We spent the evening at a startup pitch night hosted at JJ Lake. Founders at the front, a panel taking questions, and a room full of people who actually build — exactly the kind of night we make time for.
The Pitches
One after another, founders stepped up to the podium and made their case. The format was tight: present, get questioned by the panel, take it on the chin or take the win. No filler.
The slide that summed up the night: Defensible MOAT — compounding intelligence. That theme ran through more than one pitch. Everybody in the room knows that in 2026 a demo isn't a business — the question every panelist kept circling back to was *what makes this hard to copy?* Watching founders answer that under pressure, live, is worth more than any deck.
The Other Half
The pitches are only half of a night like this. The other half happens at the food table afterward — founders comparing notes, operators trading war stories, people finding the person they actually needed to meet.
That's why we show up. The pitches sharpen your thinking; the conversations afterward are where things actually start.
The Takeaway
A strong night, a full room, and the right kind of energy — people building real things and willing to defend them in front of a crowd. Grateful to JJ Lake for hosting.
More from the community soon.