum rather than formal programming for its own sake. The title signals the audience clearly: people interested in the worlds around companies like Rippling and Notion, and more broadly the community of startup builders and investors in San Francisco. If you are looking to meet peers who think seriously about product, growth, talent, operations, and company formation, this event is designed with that in mind. Because this is an in-person meetup, the value comes from the density of the room. You are not showing up to sit quietly in the back. You are showing up to have conversations with people who may become collaborators, advisors, customers, talent, or future backers. Expect a social but purposeful format. The best version of an event like this leaves you with a handful of memorable conversations, a few follow-ups you are genuinely excited to send, and a better sense of who is building what in San Francisco right now. What to Expect The evening starts at 6:30 PM PDT on Tuesday, May 6 and is structured to make it easy to settle in quickly and start meeting people without awkward friction. You can expect a flow that feels more like a curated community gathering than a formal stage-driven event. A typical rhythm for a night like this includes: Arrival and check-in with time to get oriented and start informal conversations Open networking with founders, operators, and investors across tech Warm introductions that help bridge people with shared interests or complementary goals Organic small-group conversations around startup ideas, fundraising, hiring, product strategy, and scaling What makes this format effective is that it gives you room to choose your own path through the evening. You might spend one stretch talking shop with other founders, another comparing notes with operators, and another learning what investors are paying attention to right now. If you come prepared to introduce yourself clearly and ask thoughtful questions, you will get much more out of the night. This is the kind of setting where a concise explanation of what you are building, what stage you are at, and what you are looking for can open the door to much stronger conversations. Why Attend For founders, the biggest benefit is access to a room that can shorten the distance between idea and momentum. Whether you are validating an early concept, hiring key people, refining your story, or thinking ahead to fundraising, the right conversation can save weeks of guesswork. For investors and startup operators, the value is equally practical. You get a live read on what smart builders in San Francisco are working on, what problems are top of mind, and where there may be opportunities to help, partner, or invest. You should attend if you care about: Meeting high-signal people in a startup-focused environment Expanding your network beyond cold outreach and online profiles Finding collaborators, talent, or advisors through real conversation Staying close to the SF tech community in a more personal, immediate way Learning through direct exchange rather than polished presentations There is also a less obvious benefit: context. In startup ecosystems, context matters almost as much as contacts. Hearing how people are thinking about company-building right now can sharpen your own decisions, challenge your assumptions, and help you spot where your next opportunity might come from. Practical Details This event is in person in San Francisco, USA, which makes it especially useful for people who want to build local relationships they can continue after the event. Face-to-face interaction still creates a different level of trust and recall than digital networking, especially in a city where chance follow-ups and repeat encounters can quickly turn into something meaningful. The event takes place on Tuesday, May 6 at 6:30 PM PDT. Evening timing makes it accessible for people coming from work while still leaving enough room for substantial conversation once everyone has arrived. A few ways to make the most of it: Come ready with a clear 20-second introduction about who you are and what you are working on Be specific about what you are looking for, whether that is feedback, talent, customers, or investment relationships Leave room in your schedule so you do not have to rush out right after arriving Plan to follow up with the most relevant people within a day or two while the conversation is still fresh If you are selective about where you spend your time, this event is for choosing connection quality over event volume. Show up ready to talk, listen, and make a few strong new connections in the San Francisco startup community.
Who should attend
This is for people who want more than casual networking and are looking for conversations with real startup relevance. - You are a **founder or aspiring founder** who wants to meet investors, operators, and other builders in San Francisco who understand the realities of starting and scaling a company. - You work as a **startup operator** in product, growth, operations, talent, or go-to-market and want to expand your network with people solving similar problems at ambitious tech companies. - You are a **VC, angel, or scout** looking to spend time with founders in a more natural setting than a formal pitch event. - You are building in the **SF tech ecosystem** and want to stay close to the people, ideas, and opportunities shaping what happens next. - You value **high-signal, in-person connection** and prefer a room where conversations can lead to follow-ups, intros, partnerships, or long-term relationships. - You are comfortable introducing yourself, asking thoughtful questions, and engaging with people across different stages of company-building.