NYC Investor Networking Event | Sept 18th

Join Us for LvlUp Ventures’ Founder & Investor Experience in NYC
September 18 | East Village, NYC

LvlUp Ventures is hosting a private a high-energy founder and investor networking experience in NYC on September 18th. Join us to connect with top founders, VCs, and industry leaders across tech and CPG.

Sept 18: LvlUp Founder & Investor Networking Event
Join 100+ founders, angels, and VCs—40–50% in the tech & CPG space—for a high-energy cocktail hour at the same East Village venue, now expanded for networking. The evening will include:

• Branded Startup Showcases: Meet LvlUp x Shopline portfolio companies at branded booths featuring live demos, product sampling, and direct conversations with founders. Confirmed brands include:
  
  • ADVINTAGE® Transform your wine-drinking experience
  • Wild Mannered All-Natural Soju Cocktails Crafted for community
  • Holy! Water Mood-boosting, fat-burning, functional fuel
  • Better Together Foods Freshly Baked in California with Perfect Taste!
  • Nunu Chocolates Chocolate You Feel Good About.
  • QNSY Light, refreshing versions of bar classics
  • I Love Camelina The Omega-3 Oil You Will Love
  • High Ground Elixir Sparkling functional drink infused with five adaptogenic mushrooms—minus the mushroom taste.
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• Expert Panel Discussion: Dive into the latest trends in tech, CPG, and startup growth with insights from three leading voices in early-stage investing:
  
  • Brandon Maier, General Partner, LvlUp Ventures
    Brandon is the General Partner at LvlUp Ventures and previously co-founded Quake Capital, highlighted by Crunchbase for making the second-most investments in female-led startups in 2018. He has backed over 400 startups, with 84% still active and 15 successful exits to date.
  • AJ Smith, Junior Partner, Outlander VC
    AJ is an investor, brand builder, and enabler of dreams. As Junior Partner at Outlander VC—a top-decile venture fund with 18+ unicorns—he helps build the community and tools that power the next generation of iconic founders.
  • Maddi Holman, General Partner, Daring Ventures
    Maddi is Co-Founder and General Partner at Daring Ventures. A walk-on D1 athlete turned VC, she’s worked at Touchdown Ventures and Cigna Ventures, investing across healthcare, software, proptech, and more. Maddi focuses on identifying overlooked founders and underdog success stories.
  • Christopher Yang, Co-President at Shopline, is a distinguished global business executive and technology leader with a multifaceted career in building, launching and scaling consumer-centric technology platforms and solutions across diverse international markets. His extensive experience in driving engineering and product innovations that accelerated product-led growth across different D2C verticals fuels his pursuit in revolutionizing the commerce experience.

• Premium Networking: Mingle with a curated mix of innovators and investors building the future.
• Gift Bags: There are a limited number of VIP gift bags available exclusively for investors, featuring products from each of the CPG brands showcased at the event.

Whether you’re an investor looking for deal flow or a founder seeking community and capital, this is an event you won’t want to miss.

Bonus Dinner for CPG Founders
Sept 17: LvlUp x Shopline CPG Dinner - An exclusive, invite-only dinner bringing together the LvlUp and Shopline teams with 10-15 top CPG startups and portfolio companies. Hosted at a scenic, top-rated East Village restaurant, this intimate evening will feature elevated dining, ambient decor, and meaningful conversations under the stars. If you're a CPG founder, there is an opportunity to opt in on the regisration form.

We're proud to be supported by an incredible group of partners who empower startups and founders at every stage of growth:

Shopline

Shopline is the modern commerce platform built for DTC brands. With everything from storefront customization to omnichannel support and integrated logistics, Shopline helps fast-growing consumer brands scale smarter and sell everywhere—from Shopify to social and beyond.

Zendesk

Zendesk helps startups build lasting customer relationships with powerful support, sales, and engagement tools. From scaling early customer support to managing enterprise workflows, Zendesk provides intuitive solutions trusted by startups and Fortune 500s alike.

Efficient Capital Labs (ECL)

Efficient Capital Labs offers non-dilutive financing solutions for high-growth B2B SaaS companies. With funding up to $2.5M based on ARR, ECL empowers founders to scale without giving up equity—fast, flexible, and founder-friendly.

Carta

Carta is the leading equity management platform, trusted by over 40,000 companies and investors. From cap table management to valuations, SPVs, and fund administration, Carta makes it easy to manage equity, stay compliant, and plan for growth.

👉 Please indicate which day(s) you’re interested in attending when you RSVP.

This is a private, invite-only event with limited capacity for both days. Attendance is subject to approval to ensure a high-quality mix of founders, investors, and strategic partners. If you're interested in joining us, please indicate which day(s) you’d like to attend—our team will follow up with confirmation and next steps.

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