Curiosity-driven strategist and marketer who turns influence into impact by building communities, elevating thought leadership, and designing content that connects. In my current role as Senior Marketing Manager for Global Channels and Experiences at LinkedIn, I shape the strategy for an executive community that brings together senior talent leaders. 

I build high-value experiences, develop integrated marketing programs, and create content that helps leaders learn from one another and advance their talent priorities. In my previous role on the the Product and News teams at LinkedIn, I led initiatives that spotlighted Fortune 500 executives and industry experts in healthcare and tech. I helped them share their insights and grow their presence on the platform through storytelling frameworks, thought leadership content, and strategic guidance.

Before LinkedIn, I worked across B2B and B2C hyper-growth companies including One Medical, ClassPass, and 1stDibs. I led brand, social, and editorial teams and founded a consultancy that supported clients like Reforge, Covey, Noom, and CellarTracker with marketing strategy. My background in marketing and communications shapes how I build programs, design experiences, and advise leaders on how to show up with clarity and authenticity. 

I am passionate about helping individuals and brands tell stories that spark connection and drive growth. Whether I am shaping content strategies or mentoring others on how to show up online, I believe in the power of authentic storytelling to build trust and community.

📚 Outside of work, I am usually binge-reading, listening to podcasts, or trying new workout classes. Ask me about Tae Kwon Do or my latest dive into acrylic painting. 🥋🎨

Haley Deming

Forbes & Business Insider-Featured Community Builder | Personal Branding Strategist | Forbes Nonprofit Council | Podcast Host "Verso Talk with Aytakin" | Double Gold Award Winner I Top100 Women in Tech by KSV |

Elegance isn’t extra. It’s leverage.
Because the fastest deals happen in rooms that feel intentional, elevated, and human.

Proof:
• 200+ high-touch experiences produced (50–300+ guests)
• Built a 30,000+ leader community where relationships turn into real opportunities
• Led sponsor/partner experiences with organizations including Microsoft, Autodesk, Cisco, LinkedIn, Perkins Coie (and more)

So when I say experiences can drive partnership, sponsorship, and investment—I’m not guessing. I’ve watched it happen.

My WHY:
I’ve walked into events that were “fine” on paper… but the experience was low quality.
Guests didn’t feel special. Details felt rushed. The vibe was transactional.

And the message was loud:
If you don’t value your guests, you don’t value the relationship.

Coming from a deeply hospitable culture, I learned this early:
The best deals happen when people feel valued, respected, and taken care of.
That’s what elegance really is—a strategic signal.

How I help:
I design elegant, aesthetic, memorable event experiences for startups and mid-size companies—so leaders stop worrying about details and focus on high-value conversations that lead to deals, partnerships, sponsorships, and investor momentum.

Think: refined brunches, executive dinners, curated partner salons, investor-ready rooms—designed to make guests stay longer, connect faster, and follow up naturally.

What L’Expèriant means:
Inspired by iconic French “L” brands like L'Oréal—where beauty and aesthetics signal confidence, achievement, and victory.
For us, L = Luxury + Elegance… as an experience.

If your next event needs outcomes—not just attendance—
DM me “DECK” and I’ll send the details on our elegant experiences and how we create momentum that leads to the deal.

Aytakin Aliyeva🌛

12 years ago, we #immigrated to Silicon Valley, and walked door-to-door in San Francisco, NOT to cold pitch our startup idea BUT








To ask restaurants to hire my husband as a waiter or a busboy. 



My husband graduated MBA in London, I graduated Social Media in America.

We had only $300 left in our pocket.

Long waiting job application process, ghosted by recruiters….

No credit cards!

No Uber, Lyft or doordash at that time.

We couldn’t ask our parents for a financial support. 

We were racing against time to pay our bills.

We walked in to different restaurants:
Fast foods & fine dining.

Their response? 
“GO apply online!” 
“You will be reached out IF ...” 


How could you wait until they “review” your application, if you were in our situation?!

We couldn’t wait either….



Life began at the end of our #comfortzone. 

I screamed and jumped and cried from happiness when we finally heard ‘YES’ from one restaurant.

Happiness was hidden in a kitchen of a restaurant…



Only people who had to re-start from zero could understand our happiness at that time…

Only people who had to fall and rise again could understand our experience. 

We were able to overcome challenges.

We both work at Fortune 500 tech companies. 

We go to restaurants again now BUT to dine out, and..


We always treat waiters and busboys nice and kind, thank them every time they serve us. And we make sure we tip them well.

As someone who has been in their shoes before, we understand what they might go through now….







Hit 🔔 for more #immigrantstories! 


#startfromscratch 
#motivationalcoach 
#ByAytakinAliyevaFemigrants
LinkedIn for Creators

Aytakin Aliyeva

Founder, L’Expèriant | Executive Event Producer | Event Production Studio for Startups & Enterprise | Private Dinners • Executive Forums • Partnership Events • Product Launches | Organized 200+ High‑Touch Events

No alternative text description for this image

It’s finally happening.

After months of conversations… venue changes… strategic alignment… and quiet building behind the scenes —

I’m beyond excited to officially announce:

Femigrants Annual Forum 2026 is confirmed.
“AI, CAPITAL, & GLOBAL PARTNERSHIPS”

🗓️ April 10, 10 AM - 7 PM at Plug & Play. 
300+ attendees! founders, investors, diplomats, tech leaders! 

This forum is deeply personal to me.

When I moved to the U.S., I didn’t have access to rooms where founders, Fortune 500 executives, investors, and diplomats were sitting together having real conversations. 

I had ambition. 
I had a work ethic. 
But I didn’t have proximity.

And I learned something powerful:

Access changes trajectories.

That’s why I built Femigrants Foundation.
And that’s why this Annual Forum matters so much.

We’re bringing together 300+ global founders, tech executives, venture capitalists, and diplomats in one curated room.

A strategic room designed for real partnerships, capital conversations, and cross-border collaboration.

I want to express my deep gratitude to Sanam (Amidi) Amidhozour and the Plug and Play Tech Center team for supporting our mission and helping us bring this vision to life. 

Sanam, your leadership and belief in inclusive global ecosystems truly make a difference.

To our speakers — thank you for saying yes to shaping this room with your experience and voice. We are growing a powerful community together.

We will soon open:

• Startup pitch applications
• Sponsorship opportunities
• Volunteer roles

If you’ve been waiting for a room where global leaders move beyond surface-level conversations — this is it.

DM me if you’d like early information.
Or follow me for the upcoming announcements.

Check the comments for the l*nk about the forum.

Let’s build the room we once needed.

- Aytakin 
Founder of the Femigrants Foundation, a global community of immigrant leaders in startups, investment, & tech.

INTERNATIONAL STARTUP FOUNDERS — this post is for you!
Want to be seen & selected by the right investors? Read this.

Before I tell you what’s coming, quick story.

When I studied at Founder Institute, we pitched every week.
Not “someday.” Not “when it’s perfect.” Weekly.

It trained a muscle I didn’t have at the time:
- Clarity under pressure.
- Confidence without overexplaining.
And the ability to sell the vision in 2 minutes...
without hiding behind the product.

That experience changed how I see founders.

So now, through the Femigrants Foundation, we are
offering an opportunity to immigrant & international founders.

A global room. A real stage. 
300+ global leaders + investors in one place.

Femigrants Forum 2026: AI, Capital, Global Partnership.
Plug and Play Tech Center 
April 10, 2026

And here’s why our pitch opportunity is different:
We don’t just “select startups & wish them luck.”

I'll personally mentor the selected founders 
so you pitch confidently & boldly — 
with a story that lands and a close that doesn’t apologize.

And I do it for free.

Because I know what it feels like to have the talent…
and not have access to the room.

Here is Your Pitch Opportunity (Application Required):
- Apply to pitch at the forum
- We select 5 startups to pitch on stage
- Investor judges choose 3 winners (and we have gifts!)
- All 5 receive live feedback

Apply here:
https://lnkd.in/gJzv3Zez 

If you’re building something real & you’re ready for the Plug & Play stage,
we want to see your application.

SERVICE PROVIDERS:
If you’d like to sponsor the startup pitch stage or offer an in-kind donation/sponsorship for the winning founders, let’s talk. 

DM me #STARTUP.

P.S. These are photos from the Femigrants startup pitch and wine reception event at the Hyatt Regency Santa Clara in 2024. 

#StartupPitch  #InternationalFounders #ImmigrantFounders

Aytakin Aliyeva, the Founder of the Femigrants Foundation, organized a startup pitch night at the Hyatt Hotel in Santa Clara.

Photos from the Femigrants Forum 2024 at Plug and Play Tech Center.
They tell the story visually.
But here’s the “backup story” you don’t see in the frames.

You don’t see the hours before check-in.
The tiny details that no one notices… 
until they feel the difference.

The last-minute runs.
The silent stress.

I remember standing on that stage area before anyone arrived.
Looking at the chairs.
The lighting.
The backdrop.

And thinking: This room has to feel different.
Not “another Silicon Valley event.”
Not cold.

So I did what I always do.
I went into detail-mode.

I personally decorated the stage.
Because I wanted to create a space that helps speakers 
breathe, feel welcomed, and speak from a good place.

Then the guests' tables.
Table by table.
With the volunteers.

We decorated every single one so when people sat down, 
it felt intentional—like someone planned for them.

And yes… I personally did the speakers’ and VIP tables. :)

I also curated the speakers one by one.
Not by who’s the loudest online.
Not by “big titles” alone.

Because building Femigrants, I’ve learned:
Success is personal.
Impact is shared.

When a leader is willing to show up with humility…
share the messy parts… and
give back to the community…
that changes the room.

That’s why we’re selective.
We prioritize humility.
Authenticity.

And a real willingness to serve the community—especially
the next generation of immigrant leaders trying to find their way.

Even the food had a story:
In 2024, we brought in a Mediterranean caterer led
by an immigrant woman entrepreneur, Suzan.

She was the first sponsor of our very first Annual Forum in 2019.
Back then, we were building with faith, not budgets.

So when we finally could pay for catering in 2024,
she was the first person I reached out to.

Because I don’t forget who believed early.
And I love when the community comes full circle.

If you ask me what makes Femigrants different from the 
thousands of events happening in Silicon Valley every day, 
it’s this:

Community shows up here to contribute.
Not just to take.

To support & open doors for someone else.

And I can’t thank Mir Kanan Hasanzade enough for helping us
access the Plug and Play Tech Center in 2024. 

That support helped us create a space that felt bigger than
an event — it felt like a community.

This year, 2026 - we’re building an even stronger forum.

More memorable.
More strategic.

More opportunities for real partnerships that last beyond one day.

If you want to support this as a partner, sponsor, or volunteer — DM me.
Let’s build the kind of rooms we wish existed when we first arrived.

P.S. Check the comments to learn more about Femigrants Forum 2026


#FemigrantsForum2025
#FF2026
#CommunityBuilding
#GlobalFounders

I walked into a “founder + investor networking” event… and the investors were literally hiding in a separate room.

Not joking.

About a year ago, I showed up to an event that promised to connect founders with investors.

I wasn’t there to pitch. I came to support the organizer — community builder to community builder.

The first room was packed.
100+ founders.
Energy. Conversations. Old friends. New intros.

Then I heard noise coming from another room.

So I walked in.

And… wow.

A small group of investors standing in a tight circle.

Closed. Gated. Comfortable.
Mostly white, wealthy guys, with a few women nearby.

A few more founders walked in.

The circle stayed closed.

The vibe was loud and clear:
Don’t approach.

I finally spotted one investor I knew. We exchanged a few words.

And I walked right back to the founders’ room — with this heavy feeling in my chest.

Because here’s what I realized:

One room was full of founders hoping for a real shot.
Hoping for a conversation. A connection. A door to open.

The other room was full of investors… acting like the door didn’t exist.

And that made me upset.

That experience changed how I host rooms.

I started creating founder–investor brunches where nobody feels pressured to pitch or perform.

You sit. You eat. You talk like humans.
You build trust first — because trust comes before capital.

Now I’m taking it to the next level.

At the Femigrants Annual Forum 2026, I’m inviting investors.

Not just to listen to public pitches.
Not just to give honest feedback.

But to
- Connect on a human level.
- Share breakfast.
- Eat lunch together.
- End end the day with a cocktail reception — celebrating the boldness it takes to:

• Build a company in a country that’s not yours
• Pitch publicly with an accent, a story, and everything on the line
• Try to create impact without “insider access”

If you’re an INVESTOR and you truly want a better ecosystem…

Be the investor who opens the circle.
Be the investor who makes a founder feel welcomed, not tolerated.

If you’d like to join the jury committee for Femigrants Forum 2026, comment JURY or DM me.

#ImmigrantsFounders #Investors #startuppitch #FF2026

9 years ago, in March, I launched Femigrants.
It all started with 10 immigrants at the coffee shop. 
Fast forward, I hosted 200+ events at LinkedIn, Microsoft, Autodesk, Perkins Coie, and Plug & Play with hundreds of global immigrant leaders.

When I moved to Silicon Valley, I struggled with basic but important things:
- Adapt to a new culture
- Find a mentor to guide me
- Find a job matching my experience
- Access successful immigrant executives

Even when I joined Instagram, the most diverse company, I still didn't feel inclusive.

I realized that people tend to connect with people sharing the same language or culture. 

They prefer to stay in their comfort zone.

I tried to fit in those sub-communities as I speak several languages.

But sadly I still didn't feel like I belonged.

I decided to change it. 

I wanted immigrant women from all over the world support, inspire, empower each other.
No matter their language, background, political views, or experience. 

I started an online community first - Facebook groups were popular at that time.

Then I moved to in-person meetups in Mountain View.

The first meetup was at the coffee shop led by an immigrant family.

Later, those meetups organically grew by size and quality. 

I worked full-time at the corporation, and my kids were infants at that time. 

I slept only 3-4 hours to manage all these responsibilities, mainly grow Femigrants. 

Without any hesitation, I continually donated my personal income to grow the Femigrants’ community. 

Because my goal wasn't to make it a business.

I wanted to leave my footprint:

An immigrant woman change maker who impacted the lives of immigrants.

Today, I continue my work with the same ambition. 

Today, I still don't earn any income from Femigrants. The mission to impact immigrants' lives remains the same.

Femigrants Foundation (501c3) needs your involvement to continue its initiatives.

These are the ways you can help:
- by sponsoring our events
- by donating to our initiatives
- by joining our org as a volunteer
- by sharing our events with your network

This is the humble way, you can also leave your footprint.

Become a change maker - impacting the lives of immigrants. 

Support Femigrants Annual Forum on April 10 at Plug and Play. 

*The link is in the comments

Women’s Day should not be celebrated.
Not the way we do it now.

One stage. One hashtag. One day.

Now let me tell you why it absolutely should be celebrated —
just not for 24 hours.

Because for decades, women were unseen.

Our ideas were repeated louder by someone else.
Our sacrifices were called “support.”
Our leadership was called “help.”
Our work stayed in the shadows.

So yes — when one day finally shines a light on women, it feels big.
It feels overdue.
It feels emotional.

But here’s what may surprise you the most.

In many post-Soviet countries, companies give women flowers, meaningful gifts, and tangible appreciation on Women’s Day, March 8. 

It’s visible. 
It’s direct. 
It says: We see you.

In most American corporations?
Another panel.
Another sponsored talk.
The same topics are recycled.
The same buzzwords: “empowerment,” “seat at the table,” “breaking barriers.”

Claps. Photos. LinkedIn posts.

And then?

Very little structural change.
Very few more women in real power.
Very few promotions are tied to those stages.

Here’s the uncomfortable debate:

Is it better to talk about empowering women…
Or to make a woman feel valued in a real, personal way?

Because sometimes a thoughtful gift, a curated experience, a room designed intentionally for women leaders to connect and be celebrated — carries more impact than a beautifully branded panel discussion.

Visibility is not a microphone.
Visibility is recognition.
Visibility is opportunity.
Visibility is access.

Women’s Month should not be performative.
It should be intentional.

If you truly want women in your company and network to feel valued, seen, and appreciated —

L’Expèriant curates elegant Women’s Month experiences and meaningful gift sets designed to create impact beyond one day.

DM me #WOMENSMONTH to learn more.

Aytakin Aliyeva, Founder ot L’Expèriant organizes elegant event services for startups and corporates

I'm pleased to announce the confirmed speakers of the Femigrants Annual Forum: AI, Capital, & Global Partnership on April 10.

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
- Rishi Oberoi, Deputy Chief Financial Officer, Varo Bank ($1B+ Capital Raises | 30x Scaling | Ex-PwC, Deloitte & BNP Paribas)
- Maher Hanafi, Senior Vice President of Engineering, @Betterworks. Total funding: $161.5M
Aytakin Aliyeva, CEO/ Founder, Femigrants Foundation | L'Experiant [I'll also moderate the startup panel]

STARTUP PANEL
- William Santana Li, Chairman and CEO, Knightscope, Inc. (NASDAQ: KSCP)
- Simon Wistow, Co-Founder, Fastly (NASDAQ: FSLY). Revenue: $172.61M
- Sandeep Chopra, Co-CEO, Everest Systems. Total funding: $140 million (Top-tier investors, including Sutter Hill Ventures, Altimeter Capital, Redpoint Ventures, and D1 Capital)
- Ruchi Kasliwal, Vice President of Finance, Zededa Inc. Total funding: $130M

INVESTOR PANEL
- Brian💥 Sparkes Sparkes, CEO/Founder & Chief Venture Officer, Silicon Valley Venture, LLC [Moderator]
- Sobhan Khani, President & Partner, Plug and Play Ventures
- Chima Osuka, VC, Senior Partner, Suncoast Ventures

TECH PANEL
- Amjad Shaikh, Vice President, Platform & AI, Service Now

More speakers will be announced soon.

This full-day forum aims to connect global (immigrant) leaders in tech, startups, and Fortune 500 tech to for partnership, sponsorship, collaboration, investment, & many other opportunities. 

Special thanks to Sanam (Amidi) Amidhozour, CBO at Plug and Play Tech Center, for hosting our annual forum at Plug & Play.

Join 300+ global leaders to get access to the resources that can help you grow your business, career, and startup.

https://luma.com/m28yglzw



#FemigrantsForum
#FF2026
#GlobalFounders
#ImmigrantLeaders

Femigrants Annual Forum: AI, Capital, & Global Partnership event organized by Aytakin Aliyeva, and hosted by Plug and Play Tech Center in Silicon Valley.

#FemigrantsFoundation
#FemigrantsAnnualForum
#GlobalImmigrantLeaders
#GlobalFounders

Want to get free access to a forum of 300+ global leaders & C-suites? 

And this is the forum where you will also hear startup pitches and connect with investors! 


Join the Femigrants’ team! 

And make an impact!

The Femigrants Annual Forum 2026 which focuses on AI, Capital, and Global Partnership brings together 300+ executives, C-suites, and investors in one room at Plug and Play on April 10.

We have several volunteer and Brand Ambassador roles. 

I will interview the candidates myself this week.

Volunteer opportunities:
- Join for the short term to help with the forum only
- Join long-term and get a recommendation letter

How to apply?

https://lnkd.in/gGds6z3u

Submit your application today or tomorrow and I will interview you this week. 

Make an impact by changing immigrants’ careers, businesses, and lives! 

cc: Femigrants Foundation 
 
#VolunteerOpportunity
#FemigrantsForum2026
#FF2026

We’re selecting a small group of Brand Ambassadors for the Femigrants Annual Forum 2026.

“AI, Capital, Global Partnership” forum brings together 300+ global founders, Fortune 500 executives, investors, and diplomats at Plug & Play on April 10.


As a Brand Ambassador, you will receive:

• Direct access to a powerful network of founders, investors, and global leaders

• Visibility across the Femigrants community (30K+ network)

• Opportunity to be featured on Femigrants platforms

• Behind-the-scenes experience helping build a global forum

• Priority access to speakers, founders, and investors at the event

Full-day forum access including a 3-course menu experience (breakfast, Mediterranean lunch, and cocktail reception)

• Complimentary individual Photo Booth photos from the event

If you enjoy community building, connecting people, and being part of meaningful global conversations, we’d love to have you involved.

DM me #BRANDAMBASSADOR and I’ll send you the application link.


#FF2026 
#FemigrantsForum
#AI

Some rooms change your calendar.
Some rooms change your trajectory.

The Femigrants Annual Forum 2026 is one of them.
AI, Capital, and Global Partnership Plug and Play Tech Center

On April 10, we’re bringing together 300+ global founders, Fortune 500 executives, investors, venture capitalists, and diplomats in one curated room. 

Built for meaningful partnerships, capital, and cross-border opportunities.
And we’re excited to welcome new speakers to the lineup:

- Brian💥 Sparkes Sparkes, CEO/Founder & Chief Venture Officer, Silicon Valley Venture. Host of the Silicon Valley Impact podcast

​- Amjad Shaikh, Vice President, Platform & AI, Service Now

​- Maher Hanafi, Senior Vice President of Engineering, Betterworks. Total funding: $161.5M

- Myself, Aytakin Aliyeva, CEO/ Founder, Femigrants Foundation | Founder of L'Experiant, elegant event services studio

​- Simon Wistow, Co-Founder, Fastly (NASDAQ: FSLY). Revenue: $172.61M

​- Sandeep Chopra, Co-CEO, Everest Systems. Total funding: $140 million (Top-tier investors, including Sutter Hill Ventures, Altimeter Capital, Redpoint Ventures, and D1 Capital)

​- William Santana Li, Chairman and CEO, Knightscope, Inc. (NASDAQ: KSCP)

​- Rishi Oberoi, Deputy Chief Financial Officer, Varo Bank ($1B+ Capital Raises | 30x Scaling | Ex-PwC, Deloitte & BNP Paribas)

​- Ruchi Kasliwal, Vice President of Finance, ZEDEDA. Total funding: $130M

​- Sobhan Khani, President & Partner, Plug and Play Tech Center Ventures

​- Chima Osuka, VC, Senior Partner, Suncoast Ventures
​Fortune 500 TECH PANEL


To celebrate spring, we’re opening a limited SPRING ACCESS Offer. Ends on Sunday, March 22, 2026

Use SPRING20 for 20% OFF:
- Femigrants Supporter
- Femigrants Champion

Use SPRING15 for 15% OFF:
- Cocktail Reception Only

Some tiers are intentionally excluded. That’s by design.
Because this room is meant to stay curated, premium, and high-value.

If your next partnership, investor conversation, or opportunity could come from one room, make sure you’re in the right one.

*The link is in the comments

#FemigrantsForum2026
#FF2026
#AI

Speakers of the Femigrants Annual Forum 2026: AI, Capital, and Global Partnership organized by Aytakin Aliyeva, Founder of the Femigrants Foundation, and hosted by Plug and Play, Sanam Hamidi

Before Plug & Play this year,
here’s what HAPPENED at the Femigrants Forum at Microsoft in 2025.

This video captures the room:
- Immigrant entrepreneurs.
- Fortune 500 leaders.
- Global Founders.
- Investors.

- Startup pitches
- SMB booth experiences
- Red-carpet photo session
- Keynotes, panel discussions
- Femigrants branded photo-booth
- Book display of immigrant authors
- Delicious Italian menu: breakfast & lunch

But what matters to me most is
the EXPERIENCE inside the room.

- The quality of people.
- The conversations.
 - The community.
 - The hospitality.

That’s the standard I bring to Femigrants Foundation's events.

Now we’re preparing the next one.

Femigrants Annual Forum 2026:
AI, Capital, Global Partnership.

🗓️ April 10, 10 AM - 6 PM
📍 Plug and Play Tech Center

300+ GLOBAL founders, investors, executives, & diplomats in one room.

If you want to be in rooms where REAL partnerships start — join us.
https://lnkd.in/gNgYxKwz

P.S. Would you like to join as a guest, speaker, volunteer, or partner?
Share in the comments.

I’m joining the "Startup First, Visa Follows" event as a speaker today.

The event brings together immigrant founders, investors, immigrantion lawyers, and tax advisors. 

Along with other speakers, we will have a practical, founder-driven conversation about:

- What real startup impact looks like in the U.S. ecosystem.
- How founders and early leaders create measurable value that compounds over time.
- Common mistakes that weaken EB-1A cases built around “paper achievements.”
- How to align startup building, personal brand, and long-term immigration strategy without shortcuts.

The event is organized by Passion Technologies INC. and hosted by The Think Tank VC in Menlo Park.

Special thanks to Dilara Rustam Zada for organizing this event.  

The link to the event details is in the comments. 

P.S. Are you joining us today? Yes/No in the comments.

Cold outreach won’t build the relationships you actually need.
Rooms will.

That’s why we are bringing together 300+ global leaders for the Femigrants AI, Capital & Cross-Border Partnerships Forum 2026.

Global Founders (Immigrants. Expats. International Founders).
VCs. Angel Investors. LPs
Fortune 500 executives.
Global Diplomats.
And leaders who are actually building companies and moving capital.
Brought to you by Femigrants Foundation.

Here are some of the speakers joining us:
- William Santana Li — Chairman & CEO of Knightscope (NASDAQ: KSCP), building the nation’s first Autonomous Security Force.

- Sobhan Khani — Partner at Plug and Play Tech Center Ventures, building global partnerships between startups and Fortune 500 companies.

- Rishi Oberoi — Deputy CFO at Varo Bank, guiding capital strategy, fundraising, and financial transformation in fintech. ($1B+ Capital Raises | 30x Scaling | Ex-PwC, Deloitte & BNP Paribas)

- Sandeep Chopra — Co-Founder of Everest Systems and former VP of Product at Veeva Systems, shaping enterprise software for the AI era. (Backed by $140 million from top-tier investors, including Sutter Hill Ventures, Altimeter Capital, Redpoint Ventures, and D1 Capital)

- Ruchi Kasliwal — VP of Finance & Operations at ZEDEDA, helping scale technology companies like MongoDB and Confluent.

- Chima Osuka — Senior Venture Partner at Suncoast Ventures, investing in early-stage healthcare and emerging technology startups.

And I’ll also be sharing insights on how curated rooms create partnerships that cold emails never will.

Over the next few days and weeks, we’ll introduce more speakers and their full stories.

Because the goal of this forum is simple:

Create a room where global founders, investors, and executives can build real partnerships.

If you want to meet them…
Join us.

The Femigrants Annual Forum 2026.

🔗 Link in the comments.

HUGE thanks to Sanam (Amidi) Amidhozour, the Chief Brand Officer at Plug and Play Tech Center, for supporting Femigrants' initiatives to host our annual forum at Plug & Play!  

#FF2026
#GlobalFounders

Femigrants AI & Capital Annual Forum 2026

Today is International Women’s Day.

Back in my country, it was celebrated everywhere.

Flowers. Appreciation. Visibility.

In America, many brands don’t even run sales on this day.

Here it’s often called Women’s Month instead.

And companies mostly focus on speaking engagements.

For the last 10 years, I’ve seen the same pattern:
corporate events, women’s speeches, and the same buzzwords repeated every year:

“empowerment”
“breaking barriers.”
“seat at the table”

But honestly, I haven’t seen much change in the numbers yet.

Are women founders raising significantly more capital?
Are more women stepping into C-suite roles?
Do women no longer have to make the painful decision between motherhood and career?

From where I stand, the progress still feels very slow.

And I see it clearly in my work as a community builder.

One of the biggest practical challenges I face when organizing events is finding C-level immigrant women speakers.

Two things happen almost every time:

1️⃣ There are not enough immigrant women in C-suite roles yet.
2️⃣ The women who are in leading roles are often tied to corporate-sponsored speaking engagements only.

Many are not open to joining public events and speaking authentically about real challenges.

And that makes me very sad to see that we are still behind the women's empowerment we have been talking about for decades.

So this year, I decided to do something different.

I’m not organizing a public Women’s Month event.

Instead, I’m hosting a small private dinner for 15–18 immigrant women leaders at a nice restaurant.

To connect without any bluff — just real conversations on a human level.

If you’d like to join or sponsor the dinner,
DM me #DINNER.

Instead, we are focusing our energy on something bigger.

Femigrants Annual Forum, April 10. At Plug & Play

A curated room of 300+ global founders, C-suite leaders, and investors — all immigrants, carefully selected. 

Who actually do the work, make an impact, and give back to the community.

No bluff.

To acknowledge International Women’s Day, we’re offering a discount for the Femigrants Annual Forum tickets.

It is active until the end of the day tomorrow, March 9. No code needed. 

Check the link to learn more - 

https://lnkd.in/g27GM4qT

Happy International Women’s Day!!!

P. S. I’m curious to hear from you:

Have you seen real progress for women in leadership and funding in the last 10 years?

Or are we still repeating the same conversations every March?

City of Long Beach. Fortune 500 CEOs. 
2,500 founders. Unforgettable entertainment. 

Additionally,

- NVIDIA AI Workshops on the future of AI

- GTM Workshop for Founders

All these are offered at the IIT2026 Global Conference in Long Beach from April 22-25

They bring together 2,500+ founders, investors, and technology leaders to explore AI, investment, global innovation, and the future of technology.

This is a chance you won't want to miss! 
Learn more here.
https://lnkd.in/ebUEzu3b


P.S. This event is promoted independently and is NOT organized, sponsored, endorsed, or affiliated with the Femigrants Foundation.

Hey LinkedIn!
I'm looking for your referrals.

Excellent opportunity to moderate the tech panel.
Femigrants Annual Forum 2026: AI. Capital. Global Partnership.

https://lnkd.in/gNgYxKwz 

The ideal candidate:
- Executive - level immigrant or expat woman
- Fortune 500 tech leader in Silicon Valley
- Previous moderator experience

🗓️ April 10 at Plug & Play Tech Center.

If you know any, please tag them in the comment, or connect us via DM, or share their LinkedIn with me, or nominate yourself. 

#PanelModerator
#FemigrantsForum

Panel Moderator opportunity at the Femigrants Annual Forum 2026: AI. Capital. Global Partnership at Plug and Play Tech Center

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/femigrants-annual-forum-2026-ai-capital-global-partnership-tickets-1983925259858?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true

Big announcement! 📣
Femigrants' Forum speaker list keeps getting stronger.
Diplomats are joining the room to support global founders & leaders.

That is powerful.
Because global growth needs global relationships.

And we’re not stopping there. 

More investors are joining the forum.
I’ll be updating the speaker list daily this week.

So far, we’re honored to welcome: 
- Ronaldo Costa, Consulate General of Brazil in San Francisco*
 
- Isabella Tomás, Austrian Consul in San Francisco & the Bay Area; Co-Director of OPEN AUSTRIA*
 
- SC Moatti, Managing Partner, Mighty Capital*

- ​Jean-Philippe ‘JP’ Persico, Investor, Managing Partner, shuckerVC*

- Chloe Takahashi, Angel Investor; General Partner, AI Syndicate*

- Ginniee Sahi, Senior Sales Leader, North America, Amazon Web Services (AWS)*

- Brian💥 Sparkes Sparkes, CEO/Founder & Chief Venture Officer, Silicon Valley Venture, LLC

- Rishi Oberoi, Deputy Chief Financial Officer, Varo Bank

- Maher Hanafi, Senior Vice President of Engineering, Betterworks

- Amjad Shaikh, Vice President, Platform & AI, ServiceNow

- William Santana Li, Chairman and CEO, Knightscope, Inc.
 
- Simon Wistow, Co-Founder, Fastly
 
- Sandeep Chopra, Co-CEO, Everest Systems

- Chima Osuka, VC, Senior Partner, Suncoast Ventures
 
- Ruchi Kasliwal, Vice President of Finance, ZEDEDA
 
- Aytakin Aliyeva, CEO/Founder, Femigrants Foundation | L’Expèriant

- Sobhan Khani, President & Partner, Plug and Play Tech Center and Play Ventures

(*means new announced speakers)

I’m deeply thankful to Joana Sá Chambers for her support in helping us invite diplomats to the event. Her support means a lot, and it is helping us bring even more global leadership into the room.

Special thanks to Sanam (Amidi) Amidhozour, Plug and Play Tech Center, for helping make it possible for us to be hosted at Plug and Play. We truly appreciate her support in helping bring this forum to life.

If you’ve been thinking about joining us, this is the week to lock in your spot. 
We also have a short spring offer live on select tickets for a limited time.

🗓️ April 10, 2026
🏢 Plug and Play Tech Center, Sunnyvale, CA

300+ FOUNDERS, INVESTORS, EXECUTIVES, DIPLOMATS, GLOBAL LEADERS - ALL in ONE ROOM.

This is the room for relationships that can turn into partnerships, capital, and long-term opportunities.

https://luma.com/m28yglzw

Femigrants Annual Forum: AI, Capital, and Global Partnership is ​the only room in Silicon Valley where 300+ global founders, Fortune 500 executives, venture capitalists, and diplomats gather for one purpose: build real partnerships, unlock capital, and accelerate cross-border opportunities—without the fluff.
Organized by Aytakin Aliyeva, Founder of the Femigrants Foundation, and hosted by Sanam Amidi, Plug and Play Tech Center in Sunnyvale, California

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