Work hard. Get good grades. Land a spot at a prestigious university. Win at life.

But what if the story is more complicated than that?

We recently came across an upcoming talk by author, professor, and Emmy-winning creator Evan Mandery that asks a provocative question: “Are Ivy Leagues Evil?”

Before you dismiss it as another academic lecture, it sounds like the exact opposite.

Every once in a while, we come across an event that sparks a genuinely interesting question. This week, it’s this one: Are Ivy Leagues Evil? Hosted by PhDs & Pints, this discussion explores the intersection of elite education, privilege, ambition, and opportunity in America today.

Topics include:

• Why college admissions became so competitive

• The hidden advantages wealthy families quietly use

• Whether elite schools actually create success

• Why even successful parents feel trapped in the admissions race

• What all of this says about status, success, and modern America

Whether you’re a founder, parent, student, educator, or simply someone curious about how institutions shape opportunity, this looks like a fascinating discussion.

Event Details

📍 Sugar Mouse NYC, New York, NY

📅 Wednesday, June 10

🕖 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM

🎤 Hosted by PhDs & Pints

View Details

We thought this would be valuable for members of the Startup+ community, so we’re passing it along.

While we’re sharing interesting events happening around NYC, don’t forget that our next Startup+ gathering is just around the corner.

Startup+ Networking Night returns on July 2nd, bringing together founders, investors, operators, and ambitious professionals from across the ecosystem.

If you’re looking to meet great people, exchange ideas, and become part of a growing community of builders, we’d love to see you there.

Reserve your spot for July 2nd

Reserve your spot for July 2nd

See you soon,
Aneesh Lal, Founder
Jaynish Shah, Community Lead
Team Startup+
🌐 www.startupplus.club

This is the second and final drop of complimentary subscriber-only tickets for our upcoming Startup+ networking event.

As always, our newsletter subscribers get first access before tickets are released publicly. RSVP Now!!!

Once these complimentary tickets are claimed, the event will go live on public platforms, and this ticket tier will be permanently closed.

RSVP Now

Why this matters

Last chance for complimentary access

In just a few hours, the event will be released publicly. Once that happens, complimentary subscriber tickets will no longer be available.

Subscriber advantage

This early-access window is reserved exclusively for our newsletter community before the broader NYC startup ecosystem gets access.

Limited capacity

Our previous networking events have reached capacity quickly, and we expect this one to fill up even faster.

Get your seat reserved today

What to Expect

• Meaningful networking with founders, investors, operators, and creators

• High-quality conversations without the typical event fluff

• New connections, opportunities, and collaborations

• A relaxed venue designed for genuine relationship-building

Ready to Join?

Claim Your Complimentary Ticket Now

Only registrations through our official event page will be honored at the door.

Thank you for being part of the Startup+ community. Early access starts here, and this is your final opportunity to secure a complimentary ticket before public release.

See you on July 2nd. 🚀
Aneesh Lal, Founder
Jaynish Shah, Community Lead
Team Startup+
🌐 www.startupplus.club

We’re giving Startup+ subscribers first access to our next networking mixer on July 2nd in NYC before tickets go public.

RSVP Now

Over the last few events, we’ve brought together hundreds of founders, investors, operators, and builders for meaningful conversations and valuable connections.

Subscriber-only tickets are available now. Once we open registrations publicly, complimentary spots tend to disappear quickly.

Claim your spot before everyone else.

RSVP Now →

See you on July 02nd,
Aneesh Lal, Founder
Jaynish Shah, Community Lead
Team Startup+
🌐 www.startupplus.club

The only question is whether you’ll be there to meet them.

This is your last call.

Over 100+ founders, investors, operators, and builders have already confirmed their attendance.

Tomorrow’s room will be packed with people building companies, making investments, hiring talent, exploring opportunities, and creating partnerships. The conversations, introductions, and opportunities will happen whether you’re there or not.

We’ve seen people meet future co-founders, investors, clients, employees, advisors, and lifelong friends at Startup+ events.

RSVP Now

By this time tomorrow, the event will be underway. If you’ve been meaning to get more connected to the startup ecosystem, this is the room.

Final chance to secure your spot before registration closes.

RSVP Now

See you in the room,

Aneesh Lal, Founder
Jaynish Shah, Community Lead
Team Startup+
🌐 www.startupplus.club

Not just collect LinkedIn connections.
Not just attend another “business event.”
But genuinely build relationships, opportunities, friendships, startups, careers, and communities.

And somehow… it grew into something much bigger than we ever imagined. 🚀

25,000+ NYC Tech Community Members ❤️

Today, Startup+ has grown into one of NYC’s largest tech communities.

Over the past few years:

• We’ve hosted events across New York City 🗽

• Helped founders meet investors 💰

• Connected startups with talent 👩‍💻

• Helped creators, freelancers, developers, designers, and operators find their people

• Created thousands of real-world connections that started from a simple conversation

And the best part?

People keep coming back because the vibe feels real.

No corporate energy.
No fake networking.
No awkward rooms.

Just ambitious people helping each other grow.

Join The Community 🚀

Officially Recognized as a Meetup Super Organizer 🏆

We’re incredibly grateful to share that Startup+ has been recognized as a Super Organizer on Meetup.

That badge isn’t just about hosting events.

It represents:
✨ consistency
✨ community trust
✨ great experiences
✨ and years of bringing people together

We genuinely appreciate every single person who has shown up, supported, volunteered, collaborated, or simply invited a friend.

This community exists because of YOU. ❤️

Be a part of Startup+, if not already

Why We Do This

Because one conversation can change everything.

A co-founder.
A client.
A job opportunity.
An investor introduction.
A friendship.
A completely new direction in life.

That’s the power of being in the room.

And honestly?

In a world full of endless scrolling and online noise… real human conversations matter more than ever.

Join us on June 04th

We’re Looking For Partners 🤝

As Startup+ continues to grow, we’re looking to collaborate with amazing people and brands in NYC.

📍 Looking for Venue Partners

Own or manage a cool venue in NYC?
We’d love to host future founder & tech community events there.

🎥 Looking for Local Creator Partners

If you create content around startups, tech, NYC culture, founders, business, or community, let’s collaborate.

We’re always excited to work with creators who genuinely love building communities.

Reach out to contact@startupplus.club

Thank you,

Aneesh Lal, Founder
Jaynish Shah, Community Lead
Team Startup+
🌐 www.startupplus.club

❌ Not another Zoom call.
❌ Not another LinkedIn DM.
❌ Not another “we should catch up sometime.”

Just real conversations. Real founders. Real energy. 🚀

Whether you’re:

• building your startup,

• looking for co-founders,

• hiring,

• fundraising,

• freelancing,

• exploring ideas,

• or simply trying to meet ambitious people...

…this room is for you.

Reserve Your Spot 🚀

Last few events completely blew us away.
Founders met investors.
People found jobs.
Creators found collaborators.
And honestly… some people just made really good friends.

That’s the magic of showing up.

✨ No awkward “networking vibes.”
✨ No suits and boring panels.
✨ Just good conversations, games, drinks, music, and ambitious people.

Why People Keep Coming Back 👀

Because every single event feels different.

One conversation can:

• change your career,

• lead to your next startup,

• bring your first client,

• or introduce you to someone who completely changes your perspective.

You genuinely never know who you’ll meet.

And that’s why these events matter.

Join The Networking Mixer

What To Expect 🎉

🎤 Founders & startup operators
💼 Investors & builders
🎨 Creators & marketers
🤖 AI, tech & startup crowd
🎱 Games, music & casual vibes
📸 Great people & great energy

No pressure.
No pitching on stage.
No complicated agenda.

Just walk in, grab a drink, and start talking. 🍻

RSVP Now

We’ve already seen hundreds of amazing people join Startup+ events over the years, and every event reminds us of one thing:

The internet helps you connect.
But in-person conversations build opportunities.

See you June 04th. 🚀

Aneesh Lal, Founder
Jaynish Shah, Community Lead
Team Startup+
🌐 www.startupplus.club

Too crowded. Too transactional. Too many people trying to “network” without actually connecting.

But every once in a while, there’s one room everyone remembers. This year, that room might be Startup+.

120+ Founders, Operators & Investors. One Room.

Backed by a 25,000+ member tech community in NYC.

Everyone is searching for the same thing:

High-signal people.

That’s exactly why we built Startup+.

Over the last few years, Startup+ has grown into one of NYC’s fastest-growing startup communities with 25,000+ founders, operators, investors, and tech professionals across our network.

On June 04 in NYC, we’re bringing together:

• Founders

• Startup Operators

• Investors

• Engineers

• Product Leaders

• AI Builders

• Creators

• Early-stage startup teams

Not for awkward networking. For real conversations.

BE IN THE ROOM

Most Networking Events Feel The Same.

Startup+ Doesn’t.

You know the type of event:

• Surface-level conversations

• People pitching immediately

• Zero meaningful follow-up

You leave with 15 LinkedIn connections and remember none of them.

Startup+ was designed differently.

People come here because they’re actively building.

Not “thinking about starting something.”

Actually building.

The conversations naturally become better when the room is filled with ambitious people.

That’s what makes Startup+ special.

Join Startup+

Why NY Tech Week Matters So Much

New York becomes one giant startup ecosystem during NY Tech Week.

Founders, VCs, operators, creators, and engineers are all moving through the city at the same time.

One good introduction can lead to:

• Your next hire

• Your next cofounder

• An investor intro

• A partnership

• Your next startup opportunity

• Your first customer

The hardest part isn’t finding events.

It’s finding the right room.

Be a part of the room - June 04th

We Built Startup+ For Builders

Our community includes:

• SaaS founders

• AI startup teams

• Product managers

• Engineers

• Startup marketers

• Operators

• Investors

• Technical builders

• Creative entrepreneurs

Some are fundraising. Some are launching products. Some are exploring their next startup. Some are simply looking to meet ambitious people in tech. Some are hiring. Some are building quietly. Some are looking for what’s next.

But everyone in the room is ambitious.

And that changes the energy completely.

Join us on June 04

The Biggest Advantage Of Startup+? The People.

Most events optimize for attendance numbers.

We optimize for the quality of people in the room.

Because one strong connection matters more than 50 shallow ones.

That’s why people keep returning.

Not because of flashy production.

Because they consistently meet interesting people.

June 04th | 5pm

NYC Is Becoming The Best Place To Build

There’s a reason the NYC tech scene is exploding.

The density of talent here is unmatched.

In one week, you can meet:

• founders building AI products

• operators scaling venture-backed startups

• angel investors

• creators with distribution

• engineers building the next big thing

And during NY Tech Week, that density multiplies.

The right room matters more than ever.

Join us on June 04th

Final Thought

A lot of people will attend NY Tech Week.

Very few will leave with real relationships.

The people who do? - They’re intentional about where they spend their time.

Startup+ is built to be one of those rooms.

If you’re building in tech, startups, AI, product, or venture — this is where you want to be.

See you on June 04th,
Aneesh Lal, Founder
Jaynish Shah, Community Lead
Team Startup+
🌐 www.startupplus.club

As we promised during our last event, we are opening the gates just for our community subscribers: a fresh Startup+ networking mixer on Thursday, June 04th at 5 PM, & you get first dibs on the subscriber-only tickets.

We’re keeping this private for now. After that, it goes live on Meetup, Eventbrite, and everywhere else… and the complimentary spots usually vanish in a couple of hours.

Next event in a nutshell

• Where: Sour Mouse NYC, Lower East Side | June 04th, Thursday 5:00 PM

• Why: Real conversations, zero fluff, and our favorite ping-pong backdrop

• Who: Founders, investors, operators - new faces & returning friends

RSVP Now!

We should now start claiming to be one of the prominent event builders. Let the numbers speak from our last couple of events.

We hope you’ll grab your spot now rather than be on the waitlist later.

RSVP Now!

Thanks for being part of this community, excited to kick off April together.

See you on June 04th,
Aneesh Lal, Founder
Jaynish Shah, Community Lead
Team Startup+
🌐 www.startupplus.club

🔥 134 people already registered and spots are filling up fast.

If you’ve been thinking about joining, now’s the time. Doors open at 5 PM, and we’re expecting a high-energy evening with founders, builders, and investors from across NYC.

Get your spot now

🤝 What to Expect | Networking Mixer Vibes

Think of this as more than just an event, it’s a curated networking mixer designed for meaningful conversations.

No awkward small talk, just genuine connections:

• Meet founders, operators, and investors in a relaxed setting

• Open-format mingling (no rigid agenda)

• Great energy, real conversations, and opportunity-driven interactions

• Whether you’re hiring, building, or exploring, there’s someone you should meet

Don’t miss your chance to:

• Connect with like-minded innovators

• Discover exciting startups

• Be part of a growing community

⏳ Slots are closing soon — secure yours before it’s too late.

RSVP now before the last spots are gone

See you in the room,

Aneesh Lal, Founder
Jaynish Shah, Community Lead
Team Startup+
🌐 www.startupplus.club

Our upcoming Startup+ Networking Event is almost completely full, and we’re down to the final few spots.

Last time, we had 120+ tech founders, investors, and operators walk into the room and this week is shaping up to be even bigger, with 114 attendes already confirmed. RSVP now!

📍 Venue: Sour Mouse, NYC
📅 Date: Thursday, May 07th
⏰ Time: Doors open at 5PM

See you on May 7th

This isn’t just another networking event where you collect LinkedIn connections and forget names.

This is where:

• Founders meet their first investors

• Operators find their next big opportunity

• Ideas turn into real collaborations

And the reality is, rooms like this don’t stay open for long.

By next week, people will be talking about:

• The connections they made

• The deals they started

• The people they almost didn’t meet

Don’t miss the chance to meet and connect with 120+ of the most driven people in tech.

Because once registrations close, there’s no waitlist, no second round, no replay.

RSVP now before the last spots are gone

See you in the room,

Aneesh Lal, Founder
Jaynish Shah, Community Lead
Team Startup+
🌐 www.startupplus.club

You could spend this Thursday
→ doomscrolling Twitter/X
→ replying “let’s catch up soon” (and never doing it)
→ or attending another event where everyone says “so what are you building?” and walks away mid-answer

…or you could be in the room where it actually happens.

Join us May 7 - 5pm

This Thursday, we’re bringing together 100+ founders, investors, and operators - yes, real humans, not just profile pictures and “thought leaders.”

Instead, expect:

• Conversations that don’t feel forced

• People actually building interesting things

• Serendipity (the good kind, not the “we should grab coffee” kind)

Last time, we had 120+ people show up, founders, investors, operators — and somehow everyone left saying, “that was actually worth it.”

This time?
We’re almost full already. RSVP now

Which means:

• The room will be packed

• The energy will be high

• And if you wait… you’ll be watching stories from people who didn’t hesitate

Let’s be honest —
Opportunities don’t usually come with a calendar invite.

Don’t miss your chance to meet and connect with 100+ builders in one room.

RSVP now before registrations close

See you there (if you’re fast enough),
Aneesh Lal, Founder
Jaynish Shah, Community Lead
Team Startup+
🌐 www.startupplus.club

You show up.
You grab a drink.
You say “what do you do?” about 11 times.
You leave with… maybe 2 LinkedIn connections and one “let’s catch up soon” that never happens.

Cool. Very productive. 10/10 ROI.

But here’s the thing most founders miss:

It’s not the event. It’s the questions you ask.

Because the difference between:

• “just another networking night”
  and

• “this actually changed something for me”

…usually comes down to one good conversation.

And good conversations don’t start with:

“So… what do you do?”

They start with better questions.

Join us on May 7

🧠 1. “What are you currently trying to figure out?”

This question is gold.

It cuts through:

• polished pitches

• rehearsed intros

• “we’re doing great” energy

And gets straight to reality.

You’ll hear things like:

• “Honestly, we’re struggling with distribution”

• “Trying to crack retention right now”

• “We have users… but not the right ones”

Now you’re not networking anymore.
You’re in a real conversation.
And that’s where value starts.

Join Us Now!!

🚀 2. “What’s been working surprisingly well for you?”

Founders LOVE talking about wins they didn’t expect.

Not the obvious stuff.
Not the pitch deck highlights.

The real stuff:

• “This one channel randomly took off”

• “Cold emails actually started converting”

• “We changed one thing and signups doubled”

This is where you get insights you won’t find on Twitter threads or LinkedIn posts.

It’s like unlocking a cheat code… except it’s legal.

May 7 | Doors Open 5pm

😅 3. “What’s been way harder than you thought?”

Now we’re getting honest.

Because behind every “we’re scaling fast” post is:

• something breaking

• something not working

• something stressful

And when someone answers this honestly, two things happen:

1. You learn faster

2. You connect deeper

Also, it’s oddly comforting to hear:

“Oh… it’s not just me.”

🎯 4. “Who would be a great person for you to meet tonight?”

This is how you actually network.

Not by collecting contacts.
But by creating connections.

When you ask this:

• you position yourself as helpful

• you become memorable

• you instantly stand out from 90% of people in the room

And ironically?

This is the fastest way to build a strong network. (Yes, helping others works. Annoying but true.)

🔥 5. “What are you building towards right now?”

Not “what do you do.”

But:

where is this going?

This shifts the conversation from:

• present → future

• features → vision

• job → mission

And you’ll feel the difference.

Energy changes.
People lean in.
The conversation becomes… interesting.

The Real Game

Here’s what most people get wrong:

They think startup events are about meeting more people.

They’re not.

They’re about:

• having better conversations

• going one level deeper

• leaving with real connections

Because one strong conversation > 20 forgettable ones.

Every time.

Meet Interesting People

And That’s Exactly the Energy We’re Building

Startup+ Networking Night isn’t:

• awkward small talk

• surface-level intros

• “what do you do?” on repeat

It’s a room full of:

• founders figuring things out in real-time

• operators sharing what’s actually working

• people open to real conversations

No fluff.
No forced vibes.
Just high-signal interactions.

If You Come, Try This

Instead of asking:

“So what do you do?”

Try just one of the questions above.

That’s it.

One better question → one better conversation → one unexpected opportunity.

That’s how this works.

Final Thought

Most people will show up and network. A few will show up and connect. Save your spot

Aneesh Lal, Founder
Jaynish Shah, Community Lead
Team Startup+
🌐 www.startupplus.club

Think about your last 5 working days.

Where were you?

Probably the same place.
Same setup.
Same rhythm.

Nothing wrong with that.

But also… nothing new happens there.

Now imagine something slightly different.

You walk into a new space in the city.

There’s good light.
People are already there, laptops open, focused, building things.

No one’s trying to sell you anything.
No one’s interrupting your flow.

You just sit down… and start working.

Claim your $5 workday

And then something shifts.

You get into deeper focus faster than usual.

You overhear a conversation that makes you think differently.

At lunch, you end up talking to someone building something interesting.

No agenda. No pressure.

Just… proximity to the right people.

Wayo x Startup+ Workday

That’s what Wayo Community Workdays are designed for.

Not coworking… Not networking.

Just a better day of work, surrounded by people who take what they’re doing seriously.

Wayo Community Workdays

We’ve partnered with Wayo to bring this to the Startup+ community.

And the best part? You can try it for $5.

No commitment. Just show up and see what happens.

Claim your full workday with Lunch

Upcoming days

May 1 — Branch

Small groups. Intentionally so.

There’s a version of your workday where you get more done…

…and maybe meet someone who changes what you’re working on.

You don’t have to commit to anything long-term.

Just try one day. → Book your $5 workday. Sometimes progress isn’t about working harder.

It’s just about changing the room you’re in.

Full Disclosure: Startup+ receives zero commission, kickbacks, or monetary benefits from this partnership. We’re doing this because we actually think Wayo offers massive value to our builders. If it doesn’t help you scale, we don’t share it. Simple as that.

Aneesh Lal, Founder
Jaynish Shah, Community Lead
Team Startup+
🌐 www.startupplus.club

Let’s be honest for a second.

No one really talks about this part of startups.

Not the pitch decks.
Not the funding rounds.
Not the “just closed $2M” LinkedIn posts with 47 fire emojis.

But this part?

The part where it’s just… you.

Sitting with 17 tabs open.
Your Stripe dashboard open in one corner (you check it way more than you admit).
Your Notion roadmap staring back at you like “so… when are we actually doing this?”

And you’re somewhere between:

• “This is going to be huge” and

• “Should I just apply for a job at a normal company and get free snacks?”

Welcome to startup building.

Join Startup+

The Quiet Truth Nobody Mentions

Building a startup is… weirdly lonely.

Not because you don’t know people.
But because very few people get it.

Your non-founder friends hear:

“I’m working on my startup”

And translate it to:

“Oh nice, flexible schedule 😌”

Meanwhile you’re:

• Debugging something at 2:13 AM

• Googling “why is my API returning emotional damage”

• Wondering if your CAC is a number or a personality trait at this point

And don’t even get me started on explaining what you do.

“So what does your startup do?”

You:

“It’s like Uber… but for X… powered by AI… and also B2B SaaS… with a marketplace layer…”

Them:

“Ah nice. So… like an app?”

Yes.
Sure.
Let’s go with that.

You Start Living in Founder Brain

At some point, your brain rewires itself.

Normal conversations become:

• “What’s the TAM of this coffee shop?”

• “Their pricing strategy is actually kind of smart”

• “Lowkey this bar could increase revenue with better funnel optimization”

You can’t unsee it.

You go to events and instead of enjoying them, you’re like:

“Is this a good place to meet investors or am I just here for overpriced drinks?”

And the worst part? - You start thinking you’re the only one going through this.

Join Startup+ Networking

You’re Not.

Every founder you’ve seen…
Every “overnight success”…
Every person posting wins…

They’ve had:

• weeks where nothing worked

• days where they questioned everything

• moments where they seriously thought about quitting

They just don’t post that part.

(LinkedIn doesn’t reward emotional vulnerability. It rewards “grateful to announce…”)

So What Actually Helps?

Not another YouTube video.
Not another “10 growth hacks you NEED to know.”

Because something changes when you’re in a room where:

• everyone is building

• everyone is figuring things out

• no one has it perfectly together (despite how it looks online)

You stop feeling like the outlier.

Meet NYC Founders

That’s Exactly Why We Do This

Startup+ isn’t just another networking event.

(You know the ones… awkward name tags, forced small talk, “so what do you do?” repeated 19 times.)

This is different.

It’s:

• Founders talking about what’s actually working

• Operators sharing things that don’t make it to Twitter threads

• Conversations that start casual… and turn into something meaningful

Sometimes it’s:

• meeting your next co-founder

• finding your first hire

• getting feedback that saves you 3 months of wrong direction

• or just… realizing you’re not crazy for feeling the way you do

And Honestly?

Sometimes the biggest win is just this:

You walk in feeling overwhelmed.

You walk out thinking:

“Okay… I can do this.”

That shift?

Underrated. But powerful.

Join us on May 7 | Doors open 5pm

May 7 - Come Through

If any part of this felt a little too relatable…

You should probably be in the room.

We’re bringing together:

• founders

• builders

• investors

• people who are in it, not just talking about it

No fluff.
No panels that say nothing.
No “inspiring but useless” talks.

Just real people, real conversations, and real momentum.

Save Your Spot Here

Final Thought

Building a startup will still be hard.

You’ll still have:

• confusing days

• slow weeks

• moments of doubt

But doing it alone? - That part is optional.

See you on May 7.

Aneesh Lal, Founder
Jaynish Shah, Community Lead
Team Startup+
🌐 www.startupplus.club

P.S. If your startup has pivoted more times than a React component re-render… you’ll fit right in.

They have an environment problem.

Same desk.
Same inputs.
Same interruptions.

And over time, that compounds.

You end up solving the same problems the same way… thinking in the same loops… moving, but not always progressing.

Now change just one variable.

The room.

You walk into a space where everyone is there to build.

💻 Laptops open.
⚡ Heads down.
🚀 People shipping, iterating, figuring things out in real time.

No noise. No posturing. No wasted motion.

Just proximity to other people doing the work.

Book your $5 workday!

This is where things start to shift.

You get into flow faster.
You stay focused longer.
You think a little sharper.

Not because you changed your strategy, but because you changed your inputs.

And in between that, something else happens.

You have a quick conversation.
You exchange context.
You hear how someone else is solving a problem you’ve been stuck on.

No forced networking. No “let’s connect.”

Just high-signal interactions that happen naturally when the room is right.

That’s the idea behind Wayo Community Workdays.

Small, curated groups of founders, operators, and builders spending a full day working in the same space.

Not an event.
Not coworking.

Just a better operating environment for a day.

Book your workday

Startup+ is bringing this to our community.

And for the community workdays, you can get it for $5.

Low friction. Real upside.

Upcoming Workdays

📍 May 1 — Branch (8 spots)

Each room is intentionally small.

Because the quality of the day depends on who’s in it.

Book your $5 workday

If you’re a founder, you already know:

Small changes compound.

One conversation can unlock something.
One insight can save weeks.
One day can reset your momentum.

One day. Different room. Different outcome.

Different room. Different outcome.

Aneesh Lal, Founder
Jaynish Shah, Community Lead
Team Startup+
🌐 www.startupplus.club

Full Disclosure: Startup+ receives zero commission, kickbacks, or monetary benefits from this partnership. We’re doing this because we genuinely believe Wayo offers real value to our builders. If it doesn’t help you build or scale, we don’t share it. Simple as that.

You walk in.
Scan the room like you’re in a startup-themed episode of Survivor.
Grab a drink (for confidence, obviously).
Start a conversation with:

“So… what do you do?”

They reply with:

“We’re building an AI-powered, blockchain-enabled, vertically integrated…”

You nod.

You both nod.

No one understands anything.

You exchange LinkedIns like Pokémon cards and disappear into the night.

Beautiful. Truly.

Now Here’s the Problem

You’re not bad at networking.

The environment usually is.

Because most events are:

• too surface-level

• too random

• or just… full of people there for the linkedin connection count

(Which, to be fair, is a strong incentive.)

This One Feels Different

We’re already at 87 people registered for May 7.

And this isn’t:

• the usual “startup mixer”

• a room full of people “thinking about maybe starting something someday”

This is builders.

People who:

• are actively working on something

• have broken things (and fixed them… sometimes)

• have stories better than their pitch decks

Let’s Talk About ROI (Founder Brain Activated)

You don’t need:

• 100 conversations

• 50 business cards

• or 12 “let’s definitely catch up” messages that never happen

You need ONE conversation where:

• something clicks

• something shifts

• something actually happens

That could be:

• meeting someone who solves a problem you’ve been stuck on

• finding a collaborator who gets your vision

• hearing one insight that saves you 2 months of trial and error

That’s it. That’s the game.

Also, Quick Reality Check

The people showing up?

They’re not NPCs.

They’re:

• founders figuring things out in real time

• operators who’ve seen some chaos

• people who also refresh their Stripe dashboard for emotional validation

So when you walk in, don’t think:

“I need to impress people”

Think:

“Who can I actually talk to like a human?”

Wild concept. I know.

What Happens in a Good Room

A good room doesn’t feel like networking.

It feels like:

• “wait… you’re dealing with this too?”

• “that actually worked for you?”

• “we should definitely continue this conversation”

And suddenly:

• conversations last longer

• people remember you

• things… move

No forced vibes. No weird energy.

Just actual connection.

👉 Save your spot here: https://luma.com/nyc-networking

(Before you forget, get busy, or convince yourself “I’ll go next time.” There is always no next time.)

The Subtle FOMO You Can’t Ignore

Here’s what’s going to happen regardless:

On May 7, a bunch of people will show up.

Some of them will:

• meet someone important

• get an idea they run with

• make a connection that compounds

And a week later, you’ll see:

“Met some amazing people last week…” on LinkedIn

And you’ll be like:

“Ah… I should’ve gone.”

We’re trying to avoid that storyline.

Final Thought

100+ people.
1 night.
Infinite conversations.

And statistically speaking… at least one of them could be useful. (Yes, that’s founder math. No, I won’t show my work.)

Aneesh Lal, Founder
Jaynish Shah, Community Lead
Team Startup+
🌐 www.startupplus.club

Quick update on the Wayo x Startup+ Community Workdays 👇

The registration issue has now been fully resolved by the Wayo team. They’ve also created a special private listing exclusively for Startup+ members, so you can now sign up smoothly here: https://wayo.club/startupplus

If you’re still facing any issues, feel free to reach out to us anytime at contact@startupplus.club, we’ll make sure you’re taken care of.

Thank you all for your patience and understanding with this.

Want to share your founder story?

If you have insights, experiences, or lessons that could help other builders, we’d love to feature you.

Reach out to Jaynish at jaynish.shah@startupplus.club, he’ll help you curate and share your story with our 25K+ community members, so others can learn and grow from your journey.

Thanks again for being part of Startup+ ❤️

Aneesh Lal, Founder
Jaynish Shah, Community Lead
Team Startup+
🌐 www.startupplus.club

We’re currently aware of technical issues affecting the registration process for the Wayo x Startup+ Community Workdays.

While the Wayo team works on resolving this, we recommend refraining from registering for upcoming sessions until the issue is fully fixed to avoid any confusion during checkout.

We’ll send another update as soon as registrations are working properly again.

Thank you for your patience and for being part of the Startup+ community.

Full Disclosure: Startup+ receives zero commission, kickbacks, or monetary benefits from this partnership. We’re doing this because we actually think Wayo offers massive value to our builders. If it doesn’t help you scale, we don’t share it. Simple as that.

Aneesh Lal, Founder
Jaynish Shah, Community Lead
Team Startup+
🌐 www.startupplus.club

• Alone at home

• In a noisy café

• In a coworking space that doesn’t really feel like a community

What if there was a better option?

We’ve partnered with Wayo to bring Startup+ members a new way to work alongside some of NYC’s most driven founders, builders, and operators.

Wayo curates Community Workdays in some of NYC’s best daytime venues, think rooftops, restaurants, and private spaces designed for productivity and connection.

Instead of sitting alone behind your laptop, you spend the day working alongside 12–15 other ambitious people. Get your space just for $5 (Use code: SPLUSVIP5)

Just a thoughtfully designed workday surrounded by people who are building serious things.

What the day looks like

🕘 9:00 AM - Settle in, coffee/tea, deep work
🕙 10:45 AM - Light intros with the group
🕛 12:45 PM - Lunch + organic conversation
🕞 3:45 PM - Optional curated 1:1 connections
🍸 5:00 PM - Optional casual happy hour

You can work on your own schedule and join any moments you want, or none at all.

Reserve your spot

Why people love it

Members often report being 1.5–2× more productive than working from home, a café, or a typical coworking space.

But the real magic happens in the in-between moments, when you meet someone building something interesting at the table next to you.

Most people walk away with 2–3 meaningful connections by the end of the day.

Startup+ Member Offer

To celebrate the partnership, the first few Startup+ Community Workdays are just $5.

Upcoming sessions:

📍 April 16 (Thursday) - The Wilson (132 W 27st, New York)
📍 April 22 (Wednesday) - The Throwback (710 Amsterdam Ave, New York)
📍 May 1 (Friday) - Branch (18 W 40th St, New York)

Spots are intentionally small and tend to fill quickly.

If you’ve been wanting to meet more builders in NYC, this is probably the easiest way to start.

Book your $5 workday

Use code: SPLUSVIP5

Show up, do your best work, and see who you end up building alongside.

Aneesh Lal, Founder
Jaynish Shah, Community Lead
Team Startup+
🌐 www.startupplus.club

Missed the first drop? This is your final early-access chance before tickets go public tonight.

Claim your spot now

Event in a nutshell

• When: Thursday, May 7th · 5:00 PM

• Where: Sour Mouse NYC, Lower East Side

• Why: Real conversations, zero fluff, and our favorite ping-pong backdrop

• Who: Founders, investors, operators | new faces & returning friends

Register Now

About Startup+

Startup+ is one of NYC’s largest startup communities, bringing together founders, funders, and innovators through mixers, pitch nights, and events built for real connections.

Be a part of Startup+

See you May 7!

Aneesh Lal, Founder, Startup+
Jaynish Shah, Community Lead, Startup+

Team Startup+
🌐 www.startupplus.club

P.S. Want to volunteer? Complimentary tickets + a chance to connect with NYC’s startup community. Write to contact@startupplus.club