Founder Session with John Hill: The Power of the Network in the AI Age

​A practical session for student founders on building the relationships that drive funding, hiring, customers, and mentorship.

​About this session
The strongest founders don’t just build products — they build networks that open doors.
In this practical session, John Hill shares what effective founder networks have in common, why you need to build yours before you need it, and how to do it with intention.

​What you’ll learn

• ​How to build a high-quality network that supports real startup outcomes

• ​Tactics to improve access to funding, talent, customers, and mentors

• ​Common networking mistakes founders make (and how to avoid them)

• ​A practical framework you can apply immediately at DCU and beyond

​Speaker
John Hill

• ​Helped launch University Pages at LinkedIn

• ​Built one of the largest entrepreneurial networks globally through Techstars

• ​Currently working at Whop to broaden access to entrepreneurship

• ​Has spoken at 245 universities across 43 countries

​Who should attend
This session is intended for DCU students and alumni who are actively exploring entrepreneurship, building early-stage ideas, or supporting startup projects.

​Registration
This is a request-to-join session with limited capacity to keep it interactive.

​Format
A focused founder session in a small-group setting: Talk + moderated Q&A + practical discussion.