Founders Lunch Club is a community for founders, freelancers, entrepreneurs, and ambitious professionals in Amsterdam. Members are matched each month with two other people from the community and meet over lunch to exchange ideas, share experiences, and build meaningful connections beyond traditional networking.
Amsterdam, Netherlands: A new initiative in Amsterdam is experimenting with a different approach to professional networking, bringing together founders, freelancers, entrepreneurs, and independent professionals through informal, small-group lunches.
Founders Lunch Club, launched in the city this year, connects members in groups of three for monthly lunches. Instead of attending structured networking events, participants are introduced via email and arrange a lunch themselves at a time and place of their choosing.
The project was created by Giulio Pavesi, founder of AI startup Termzy AI
“I think it’s great when technology can help us connect in real life,” Pavesi says. “We live in a world where people are increasingly connected digitally, yet often disconnected in their offline lives. There is growing interest in tools that enable more direct, human interaction, and AI can even enhance the way we make those introductions more relevant. So I thought to bring this format also to entrepreneurs in my city”
Founders Lunch Club uses a technological matching process to facilitate introductions, while leaving the organisation of meetings entirely to participants. Members are introduced once a month and encouraged to coordinate lunches independently. Rather than formal networking sessions, the lunches are intended as relaxed conversations.
“I built this primarily because I was looking for more genuine ways of networking in real life, and at the same time help others do the same,” Pavesi adds. “Some of these meetings may lead to collaborations, while others may simply offer a fresh perspective or lead to friendships”
The initiative reflects a broader shift among professionals seeking alternatives to large networking events. Across Europe, smaller, curated formats and interest-based gatherings have gained traction as a way to foster more direct connections. The community is open to founders, freelancers, consultants, agency owners, creators, and others building independent careers, and there has already been a very positive response from the founders’ ecosystems. It is possible to subscribe at founderslunchclub.eu
Founders Lunch Club is also a partner of The Business Show Amsterdam, scheduled for 10–11 February 2027 at Amsterdam RAI, one of Europe’s leading events for entrepreneurs and small business owners.
