Startup Haven traces its origin to a monthly poker gathering in Seattle in 2006. Founder Bob Crimmins says he invited friends and colleagues to learn the game; many were startup founders, executives, or investors, and the informal setting helped them make connections. The organization says that circle grew to more than 2,300 members across 14 cities by 2024—a historical, organization-reported figure, not a current verified membership count.
How did Startup Haven start?
Bob Crimmins says Startup Haven’s roots began in 2006, when he brought friends and colleagues together around a Seattle poker table. He described the meetings as a way to practice poker, but the attendees’ overlap in startups and investing made them useful for exchanging ideas and building relationships.
Startup Haven says those gatherings led to Startup Poker 2.0, an “un-networking” event intended to connect entrepreneurs with one another and with the business and investment communities. The game was the social format; the broader aim was to make useful connections without relying on a conventional networking event.
From gatherings to a wider network
After a couple of years, the organization says it added other offerings, including Founders Dinner, Geeks on a Trail, and Founder To Founder. It reports that it began a pre-seed accelerator and pre-seed venture fund in 2019, and later added a virtual chapter to its chapter model.
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Startup Haven reported that its network had grown from eight Seattle founders, executives, and investors to more than 2,300 members in 14 cities as of 2024. That is the organization’s dated account; it should not be read as an independently audited count or as a 2026 total. Its official pages describe programs and membership, but do not provide an independent evaluation of outcomes.
What is Startup Haven?
Startup Haven describes itself as a support network for venture-scale startup founders and investors. Its stated mission is to connect founders with education, opportunities, and one another. The organization says it operates a pre-seed venture fund and a pre-seed accelerator built around its GroundWork Growth framework.
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Its listed activities span social events, peer support, education, and fundraising connections:
- Events: Founders Dinner and Startup Poker 2.0.
- Peer and member support: Member Briefs, Ask & Offer, and member office hours.
- Learning and coaching: GroundWork workshops, capital-strategy workshops, advisor office hours, pitch coaching, and partner-led Lunch and Learns.
- Investor connections: Investor Match, which Startup Haven describes as reverse fundraising: founders post a company and round profile, and angel investors can reach out to companies that fit their investment thesis.
These offerings are not all the same kind of service. A dinner or poker event is a social gathering; office hours and workshops provide peer or expert support; an accelerator and a venture fund are separate programs. The organization’s descriptions do not establish that every activity is open to every member or that participation guarantees funding, investment introductions, or business results.
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What happens at Startup Poker 2.0?
Startup Haven’s event guide describes Startup Poker 2.0 as low-stakes, tournament-style Texas Hold’em, with beginners welcome. The guide gives $20 and $50 buy-in levels for the specific event it covers; those are not standing prices for every Startup Haven event. Poker seats and event capacity are limited, with first preference for full-time founders building venture-scale startups and active investors.
The format can suit people who prefer a shared activity to a room organized around quick introductions. But the event is still poker, not a substitute for the accelerator, investment fund, or structured founder-support programs. Its limited capacity and stated audience also mean it should not be assumed to be an open public meetup.
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Who can join Startup Haven?
Startup Haven says its membership is focused on full-time founders building venture-scale companies and active investors. Its homepage says membership is free to join and offers a way to request an invitation. For current eligibility, application steps, and terms, check the organization’s own joining information; an invitation request is not the same as guaranteed admission.
Access also depends on the program. Startup Haven describes Core and Community chapters for some events and offers virtual programming, but its public descriptions do not say that every event or service is available to nonmembers. Before making plans, confirm whether the specific event is local or virtual, who it admits, whether seats remain, and whether it has a fee.
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How to evaluate the network’s fit
For a founder or investor deciding whether to pursue membership, separate the social appeal of the poker events from the practical value of the broader network. Useful questions include:
- Eligibility: Does the program prioritize full-time venture-scale founders and active investors, and is an invitation required?
- Purpose: Are you looking for a social event, peer support, expert education, an accelerator, or a potential investment connection?
- Access: Is the relevant chapter or program in your city, or is there a virtual option?
- Cost and availability: What does the particular event charge, and are seats currently available? Do not treat a buy-in shown for one poker event as a general membership or program price.
These distinctions matter because the organization’s scale and program descriptions are its own claims, not independent proof that a particular member will receive a useful introduction, advice, or investment. The best fit depends on whether the specific program matches what you need and whether you meet its current participation rules.
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