This week has been a lot, but it has also been fun!

Next Wednesday I will have hosted 4 events in 7 days😱. My record so far. But now back to what happened on Wednesday!

You know what happened? Yes, Rare Founders open mic pitching and networking event for founders and investors.

Sadly from 30 investors registered just a couple showed up ☹ But 200+ founders for sure got tons of value from the event anyway!

I see an interesting trend, each time we get more and more advanced startups with some mind-blowing businesses. (Top 2 for me: new type of industrial battery that can store energy for much longer than anything else available out there, AI powered tool that can read the online sentiment on businesses and evaluate the potential of it being a cyber attack by bots to damage reputation).

The highlight of the event was Saranjit Sangar, the CEO of Betterspace. Who shared her journey as a female startup leader on what it takes to build a startup in the current environment.

A few learnings:

1. founders need to be driven by passion, as if they are driven by money, they will be disappointed (at least in the short term).

2. Fundraising never stops and specifically in the UK it is relationship driven.

3. Networking and relationship building are key for startup success. It takes time, huge effort, should not be transactional, but it eventually pays off.

This time we also had some surprises for founders:

Julia O'Toole, co-founder of MyCena Security Solutions and Nkeiruka Whenu, Founder of Web3sy won free tickets to C3 Dev Festival in Amsterdam on 14-15 June. Polina Bertosh, thank you a lot for this amazing prize!

3 founders (Nkeiruka Whenu, Rupert Holms, Mike Adams) will enter a draw to pitch at London’s largest demo day and investor & founder conference on 22 April 2024. In the coming days, I will be posting their pitch video from the event. The post that gets the most engagement will be shortlisted to pitch at the event. Pretty simple.

That’s all for now. Open mic pitching event will be back soon❤️

Huge thank you to Raushan Irgaliyeva Nikita Pevnev and Luca Spiller for helping out at the event and to Michael Nugent for welcoming us again to Dockside Vaults ❤️

The more you have, the more you fear losing it.

Monday, RareFounders - The London Startup Scene hosted its first open mic hashtag#pitching and hashtag#networking event of the year.

Since launching nearly a year ago, I've hosted over 10 events, each drawing an average of 250 attendees. But nothing is guaranteed, and I've come to realize the seasonality involved.

January was our first attempt at a post-New Year event, and Dry January's impact on attendance was a concern, as many opt out of alcohol-involved gatherings.

RareFounders Embraces the Spooky Season with a Spectacular Startup Bash! 🎃👻

Despite a last-minute venue cancellation and the emergence of copycat events, RareFounders - The London Startup Scene triumphed once again, hosting a spooktacular networking and pitching event that embraced the Halloween spirit. 🎉 It was a night where founders and investors proved that serious business can be seriously fun!

RareFounders Rocks Omeara: A Startup Spectacle of Grit and Triumph! 🌟🎸🚀

We did it again, and this time, it was not just a gathering; it was a celebration of the indomitable spirit of London's startup community at the illustrious Omeara stage, courtesy of TVG Hospitality. Despite the odds, the event surpassed expectations, turning potential setbacks into a night to remember. 💫🎉

RareFounders Raises the Bar: A Night of Networking, Pitching, and Startup Revelations! 🔥

Each RareFounders event feels like a new peak conquered, and last night was no exception. The London Startup Scene was abuzz with an electric mix of networking, pitching, and spontaneous fun that resonated throughout the venue.