Bay Founder’s Bootcamp (2-Days)
IB Founder Bootcamp (In-Person)
🏆 Win a $1,000 GTM Budget
Two startups will each receive a $1,000 Go-To-Market (GTM) Budget to help accelerate customer acquisition, growth experiments, and market validation efforts.
To be eligible, founders must:
Attend both Day 1 and Day 2 in person
Deliver their pitch live on Day 2
Day 1 Schedule + Facilitators
9:00 AM – 9:40 AM | Kickoff & Founder Introductions
9:40 AM – 10:40 AM | AI Startup Building Masterclass
Explore how to turn ideas into functional prototypes using modern AI tools like Cursor, Bolt.new, v0, and Framer. Learn AI-first workflows, architecture planning, and prompt-driven development.
Qi Diaz is Executive Director of Hacker Dojo and a founding member of Enkeyai, where he helps build technology solutions and AI learning experiences that empower innovators, educators, and communities.
10:40 AM – 12:15 PM | Sprint 1: Environment & Core Setup
Get your development environment production-ready by setting up tools, accounts, deployment workflows, and a basic working UI or landing page to kick off development.
Anjana Manian is the founder of bg2.ai and a technology leader with 30 years of experience at PayPal, Checkr, Cisco, and Oracle. She helps organizations streamline operations and scale faster through AI-powered automation and practical implementation.
12:15 PM – 1:00 PM | Working Lunch & Founder Fireside Chat
Enjoy lunch while exploring how to validate ideas with low-tech experiments and “smoke & mirror” MVPs before investing in full product development.
Rajesh Gupta is a product leader with 13+ years of experience building AI-driven products. He specializes in turning complex technology into customer value through product strategy, storytelling, and execution.
1:00 PM – 3:00 PM | Sprint 2: The Deep Build & Feature Lock
Dedicated build time to develop your MVP with mentor support. Prioritize core functionality, eliminate unnecessary features, and deploy a live, interactive prototype.
3:00 PM – 4:30 PM | Sprint 3: Live Customer Outreach
Launch your MVP into the real world by executing live outreach, tracking engagement, and collecting early customer signals through LinkedIn, Reddit, and email.
Stacy Yamaoka Anderson is CEO of Andyama and a GTM operating partner with 20+ years of experience in marketing and growth. She helps companies build scalable go-to-market systems that drive customer acquisition, retention, and measurable business results.
4:30 PM – 5:00 PM | Day 1 Wrap-Up & Day 2 Preparation
Day 2 Schedule + Facilitators
9:00 AM – 9:30 AM | Morning Data Debrief
9:30 AM – 10:45 AM | Masterclass: GTM, Sales & Traction
Learn practical, low-cost strategies to acquire your first 10–100 users through outbound outreach, community engagement, and repeatable sales tactics. Leave with a 30-day distribution plan and ready-to-use outreach templates.
Rohan Brown is Founder and Managing Director of Innovate Bay, where he helps startups scale through entrepreneurship, investment, and ecosystem building. An entrepreneur and startup competition champion, he specializes in go-to-market strategy, founder growth, and connecting startups with customers and investors.
10:45 AM – 12:00 PM | Masterclass: Founder Finances
Learn the financial fundamentals every founder needs, including pricing strategy, unit economics, cash burn, and budgeting. Build a financial plan to guide early growth and make the most of your startup resources.
Gurdeep Sidhu FCCA is a finance executive, who has experience at several Fortune 500 companies across multiple industries both internationally and in the US, including managing the financials of a $3.2 billion startup. He specializes in financial strategy, pricing, forecasting, financial modeling, and operational planning to help businesses grow sustainably.
12:00 PM – 12:45 PM | Working Lunch Fireside Chat
Over lunch, learn how compelling storytelling builds trust, attracts customers, and converts early users into design partners and paying customers.
Robert Cristobal is the Founder and Managing Director of NxtStory Studios, a creative strategy firm that helps brands grow through story-first content and AI-powered marketing. With over 20 years of experience in creative entrepreneurship, he specializes in turning ideas into compelling narratives that drive engagement and business growth.
12:45 PM – 1:30 PM | Fundraising & Pitch Deck Preparation
Learn how to build a concise, investor-ready pitch using a four-slide framework covering the problem, product demo, go-to-market strategy, and financials. Leave with a structured pitch deck ready for refinement.
1:30 PM – 2:45 PM | Final Pitch Polish & Practice
2:45 PM – 4:30 PM | 🏆 Innovate Bay $1,000 GTM Showdown
Founders will deliver a 90-second pitch followed by a 2-minute Q&A with a panel of judges, investors, and ecosystem leaders.
Teams will receive real-time feedback on their product, traction, and execution while competing for the $1,000 GTM Budget Award and a special Founder Narrative & Positioning Session with Wendy Chan, focused on refining founder storytelling, positioning, and next-step opportunities within the Innovate Bay ecosystem.
Teresa Hoang is the CEO of the Fremont Chamber of Commerce and Founder of the Strong, Smart, and Kind (SSK) Foundation. She is a community leader and mentor dedicated to empowering entrepreneurs, developing future leaders, and fostering inclusive economic growth.
Larry Chao is a startup executive, advisor, and investor with leadership experience spanning AI, semiconductors, mobile, and SaaS. A graduate of MIT and Stanford, he has helped scale high-growth companies through strategy, product, business development, and operations, including ventures acquired by Intel and SoftBank.
Rohan Brown is Founder and Managing Director of Innovate Bay, helping startups raise capital, refine their go-to-market strategy, and scale through founder education and investor connections.
Wendy Chan is a go-to-market strategist and founder of INBRND who helps startups turn complex technology into compelling stories that drive growth. With experience launching products across hardware, mobility, and health tech, her work has been featured in TechCrunch, Forbes, and The Verge.
4:30 PM – 5:00 PM | Winner Announcement & Closing Ceremony
By the end of Day 2, founders will leave with a clearer growth strategy, a refined pitch, valuable feedback from experienced operators, and the opportunity to win the $1,000 GTM Budget Award.
What to Bring
Laptop and charger
Any materials related to your startup idea
A willingness to build, test, and iterate quickly
🚨 Reminder: Founders must be present on both days and pitch in person on Day 2 to qualify for the $1,000 GTM Budget Award.