San Francisco’s Disrupt Week Expands with International Founder Dinners and Investor Mixers

San Francisco’s annual Disrupt conference is extending its reach beyond the mainstage at Moscone West, with a slate of side events scheduled throughout the city this week. Organizations ranging from South Korea’s trade promotion agency KOTRA to Ireland’s Enterprise Ireland are hosting a mix of founder dinners, investor roundtables, and thematic workshops aimed at connecting startups with global partners.

KOTRA, which supports Korean enterprises seeking overseas growth, will convene a series of intimate dinner gatherings for founders interested in entering the U.S. market. The events are designed to pair Korean tech firms with Silicon Valley investors and mentors, offering a platform for cross‑border networking that typically takes place months after a conference.

WayFounder, a community focused on early‑stage founders, is organizing a “Founder Fireside” series that blends casual conversation with actionable advice. Participants can expect small‑group discussions on topics such as product‑market fit and fundraising strategy, followed by informal networking over drinks.

Enterprise Ireland, the Irish government agency that backs Irish companies abroad, will host a “Global Growth Roundtable” featuring Irish founders who have successfully scaled in the United States. The session includes a Q&A with venture capitalists who specialize in European‑U.S. deals, offering insight into the nuances of transatlantic expansion.

SafetyWing, known for its remote‑work insurance products, is planning a happy‑hour meetup aimed at digital nomads and remote‑first startups. The gathering will provide a relaxed environment for attendees to discuss challenges of building distributed teams, while also showcasing SafetyWing’s latest offerings for global workforces.

Finally, cloud‑platform provider Descope will run a hands‑on workshop focused on secure authentication and identity management for developers. The session is open to both technical and non‑technical founders, emphasizing practical implementation of security best practices in early‑stage products.

These auxiliary events reflect a broader trend of conference ecosystems evolving into week‑long networking marathons, where participants can tailor their schedules to specific interests and geographies. By diversifying the program beyond keynote speeches, Disrupt Week aims to foster deeper connections and accelerate international collaboration among emerging companies.

Organizers anticipate that the momentum generated by these side events will continue into the post‑conference period, with many participants planning follow‑up meetings and pilot projects. As the tech community watches, the success of this expanded format could set a new standard for future industry gatherings.