The Founder's Playbook
Some call Silicon Valley the Mecca of entrepreneurship. We're not that dogmatic — but every founder should make their way to the Bay Area at least once. Your time, money and energy are scarce, so here are the shortcuts: best practices and field-tested tips to plan your SF trip and make every hour count.
Work in progress — like everything in startups. Got feedback, comments or suggestions to make this more useful for founders? Reach out to Diana Koziarska from SMOK Ventures ([email protected]).
Feb – May
Right after the holidays, everyone is back to work at full steam. YC kicks off its Winter batch and VCs return from their ski trips.
May – Aug
Nobody's around in summer: half the city leaves for Burning Man, investors are on their six-week holidays, and the weather is famously grim.
Check large events in your focus area happening throughout the year in SF — but they're usually pricey. We're all about operating on minimal resources here, so weigh carefully whether any are worth it. More on events in the Networking section.
Co-livings and hacker houses are the highest-leverage option: you sleep where the network lives.
Decent co-living, South African–owned. Aim for the NoPa location — better crowd and good connections to the city center. ~$1,800/month for a room.
Decent, cheaper than most — though the crowd can be a bit hit-or-miss. 🙂
Really hard to get into, but a good crowd.
Essentially hostels for founders. Some are exceptional, some less so — here are a few solid options, but do explore beyond this list.
Especially for climate people.
Some of the best people in SF.
Great crowd for health-tech enthusiasts, run by a Romanian (Laurence Ion).
Not all areas are equal — some you should avoid (see Safety), and some attract the tech crowd. SF differs from European cities: you won't find many bustling streets of pubs and bars — everything revolves around events. Areas known for tech-folk saturation:
Also check out Palo Alto or San Jose — though those are a train or car ride away.
The classics: Uber or Lyft. Try something new: Waymo. Get cheap rides from Robotaxi (Tesla's Waymo) — download the app; don't forget to switch your app store location to the US. Watch for surge pricing during rush hours (8–10 AM & 4–7 PM).
BART links SF with Oakland, Berkeley, and both SFO/OAK airports. Best for airport transfers and longer intercity trips. Pro tip: check schedules for late-night events — trains run less frequently after hours.
MUNI: comprehensive network of buses, streetcars, and light rail throughout SF. City-wide travel at $2.50 per ride with a Clipper card. Use the MuniMobile app or Clipper card for easy boarding.
Shared e-scooters from Lime, Spin, and Bird operate throughout SF. For bikes: Bay Wheels by Lyft — choose the electric ones to tackle SF's notorious hills. Follow safety rules, park considerately, wear a helmet.
Rent a car only for multiple Silicon Valley trips (Menlo Park, Palo Alto…) — city parking is pricey. Try Turo to rent without paying for insurance coverage. Read street signs thoroughly — permits and cleaning schedules are strictly enforced. Curb colors matter: red = no stopping, yellow/white = loading, green = short-term, blue = disabled. Find garage rates with SpotHero or ParkMe.
SF is walkable, but be cautious in the rougher areas. Great for short trips, sightseeing, and casual networking walks around South Park. Check your route for hills — a "quick walk" can feel like several flights of stairs.
Visiting the U.S. for a short business trip? Get short-term travel medical insurance for visitors — distinct from long-term expat plans, and essential given U.S. healthcare costs.
Why it's necessary: unlike most European systems, U.S. healthcare is not government-funded or universal for visitors. Even a simple ER visit can mean bills of thousands of dollars. Travel insurance protects you from these potentially overwhelming costs.
Cooking vs eating out: California food is delicious and healthy — at a high price. The affordable options might not sit well if you're used to a European diet. Get accommodation where you can cook, or budget properly for healthy eating out.
Supermarket with freshly-made ready foods. You can get a really nice salad box there!
TRADER JOE'S IS YOUR BEST FRIEND. Frozen food and fresh produce at or below European prices. Only downside: no delivery — buy in bulk for the whole trip to save $$$. Luca's pick: the Frozen BBQ Chicken Bites.
Tipping: 15% for average service, 20% for great, 25% for exceptional. EVERYTHING requires a tip — yes, even the coffee shop. Any listed price: add at least 15% for the real price.
Costs vary hugely with your setup — staying with friends, eating out, taxis. Reasonable averages to assume:
| Category | Notes | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| ✈️ Flights | Round trip from Europe | $650 – $1,000 |
| 🏠 Accommodation | Per day | ~$100 |
| 🚇 Transport (no taxi) | Per day | $10 – $15 |
| 🚕 Transport (with taxi) | Per day | $30 – $60 |
| 🍽️ Food | Per day | $30 – $80 |
| 🍸 Alcohol | Cocktail ~$17, pint of beer ~$10 | …you get it |
| 🏥 Insurance | For the trip | $150 – $500 |
Recommended e-SIM app: Airalo. Watch out: Airalo (and providers like Quo) give you a VoIP number — some services (Venmo and other apps) are locked behind "true" US phone numbers and will be very limited.
Buy a prepaid SIM at Walmart or Target — preferably Mint Mobile: ~$50 for 3 months and you get a true US phone number, usable in critical situations (service sign-ups, algorithm optimization, etc.).
Weather flips from warm midday to cold evening — always wear layers. That said, don't pack much winter clothing.
Some say to avoid public transport at night — common practice in Europe too. Areas to avoid after dark and be cautious in during the day:
These areas have high crime and drug-abuse rates. It sounds scary, but it's like any other city: there are places we don't recommend visitors go. It shouldn't discourage you from SF. The safety scene differs from NY — many people overusing drugs won't harm you, though they give a dodgy feeling. The chance of actually being attacked is really low.
This is the essence of your trip — the mission you set out on. The most important section of this Playbook. Read carefully!
Begin with open meetups, make connections, then graduate to invite-only meetups and dinners.
Bring on a later-stage founder based in SF as advisor / angel. They get the most invites and help you embed in the ecosystem faster.
Attend some non-tech events too — everyone is already in tech anyway. Genuine connection happens most often outside tech events.
Target meetups where you'll find specific people: your potential investors, or later-stage founders from your niche.
Regular AI meetups.
Regular recommended meetup.
Regular founder meetups.
Founded to let founders connect with angels and VCs without the pressure of a pitch meeting — and to connect founders and startup employees.
Brings together some of the most ambitious people in the world. No entry fees, no corporate agenda, just vibes.
Look anywhere for a local community.
Apply and present your startup there!
Online community for paid subscribers of the legendary Lenny's Newsletter: frank conversations on product, growth and career; book clubs, mentorship, live AMAs, workshops; monthly meetups across five continents.
Modern space for founders, tinkerers & innovators exploring frontier tech. 24/7 member access, community-owned & DIY. AI, Web3 & bleeding-edge tech.
Gathers pioneers on the frontier of AI to exchange insights, deepen human connection, and drive collective progress.
WhatsApp group and events for the Polish SF community (ping Diana from SMOK for the invite).
A few names to start with — people with a foothold in both CEE and SF. When reaching out, mention you got the contact from this guide.
CEO of ReaktorX — a pre-seed accelerator for ambitious Central & Eastern European startups with global potential, offering funding, intense mentorship, and a global network (including a US month).
[email protected]Founding partner at SMOK Ventures (US/CEE early-stage VC fund), co-founder of ReaktorX, nomad VC across CEE and US.
[email protected]Entrepreneur and organizer of Vistula Valley — WhatsApp group and events connecting the Polish SF diaspora.
VC & Startups @ Zendesk, Women in Tech ambassador, Venture Partner @ Flyer One VC.
Co-Director at OPEN AUSTRIA. Actively organizes events, huge network, openly willing to collaborate with startups and other ecosystems.
US Partner @ Silicon Gardens fund.
CTO at Recognos Inc. Lives in Los Gatos but often travels to the city. Honorary Consul of Romania in San Francisco — will connect you with any other Romanian across the US.
