Beyond wanting to experience educational and inspiring content, we know that most people really go to conferences to network and connect. But that’s easier said than done. You can’t just be sliding into everybody’s DMs like some bro on Tindr. It doesn’t work and most of the time whatever half-court shot somebody tries to sink in the networking game, without any kind of prior introduction or rapport building, just comes off as awkward, inappropriate, and unprofessional over 99% of the time. That’s why we’ve worked hard to make it easy for everyone to get to know each other and set up meetings without any gimmicks or games.
These are the two best ways for attendees to connect with each other, founders, speakers, and investors:
FounderConnect
With every Founder, Silver, Gold, or Green Room Pass— you’ve got access to our exclusive FounderConnect App through Brella. It’s super smooth and easy to setup and use. We recommend downloading the Brella app through the App Store, or Google Play to keep up with everything during the conference. But you can also sign in almost any browser and device.
When you sign in for the first time, you’re asked to fill out a quick profile on yourself and your company. You get to select your vertical and investment stage. But what’s really game changing here is that you can also select what types of people you want to meet, e.g. investors or other founders in your specific industry. Then the app goes all matchmaker on you and sets you up with some people who are also looking to connect with people similar to you.
Makes that Tindr reference earlier a lot more relatable now doesn’t it.
FounderConnect doesn’t just let you to see who else is attending, and connect you so that you can message with them. It allows you to organize your day with the conference agenda, marking what’s most important to you, what you don’t want to miss, and the times in-between in which you’re available to take meetings. You can also go back and re-filter attendees by industry to find the kind of people that are the most interesting to you, who you really want to get in touch with, request meetings with them, and then if the person accepts your request, for the specific time you requested, the app will automatically assign you a table number in the FounderConnect networking area at the event.
I believe the word you’re looking for is okurrr.
Pier 17
Let’s say you’re more of a casual Don Draper type and you just do better connecting with people in person, with a drink in one hand and a cigarette in the other. We have networking after parties located at Pier 17. If you trying to gauge the place and its posh factor, Sting is playing a show a week before we’re all there. It’s short walk from the conference venue, but buses will also be on site transferring people from the event space at Pier 36 to the after party at Pier 17, starting at 5:30pm, immediately after the daily content wraps ups each day.
Speakers and VIPs get a roped-off section that’s accessible only through the Green Room pass, which is definitely exclusive, and there’s only a few are still available. The after parties at Pier 17 are really unique, and incredible opportunity to network with everyone you wanted to meet, or didn’t know you needed to meet.
Get your tickets for Ascent 2019: