What we’re about
Do you aspire to solve a problem in India? if you are planning to start a company in India or already running one, this group is just the right start. Lets get together to help each other to bootstrap, lay a solid foundation before making the big move.
It is now very obvious that indian startup ecosystem is exploding and giving rise to tons of innovative companies and creating billionaires of next decade. On top of all, what is more fun than improving the life of our friends and family through technology?
Plan is to meet once in a week or bi-weekly. Open to suggestions on place, time and day of the week.
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- Beyond Venture Capital - Alternative Funding ApproachesAvotoasty FIDI, San Francisco , CA
This event is being promoted by many groups.
This event is organized by Sway.
Our meetup group is collaborating by promoting this event.
In order to attend, please register here:
Our meetup members get 20 PERCENT OFF!
Use promo code:
IPODISCOUNT
Hurry!
Slots are limited!
## 📣 You don’t need to raise venture capital to build a thriving startup.
In this special edition of Founder Real Talk, we dive into alternative funding options—from bank lending, SBA loans, grants, to bond financing and revenue-based models. California State Treasurer Fiona Ma will be the keynote speaker explaining how California is supporting innovation through grant programs.
Learn how founders can scale with smarter, sustainable capital strategies. Join us for a candid conversation with founders, lenders, and ecosystem experts on how to grow your company with non-dilutive capital. We’ll cover:
- Navigating SBA loans, bank financing, and non‑dilutive funding
- Tapping into state, city, and institutional programs that support small business growth
- Building relationships with banks, CDFIs, and government agencies
- Structuring your company for financial resilience without giving up equity
- Real‑world stories of founders who scaled with alternative funding and smart capital strategies
This is not a typical panel event. It’s a no‑BS, founder‑to‑founder conversation about how real companies scale sustainably—with drinks, snacks, and good people. Come to learn. Stay to connect.
***
## 👥 Panel & Format
A lively, founder‑facing panel with rotating experts from finance, government, and lending institutions—expect candid conversation, concrete insights, and a networking‑rich atmosphere.
Panelists:- **Fiona Ma, California State Treasurer:** Fiona Ma is California’s 34th State Treasurer—the first woman of color and first CPA elected to this office. Since taking office in January 2019, she has overseen state financial operations including $155 billion in assets under management, $20 billion in recent bond issuance, and initiatives supporting affordable housing, small business financing, and local infrastructure financing
- **Allison Kelly: **Allison Kelly is a finance and investment professional with over 25 years of experience working in, and growing, community development finance institutions. As CEO of ICA Fund since 2019, Kelly is deeply committed to strengthening our economy by catalyzing value in local markets. ICA Fund is an Oakland-based not for profit impact investor certified as a CDFI. Under Kelly’s leadership, ICA has more than tripled its net assets, its number of investments, and revenues. Prior to ICA Fund, Allison worked in both the for profit and not for profit sectors in various leadership positions. She is on the Board of the CDFI Coalition and Mal Warwick Donor Digital. Allison lives in Oakland with her husband and two teenagers.
- **Neda Razavi: **Neda Razavi, CEO of iSono Health, is driven by a vision for a world where early cancer detection saves lives. With 25 years of experience bringing innovative medical technologies to patients and clinicians, she has launched 65 products across six platforms, blending deep scientific knowledge with clinical and commercial expertise. Neda has led market strategies for industry leaders such as Illumina, Roche, Abbott Laboratories, Medtronic, Baxter Bioscience (now Takeda), Kythera (now Allergan), and Natera, generating over $9 billion in revenue. At iSono Health, she is creating a new category of imaging at the intersection of robotics, AI, and 3D ultrasound—eliminating reliance on sonographers, delivering MRI-like resolution in minutes, and making advanced diagnostics accessible in any clinic. Under her leadership, iSono is positioned as a category-defining company at the cutting edge of healthcare technologies, transforming how and where cancer is detected worldwide.
- **Paul Ratner:** Paul Ratner is the Vice President of Sales at Marble Bridge Funding Group. In his role he is responsible for helping small businesses and early stage companies by offering working capital financing. This includes but it is not limited to Account Receivable, Purchase Order, and Contract Financing. Prior to working for Marble Bridge Paul spent 19 years working in various sales leadership roles in professional sports with the Golden State Warriors and PGA TOUR. Paul currently serves on three non-profit boards and has been a strategic advisor for several companies and individuals.
***
## 💡 Topics We’ll Cover
- Navigating SBA loans, bank financing, revenue-based lending, and bond issuance
- Understanding state‑run bond programs, tax credits, and credit enhancements
- How to present strong capital plans to banks versus VC firms
- Operating and scaling without giving up equity: strategies that preserve ownership
- Public finance tools for infrastructure, housing, and clean‑tech that indirectly support startups
***
## 💡 Who Should Attend
- Seed‑stage founders and co‑founders exploring non‑dilutive capital
- Startup operators and financial leads managing growth
- Founders refreshing their capital strategy—beyond just raising venture capital
- Investors, ecosystem builders, and service providers interested in alternative funding models
- 15 PERCENT OFF! NEX-T Summit 2025 -the New Era of X-Tech SummitStanford Faculty Club, Stanford, CA
This event is organized by NextFin.ai
Our meetup group is collaborating by promoting this event.
In order to attend, please register here:
💥NEX-T Summit 2025 - the New Era of X-Tech Summit · Luma
Our meetup groups get 15 PERCENT OFF!
Use promo code:
IPODISCOUNT
Hurry!
Slots are limited!
On September 27–28, 2025, the NEX-T 2025 (New Era of X-Tech Summit) will take place at Stanford University. At this pivotal moment of global technological and industrial transformation, artificial intelligence, sustainability, the digital economy, and models of human collaboration are entering a new phase of evolution.
AI has been shifting from “technical experiments” to “widespread adoption.” Meanwhile, both enterprises and societies are demanding more innovation, responsibility, and long-term value.
The NEX-T Summit 2025 will serve as a high-energy platform for exchange and showcase, bringing together industry leaders, technologists, financial markets, venture capital forces, cross-sector innovators, and the next generation of young pioneers to explore the possibilities of the “Next Step.” The summit expects over 400 global entrepreneurs, investors, scientists, and policymakers, and will attract wide coverage from leading U.S. media outlets.
🔥 Why Attend
NEX-T 2025 is more than a summit — it is a historic gathering at Stanford that will define the next chapter of global innovation, capital, and leadership. Being here means standing on the frontier of the future and leaving your mark on the world stage.
Interested in being an event sponsor?
Send an email message to:
siliconvalleysponsor@gmail.com
Put this in the subject header:
Sponsor - Sat. 9/27/25 NEX-T Summit 2025 -the New Era of X-Tech Summit
- Meet New People!! Sunday Night NetworkingPanera Bread, Santa Clara, CA
This event is organized in collaboration with many other groups!
Look for the MEETUP sign!
Organizational Sponsor:
Startup House
Need a place to stay short term in Silicon Valley?
Stay at Startup House in Palo Alto - the heart of Silicon Valley - for as low as $50 a night!
-Network, socialize and connect with entrepreneurs all over the world!
-Enjoy social events and startup and venture capital-related programming!
- Have access to world class amenities, iconic tech companies, top tier venture capital firms, Stanford University, etc. - all within walking or biking distance!
For more info, send an email message to:
siliconvalleystartuphousing@gmail.com
Put this in the subject header:
Silicon Valley Startup Housing
Look for the MEETUP sign!
Come out and meet new people!
Network, socialize and connect!
This event is free to attend.
Please register here:
Attendees must purchase their own liquid refreshments and food.
There's no content or speaker at this event -- just business and social networking.
Build your business and social network - face to face! (in-person)
Come out and enjoy a great evening of good food, liquid refreshments, and connecting.
You may meet your next business collaborator, client, employer, employee, friend, or tennis partner!
Getting away from a screen for a few hours will do you some good!
: -)
Meet Silicon Valley movers and shakers - Internet entrepreneurs, developers, engineers, mobile app coders, attorneys, bloggers, academics, financiers, marketing professionals, community organizers and investors.
This event is organized in collaboration with other groups!
@ideatoipo
www.idea-to-ipo.com
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjYga11avYH_CUpC0BSyDng
(videos of online events)
Look for the MEETUP sign!
