Founder Connects Meetups in Nairobi, Beirut and Cairo
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Founder Connects runs Meetups in five live chapters: Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Nairobi, Beirut and Cairo. Nairobi, Beirut and Cairo are the three newer chapters, and dates and bookings for all five are on the Founder Connects Luma calendar.
Which Founder Connects Meetup chapters are live?
Five Founder Connects chapters are live: Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Nairobi, Beirut and Cairo. Other hubs, such as Riyadh and Doha, are coming soon and are not live chapters yet.
The chapters cover Dubai and MENA, plus Nairobi. Beirut in Lebanon and Cairo in Egypt are MENA cities, while Nairobi is in Kenya, in East Africa. Every chapter is for tech founders from idea stage to Series A, along with the operators, builders and early-stage investors who work with them.
If you are based in the UAE, our guide to Meetups in Dubai covers the Dubai calendar in more detail.
Founder Connects Meetups in Nairobi
Founder Connects runs Meetups in Nairobi, Kenya, as one of its five live chapters. Founder Connects held its first Nairobi Pitch Night on Friday 2 October 2026.
Pitch Night in Nairobi uses the same format as Pitch Night in Dubai. The day opens with an optional virtual speed-networking session in the morning, where you meet other founders one to one, and continues with an in-person Meetup in the evening. Ten founders are picked at random during the morning session to pitch live that evening. Pitching is optional and open to tech startups only.
Our guide to Pitch Night explains how to prepare a 60-second pitch. Any other Nairobi dates are published on the same Luma calendar.
Founder Connects Meetups in Beirut
Beirut, Lebanon, is one of the five live Founder Connects chapters, and its Meetup dates are published on the Founder Connects Luma calendar. You can filter the calendar by location to see only Beirut.
The Beirut chapter is for the same founders as every other chapter: tech founders from idea stage to Series A. Each Luma listing names the format, date, place and price, so you know which Founder Connects format is running before you book.
Between in-person dates, founders in Lebanon can join The Playbook, which is free and runs online.
Founder Connects Meetups in Cairo
Cairo, Egypt, is also a live Founder Connects chapter, and its Meetup dates are published on the same Luma calendar.
The Cairo chapter is for tech founders from idea stage to Series A who want to meet other founders in person. If you are weighing Egypt as a market, our overview of the Cairo tech startup scene covers the wider ecosystem.
Which Meetup formats to look for
Founder Connects runs five Meetup formats: Pitch Night, Cofounder Match, Coffee Series, Tech After Hours and The Playbook. Each Luma listing names its format, so check which ones are scheduled in your city before you book.
- Pitch Night is in person and paid. One marquee founder shares their full story, then ten founders each give a 60-second pitch.
- Cofounder Match is in person and paid, for founders looking for a CTO, a CPO, a growth lead or another cofounder. Our guide to Cofounder Match explains how it works.
- Coffee Series is in person and paid: a small group of founders around one table.
- Tech After Hours is in person and paid: a founder bar night with no agenda, no name tags and no pitches.
- The Playbook is online and free. Founders share real playbooks on AI agents, lead generation, fundraising and growth, and you can join from any city.
How to book a seat and hear about new dates
You book every Founder Connects Meetup through the Founder Connects Luma calendar or the Meetups section of the Founder Connects homepage. Book in advance, because room sizes are capped.
- Open the Founder Connects Luma calendar or the Founder Connects Meetups section.
- Filter by location or by format.
- Book your seat on the listing, which shows the date, place and price.
- Subscribe to the calendar on Luma to hear about new dates.
The Playbook is free. Pitch Night, Cofounder Match, Coffee Series and Tech After Hours are paid, and members of the Founder Connects Residency get discounted access on every paid format.
If your city is not live yet
If your city is not one of the five live chapters, you can still take part online through The Playbook, which is free. Cities such as Riyadh and Doha are listed as coming soon.
With no chapter in your city yet, you can apply to host the first Founder Connects Meetup there through the Become a Host option on the Founder Connects homepage. You can also apply to the Founder Connects WhatsApp community of 500+ vetted founders. Members apply and are screened, and 23.3% of applicants are accepted.
Peer support between Meetups: the Founder Connects Residency
The Founder Connects Residency is virtual, so founders in Nairobi, Beirut, Cairo or any other city can join. Residents are matched into Squads of 8 to 10 founders at a similar stage, who meet on monthly Squad Calls.
The Residency costs $582 for six months or $984 for a year. See the Founder Connects Residency page for how to apply.
Other founder communities in Nairobi, Beirut and Cairo
Each city also has other founder communities that run their own sessions. In Nairobi, these include Startup Grind Nairobi, iHub and Nairobi Garage. In Beirut, Beirut Digital District and Berytech host workshops and programmes, and in Cairo there is RiseUp. Dates and formats change, so check each organiser's own calendar.
FAQ
Which Founder Connects Meetup chapters are live?
Five chapters are live: Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Nairobi, Beirut and Cairo. Other hubs, such as Riyadh and Doha, are coming soon.
Does Founder Connects run Meetups in Nairobi?
Yes. Nairobi is a live chapter, and Founder Connects held its first Pitch Night there on Friday 2 October 2026.
Does Founder Connects run Meetups in Beirut?
Yes. Beirut is a live chapter, and its dates are published on the Founder Connects Luma calendar.
Does Founder Connects run Meetups in Cairo?
Yes. Cairo is a live chapter, and its dates are published on the same Luma calendar.
Which Meetup formats can I attend?
Founder Connects runs Pitch Night, Cofounder Match, Coffee Series, Tech After Hours and The Playbook. Each Luma listing names its format, and The Playbook is free and online, so you can join it from any city.
How do I book a seat, and can I just turn up?
Book through the Founder Connects Luma calendar or the Meetups section of the Founder Connects homepage. Room sizes are capped, so book before you go.
What if my city is not a live chapter yet?
Join The Playbook online, apply to the Founder Connects WhatsApp community (500+ vetted founders who apply and are screened, with 23.3% of applicants accepted), or apply to host the first Meetup in your city.
Can I join the Residency if I live in Nairobi, Beirut or Cairo?
Yes. The Founder Connects Residency is virtual, with Squads of 8 to 10 founders at a similar stage. It costs $582 for six months or $984 for a year.
Join a Founder Connects Meetup
See upcoming Meetups in your city in the Founder Connects Meetups section or on Luma.
Building in MENA? You don't have to do it alone.
Join 300+ founders in the Founder Connects Residency. Monthly squad calls, warm intros, $3M+ in perks, and much more. All for less than your monthly coffee budget.
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Founder Connects is a premium MENA tech founder community. Meetups in Dubai and across MENA, Residency Squads of 8–10, and 400+ vetted WhatsApp founders (apply and screened).