About Startup Clubhouse

A community begins when people show up. It grows when they come back, remember what someone is working on, and ask how it’s going. Over time, those conversations make it easier to share an unfinished idea, ask a difficult question, or offer something you’ve learned.

That’s the foundation we’re building Startup Clubhouse around. We’re creating an online startup community for solo founders and small teams who want to know the people they’re building alongside. You might be testing your first business idea, using AI to develop a product, or figuring out how to find your first customers. Having people who understand what you’re trying to do gives you somewhere to talk through the next decision.

Showing up doesn’t mean having all the answers. It can mean bringing a question, sharing what happened when you tried something, or taking the time to help another founder. Those small contributions are how we want the Clubhouse to grow.

My vision for Startup Clubhouse grew out of bringing people together in South Florida through New Tech Community and Caffeine Spaces in Boca Raton. Hosting more than 100 monthly tech meetups gave me the opportunity to watch people meet, share what they were working on, and build relationships over time.

At Caffeine Spaces, I also learned how much the setting could influence a conversation. Some new members felt more comfortable talking with a mentor in a room arranged like a living room. Sitting down on a sofa or in an armchair helped ease the anxiety of asking for guidance while an idea was still taking shape.

Those experiences continue to shape what I want to build. Startup Clubhouse carries that spirit forward: a welcoming place where you can get to know people, contribute your experience, and feel comfortable coming back with your next question.

Mark Laymon, Founder and Community Catalyst

An online clubhouse can bring people together who might never attend the same local meetup. The challenge is giving them a reason to return and enough time together to get beyond introductions. We’re designing the private Online Clubhouse around small groups and regular conversations, so founders can get to know one another as their businesses take shape.

You might share an early version of a product, talk through feedback from a potential customer, or ask how someone approached a decision you’re facing. When you return, familiar faces can pick up the conversation with you. Over time, you also learn where your own experience could help someone else.

We want members to help shape those conversations from the beginning. The questions they bring, the work they share, and the lessons they offer will help us decide which discussions and activities to develop together.

Startup Clubhouse begins with this public website, where you can explore startup resources and get to know the community we’re building. You can also connect with us on LinkedIn, share what you’re working on, and tell us which questions are on your mind.

We’re developing the private Online Clubhouse as a place for those conversations to continue through regular founder discussions and opportunities to learn from one another. We’re also reconnecting with mentors who want to contribute their experience as the community takes shape.

A planned pre-accelerator will offer an optional, more structured path for founders ready to test a business idea. Its focus will be on learning from potential customers, developing an offer, and using what you discover to decide your next step. We’ll share details about participation and the program as they’re confirmed.

f you’re building an early-stage business and would like a place to talk through the decisions ahead, we’d like to hear from you. Sign up for Clubhouse Launch Updates to find out when the private Online Clubhouse opens and how you can take part.

If you’d like to contribute as a mentor or share your experience with other founders, introduce yourself through our contact page. The people who show up early will help shape what this community becomes.