Knowledge Turned to Action: Join Start-Up & Entrepreneurship

Have you ever thought about joining a startup or launching your own company, but felt unsure where to begin?

Knowledge Turned to Action: Join Start-Up & Entrepreneurship is an open event for students, researchers, and industry professionals who are curious about the startup world and interested in turning knowledge, ideas, and experience into real ventures.

Whether you already have an idea, are exploring a startup path, or simply want to learn more about entrepreneurship, this event will offer practical insight, real founder stories, and honest perspectives on what it takes to get started.

You will hear from founders and leaders who have built companies, supported entrepreneurs, and worked across technology, business, and innovation. The conversation will focus on how to take the first step, navigate uncertainty, and better understand whether entrepreneurship is the right path for you.

This event also reflects the broader mission of Communal Ventures: creating spaces where people can connect, learn from one another, and build collaborations that lead to practical outcomes and real impact.

Featured Speakers

Charlie Sun: Co-Founder of Communal Ventures, a nonprofit initiative under Angels for Angels that builds programs, partnerships, and ventures with community impact. She is also a deep-tech startup founder, bringing experience in machine learning, strategy, and cross-sector collaboration.

John Kennedy: CEO of Actual AI, building AI-powered tools for software and engineering management. He brings deep experience in product leadership, innovation, and turning emerging technology into business value.

Tian Lan: CEO of Peak Mojo, part of the Techstars Spring 2026 class. She brings experience in startup building, talent, and innovation, with a background spanning Uber and angel investing.

Bhola Chhetri: CEO of Orena and a Director at The AI Collective Seattle, where he helps bring together founders, builders, and operators across the city’s AI ecosystem. He also works as a Solutions Architect at Broadcom, giving him a grounded view across both enterprise technology and early-stage startup building.

Tyler Barrios: Founding member of MeeBoss, where he is helping build a smarter, more human approach to hiring and talent connections. Based in Seattle, he is part of the early team helping shape the company’s growth and presence in the startup community. He brings an early-stage builder mindset and a strong focus on startup hiring and business growth.

What You’ll Learn

How knowledge and experience can be turned into startup opportunities
Real lessons from founders and business leaders
Common challenges when starting a company and how to navigate them
Opportunities for students, researchers, and professionals in the startup ecosystem
How to evaluate whether entrepreneurship is the right path for you
How communities like Communal Ventures can support collaboration, growth, and impact

Who Should Attend

This event is open to anyone interested in startups and entrepreneurship, including:

Students considering careers in startups
Researchers interested in commercialization and venture creation
Industry professionals exploring entrepreneurial opportunities
Early-stage founders seeking insight and inspiration
Anyone curious about innovation, startup pathways, and building meaningful ventures

Event Format

Welcome and introduction
Entrepreneurship and startup pathways
Founder stories and speaker insights
Conversation on building ventures
Open Q&A
Networking and community connection

Hosted by Communal Ventures, a nonprofit initiative under Angels for Angels, this event is designed to make entrepreneurship feel more accessible, practical, and action-oriented. Communal Ventures was co-founded by Charlie Sun and Supo Techagumthorn to help turn ideas, expertise, and community energy into meaningful ventures, partnerships, and programs.

About Communal Ventures

Communal Ventures is a nonprofit initiative under Angels for Angels that supports practical, collaborative, and impact-driven entrepreneurship. It helps turn ideas, expertise, and community energy into ventures, partnerships, and programs that create real value.

By bringing together founders, professionals, researchers, and community builders, Communal Ventures creates opportunities for learning, collaboration, and action. Its goal is to support entrepreneurship that is not only innovative, but also grounded, inclusive, and meaningful in its impact.

About The AI Collective

The Al Collective is a non-profit, grassroots community uniting 200,000+ pioneers - founders, researchers, operators, and investors -exploring the frontier of Al.

About FUTURE BUILDERZ:

FUTURE BUILDERZ is a Non-profit community supporting 4000+ AI founders and builders through events, workshops, and cross-regional meetups in SF and Seattle.

This is more than a startup talk. It is a space for builders, future founders, and curious minds to explore what it really takes to turn knowledge into action.

Please be advised: Unfortunately, space is limited at these community events and we may not be able to accept everyone who applies. If you are not accepted for this event, we encourage you to apply again in the future. We truly appreciate your interest and look forward to seeing you at a future gathering.

Knowledge Turned to Action: Build, Join, or Fundraise for Your Startup