Seattle Startup Community
Founders Network’s mission is to connect Seattle Founders with global resources that they don’t have access to in Seattle. Based in Silicon Valley, Founders Network is a mentorship program that supports Founders with a global network of peer mentoring and investment opportunities. Seattle members can find the strength of a global network behind them.
Nominee Preview Q&A
A live Zoom for nominated founders: how Founders Network works, what happens next, and open Q&A.
Upcoming Seattle events
No Seattle events open to guests are on the calendar right now. The Nominee Preview Q&A above is the best way to meet us, or browse every upcoming Founders Network event.
Our Local Leadership Team
I'm building Hopscotch, an early literacy platform grounded in how children actually learn. This is my second time founding. I previously co-founded an AI startup, and before that spent 14 years in product design and strategy, at Optimizely and my own studio, N5, where I worked with teams at Google and Cisco. I hold a master's in psychology from Harvard, where I went deep on child development and learning science. Much of my work sits in the impact space. I advise early-stage startups, and I partner with institutions and nonprofits across education, well-being, and mental health. I've also mentored founders through organizations like 500 Startups.
I love to help businesses grow by employing the latest technology. Most of my professional experience has been online - working to achieve this goal. I love this line: in order to be successful at work, you have to like who you work with, and you have to believe that what you do truly helps others. I am presently working on a startup to automate waiting lists, which I believe will increase efficiency for scheduling appointments in virtual every vertical. David Plonsky https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=16156706
The Seattle startup scene
Seattle’s startup ecosystem was valued at $96 billion for 2023 to 2025 in Startup Genome’s Global Startup Ecosystem Report 2026, nearly four times the global average of $25 billion.
Seed and Series A funding in Seattle tech startups totaled $3.3 billion over the same period, against a global average of $554 million per ecosystem, and exits reached $34 billion from 2021 to 2025. The city is known for the engineering talent that Amazon and Microsoft have drawn there.
Founders Network in Seattle
Founders Network is a peer mentorship community for tech startup founders. Members get mentorship from other founders, chapter events, and introductions to investors and founders across a global network.
The Seattle chapter is run by volunteer member leaders, who are listed on this page. Members in the area meet at chapter events.
Frequently asked questions
Is Seattle a good place to start a startup?
Startup Genome valued the Seattle ecosystem at $96 billion for 2023 to 2025, well above the $25 billion global average. Early-stage funding totaled $3.3 billion in the same period.
What industries is Seattle known for?
The city is known for the software and cloud talent that Amazon and Microsoft have drawn to it.
How do I meet other founders in Seattle?
Founders Network runs chapter events in Seattle, led by volunteer member leaders. Upcoming events are listed on this page.
What startup events are in Seattle?
Upcoming chapter events, including the Nominee Preview Q&A, are listed above on this page.
How do I join Founders Network in Seattle?
Founders Network is selective and membership is by invitation. You can request an invitation, and the team reviews each request.
Get an invitation to the community.
Founders Network is an invite-only peer mentorship community for tech startup founders. Drop your email — we'll take it from there.
No spam. We review every request individually.