From 0 to Startup: A Conversation with Founders, Investors, and Operators. (Palo Alto)

​What does it really take to build a startup?

​Join us for an honest, no-fluff conversation with startup founders, investors, and operators as they share the lessons they wish they had known before launching their ventures. This event isn’t about polished success stories or glossy pitch decks — it’s about the real journey: navigating burnout, team conflict, finding product-market fit, raising capital, and staying resilient through it all.

​You’ll hear directly from:

• ​Founders from Seed to Series C startups

• ​Investors with experience across early- to growth-stage funding

​Expect real talk, relatable stories, and actionable insights. Whether you’re an aspiring founder, a solo builder, or simply startup-curious, this is a space for you to connect, learn, and get the answers you’ve been searching for.

​Limited spots available. RSVP now — and if you're among the first 20 to register, you’ll also get a free professional headshot at the event!

​What to Expect:

• ​Practical, experience-based advice from real founders, investors and operators

• ​A supportive community of peers and future collaborators

• ​Open Q&A and casual networking with fellow founders and the community.

• ​Emotional validation (yes, you're not alone!)

​Who This Is For

• ​Early-stage and aspiring founders

• ​Startup team members

• ​Investors, operators, and anyone interested in the human side of building

​Speakers

​ Founder Panel

• ​Lingzi Su (Moderator)
  Former FinTech professional at unicorn iCapital, executive producer for Tencent-backed sports variety shows, and founder/host of the Mandarin podcast ARTsOUT exploring business and arts.

• ​Justin Ho
  CEO of Jigsaw Diagnostic, a telehealth company making autism diagnosis faster and more accessible through tech-enabled care.

• ​Laly Luo
  Founder & CEO of LilaLand, an AI-powered pet tech startup inspired by her passion for pets and innovation. Serial entrepreneur who previously worked as a Tech Lead at Meta.

• ​Toni Xu
  Founder & CEO of Lvlup.ai, building personalized Super AI Agents. Serial founder with consumer tech exits experience.

• ​Richard Yang
  Co-Founder & CEO of Dragonhorse Interactive

​Investor Panel

• ​Gordon Bell (Moderator)
  Vice president of BD and Marketing on Meta assignment at Test Assured, helped raise over $300 million at Energous, a pioneering wireless charging startup that went public on Nasdaq (WATT) just six months after launch.

• ​Tonya Long
  Chief Investor Officer at K2X, a specialized investment vehicle for early-stage technology and life science companies.

• ​JJ (Jingjie) Li
  Investor at TGVP, backed by Japan’s JICT and Toppan Group. Ex-BCG strategist and founder focused on SaaS, deeptech, and Japan-U.S. scaling.

• ​Allen Liu
  VC/PE investor and Co-Founder of Silicon Valley Technology Review. An AI community with 100,000+ participants globally, including AI founders and investors. 

​Agenda

​5:00–5:30 PM | Check-In & Networking
Arrive early to meet fellow founders, investors, and community members. Light refreshments will be served.

​5:30–5:45 PM | Opening Remarks
A warm welcome from our host, a quick overview of the event, and speaker introductions.

​5:45–6:15 PM | Founders Panel Discussion
A candid conversation with early-stage founders on the real challenges and milestones of startup life.

​6:15–6:30 PM | Founders Q&A Session
Your chance to ask the founders anything — no filters, no fluff.

​6:30–7:00 PM | Investors Panel Discussion
Hear from active investors about what they look for in teams, markets, and how they navigate today’s AI-driven landscape.

​7:00–7:15 PM | Investors Q&A Session
Dig deeper into the investor mindset — bring your most burning questions.

​7:15–8:00 PM | Networking
Wrap up the evening with open networking — meet the speakers, connect with other attendees, and keep the conversations going.

​Let’s talk about what really happens from zero to startup.

​See you there!