About
So no founder builds alone
Badass Founders is an open, volunteer-run community organizing in the United States: monthly rooms where real builders tell the truth about building. Free, forever.
How it is organized
We are founder-led and organizing as a nonprofit community: fiscal sponsorship first, then a 501(c)(3) educational public charity. The commitments that will not move, no matter what:
- Attendance stays free. Not freemium. Free.
- The board will have an independent majority. Founder led is not founder owned.
- Sponsor money buys gratitude and nothing else. No data, no stage, no editorial say.
- The finances will be public once the entity exists. Every dollar, both directions.
Boring paperwork, done right, is how the fun part stays trustworthy.
Where the playbook comes from
The operating principles are adapted from Brad Feld and Ian Hathaway's The Startup Community Way and from a decade of watching free, volunteer-run formats outlast venture-backed "communities": fixed format, local organizers, certification, and a free license that protects the floor. We did not invent the physics. We are just applying them without a paywall.
Started in 2026
Badass Founders started in 2026, by founders who were tired of watching "community" become a pricing tier. The first chapters are forming now. The history section of this page is intentionally short: go build it with us.
Questions, answered straight
FAQ
Is it really free?
Yes. Attendance never has a price. Coffee is on the sponsors, the work is on the volunteers, and that arrangement is permanent.
What is the catch?
There is not one. Volunteers run it, sponsors fund it, and the format keeps it worth an hour of your month. If we ever break that promise, walk.
Is this a funnel for a fund or an agency?
No. Nobody pays us for access to you, and nobody gets your data. Some people in the community invest or run companies; in the room, everyone is just a founder.
Why is it called Badass Founders?
Because building a company takes nerve, and we would rather sound like the people in the room than like a procurement department. If the word makes your legal team blink, the boring legal name on the paperwork will not.
Who can come?
Anyone who wants to participate: founders at any stage, operators who build, people who have not started yet. The community organizes in the United States; humans from anywhere are welcome in the room.
How do I start a chapter?
One hour a month and the will to do it. Read the chapters page, then raise your hand through the join form.