The Jewish Founders & Funders (JFF) group is the reincarnation of the original Jewish Angel Network, which launched in 2024, but now open to founders as well as investors. You do not have to be Jewish to attend a JFF meeting - all allies are welcome!
The Origin Story
Founded by 10x serial tech entrepreneur Ron Wiener and spiritual leader Rabbi Levi Farkash of the Chabad of Bellevue and Director of Eastside Jewish Business Network, the group is the first of its kind in the Puget Sound area. The mission is simple yet powerful: to cultivate a thriving ecosystem for budding entrepreneurs and promising startups by providing not just financial support but also mentorship, guidance, and a network of invaluable resources.
At the heart of the Jewish entrepreneurship group lies a commitment to uphold the values of community, collaboration, and progress. We believe in harnessing the entrepreneurial spirit while staying true to our Jewish heritage, creating a dynamic space where innovation meets tradition.
Whether you're an innovative startup seeking funding or an enthusiastic investor passionate about making a meaningful impact, we invite you to be part of this exciting journey. Together, we'll drive innovation, support groundbreaking ideas, and pave the way for a brighter, more innovative future.
Meeting Structure
Like the other “Founder & Funder” diversity groups, the meeting format is flexible but usually involves a keynote speaker (typically in a “fireside chat” interview format), followed by three pitches from Jewish founders, plus a presentation from a philanthropic cause that is in some way connected to the Jewish-American or Israeli communities.
General meetings are held at the Venture Mechanics Coworking Studios of Bellevue on a periodic basis. Social events are planned around certain Jewish holidays.
Please join us for the inaugural meeting of the JFF!
5:00 - 6:00 Registration and Networking
6:00 - 7:00 Introduction and Keynote Speaker
7:00 - 7:15 Philanthropic Speaker
7:15 - 8:00 Founder Pitches
8:00 - 9:00 Networking Reception
Keynote Speaker: Andy Weinstein, founder and CEO of GODOT. In a fireside chat format Andy will discuss his fascinating adventure in turning a Pepsi franchise into a last mile delivery platform.
Andy Weinstein is a 3rd generation Pepsi bottler accidentally turned waste to energy entrepreneur. Having worked across multiple companies in multiple countries, Andy has navigated the complexities associated with large and small organizations operating under different rules throughout the food and beverage value chain. With experience in production, distribution and last mile delivery in food, beverage, janitorial and packaging; Andy has a wide breadth of expertise in how physical goods get made, delivered and consumed. With nearly 20 years of experience in strategic operations, Andy successfully led complex transformations across multiple industries, focusing on sustainable growth and operational excellence. If you know anything about Andy, you know that he is part of many communities and is regularly recognized as being "the biggest idea in the room" guy. Andy is a mentor in Sustainability at Plug N Play Tech Center and at Venture Mechanics, where he advises startups and companies across the food, beverage, energy and supply chain verticals. He founded the Next Generation Bottler Network at PepsiCo (2010) and was a founding member of the ABA (American Beverage Association) NextGEN (2024).
Founder Pitches
Philanthropic Speaker
Rose Yu, Hebrew Free Loan Association of Washington
Light kosher dinner and beverages will be served. Parking is always free and easy at Venture Mechanics.
To join the group or subscribe to our newsletter, please sign up here.
Learn more about all the Diversity Groups & Venture Mechanics.
Sponsorship Opportunities
Our founding sponsors are The Chabad of Downtown Bellevue, the Jewish National Fund and Venture Mechanics, but we invite others with interest in potential sponsorship to reach out to the group for more information.
