Hacker Dojo

11/29/2025

Winter Fundraiser Week is next week! And it marks one of the most important stretches of the year for Hacker Dojo.

From December 1 through December 7, we’re hosting a full week of events designed to bring the community together, highlight what we’re building, and support the future of the Dojo.

Here’s the schedule for the week:

Monday, December 1 — 3D Printing Class
A hands-on introduction to 3D printing, machine operation, and creative prototyping.

Tuesday, December 2 — Members Meeting
A space for updates, discussion, and an important announcement about the Dojo’s future direction.

Thursday, December 4 — The Code Slop Comedy Hour
A night of tech-infused comedy, storytelling, and AI-driven experiments.

Friday, December 5 — An Evening of Wine and Food Pairings
A relaxing night focused on good food, conversation, and supporting the Dojo’s mission.

Saturday, December 6 — Super Happy Dev House 68
A full day of hacking, building, collaborating, and sharing projects. A signature Dojo experience and the anchor event of Winter Fundraiser Week.

Winter Fundraiser Week isn’t just a series of events.

It’s a moment to come together as a community, celebrate what we’re building, and support the space that helps innovators grow.

Join us for the events that resonate with you. RSVP on our Meet-up page!

Be part of the week that helps shape what comes next for Hacker Dojo.

If you’d like to support the Dojo during Winter Fundraiser Week, you can make a contribution through the donation link on our website

11/26/2025

If you’re a founder, a future founder, an investor, or simply someone who loves the energy of early-stage innovation, this event is for you.

Startup Mix & Pitch is where ideas meet momentum.

Hosted at Hacker Dojo, this event brings together early-stage founders, builders, and investors for an evening of networking, pitching, and hands-on learning inside a supportive startup community.

The format is simple and effective:

We open with a mixer from 6:00 to 7:00 PM where you can connect with founders, engineers, and investors. Then, ten founders take the stage to pitch their startups in a rapid-fire session designed to simulate real-world pressure while receiving meaningful feedback.

Each founder gets two minutes to pitch and a short Q&A with judges who have real VC and angel investment backgrounds.

The twist is what makes this event unique:

Every attendee gets a set of “funny money” — tokens you can invest into the startups you believe in. Judges also receive their own allocation. At the end of the night, the startup that raises the most funny money wins.

It’s fast-paced, collaborative, and designed to help founders refine their pitch, understand investor thinking, and get validation on their startup direction.

Pitch slots are limited to ten, and priority is given to founders who register early and follow the instructions inside the Discord link on the Meetup page.

Startup Mix & Pitch — Friday, November 28 at 6 PM

Join the mixer. Hear the pitches. Cast your votes.

Be part of one of the strongest founder communities in the Bay.

RSVP: https://www.meetup.com/hackerdojo/events/306479254

09/24/2025

AI Workshop: Zeroth Principles — Today at 7 PM

Join Monica Anderson, AI Epistemologist with 20+ years in traditional AI and 20+ years with LLMs and DNNs, for an interactive workshop on the first principles of AI.

You’ll explore:

▪️The epistemological foundations of AI

▪️How and why AI systems work

▪️The best tools to use right now

▪️A unique perspective on the future of AI

This session is designed for all levels. Come with an open mind and curiosity.

Seats are limited. RSVP now and join us today at 7 PM:

👉 https://www.meetup.com/hackerdojo/events/311061036/

09/24/2025

Find Your Path into Venture Capital — Today at 1:30 PM

Join Mala Ramakrishnan, Founder & VC at Founders Creative, for a live session on investing in AI startups.

Mala brings experience as a founder with three successful exits (Cuvo, Mavantis, Aeroprise) and leadership roles at Meta, Cloudera, Veeva, and Oracle.

This session will explore:

- The state of AI and venture investing

- How to evaluate startups

- How to invest in the next generation of AI unicorns

Seats are limited. RSVP now and join us today at 1:30 PM:

👉 https://www.meetup.com/hackerdojo/events/311109539/

09/06/2025

Ultimate Game Night returns once again to Hacker Dojo next week on Saturday, September 13 at 7 PM.

Headlining this month is an Overcooked 2 Tournament, alongside classic console titles, VR pinball, poker, board games, indie demos, and more.

Whether you’re competing, exploring new games, or just here to connect with the community, there’s something for everyone.

Bring a friend, show this post or a flyer at the door, and enjoy a free ice cream cone as part of the experience.

📍 Hacker Dojo — Every 2nd Saturday of the month

RSVP here: https://www.meetup.com/hackerdojo/events/306479246/

09/03/2025

The AI revolution is moving fast. Don’t just watch it—build with it.

On Friday, September 12 (12–5:30 PM PT), Founders Creative is hosting the AI Vibe Coding Summit:

- Fireside chats with leaders from Google, Meta, Netflix, NVIDIA, CrowdStrike, and Expedia
- A hands-on workshop where you’ll code and launch your own AI-powered web app
- Real conversations with engineers, designers, PMs, and founders

📍 Location shared after registration
🎟️ Register here: https://luma.com/handsondeck

Use code "HACKERDOJO" for $25 off

08/07/2025

Introducing: Community Project Day at Hacker Dojo

🗓 This Saturday, August 9, 2025 | 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM

We’re kicking off a brand new tradition: Community Project Day — a space every two weeks where the Hacker Dojo community gets together to build, fix, and co-create.

This is the first one.

If you’ve ever wanted to:

▪️Collaborate with fellow builders

▪️Lend a hand on community projects

▪️Or just hang out and see what people are working on

This is your open invite.

Bring whatever you’re working on (or just show up empty-handed and curious).

We’ll share a few Hacker Dojo project ideas too — but how you contribute is up to you.

What to bring:

▪️Laptop, tools, or anything you like building with

▪️Curiosity

▪️Optional: snacks or drinks to share

RSVP to join us here:

https://www.meetup.com/hackerdojo/events/310257091/?eventOrigin=group_events_list

Let’s kick this off strong and build something great — together.

Every two weeks, the Hacker Dojo community gets together for Community Project Day, and we’re kicking it off with a Community Project Day warm-up! This is your space to co

05/14/2025

Reimagining the Future of TV starts this weekend at Hacker Dojo.

We’re proud to host the first-ever Senza Hackathon in Silicon Valley, in partnership with Synamedia.

Come by to geek out with us on May 16 (5:00 PM) – May 18 (3:00 PM)

This three-day event is an opportunity for developers, designers, and technologists to build next-generation TV applications using Senza, a cloud-native video delivery platform that removes the limitations of traditional smart TVs and streaming devices

What’s included with your free RSVP:

-Full weekend access
-Meals and snacks
-Mentoring from industry experts
-A $100 Senza developer license

What you’ll experience:

-Build and launch innovative applications on the Senza platform
-Learn directly from Synamedia engineers and mentors
-Network with peers and leaders in cloud media technology
-Compete for prizes and potential partnership opportunities

No prior experience with Senza is required—we’ll provide a complete onboarding experience and technical support throughout the weekend.

Space is limited. Register today and be part of shaping the future of video technology.

🔗 https://www.meetup.com/hackerdojo/events/306982528/

04/29/2025

Startup Mix & Pitch – Where Ideas Meet Opportunity

Looking to share your big idea, connect with founders, or get honest feedback from fellow builders? Startup Mix & Pitch is the space for it — one of Hacker Dojo’s most popular recurring events.

Pitch. Network. Grow.

Every month, creators, technologists, and entrepreneurs come together to pitch their ideas, explore collaborations, and spark innovation.

📅Next Event: Friday, May 23, 2025

🕕 Time: 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM PDT

📍 Location: Hacker Dojo (Every 4th Friday of the month through December!)

Whether you're launching your next venture or just want to hang out with Silicon Valley's most curious minds — you're invited.

P.S. Here's a snapshot from our last Mix & Pitch. Will we see you at the next one?

🔗 RSVP on Meetup: https://www.meetup.com/hackerdojo/events/306326623/

04/22/2025

🚨 Members Meeting This Thursday at 1PM 🚨

Join us for a brief Members Meeting on Thursday, April 24th at the Hacker Dojo Mail Space.
We’ll be sharing important updates about the organization, answering member questions, and wrapping up with a casual BBQ.

▪️Organizational Updates
▪️Open Q&A
▪️Community BBQ

Add it to your calendar — we look forward to seeing you there!

04/02/2025

We're refreshing Hacker Dojo's branding and need your input. Help shape our future by filling out a quick community survey. Your feedback matters!

Take the survey here:


https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc4twaoQ6WRhTHBDJxfD72J6aZf9E-x6Wlw3RP0rGlwz0bqJw/viewform?usp=sharing

03/10/2025

Unlock Your Leadership Potential: Distinguishing Leadership from Management

In today’s fast-paced work environment, understanding the distinction between leadership and management is crucial for driving success.

While many professionals are adept at managing teams, true leadership requires a deeper skill set—one that inspires, aligns, and propels teams toward long-term goals.

This week, don’t miss your opportunity to attend the Leadership & Team Effectiveness Workshop led by the renowned Kimberly Wiefling.

This exclusive workshop will help you grasp how leadership can transform your team’s culture, engagement, and performance, no matter your current role.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

▪️ The key differences between leadership and management

▪️ How leadership drives culture, engagement, and success

▪️ Leadership through A.C.T. (Actions, Communication, Thinking)

▪️ Why teams fail—and how to prevent it

▪️ Actionable strategies to immediately enhance your leadership skills

📅 Date: March 14, 2025 (This week!)

🕐 Time: 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM

📍 Location: Hacker Dojo, Mountain View, CA

🎟️ Tickets: $50

Don’t wait—spots are filling up fast. Secure your seat today:

https://www.meetup.com/hackerdojo/events/305768532/