

UBS Rooftop Panel on Exit Regrets (ProperRoom NYC · Series A+)
An invitation-only panel for Series A+ founders and operators, hosted atop the private UBS Rooftop on Avenue of the Americas and sponsored by MongoDB Ventures.
Guests will gather in an intimate rooftop setting overlooking Manhattan, with small plates and a curated selection of drinks served throughout the evening.
An intimate evening of candid conversation, hospitality and curated founder deal flow.
The Panel
Moderated by Jack Payne, CFP®, CEPA®, Pre-IPO & Equity Compensation Advisor at UBS, the discussion features:
Tony Panico
Partner, Technology & Emerging Growth Services · Withum
James Steinberg · Co-Founder, pools.events
Acquired Y Combinator Founder · 2x YC Founder (S15 & W18) · 2x Exited Founder · Forbes 30 Under 30 Recipient
Together, they’ll examine what founders wish they had understood, and engineered differently, before an exit became imminent.
Topics Covered
Preparing the company and founder for an eventual liquidity event
QSBS, tax planning and decisions that become costly when addressed too late
Building the right legal, financial and advisory team
Operational and financial mistakes founders commonly make before an exit
The emotional realities of selling a company and stepping away
Lessons from an exited Y Combinator founder and advisors to high-growth companies
Evening Schedule
5:30–6:00 PM — Private arrival, reception, small plates and drinks
6:00–6:05 PM — Opening remarks from MongoDB Ventures
6:05–6:45 PM — Executive panel and audience Q&A
6:45–8:00 PM — Curated networking and deal flow
This event is designed for founders actively raising a Series A, preparing for their Series A, or operating beyond Series A.
Private invitation only. Approval required. Capacity is intentionally limited.
Why 'Exit Regrets'?
Following our flagship tech week gathering—which brought together over $1.15B+ in venture backing.
Most venture-backed founders understand how to build and scale. But we noticed few understand how to handle the psychological and structural friction of the actual exit.
So ProperRoom NYC is assembling an elite, private group of Series A+ founders for unfiltered insights on the structural, financial, and emotional realities of liquidity events from the founders and advisors who’ve Exited.
We are bypassing the generic networking format, to host this intimate session that will explicitly address what founders wish they had engineered differently before the letter of intent arrived.
— 🤝 Featured Partner: MongoDB for Startups
Rigid legacy systems weren't created for AI... creating friction, draining budgets, and blocking innovation. As a true partner in growth, MongoDB for Startups has specific tiers tailored for every stage of your journey (from MVP to rapidly scaling VC-backed companies).
The startups in their ecosystem represent over $200 billion in combined valuation, specifically because MongoDB serves as an AI-ready data foundation that lets founders scale without dealing with painful re-platforming down the road.
👉 Apply directly to the MongoDB for Startups program here to claim your credits, architecture support, and ecosystem benefits.