Past events
Open Mic Pitching & Networking (Manchester). 24 September 2025
This week we took the Rare Founders magic up North for a special edition of our legendary Open Mic Pitch Night, teaming up with the brilliant crew at Silicon Mingle Manchester.
It was everything we hoped for and more 1-minute unscripted pitches (with the water guns in full effect 💦), buzzing networking, and conversations that sparked real opportunities. Every 20–30 minutes, founders raising funds were randomly selected to take the mic, keeping the room alive with energy and ideas.
In between rounds? Unfiltered networking, clinking glasses, and genuine connections the kind that make our community so special.
Huge thanks to everyone who came through, pitched, supported, and shared the vibe with us. This definitely won’t be our last trip up North.
How to Influence Investors, Teams & Customers. 22 sep. 2025
We welcomed Faris Aranki, CEO of Shiageto Consulting, for an energising masterclass on influence, communication, and strategic success.
Attendees explored how to combine IQ, EQ, and FQ to work smarter, connect deeper, and lead with impact. From live frameworks to real-world stories, Faris gave founders and leaders practical tools to cut through the noise and achieve what really matters.
Big thanks to everyone who joined, shared insights, and made the room buzz with energy.
LONDON’S LARGEST DEMO DAY REUNION PARTY. 15 SEP 2025
Rare Founders hosted London’s largest Demo Day reunion party bringing together hundreds of founders, investors, and friends of the ecosystem.
It was a night of connection, stories, and celebration of the journeys since Demo Day, from big wins to tough lessons. More than just networking, the evening captured the true spirit of our community: genuine support, energy, and friendship.
Special thanks to our partners iimpro, OVHcloud, Sunrise Technology Services, CompoCloset & BAM Karaoke Box for making the event possible.
Open Mic Pitching and Networking. 10 june 2025
Rare Founders hosted a lively open mic pitching and networking night, where founders shared one-minute pitches across three rounds. The evening also offered plenty of opportunities for guests to connect and build relationships in a vibrant setting at Blue Marlin Ibiza London.
Open Mic Pitching and Networking - Defence Special . 18 aug. 2025
Rare Founders brought back its legendary open mic pitching and networking night, this time with a focus on defence. The evening featured a fireside chat with Logan Torrence and Dan Bowyer, followed by rounds of rapid-fire pitches from defence startups and buzzing networking at Blue Marlin Ibiza London, supported by Safespace Plus.
Open Mic Pitching and Networking. 18 MAR 2025
Rare Founders hosted a lively open mic pitching and networking night, where founders shared one-minute pitches across three rounds. The evening also offered plenty of opportunities for guests to connect and build relationships in a vibrant setting at Blue Marlin Ibiza London.
Raise Smarter: VC Tactics Exposed. 18 AUG. 2025
Founders joined former VC Soma Pirityi for a no-BS masterclass on fundraising, learning how to decode term sheets, spot VC games, and negotiate from a position of power. With support from partners Em & Drew (childcare), Safespace Plus (safety), and Runway East (venue), the event equipped attendees with the tools and confidence to protect their equity and raise on their own terms.
Talk Your Way to a Term Sheet. 8 AUG 2025
The Talk Your Way to a Term Sheet masterclass, led by Dan Rosenberg (Co-Founder & CEO of LinkyThinks / Speakable), empowered founders and professionals to communicate with confidence, clarity, and authenticity. Hosted at Runway East with support from Em & Drew childcare services and Safespace Plus, the event combined practical tools, real-world examples, and networking to help attendees pitch, lead, and connect more effectively.
Presence is Power: Personal Brand Like the 1%. 28 july 2025
The Personal Branding Blueprint brought together founders, creatives, and professionals for an interactive masterclass led by Thea Montgomerie Anderson. Guests learned hands-on content creation skills, explored personal branding strategies, and connected with peers. Thanks to partners Em & Drew (childcare), Safespace Plus (safety), and Runway East (venue), the event offered an inspiring and inclusive experience.
Open Mic Pitching and Networking - AI Special . 22 july 2025
Rare Founders hosted a high-energy open mic pitching and networking night with an AI spotlight. The evening featured a fireside chat with Chen Wang (Fifth Dimension AI) and Nicolas Klein (Singulate), followed by rapid-fire AI founder pitches and buzzing networking. With Safespace Plus as Safety Partner and BAM Karaoke Box London as the venue, the event blended big ideas, community, and plenty of startup energy.
Build A User Research Strategy That Actually Works. 11 july 2025
This Rare Masterclass, led by Rory Horne (ex-Google & Meta), equipped founders and startup teams with practical frameworks to turn user research into real product decisions. Hosted at Runway East with support from partners Em & Drew and Safespace Plus, the event gave attendees actionable strategies and tools to confidently build products that solve real user problems.
Investor Outreach Playbook: Fundraising Like the 1%. 23 june 2025
The event gathered ambitious founders for a live masterclass with Eva Dobrzanska of Fundraising Playbooks, who shared proven strategies for successful investor outreach. Hosted at Runway East, it featured free childcare by Em & Drew and safety support from Safespace Plus, creating an inclusive and engaging space for founders to learn, connect, and network.
London’s largest demo day S2E1. 25 APR 2025
Rare Founders’ London’s Largest Demo Day is back for its second season for 2025 and it’s broke new records with 30+ founders ended up raising investments as a result
Stories She Never Told. 24 feb 2025
Rare Founders hosted “Stories She Never Told” at The Trampery, a powerful event ahead of International Women’s Day where female founders shared raw, unfiltered truths about entrepreneurship. From breathwork and anonymous storytelling to an honest panel on the struggles and wins often left unspoken, the event created a bold space for women to be heard without filters or pretence.
Navigating Fundraising Challenges. 11 dec 2024
What an amazing event at Google’s Startup Hub! Fintech founders tackled fundraising challenges with insights from expert panelists Johnnie Martin, Stella Buhalis, Daniel Rose, and James Fell, moderated by Kyle Masterson.
The evening delivered actionable tips, inspiring stories, and great networking over coffee and bites (thanks, Google Cloud!).
Missed it? Stay tuned for more Rare Founders events! 🚀✨
Startup Christmas Party. 10 dec 2025
The Startup Christmas Party on December 10th, hosted by Rare Founders, SeedLegals, and Hotbed, was an unforgettable celebration at Blue Marlin Ibiza London. It brought together the startup community for a night of festive fun, live DJ sets, and connections. Highlights included performances by Kate Moss via Djaayz, a Christmas Duck Hunt, and plenty of surprises. Sponsors like Djaayz, Scribe, and Sunrise Technology Services helped make the event a memorable experience, offering a relaxed vibe, networking, and festive cheer as everyone celebrated the year's achievements and looked forward to 2025! 🎉🎄
The Rare Factor. 9 dec 2024
The Rare Factor transformed the Google Cloud Startup Hub into a stage for innovation and entertainment. Eight B2B and B2C SaaS startups delivered live demos, competing to impress a star-studded panel of judges, including tech influencer Ghita El Haitmy, investor Dr. Chris Howard, and Ken Thomas from BackFuture VC.
Hosted by comedian Craig Brown, the event mixed sharp insights with laughs, iconic X-Factor buzzers, and networking fueled by Google Cloud. A true celebration of creativity, connection, and remarkable ideas! 🌟
How to Nail Your User Research. 25 NOV 2024
Rare Founders hosted a user research masterclass led by Rory Horne, offering startups practical strategies for gathering insights and aligning research with business goals. Attendees learned key research methods and how to make informed decisions. The event, held at Google Cloud Startup Hub, featured coffee and light bites provided by Google Cloud.
Building a Business While Navigating Motherhood. 20 NOV 2024
Rare Founders partnered with Mums Building Companies for an inspiring event where founders shared how they balance entrepreneurship with motherhood. The interactive panel featured Saasha Celestial-One (Olio), Gifty Enright (Author), Rachel Carrell (Koru Kids), and Elizabeth Willetts (Investing in Women), who discussed challenges, biases, and how they navigate both worlds. 🤱💼
Attendees also enjoyed a curated speed networking session, connecting with like-minded mum founders and gaining insights.
Female Founders Night. 18 NOV 2024
Female Founders Night celebrated female entrepreneurship at the Google Cloud Startup Hub, in partnership with SeedLegals. The evening featured inspiring panel discussions with Laura Tudor (Founder & CEO of Centred) and Lucy Anderson (Founder of Woowoo), who shared their journeys of building successful, female-led businesses.
Guests enjoyed networking, insightful talks, and refreshments from Google Cloud. The event kicked off a series of startup-focused gatherings by Rare Founders, aimed at supporting entrepreneurs with resources and connections for growth. 🌟