THE DEAL LOUNGE - LP+ EDITION

The Deal Lounge — LP+ Edition

Capital alignment for LPs, GPs, and top-tier founders.
The Deal Lounge — LP Edition is a curated, executive-level experience designed to bring together LPs allocators, GPs fund managers, funded founders, and select high-upside companies inside the Bay Area innovation economy.

This edition is built for one clear purpose: to create a high-signal room where capital partners can evaluate managers, managers can evaluate companies, and founders can earn serious follow-up conversations.

Featured LPs
Featured LPs and capital partners will evaluate fund strategies, emerging opportunities, and the managers best positioned to create durable returns. Their participation brings real-world insight into allocation priorities, institutional readiness, portfolio construction, and what it takes to earn serious investor interest.

Rahul Varshneya — Executive Director — Morgan Stanley
Senior executive driving innovation at the intersection of financial markets, institutional strategy, and emerging technologies, with experience shaping enterprise-scale initiatives across global finance.

Juliet Singh — Investment Partner, Debere Partners
Dr. Juliet Singh is a Senior Partner at Debere Partners specializing in global healthcare and life sciences. With more than 30 years of experience as an investor, CEO, founder, and board member, she has helped build, fund, and scale companies across biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, digital health, and genomics. Her career includes leadership roles at Genentech, Baxter Healthcare, Allergan, and Collateral Therapeutics, as well as successfully taking a startup public.

Michael “Mick” Daley is a family office investor focused on growth-stage companies, co-investments, and select special situations. He evaluates opportunities across cybersecurity, real estate, and built-world innovation, with an emphasis on strong revenue growth, capital efficiency, defensible market positions, experienced leadership, institutional readiness, and clear paths to liquidity.

Vince Kohli is an exponential-impact technology capitalist, social-impact investor, and global venture mentor supporting bio, generative AI, and deep-tech startups. An MIT startup judge and member of the MIT Technology Review Global Panel, he helps founders scale transformative technologies by combining enterprise innovation, investment strategy, and empathy-driven leadership.

Radu Skutaru is the Founder and Managing Partner at Golden Bay Ventures, specializing in late-stage and pre-IPO venture secondaries. He works with GPs, LPs, family offices, and global investors to structure liquidity solutions, accelerate DPI, and provide access to high-quality private-market opportunities through venture syndication.

Simon Kim — Principal, SK Telecom Ventures
Featured GPs
Featured GPs will evaluate startup opportunities while presenting their fund strategies, sector focus, track records, and differentiation to LPs and capital partners. Their participation creates a two-sided environment where founders gain investor feedback and fund managers build relationships with potential allocators.

Evan Buhler is an early-stage investor, attorney and the Founder and General Partner of Talok Capital. He works with founders on marketing, product, talent acquisition, commercial, legal strategy and more. He feels venture has changed for the worse since its inception, but that there’s change in the air and nowhere to go but up.

Taras Romaniuk is a Venture Partner at NetworkVC focused on venture capital, startups, innovation, and AI infrastructure. He works with founders and investors to identify promising technology companies, support scalable growth, and connect emerging ventures with strategic capital and market opportunities.

Ryan Wang is a Silicon Valley venture capital and private equity investor focused on spatial computing, artificial intelligence, crypto, robotics, and data centers. A former serial entrepreneur and investment banker, he also serves as a board director, government advisor, keynote speaker, and global innovation ecosystem builder.

Sergey Chislov is General Partner at 01 Foundry, a serial entrepreneur, and the author and initiator of a Web3 country. After launching more than 20 businesses and navigating four major entrepreneurial comebacks, he now leads a venture studio building startups across AI, Web3, and SaaS while bringing a global perspective shaped by six years in Bali and a lifelong commitment to discipline, deep work, and bold vision.

Stephan Morris is a C-level media and technology executive with experience across fintech, SaaS, blockchain, and digital innovation. At Digital Star Network, he focuses on building immersive solutions and engaging products designed to create meaningful value for society.

Ning Sung is an investor with Sand Hill Angels, a prominent Silicon Valley angel investment organization supporting selected companies across information technology, bioengineering, and consumer markets. Based in Palo Alto, he brings nearly a decade of experience evaluating early-stage opportunities and connecting entrepreneurs with capital and strategic guidance. He is raised in Japan and has strong channels with Softbank, NTT, Fujitsu, Hitachi, NEC and other major companies to provide strategic investments and landing in Japan.

Earl Patton is the Managing Partner at Rumble Ventures and a business development executive with more than 15 years of experience supporting high-growth businesses across Africa. He helps secure capital and strategic partnerships for sports, infrastructure, and emerging-market ventures, combining market intelligence, business development, and creative marketing to drive sustainable growth.

Varun Turlapati is the Managing Director of Chaanakya Capital, an early-stage venture fund focused on NeuroTech, brain-computer interfaces, AI, neuroscience, well-being, and longevity. Drawing on his engineering and optimization experience at startups and companies including Roblox and Walmart, he partners closely with founders building transformative solutions for conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
Agenda
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Doors Open, Check-In & Networking
Arrive, check in, meet fellow LPs, GPs, founders, speakers, and strategic partners, and begin curated conversations before the formal program begins.

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Keynote: Capital Allocation & Risk Management in the AI Era
Prof. PK (Prasanna Kumar)
Board Advisor | Author: AI in Finance | CEO: Business Optima | Adjunct Professor (PGP, CAIO, CTO, Mentor Programs)
Capital allocation has always been a function of information asymmetry. AI collapses that asymmetry — and in doing so, fundamentally reprices risk itself. Prof. PK argues that the frameworks built for rate cycles and earnings volatility were never designed for inference latency, model opacity, or correlated drawdowns driven by machines trained on the same data. His work examines the second and third-order effects of AI-driven market regimes: how to proactively manage volatility, anticipate tail events before consensus forms, and build risk governance architectures that recalibrate in real time. The result is a rigorous, practitioner-tested framework for delivering risk-adjusted alpha.
In the AI era, the alpha isn't in the algorithm — it's in the architecture of smart allocation: the discipline to grow capital forward and upward, the wisdom to know exactly what threatens it and the proactivity to protect growth.
Keynote Speaker: Prof. PK (Prasanna Kumar), Board Advisor | Author: AI in Finance | CEO: Business Optima | Adjunct Professor (PGP, CAIO, CTO, Mentor Programs)
Moderator: Jianheng (Epiphany) Xiao, Head of Growth Marketing & Sales Development, AlphaX RE Capital
Panelist #1: Robert Scoble, Tech Author, Scobleizer — https://x.com/Scobleizer
Panelist #2: Jane Lin, Chief Investment Officer, AlphaX RE Capital

Panelist #1: Robert Scoble - Ex-Microsoft, Rackspace, Fast Company | Wrote eight books about the future | Silicon Valley robots, holodecks, BCIs, and startups.

Moderator: Jianheng (Epiphany) Xiao, Head of Growth Marketing & Sales Development, AlphaX RE Capital

Panelist #2: Jane Lin, Chief Investment Officer, AlphaX RE Capital
The session will conclude with an interactive Q&A.

12:00 PM – 12:30 PM
Founder Spotlight: Why, When, and How Organizations Will Turn Teams Into Context and Automation
George Portillo
CEO & Technical Founder, Sushidata
George Portillo, an ex-Googler and builder of agentic systems, will explore how organizations will capture institutional context and use it to power automation across teams. He will explain why work that once required 1,000 people may eventually be completed by 10, how agentic systems will reshape organizational operations, and why CEOs must begin preserving their companies’ context trails today.
The session will provide practical guidance on preparing for a future in which AI systems continuously capture, carry, and activate organizational knowledge—rather than allowing valuable context to remain fragmented across tools such as ChatGPT and Claude.
The presentation will conclude with an audience Q&A.
12:30 PM – 1:00 PM
Networking Lunch
Connect over lunch with LPs, GPs, funded founders, operators, sponsors, and ecosystem partners. This block is designed for relationship-building, warm introductions, and follow-up conversations.
1:00 PM – 1:30 PM
Sponsor Showcase
A featured segment highlighting the organizations supporting The Deal Lounge LP+ Edition and their work across innovation, venture strategy, and production-ready AI infrastructure.
AlphaX — Venue Sponsor Presentation | 10 Minutes
A welcome presentation from AlphaX, the official venue sponsor of The Deal Lounge LP+ Edition. AlphaX will introduce its organization, share its work, and address the founders, investors, LPs, GPs, and capital partners in attendance.
TheAgentic — Sponsor Spotlight | 10 Minutes
A featured presentation from TheAgentic exploring the infrastructure required to deploy production-ready AI agents in high-stakes industries where accuracy, reliability, security, and enterprise readiness are essential.
Sponsor Q&A and Audience Engagement
An opportunity for attendees to engage directly with AlphaX and TheAgentic, ask questions, and explore potential partnerships and strategic opportunities.
1:30 PM – 2:30 PM
Funded Founders Pitch to GPs
A curated group of funded founders will pitch directly to aligned GPs and capital partners. Each pitch is designed to create fast investor signal, live feedback, and potential movement into follow-up or Deal Room conversations.
Participating GPs and Fund Managers
Evan Buhler — Founder and General Partner, Talok Capital
Stephan Morris — Partner and CMO, Portara Capital
Sergey Chislov — General Partner, 01 Foundry
Taras Romaniuk — Venture Partner, NetworkVC
Earl Patton — General Partner, Rumble.VC
Ryan Wang — Founding Partner @ Outpost Capital & General Partner at Solaris Venture Partners
Ning Sung — Investor, Sandhill Angels
Varun Turlapati, Managing Director, Chaanakya Capital
Selected Funded Founders
Connor Rouan — SiteWorx
Will Bright— SafeRide.ai
Dinesh Atreya — TBA
Kathy Wang — Press Club
Tino Go — HelloBaru
Babu Jain — Navia Energy
Shield Xiao — Ainia
Amy Meadows — SmartHER Ventures
Sean Kim — Foundry Money
Sean Bovell — Reroute
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM

GPs Pitch to LPs
Selected GPs and fund managers will present their fund strategy, investment thesis, track record, differentiation, and allocation opportunity to LPs, allocators, family offices, and capital partners.
Participating LPs and Capital Partners
Rahul Varshneya — Executive Director, Morgan Stanley
Simon Kim — Principal, SK Telecom Ventures
Mike Daley — Investor, Alternative Investments
Juliet Singh — Investment Partner, Debere Partners
Vince Kohli — Impact Investor, Trillion Global Capital
Radu Skutaru - Founder and Managing Partner at Golden Bay Ventures
Additional participants will be announced as they are confirmed.

For LPs, this is an opportunity to gain direct exposure to emerging and established GPs, observe how fund managers evaluate founders in real time, and access a curated pipeline of Series A+ operators and growth-stage companies.
For GPs, this is a room designed to increase allocator visibility, sharpen founder evaluation, and generate qualified follow-ups with companies worth real diligence.
For top-tier founders, this is not a networking event. It is a pressure-tested format built to create fast investor signal, meaningful feedback, and potential movement into closed-door Deal Room conversations.

Why Attend
For LPs / Allocators
You attend because you want curated GP exposure, fund-to-fund alignment, and direct visibility into the companies and operators your managers are evaluating.
This is designed for allocators who prefer high-signal rooms over crowded conferences and want access to serious conversations with GPs, funded founders, and emerging companies in a structured environment.

LP value proposition:
Meet and evaluate GPs in a live capital-alignment setting
Observe how managers assess founders, markets, traction, and risk
Gain curated access to Series A+ founders and vetted dealflow
Build fund-to-fund relationships with serious capital partners
Move from introductions into diligence, follow-ups, and next steps
For GPs / Fund Managers
You attend because you want allocator proximity, quality founder flow, and a faster way to filter companies through structured investor Q&A.
The Deal Lounge gives GPs a room where they can showcase their investment lens, meet LPs and allocators, compare founder opportunities side-by-side, and identify which companies are worth moving forward.
GP value proposition:
Build visibility with LPs and capital allocators
Review curated founders in a Shark Tank-style format
Participate in fast, structured Q&A designed for diligence
Compare companies across categories, stages, and traction levels
Generate follow-ups that can convert into real investor conversations
Strengthen relationships with other aligned funds and capital partners

For Founders
You attend because you want serious investor feedback, access to aligned funds, and a real opportunity to move into follow-up conversations.
This format is designed for founders who can communicate clearly under pressure, understand their market, and are either actively raising or preparing to raise.
Founder value proposition:
Pitch directly to multiple aligned funds and capital partners
Receive live Q&A and immediate investor signal
Get a clear outcome: Pass • Follow-Up • Move to Deal Room
Earn access to closed-door Deal Room discussions
Build relationships with GPs, strategic capital partners, and ecosystem leaders

How It Works
Main Format: Shark Tank Style
Each company receives 5 minutes total:
2-minute founder pitch
3-minute rapid investor Q&A
1 founder vs. 4–5 aligned funds / capital partners
Real-time outcome: Pass • Follow-Up • Move to Deal Room
Top founders advance to private, closed-door Deal Room discussions with aligned capital partners.

Undercard: Funded Founders — Series A+
The Undercard features a curated showcase of funded founders, Series A+ companies, and breakout operators.
This segment is designed to surface proven execution, follow-on opportunities, strategic partnerships, and higher-confidence signals before the main rounds.
For LPs and GPs, the Undercard provides a premium view into operators who have already cleared early validation and may be positioned for follow-on capital, partnerships, or future fund-level relevance.
Venue Sponsor: AlphaX RE Capital

Thank you to AlphaX RE Capital, our Cupertino, CA venue sponsor.
AlphaX RE Capital is a women-founded, women-led, technology-driven, vertically integrated real estate investment and asset management group, home developer and builder, building the future of attainable homeownership in Silicon Valley and beyond. Through public-private partnerships and a platform that spans the full value chain from acquisition and entitlement to data, design, construction, and homeownership, we open Bay Area real estate to both individual and institutional investors. $510M AUM. 1,010+ units since 2019.
Learn More: https://www.alphax-capital.com/

The event will be hosted in a historic Silicon Valley property directly across from Apple’s headquarters. The building is connected to Apple’s early expansion and represents the entrepreneurial history that helped shape Cupertino into a global center of innovation.

TheAgentic provides complete infrastructure for production-ready AI agents, currently powering companies in biotech, healthtech, cybersecurity, and fintech where accuracy isn't optional.
Vendor Partners:

Ferendis is a governance and compliance partner for companies bringing AI into regulated industries. We own the outcome. We own the work behind SOC 2, ISO 27001, ISO 42001, HIPAA, and EU AI Act readiness, including AI risk classification, evidence, controls, audits, and security questionnaires, and we get you certified. At our table we'll demo how a company moves from scattered compliance to active certifications, and how Ferendis runs the engagement end to end.

What You Get
LPs / Allocators
Curated GP access in a live evaluation environment
Visibility into high-signal founders and companies
Direct access to fund managers and Series A+ operators
Structured follow-ups designed to become real conversations
A room built for capital alignment, not casual networking
GPs / Fund Managers
Allocator proximity without the noise
Curated founder flow
Shark Tank-style pitches with diligence-speed Q&A
A faster read on traction, clarity, market, and founder quality
Follow-up pathways into Deal Room conversations
Founders
Exposure to multiple aligned funds and capital partners
Live investor feedback and fast market signal
Clear next-step outcomes: Pass • Follow-Up • Deal Room
A real shot at private Deal Room discussions
For Series A+ founders: premium visibility for follow-on capital, partnerships, and strategic relationships

The Room Is the Advantage
The Deal Lounge — LP Edition is built for people who do not want more noise.
LPs get manager exposure and curated market intelligence.
GPs get allocator visibility and quality founder flow.
Founders get serious investor attention and a path to real follow-up.
This is where capital alignment moves from conversation to decision.

The Deal Lounge — LP Edition: Participants, Please Complete the Appropriate Intake Form
To ensure high-quality matching and the best overall experience, all participants are strongly encouraged to complete the relevant intake form below:
Liquidity Provider / LP Application Form
For LPs, allocators, family offices, and capital partners seeking curated deal flow and aligned opportunities. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSckHpoDBKmRHaUfJ6I5eoF6-BbAQgWV41PqEunyHrvrtrPOKQ/viewform?usp=header
Venture Fund Application Form
For GPs and venture funds looking to pitch to Liquidity Providers and explore allocations, co-investment, and strategic capital partnerships. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfoR4vmFTG9gE2Ahj9yMtvvkAg6lrlvBdPIEYcJYmtOCLWOUA/viewform?usp=header
Funded Founder Application
For funded startups ready to engage LPs and capital partners on growth financing, strategic capital, or structured liquidity conversations. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdqrydHRrNXnZeca0lYw_NuoSBL7UksMpbEEKa7YwkYzJCsSQ/viewform?usp=header
Apply to Be a Speaker
For founders, investors, operators, LPs, GPs, ecosystem leaders, and subject-matter experts interested in contributing to the program through a keynote, panel, fireside chat, workshop, or curated discussion. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeeUnykkcR3VmaA6ztezblGRX6kCx1orzHRc5_KPl4slyXpqg/viewform?usp=header
Apply for a Vendor Table
Showcase your product, service, or brand to a curated room of founders, investors, and operators. Drive demos, leads, and partnerships on-site. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc1XC1CTLVwwIxVgDohkRS-B1HyaS7kkPMBRfRZJj0EnHy_QQ/viewform?usp=header
Apply to Be a Sponsor
Put your brand in front of high-signal decision-makers with premium visibility, curated introductions, and partnership opportunities throughout the program. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSforhyen765W9TjLG7IeiTE9VeIuaVFMIWVihNwgEmsgXrljA/viewform?usp=header
Important Note
The more complete your intake form is, the better we can align you with the right investors, funds, founders, LPs, sponsors, vendors, speakers, and strategic partners.
The Deal Lounge works best when participants come prepared, share what they are looking for, and actively participate in the matchmaking process.