Plug and Play Foundation SMB Tech Accelerator Graduation

Plug and Play Foundation is the social impact arm of Plug and Play, one of the most active VCs in the Valley. One of our pathways focuses on helping small businesses through facilitating tech adoption and educating them on how to use technology to increase efficiency and build long-term resilience.

Over the past few months, we've worked closely with 6 Bay Area restaurant owners to pilot technology and AI-driven solutions from companies focused on areas such as customer retention, local marketing, review management, and operational efficiency. We're excited to share the results—including one restaurant that saw an 80% increase in weekend revenue during the pilot—as well as the lessons learned from both the business owners and startup partners. This graduation will be a great opportunity to learn about the pilot's outcomes and key learnings, hear directly from restaurant owners and technology providers, and see how we can collaborate in the future.
What you'll see:
Startup impact showcases from Upswell, Scale Social, and Malou — each sharing real results from their restaurant pilots, spanning customer retention and foot traffic, authentic social content, and local search visibility and review management
A restaurant partner fireside chat, where owners reflect candidly on the operational changes, wins, and challenges the technology brought to their day-to-day business
A graduation recognition & awards ceremony honoring standout pilots and partnerships from the cohort
A restaurant showcase & networking reception, featuring food samples from participating owners
Whether you're a founder, operator, partner, or simply curious how technology is reshaping independent restaurants, come celebrate the cohort's progress, see the tangible outcomes, and recognize the partnerships built throughout the program.