Curated AI events in NYC and SF.
For Students, Developers, and Funded Founders
I run two calibrated tracks: Students / Developers and Funded Founders. We host high-quality hackathons, founder dinners, and premium PMF conversations in NYC and SF.
Design Principles
Built like a real team: curation, context, and execution discipline.
Room Quality First
Attendee quality beats vanity metrics. The right room creates compounding outcomes.
Context by Track
Students/developers and funded founders get separate, purpose-built experiences.
Operator-Led Formats
Events are run with production-level planning, not community chaos.
Real Follow-Through
Dinners, intros, and post-event workflows are built to move relationships forward.
Ecosystem
Trusted by leading organizations
Mission
From discovery to PMF: events that match founder stage and technical depth.
We blend flagship hackathons with intimate founder rooms. Early builders get momentum, while funded teams get high-context peer networks and PMF-level strategy conversations.
See founder dinner formatsAbout James Steinberg
AI researcher, serial entrepreneur, and host of high-signal builder rooms.
Background, operator context, and founder outcomes are documented below. These references explain why these events are run with a tighter standard than generic meetups.
Two Tracks
One network, two intentionally different experiences.
Students / Developers
Execution-heavy programs for technical builders shipping projects and meeting mentors.
- Hackathons with clear build milestones
- Hands-on workshops and technical talks
- Demo-focused events with real feedback loops
Funded Founders
Private founder rooms optimized for tactical growth and high-trust relationship building.
- Curated dinners across NYC and SF
- Operator and investor-adjacent conversation
- Selective PMF conversations and peer exchange
Event Formats
Programmed with card-level precision and strong attendance intent.
JUL 24
NYC
Hello, Robot! Hack Day with Viam and SPC
Hello, Robot! Hack Day with Viam and SPC for the NYC builder network with curated in-person attendance.
JUL 24
SF
Daytona HackSprint w/ Braintrust - SF, July 2026
Daytona HackSprint w/ Braintrust - SF, July 2026 for the SF builder network with curated in-person attendance.
JUL 24
SF
Self-Evolving Agents Hackathon
Self-Evolving Agents Hackathon for the SF builder network with curated in-person attendance.
JUL 24
SF
You.com Agentic Hackathon @ AWS Builder Loft
You.com Agentic Hackathon @ AWS Builder Loft for the SF builder network with curated in-person attendance.
JUL 24
SF
Agents at Work: Brunch on the Rooftop (Private event)
Agents at Work: Brunch on the Rooftop (Private event) for the SF builder network with curated in-person attendance.
JUL 24
SF
Part 2: AI Safety Career Fair & Builders Summit
Part 2: AI Safety Career Fair & Builders Summit for the SF builder network with curated in-person attendance.
JUL 24
SF
Where AI Meets Opportunity - Lunch Panel
Where AI Meets Opportunity - Lunch Panel for the SF builder network with curated in-person attendance.
JUL 24
SF
Goanna Builders Day - SF
Goanna Builders Day - SF for the SF builder network with curated in-person attendance.
JUL 24
SF
Women in AI
Women in AI for the SF builder network with curated in-person attendance.
JUL 24
SF
StarOS Presents BuildDeployWin: Hands-On AI Coding Workshop
StarOS Presents BuildDeployWin: Hands-On AI Coding Workshop for the SF builder network with curated in-person attendance.
JUL 24
NYC
Beyond Vibe Coding: Let's Build Some (Fun) Agents!
Beyond Vibe Coding: Let's Build Some (Fun) Agents! for the NYC builder network with curated in-person attendance.
JUL 24
NYC
New York | Claude Conversation
New York | Claude Conversation for the NYC builder network with curated in-person attendance.
JUL 24
SF
Agent CTOs Fireside Chat | YC Startup School
Agent CTOs Fireside Chat | YC Startup School for the SF builder network with curated in-person attendance.
JUL 24
SF
AI Builder Dinner with Andrew Ng
AI Builder Dinner with Andrew Ng for the SF builder network with curated in-person attendance.
JUL 24
SF
community dinner: staying human in the age of AI agents
community dinner: staying human in the age of AI agents for the SF builder network with curated in-person attendance.
JUL 24
SF
Uncork’s Tasting Table: Women in AI (Foundess, Rho)
Uncork’s Tasting Table: Women in AI (Foundess, Rho) for the SF builder network with curated in-person attendance.
JUL 24
SF
WebA Showcase: Try Each Other's Products
WebA Showcase: Try Each Other's Products for the SF builder network with curated in-person attendance.
JUL 24
SF
Build your AI Organization Workshop
Build your AI Organization Workshop for the SF builder network with curated in-person attendance.
JUL 24
SF
c0mpiled-11: Startup School Hackathon!
c0mpiled-11: Startup School Hackathon! for the SF builder network with curated in-person attendance.
JUL 24
SF
Hacker's Book Club
Hacker's Book Club for the SF builder network with curated in-person attendance.
JUL 24
SF
Post-Singularity Speakeasy (hosted by 500 Global, Zendesk, CRED)
Post-Singularity Speakeasy (hosted by 500 Global, Zendesk, CRED) for the SF builder network with curated in-person attendance.
JUL 24
SF
Scrappy AI Founders (seed to Series B) Fly Fishing in Sierra. Season 1 · Chapter 2
Scrappy AI Founders (seed to Series B) Fly Fishing in Sierra. Season 1 · Chapter 2 for the SF builder network with curated in-person attendance.
JUL 24
SF
Vibe Night Demos (#21)
Vibe Night Demos (#21) for the SF builder network with curated in-person attendance.
JUL 24
SF
YC Startup School Founder & Investor Mixer
YC Startup School Founder & Investor Mixer for the SF builder network with curated in-person attendance.
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Real rooms. Real builders. Real follow-through.
Founder Dinner Series
Funded Founder Rooms
We host intimate dinners across NYC and SF with founders from ecosystems like Y Combinator, Speedrun, and Techstars.
PMF Track
Product-Market-Fit Dinner
More selective than standard founder dinners, this room is generally reserved for teams that have raised $4M+ and are beginning to show PMF.
Contact
Want your next event room to feel this sharp?
If you are building in AI and care about room quality, we should talk.