Upcoming event · Round 21
AI Founders Connect Hosted by Cornell Tech & Empire State Development - Round 21
Cornell Tech, 34 North Loop Road, New York, NY 10044
AI Founders Connect
Where founders meet funders
A platform connecting AI founders and investors. Focused on pre-seed to Series A capital, customers and commercial deals. AI Founders Connect is a volunteer-led, New York not-for-profit corporation. Network participation is free. We do not sell investor access or pitch selection.
Apply for Founder Support Join our next event Explore Westminster & Partners Legal
Meet Muklesur Bharuya, Attorney-at-law & Barrister, Fund Manager
Muklesur Bharuya, Attorney-at-law & Barrister, Fund Manager · Founder of AI Founders Connect He founded AI Founders Connect to bring founders, investors and deal-makers into the same room. His legal background, teaching and published work inform his approach to funding and commercial decisions.
Inside our events
Founders pitch. Investors take a closer look.
See our events in action: startup pitches, investor panels and the business behind the next raise.
A glimpse inside our events. Watch the full video with sound on YouTube.
Founder pitches. Investor perspectives. Four countries.
Our programme history reaches across four countries: the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Australia. From our early Bay Area gatherings to editions at Cambridge, Berkeley, Cornell Tech and beyond, that history is made by the people who take part. Explore our featured editions to meet their contributors and revisit the programme through the available recap sources.
Featured stories
Cambridge — 5 presenting companies. At West Hub on 29 January 2026, founders from LithoSight, Predictiva, Deep Medical, DeSolve Technology and Cellcraft presented their work. Explore Round 16 and our earlier Cambridge edition.
Cambridge, Round 16 wider event history
Cornell Tech — 8 startup pitches. Revisit the New York gathering of 23 April 2026: the companies that presented, the panel that contributed and the conversations captured in the event recap.
Berkeley — 5 VC-panel contributors. Revisit the 20 March 2025 edition at Stephens Lounge, UC Berkeley, and meet the named panel and presenting founders.
Meet the founders. Meet the investors.
From the first pitch to the next move
Hear the pitch. Examine the business model. Meet the founders and investors behind the opportunity.
Move the opportunity forward. Follow up on funding rounds, customer opportunities and commercial partnerships beyond the event.
Build traction with one commercial metric and a focused plan. Founder Support includes monthly office hours, one document review and two brief follow-up questions. Pay $200/month for your first 3 monthly billing periods, then $500/month. Prices are in USD, including applicable tax. Free network participation remains separate.
Perspectives on AI, finance and business.
Selected writing by Muklesur Bharuya, Attorney-at-law & Barrister, Fund Manager
AI in advice firms: what advisers need to know FT Adviser · 18 July 2024 · By Muklesur Bharuya, Attorney-at-law & Barrister, Fund Manager Read the article
AI will make managing money a whole lot easier FT Adviser · 13 May 2024 · By Muklesur Bharuya, Attorney-at-law & Barrister, Fund Manager Read the article
Smart-Contract: The Rise of Decentralised Finance A book by Muklesur Bharuya, Attorney-at-law & Barrister, Fund Manager, documented in City’s 2023 alumni profile. Discover the book and its story
Founder connections. Legal experience. Investment perspectives.
AI Founders Connect is part of a wider network of people and experience, supported by Westminster & Partners’ legal and investment businesses. Each has its own role and destination.
AI Founders Connect · Founder network Founder pitches, investor panels and connections around funding rounds, customers and commercial deals. Explore
Westminster & Partners · Legal A separate destination for professional legal support. Explore
Westminster & Partners · Investment A separate investment business and approach. Explore
Connections with a specific story
SMU · Founder-support connection Westminster’s related legal practice is listed in SMU IIE’s legal startup perks for BIG incubatees. Explore
City · Entrepreneurial roots City’s 2023 alumni profile documents Muklesur’s LaunchLab involvement; Westminster also appears in the CityVentures startup directory. Read the 2023 founder profile · View the CityVentures directory
Founder ambition. Public benefit.
We help founders understand capital, customers and the commercial decisions behind building an AI business. AI Founders Connect Inc. is a New York not-for-profit corporation, led by volunteers and built around education, mentoring and responsible AI entrepreneurship.
AI Founders Connect Inc. is a New York nonprofit corporation. The IRS recognises it as a 501(c)(3) public charity.
No pay-to-play. Community participation is free. Where we charge for event tickets, the purpose is to cover the costs of our not-for-profit activities—not to sell investor access, pitch selection or funding. Optional professional support has its own clearly defined scope and terms.
A place for people building what comes next
Founders: present your business, discuss fundraising and meet potential investors and partners.
Investors: hear founder pitches, test the proposition and discuss investment opportunities.
Operators and specialists: bring experience in funding, commercial growth, transactions and exits.
Do I need to pitch? No. Where an edition offers general attendance, you can join without pitching. Check that edition’s listing.
Is AIFC an investment fund? No. AIFC is the founder network and events organisation. The Westminster investment business is separate.
AI Founders Connect
Capital starts with the right connections.
Meet AI founders and investors. Explore funding, customers and the next commercial opportunity.
Network participation is free. Paid Founder Support has its own scope and terms.