Welcome to the Rising Tide.
YoungTech connects Seattle’s next wave of founders, venture capitalists, and innovators.
WHAT WE DO
Fireside Series
Intimate discussions with founders, funders, and innovators. Past speakers include OfferUp’s Co-Founder and leaders from Madrona, Echodyne, and Ascend.
Deep Dive Series
Focused explorations into tech and funding trends. Engage with top VCs and founders through events like VC Deep Dives and Making the Leap sessions.
Summits + Hackathons
Collaborate at large-scale events, including the Seattle AI Frontier Summit and the AI Tinkerers Hackathon, in partnership with leading organizations.
Networking + Community
Build connections at happy hours, breakfasts, and exclusive dinners like the Stifel Founders Dinner, Emerging Tech Happy Hour, and more!
OUR TEAM
Jake Laes
Founder
Jake is the founder of YoungTech Seattle and Global Executive Director at AI Tinkerers, on a mission to connect the Pacific Northwest's brightest minds. With experience at Techstars and Deel, he's supported 80+ startups and was recognized as an Inno Under 25 honoree.
Rishab Balakrishnan
Community Lead
Rish is a Senior Strategy Analyst at Accenture supporting Fortune 500 clients at the intersection of technology, manufacturing, and operations. A UW Foster alum with experience at Blue Origin, he runs YoungTech Seattle's programming, partnerships, and community strategy.
Michaela Issacs
Marketing & Community
Michaela is a TPM at Microsoft Fabric leading growth for Mirroring. A UW Foster grad with experience at Amazon and early-stage startups, she also contributes to marketing at YoungTech, connecting product thinking with community building.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Why was YoungTech created?
YoungTech was founded to build a thriving community for tech professionals in Seattle. We host events such as fireside chats, panels, VC collaborations, networking mixers, casual summer kickbacks, and larger summits to foster learning, connections, and opportunities within Seattle.
How do I get involved?
With a growing membership of over 600, our community stays actively engaged through in-person events, LinkedIn, and our mailing list. Feel free to join us here and learn more about our next events: https://lu.ma/youngtech.
What if I have other questions?
Email seattle@youngtech.live or reach out through our LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/youngtech-seattle)