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[NYC] Founding Engineer Circle Jan 2026
What is this?
A monthly roundtable for a curated community of founding engineers, early technical hires, and engineers-turned-CTOs building the next generation of startups.
Why this matters
The founding engineer role is uniquely challenging: you're building the technical foundation with immense responsibility, minimal resources, and often isolated decision-making. While founders have YC, OnDeck, and countless networks, founding engineers have historically lacked equivalent peer communities.
The Founding Engineer Circle changes that. Since launching in San Francisco and New York, we've built a vetted community of over 100 technical leaders from companies backed by a16z, Sequoia, YC, and other top-tier investors.
Who's in the room
This is a members-only gathering limited to 16 founding engineers and early CTOs who've been verified as first-to-fifth technical hires at venture-backed startups. Previous attendees include technical leaders like Jairaj Singh, CTO/Cofounder of Substack, Kevin Suh, CTO/Cofounder of Finley (YC W21), Arjun Kannan, Founder of Residesk, and more, creating peer networks that extend well beyond a single breakfast.
What to expect
Intimate roundtable format designed for substantive peer exchange, not networking theater
Structured discussion topics sourced from member challenges and experiences
Direct, tactical conversations about technical decision-making, team building, and founder dynamics
Coffee and breakfast provided
Ongoing access to a vetted community of founding engineers navigating similar challenges
Format: Peer-led roundtable discussion. This is a working session among peers who've walked the same path.
Breakfast at 9:30 AM, roundtable from 10-11:30 AM.
Hosted by Randy Brown - Founder of Scout, former CTO at Jopwell (YC S15, a16z-backed), and creator of the Founding Engineer Circle community in San Francisco. Randy brings together technical talent through events, workshops, and a private network that helps engineers thrive in early-stage startups.