Where Leaders Connect Through Music

Founders Rock is GFTN’s signature leadership gathering, bringing together senior figures from venture capital, government, global financial institutions, and the technology sector for an evening that blends music, community, and meaningful conversation.

This is not a conference hall or a boardroom. It is a curated, invitation-only experience designed to remove hierarchy and create the conditions for genuine connection. Participants step away from formal roles and collaborate through a shared performance, opening the door to conversations that continue long after the music ends.

Founders Rock was created to shift the dynamic of senior executive engagement. Instead of panels, presentations, or structured networking, the evening centres on the simple act of making music together.

The format follows a clear rhythm. Guests who demonstrate musical ability during a light selection process qualify to join the performance. A musical director oversees the set list, preparation materials are shared in advance, and rehearsals take place on site. The structure is intentional and ensures that the experience is polished while retaining the spontaneity that makes it memorable.

What distinguishes the event is how quickly it dissolves hierarchy. A policymaker may play alongside a founder. A regulator may share a microphone with a venture capitalist. In these moments, titles recede and people meet as peers, creating a form of trust that traditional forums rarely achieve.

Founders Rock brings together a global circle of senior decision makers, including:

• Venture capital partners
• Public sector and regulatory leaders
• Executives from banks and financial institutions
• Corporate and technology leaders
• Founders and CEOs from major innovation hubs

Attendance is strictly by invitation. There is no paid access. Every participant contributes to the calibre of dialogue in the room.

Each edition of Founders Rock takes on the character of its host city. Since its debut in March 2024 in Tokyo, the event has travelled across GFTN forums and regional markets. Performances have taken place in cultural landmarks, informal community spaces, and outdoor settings in Africa and Asia.

Regardless of location, the format remains consistent. Participants arrive, rehearse briefly with their assigned group, and perform. Between sets, conversations form naturally, carried by the shared experience of stepping into something creative together.

The purpose is not perfection. It is the shift in dynamic that occurs when leaders collaborate on stage, then carry that openness into the discussions that follow. Sponsors and attendees often describe these interactions as the most substantive and relaxed conversations they have all year.