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⚡ A16Z TECH WEEK 2025: YOUR ULTIMATE SURVIVAL GUIDE ⚡

Hi Devoted Pitch Night Readers,

We're counting down the days to a16z Tech Week in New York (June 2-8, 2025), and guess what? The Pitch Night team will be hitting the ground running to cover EVERY major pitch and demo day event. Why? Because we're obsessed with connecting you to the best opportunities in the ecosystem.

🗓️ THE BIG SHOW: WHAT'S HAPPENING & WHERE

New York Tech Week 2025 is about to transform Manhattan into a startup center, with the action concentrated in SoHo, TriBeCa, Flatiron, and Union Square. But nobody's telling you that while there will be 1,000+ events, only a handful matter for serious founders and investors. Here’s our top 5!

🔥 MUST-ATTEND PITCH & DEMO DAYS:

1. Techstars NYC Accelerator Demo Day

   • When: Monday June 2nd, 2:30 PM-7:00 PM

   • Where: West Village

   • Why It Matters: Eight companies from the spring 2025 cohort are making their public debut.

   • Founder Note: Companies will be fundraising immediately following the event

   • Register: Techstars NYC Demo Day

2. NY Tech Week AI Pitch Day

   • When: June 2nd, 4:00 PM-7:00 PM

   • Where: Manhattan

   • Why It Matters: Top AI startups compete for investor attention and $50k in prizes in a high-energy pitch competition

   • Bonus: Exclusive networking with AI-focused VCs and strategic investors

   • Register: NY Tech Week AI Pitch Day

3. Pitch Palooza by Foundry & Infinity 

   • When: Tuesday June 3rd, 2:30 PM - 5:30 PM

   • Where: Manhattan

   • Why It Matters: Open mic format for AI builders to pitch in one-minute intervals

   • Prizes: Top five pitches win GPU credits and custom AI services

   • Special Access: Top investors and AI experts from JPMorgan and beyond in attendance

   • Register: Pitch Palooza

4. AI & Web3 Startup Demo Day

   • When: June 3rd, 3:00 PM-6:00 PM

   • Where: Flatiron

   • Why It Matters: High-energy showcase of startups building with generative AI and web3 technologies

   • Bonus: Includes investor panel with leading VCs sharing insights on funding trends

   • Partners: Salesforce, WeWork, Sparx Labs, FemBuild Collective, Supermoon, and VIA

   • Register: AI & Web3 Startup Demo Day

5. Latino Pitch Competition Vol II 

   • When: June 5th, 11:30 AM - 2:00 PM

   • Where: Midtown

   • Why It Matters: Five select Latino-led startups pitch to investors, highlighting NYC as a hub for Latino founders

   • Ecosystem Focus: Connects Latino founders from NYC, Latin America, and across the U.S. with strategic investors

   • Partners: Lowenstein Sandler, Deel, and Carta

   • Register: Latino Pitch Competition

🧠 HOW TO SURVIVE 1,000+ EVENTS WITHOUT LOSING YOUR MIND

This year's Tech Week will host 1,000+ events with 60,000+ attendees. The brutal truth? Your calendar management will make or break your experience. Here's our battle-tested approach:

🏆 THE PITCH NIGHT FILTERING SYSTEM:

1. The 2:1 Rule

   • For every two hours at events, schedule one hour of buffer time

   • Manhattan traffic is brutal, and you'll need time to process conversations

   • Example: Book a 10 AM-12 PM event, then nothing until 1 PM

2. Neighborhood Clustering

   • Group events by location - SoHo morning, Flatiron afternoon

   • Cross-town travel will destroy your schedule

   • Ubers will be nearly impossible to find - plan to walk or take the subway

3. Focus on Quality Density

   • Measure events by investor: founder ratio (higher = better)

   • Small, curated dinners > massive networking parties

   • Investor-only events > general admission meetups

4. The "Big 3" Question Test: For each event, ask yourself:

   • Will actual check writers be there? (not just associates)

   • Is it sector-relevant to my startup?

   • Will I meet at least 3 new valuable connections? If you can't answer "yes" to at least 2/3, skip it.

5. Differentiate by Category

   • Demo Days: Arrive early, sit front-center, and be first to approach founders

   • Pitch Competitions: Stay for the judges' feedback - it's often more valuable than the pitches

   • Social Mixers: Get there either 15 min early or 45 min late to avoid the initial chaos

   • Invite-Only Dinners: These are gold - prioritize these over almost anything else

💸 NAVIGATING THE NYC FUNDRAISING LANDSCAPE

Tech Week isn't just about collecting business cards—it's about strategic positioning in the funding ecosystem. Here's what's happening behind the scenes:

🚀 THE REAL FUNDING LANDSCAPE:

1. Seed Round Sweet Spot

   • The most active check sizes we're seeing: $1.5 M-$3M

   • Valuation expectations: $8 M-$15M caps on notes/SAFEs

   • Traction requirements have intensified: $ 20 K+ MRR or significant user growth

2. The AI Reality Check

   • Generalist AI plays are facing skepticism

   • Vertical AI solutions with industry-specific applications are getting funded

   • Investors want to see clear data moats, not just fancy prompt engineering

   • Explore: TechCrunch's YC W25 AI Startup Analysis

3. Relationship Velocity

   • Tech Week moves FAST - expect compressed timelines

   • "Let's catch up after Tech Week" usually means "uninterested."

   • Be ready to share your deck immediately if there's interest

4. The Post-Tech Week Follow-Up Plan

   • Schedule your most promising follow-ups for the week of June 9-13

   • Have your data room ready before Tech Week begins

   • Be prepared to strike while the iron is hot

👋 LET'S CONNECT AT TECH WEEK!

The Pitch Night team will be out in full force, and we want to meet YOU. We will try to use our tips to divide and conquer. We hope to see you at some of these fantastic events.

DROP A COMMENT: Which events are a must-attend on your Tech Week calendar? What are you most excited about? Any insider tips you'd be willing to share with fellow readers?

REPLY DIRECTLY: Need help getting into a specific event or connecting with a particular investor? Please reply to this email; our team will see what strings we can pull.

BROWSE THE FULL CALENDAR: See all Tech Week events at lu.ma/nytw and tech-week.com

Until then,

Pitch Night Team

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Until next week,

The Pitch Night Team