The Story of SF New Tech
A grassroots movement that shaped San Francisco's tech ecosystem
The Beginning
April 4, 2006
It started with 8 geeks talking tech over cold pints at the Mars Bar on Brannan Street. Ed Batista from Attention Trust gave the first-ever demo, discussing online attention and digital privacy.
What began as a casual meetup would evolve into San Francisco's most beloved tech community, launching hundreds of companies and shaping the trajectory of the Bay Area tech ecosystem for over a decade.
Inspired by the New York Tech Meetup, organized by Scott Heiferman, CEO of Meetup.
The SFNT Era (2006-2020)
SF New Tech wasn't just an event series—it was a rite of passage. From 2006 to 2020, hundreds of founders stepped onto stages across San Francisco—from the Mars Bar to CNET, the Metreon, Mighty, and DocuSign—to give their first public demo, pitch their vision, and face the honest feedback of their peers.
In an era before demo days became polished productions, SF New Tech was raw, authentic, and fiercely community-driven. Founders demoed alpha products, sketches on whiteboards, and half-baked ideas that would eventually reshape entire industries.
The Countdown Clock: On stage with every presenter sat a huge, ominous countdown clock. 5 minutes for the demo. Then it reset. 5 minutes for Q&A. No exceptions. The clock kept everyone accountable—presenters learned to distill their vision into what mattered most, and audiences stayed engaged knowing every second counted. It was democracy through time constraints.
The impact was profound. Companies got their first users, found their co-founders, secured their first investors, and most importantly—learned that building in public, with community support, was the most powerful go-to-market strategy they had. And after the demos? Free tacos from the taco truck—a mainstay that kept the community fed and conversations flowing late into the night.
Then Came COVID
In March 2020, the pandemic brought an abrupt end to the in-person gatherings that were the lifeblood of SF New Tech. After 14 years of packed rooms, demo nights, and taco trucks, the community that thrived on face-to-face connection found itself unable to gather.
SF New Tech was built on the energy of being in the room—the nervous excitement of founders on stage, the spontaneous conversations during networking, the serendipitous connections made over tacos. Virtual events couldn't replicate that magic. And so, after over 200 events and 739 companies, SF New Tech's remarkable run came to an end.
But the spirit of building community and creating serendipitous connections wouldn't stay dormant for long...
Notable Alumni Companies
From unicorns to IPOs, these companies got their start on the SF New Tech stage
Stripe
Private ($50B+)
Presented 2012
Splunk
Acquired by Cisco ($28B)
Presented 2008
Unity Technologies
IPO ($13.7B)
Presented 2012
Twilio
IPO ($10B+)
Presented 2009
IPO ($10B+)
Presented 2012
Lending Club
IPO ($8.5B)
Presented 2010
Waze
Acquired by Google ($1.3B)
Presented 2010
Eventbrite
IPO ($1B+)
Presented 2008
23andMe
SPAC ($3.5B)
Presented 2008
18 unicorns · 8 IPOs · $150B+ combined valuation
...and hundreds more companies that launched, learned, and grew through the SF New Tech community
The Cultural Context
Web 2.0 (2006-2010)
SF New Tech emerged during the Web 2.0 renaissance, when social networks, user-generated content, and the "wisdom of crowds" were transforming the internet. Companies demoed mashups, widgets, and platforms that put users at the center of the experience.
The Floating Office (2008-2010)
In true SF New Tech spirit, the community's "office" was literally anchored in the San Francisco Bay from 2008-2010—a houseboat that served as a floating headquarters for meetings, brainstorming sessions, and the occasional demo. It was emblematic of the scrappy, unconventional approach that defined the era.
Read the SF Gate story about the floating office →Mobile Era (2010-2015)
As smartphones became ubiquitous, SF New Tech became ground zero for mobile-first startups. Location-based services, photo apps, and mobile commerce companies all found their first believers in the audience.
Platform & API Economy (2015-2020)
The final era saw the rise of developer tools, infrastructure platforms, and API-first businesses. SF New Tech helped technical founders find their first champions among engineers and product teams.
The RocketSpace Era (2017-2018)
SF New Tech partnered with RocketSpace to emphasize corporate innovation, hosting events on AI in consumer experience, retail disruption, cybersecurity, and blockchain/ICO education. This era brought together Fortune 500 executives from Nestlé, Walmart, and Cisco with cutting-edge startups, bridging the gap between enterprise innovation and startup agility.
The New Tech Crawl
Taking the show on the road, SF New Tech launched the #newtechcrawl—visiting innovation where it lives. Over 4 years, we took to the streets of San Francisco, bringing hundreds of community members inside the offices of the companies shaping the future.
2015: 300+ participants
The largest crawl yet, featuring visits to SF's fastest-growing startups and established tech leaders:
LaunchSquad, SmartNews, Shots, Covisint, Spright, Jobr, Weebly, Dolby, Thumbtack, Runway
2014: 250+ participants
Toured LinkedIn's headquarters, GitHub, and explored mission-driven organizations alongside emerging startups:
Featured Stops:
Prezi, LinkedIn, Medium, Wearable World, Instacart, DOZ, 500 Startups, Eco-Systm, Countable, Geekdom, Style Lend, TechShop, Bizo, Bright, Newsle, Pulse, Slideshare, Chute, Github
Mission-Driven Highlights: Circle the School (partnering SF tech companies with local public schools), Code2040 (increasing access for top minority engineering talent), Countable (platform for civic discourse on Capitol Hill issues)
2013: 200+ participants
The inaugural crawl, visiting coworking spaces, accelerators, and innovative startups across the city:
1-Page, AppDirect, FlexScore, Foundersuite, geekdom, Globant, grio, justinmind, Mashery, Mosey, NextSpace, Parisoma, RocketSpace, Tame, SET, Startup Product Academy, SpiderOak, FreeSpace, Prezi, Startup Basecamp, WeWork
The New Tech Tour
SF New Tech hit the road to bring the demo night experience to startup communities across the country. The New Tech Tour visited cities nationwide, showcasing local innovation and connecting regional ecosystems.
Salt Lake City
Partnered with the local tech community to showcase Utah's emerging startup scene
San Diego
Highlighted Southern California's biotech and tech innovation hub
Las Vegas
Brought the SF New Tech format to Vegas's growing technology sector
The New Tech Tour was made possible through an unexpected partnership with Microsoft, demonstrating how corporate and grassroots tech communities can collaborate authentically to create meaningful opportunities for local innovation.
Read the story: "The Power of Community-Driven Innovation"Invited to the White House
Friday Tech Meetup at The White House
April 14, 2015
"You represent the incredible local community organizing that happens every day across this country, connecting people who share common passions and who would otherwise be strangers to one another. By sharing your talents and knowledge with your neighbors and peers, organizing meetups, investing in people's development, and helping connect people to reach their goals, you're keeping our nation on the cutting edge of innovation. In short, the work you do is critically important on so many levels."
— Megan Smith
U.S. Chief Technology Officer
Assistant to the President of the United States
Special Events & Partnerships
The Big Summer Social at Stonebrook Court
Friday, July 23, 2010 • 4-9 PM
150+ highly social CEOs, founders, game changers and revolutionaries gathered at the legendary Stonebrook Court Private Estate in Los Altos Hills—an architectural masterpiece that has hosted presidents, kings, movie stars, and celebrities.
The Experience:
- • Cocktails on the promenade
- • Conversation on the great lawn
- • Live demos in the Grand Ballroom
- • Cold drinks and hot tacos
- • Transportation from/to SF provided
The Venue:
- • Built in 1914, one of California's greatest estates
- • Designed by landscape architect Stephen Suzman
- • Features Tudor mount, knot garden, boxwood parterres
- • Grand Ballroom with 16th Century gilded Venetian ceiling paintings
- • Pool with bronze Neptune statue fountain
This invite-only happy hour brought together the top minds in technology for a summer social celebration at one of the most exclusive venues in Silicon Valley. A portion of proceeds was directed toward an important cause via citizeneffect.org.
"Simply an excuse to gather some of the top minds in technology for a summer social celebration at a very cool spot."
6 About to Break @ Macworld/iWorld 2014
SF New Tech partnered with Macworld/iWorld to create the first-ever competition spotlighting the most innovative apps, accessories, software and utilities uniquely positioned to break out into the Apple marketplace.
The Six Finalists:
- • AppPresser
- • Everypost
- • Glyph (Avegant)
- • MotionPortrait
- • Petcube
- • ReKognition (Orbeus)
Competition Stats:
- • 100+ entrants submitted
- • Presented to thousands of attendees
- • Moscone North, SF - March 27, 2014
- • Winners: Petcube & Avegant (tied at 27%)
Digital Currency Summit: The Ripple Effect
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
SF New Tech & Merriman Capital presented an exclusive half-day event dedicated to the rise of alternate digital currencies—years before crypto became mainstream.
Speaker Lineup:
- • Chris Larsen, CEO of Ripple Labs
- • Michael Maier, COO of Fidor Bank
- • Gary Kremen & Steve Bennet, Founders of CrossCoin Ventures
- • Steve Kirsch, CEO of Cointrust
- • John Whelan, CEO of Coinist
- • Jake Benson, CEO of LibraTax
Moderators:
- • Myles Weissleder & Marc Lewis (Merriman Capital CTO)
- • Eric Newcomer (Reporter, The Information)
- • Bradley Rotter (Merriman Advisory Board)
Key Sponsors:
- • Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP
- • Digital Capital Network
Press & Media Coverage
SF New Tech's impact resonated across major media outlets
What Made SF New Tech Special
Grassroots & Accessible
No gatekeepers, no pitch competitions, no "winners." Just founders showing their work to a community that cared.
Honest Feedback
The Q&A wasn't scripted or sanitized—it was real questions from real users, investors, and builders.
Community First
The goal wasn't to "win" but to connect—to find early adopters, advisors, hires, and friends.
No Lies
This archive honors everyone—IPOs and shutdowns alike. Every company was part of the ecosystem's fabric.
From the Archives
Watch highlights from SF New Tech events and presentations
Featured Stories
The Power of Community-Driven Innovation
How SF New Tech pioneered the grassroots demo night format that became the blueprint for developer relations and community-led growth.
Read on Medium →SF New Tech: Where the Unicorns Learned to Demo
The untold story of how a grassroots meetup became the proving ground for some of tech's biggest success stories.
Read on Medium →FoodBytes: The Legacy Continues
SF New Tech's impact didn't end in 2020. FoodBytes!, born directly out of the SF New Tech community, carries forward the same grassroots ethos— providing a stage for early-stage companies to demo, connect, and build their communities.
Focused on food tech and agriculture innovation, FoodBytes applies the SF New Tech playbook to one of humanity's most critical challenges: building a more sustainable, equitable food system. The format remains familiar: authentic demos, honest feedback, and a community-first approach to helping founders find their first believers.
FoodBytes is counted as a subset of the SF New Tech archive, representing the continuation of our mission into new verticals and the next generation of builders.
The People Who Made It Happen
SF New Tech was built by a dedicated community of organizers, volunteers, speakers, and supporters who believed in the power of grassroots innovation.
Core Team
Key Contributors & Supporters
...and so many more who volunteered, hosted, sponsored, and supported the community
Watch the Archive
Relive the moments that shaped San Francisco's tech ecosystem. From pitch demos to founder stories, explore our video archive on YouTube.
The Legacy Continues
SF New Tech proved that community isn't just a nice-to-have—it's the foundation of sustainable, authentic growth. From demo nights (2006-2020) to hiking trails (It's In The Air), the spirit of grassroots community-building has evolved into something new.
Today, that same energy lives on through The Higher Tide—bringing the lessons of 14 years of community-led growth to companies ready to build authentic connections and go-to-market strategies that actually work.
Explore The Higher Tide