Uncorked: Reversed Pitch at a Winery (Unofficial SaaStr side event)
- Date
- 2026-05-14
- Location
- Redwood City, CA, USA
- Host
- Salesbricks
About this event
Founders usually spend their time pitching. This time, the tables turn. At Uncorked: Reversed Pitch at a Winery, investors, operators, and ecosystem partners step up to explain what they can offer, while attendees get to listen, ask sharp questions, and make better decisions about who deserves their time. Set in a winery in Redwood City during SaaStr week, this unofficial side event is built for people who want smarter conversations in a more relaxed setting. What Is This? This is a reversed pitch event: instead of startups competing for attention, the people who typically sit on the other side of the table share how they work, what kinds of companies they support, and where they can actually be helpful. That shift in format makes the night more transparent, more efficient, and often more useful than a standard mixer. Because it is an unofficial SaaStr side event, you can expect the energy of the broader SaaS community without the stiffness that sometimes comes with formal conference programming. The winery setting adds a social layer that makes it easier to move from listening mode into real conversation. This event sits at the intersection of SaaS, tech, wine, and food-drink culture. It is designed for people who want substantive professional interactions, but who would rather have them in a space that feels conversational than overly programmed. What to Expect The evening starts at 5:30 PM PDT on Wednesday, May 13 in Redwood City, with an in-person format that makes room for both structured content and casual networking. Expect a flow that feels deliberate without being rigid: people gather, settle in, hear the reversed pitches, and then continue the discussion over drinks and conversation. At the center of the event is the pitch reversal itself. Rather than hearing founder after founder compress their company into a few minutes, attendees will hear from the people, firms, or service providers who want to work with startups. The useful part is not just what they say they do, but how clearly they explain: Who they are best suited to help What kind of support they actually provide How they think about partnerships, investments, or collaboration What founders and operators should ask before engaging After the formal portion, the most valuable part often begins: the chance to talk in smaller groups. A winery is a strong setting for this because it naturally lowers the barrier to conversation. Instead of fighting conference hallway traffic, you can have a real exchange, compare notes with other attendees, and decide which follow-up conversations are worth pursuing. You should also expect a mix of people who are in town for SaaStr and locals from the broader Bay Area tech ecosystem. That blend tends to create better interactions: fresh faces, current operators, and practical conversations grounded in what companies need right now. Why Attend If you are a founder, this format can save you time. Instead of taking a series of one-off meetings to figure out who understands your stage, category, or growth challenges, you get an immediate sense of who communicates clearly, who has relevant experience, and who may actually be useful to your business. If you work in SaaS as an operator, advisor, or builder, this is a strong environment for high-signal networking. You are not just collecting business cards; you are hearing how people think. That makes it easier to identify aligned partners, strategic contacts, and future collaborators. There is also a practical advantage to the setting. Conference weeks can be noisy and transactional. An event like this creates room for more honest conversations about what people need, what they offer, and how they prefer to work together. That leads to better next steps and fewer vague follow-ups. You may leave with: A clearer sense of which investors or partners fit your goals Better questions to ask in future meetings New connections in the SaaS and tech community A more grounded, less performative networking experience Practical Details This is an in-person event in Redwood City, USA, taking place at a winery. The location choice matters: it signals that the event is meant to feel welcoming and social while still being useful for serious professional conversation. The event begins on Wednesday, May 13 at 5:30 PM PDT. Since it is an evening gathering, it works well as a post-conference or post-work stop, especially for people already moving through the wider SaaStr orbit. Because this is positioned as an unofficial side event, attendees should expect something more intimate and personality-driven than a large convention session. Come ready to listen, ask thoughtful questions, and stay long enough for the informal conversations afterward. A few ways to get the most from the evening: Arrive on time so you catch the reversed pitches from the start Bring context on what you are building or working on if you want stronger follow-up conversations Use the social setting well by prioritizing a few meaningful interactions over dozens of quick introductions Stay curious; the value of the format comes from hearing how others define the help they offer If you care about SaaS, want a sharper alternative to standard networking, and like the idea of having those conversations in a winery rather than a crowded expo hall, this event makes a strong case for your evening.
Who should attend
If you want smarter SaaStr-week conversations in a setting that feels social but still useful, this is likely a strong fit. - **You are a founder** who wants to evaluate investors, partners, or service providers more efficiently instead of repeating your own pitch all night. - **You work in SaaS or tech as an operator** and want to meet people around current company-building challenges, not just trade surface-level intros. - **You are in town for SaaStr** and want an evening event that is more relaxed than the main conference but still connected to the same ecosystem. - **You value high-signal networking** and prefer hearing how people think, who they help, and where they add value before deciding to follow up. - **You enjoy events with a strong setting** and like the idea of combining business conversation with a winery atmosphere and food-drink energy. - **You are selective with your time** and want an event where the format helps you quickly identify relevant people, useful conversations, and next steps worth pursuing.