By strategically planning and executing a diverse range of events throughout the year, VCs have the power to profoundly impact their communities and platforms.

Organizing events plays a pivotal role in empowering entrepreneurs, driving innovation, fostering connections, sharing knowledge, and providing support. Our sample events program presents a year-long framework specifically designed to foster an inclusive community and cultivate a thriving network, enabling VCs to actively shape and nurture an environment of growth and collaboration.

The Importance of Community Building for VCs

Building a strong community is not just desirable but essential for VCs. It offers access to a vibrant network of entrepreneurs, founders, and industry experts, enabling collaboration and potential investment opportunities. A thriving community keeps VCs informed about emerging trends and promising startups, enhancing their deal flow. By actively engaging in community-building initiatives, VCs gain credibility and trust within the startup ecosystem, becoming preferred partners for investment and mentorship. Knowledge sharing and mentorship programs contribute to the growth of the entrepreneurial ecosystem while benefiting individual founders.

Creating Value through a Year-Long Events Program

A well-crafted year-long events program provides the essential structure for organizations to strategically allocate resources, plan comprehensively, and coordinate efforts. By curating a diverse range of events, VCs can effectively communicate their values, address multiple facets of their mission, and cultivate deeper relationships with stakeholders. The consistent flow of events and touchpoints fosters a sense of community, builds loyalty, and nurtures lasting connections. These elements establish trust and create value for the VC community.

Maximizing Event Success with Happily

To ensure the utmost effectiveness and seamless execution of these events, collaborate with Happily and our Strategy Studio. Together we can craft a detailed events program specifically tailored to your VC, your mission, and your platform. Leveraging our expertise, each event can be designed to align with your VC’s unique identity and strategic objectives. From the initial idea to the operational execution, Happily provides the essential guidance and support necessary to guarantee that every event becomes a memorable and impactful experience for your community.

Learn more about the value Happily can help you bring to your community by setting up a chat.

Sample Year-Long Events Program for VC Communities & Platforms

January: Leadership Summit

• Format: Onsite, Virtual, or Hybrid
• Audience: Open or Exclusive Invitation
• Reach: Global (Hybrid/Virtual) or Local (Onsite)
• Duration: 1 - 2 Days
• Experience Goal: Foster leadership excellence, build meaningful connections, grow industry collaboration, and provide a platform for your portfolio companies to shine.
• Strategic Outcomes: Enhance brand authority, inspire growth mindset, drive collaborative ventures, amplify founder visibility, and expand professional networks.
• Metrics: Attendee engagement, satisfaction, post-event impact.

Kickstart the year with a transformative leadership summit designed with your VC community in mind. This flagship event brings together influential leaders from diverse industries, providing a platform to exchange insights, share experiences, and explore strategies for success. The summit could offer a program featuring inspiring keynotes, engaging panel discussions, interactive workshops, and allow your founders to showcase their entrepreneurial journeys.

At the heart of this summit is the opportunity to position your brand as thought leaders in the industry while also shining a spotlight on your portfolio founders. By curating a lineup of influential speakers you provide valuable insights and inspiration to empower attendees to embrace growth, innovation, and collaboration. The event serves as a networking hub, fostering a strong sense of community and enabling attendees to forge lasting relationships with like-minded individuals.

Learn more about Happily Summits here.

February: Team Retreat Experience

• Format: Onsite
• Location: International, National, or Local
• Audience: C-Suite or Company Wide
• Duration: 2 - 3 Days
• Experience Goal: Cultivate team cohesion, nurture a thriving work culture, enhance communication, and strategize for the year ahead.
• Strategic Outcomes: Enhanced collaboration, improved synergy, increased employee engagement, aligned goals and strategies.
• Metrics: Team satisfaction, post-retreat productivity, goal alignment progress.

In February, it's time to invest in your VC community's most valuable asset: your team. A team retreat experience offers a unique opportunity for team members to step away from their everyday routines and immerse themselves in an environment of rejuvenation, reflection, and growth. This carefully crafted experience encourages open communication, strengthens relationships, and aligns everyone towards a common vision.

A well-planned team retreat sets clear objectives and designs a polished agenda to ensure maximum effectiveness. It can be tailored to your team's unique dynamics and preferences, whether it's a wellness-focused retreat to prioritize mental and physical wellbeing, a culturally immersive experience to foster diversity and inclusivity, a learning-oriented retreat to enhance professional development, or an urban adventure to stimulate creativity and innovation. Team Happily specializes in designing customized team retreats that align with your specific goals, company culture, and team dynamics. We believe in the power of personalized experiences because we understand that one size does not fit all.

Learn more about Happily Retreats here.

March: Happily Hour at SXSW Pitch

• Format: Onsite
• Location: Austin, Texas
• Audience: SXSW attendees, entrepreneurs, investors
• Duration: 2 - 3 hours, during March 9 - 10
• Reach: National
• Experience Goal: Foster meaningful connections and networking opportunities in a vibrant and festive atmosphere during SXSW.
• Strategic Outcomes: Enhance brand visibility and reputation, attract potential talent and investors, and promote the VC's commitment to supporting innovation and entrepreneurship.
• Metrics: Number of attendees, participant satisfaction, number of new connections made, and potential partnership opportunities identified.

During the highly anticipated SXSW Conference, SXSW Pitch annually brings together a diverse blend of SXSW attendees, entrepreneurs, and investors. By strategically hosting a social event during the SXSW Pitch program, your VC can prominently demonstrate its active engagement and presence within the thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem.

By designing a sophisticated and vibrant cocktail party, your VC becomes synonymous with the hottest after party at SXSW, cementing its position as a prominent industry player. The SXSW Pitch Happily Hour offers a unique opportunity to showcase your brand's allure and establish connections with key individuals in a relaxed and enjoyable setting. It creates a memorable experience that attendees will forever associate with your VC's unwavering commitment to fostering innovation, entrepreneurship, and meaningful connections within the industry.

Learn more about the Happily Experiential Studio here.

Bonus March Event: International Women's Day Breakfast

• Format: Onsite
• Location: Trendy Local Cafe
• Audience: Open to the public
• Duration: 1 - 2 hours
• Reach: Local
• Experience Goal: Foster an inclusive and empowering space for organic networking, connection, and inspiration among women in your industry.
• Strategic Outcomes: Enhanced brand reputation, strengthened community engagement, increased support for women-led initiatives.
• Metrics: Attendance numbers, participant satisfaction, post-event connections made.

In March, as we celebrate International Women's Day and Women's History Month, it's the perfect time to gather your VC community and host an intimate yet impactful networking breakfast. This event provides an opportunity to honor and empower women in your industry while fostering connections and cultivating growth.

Set in a trendy local cafe, the atmosphere will be warm, inviting, and supportive, creating a space where women can come together, network, and forge meaningful relationships. The focus of the breakfast is on creating an inclusive environment that encourages collaboration, shared experiences, and authentic connections. By forgoing a rigid agenda or ceremony, attendees can engage in genuine conversations, exchange ideas, and find inspiration in one another's stories.

Learn more about Happily Hours here.

April: LinkedIn Interview Series for Earth Month

• Format: Virtual Livestream
• Audience: Online Community
• Reach: Global
• Duration: 30 minutes each
• Experience Goal: Fostering connections and raising awareness of sustainable practices.
• Strategic Outcomes: Position the brand as a thought leader, maximize event impact, increase brand visibility, and reduce carbon footprint.
• Metrics: Views, comments, registrations.

During Earth Month elevate your LinkedIn and digital community by hosting a series of livestreamed interviews featuring influential personalities from your ecosystem. This initiative not only drives engagement and fosters community growth, but also presents a cost-effective solution for optimizing your event budget and aligns with the environmental values of Earth Month. Each interview, spanning 30 minutes, will be a valuable and insightful conversation with thought leaders, experts, innovators or even founders from your own portfolio. By conducting these interviews virtually, you would be reducing the carbon emissions associated with travel and physical events, as virtual production saves up to 97% of carbon emissions.

To ensure a professional virtual experience, a dedicated broadcast team will oversee the production quality of the livestreams. They will handle technical aspects such as title slides, videos, branding, frames, and integrating guests into the livestream smoothly. This ensures that the content is visually appealing and aligns with your brand's messaging and identity.

As a sustainable event company, Happily has adopted a reforestation program to offset any remaining carbon emissions from your virtual events by replanting trees based on your event's carbon footprint. Together, we can make a positive impact on the environment while fostering meaningful connections and raising awareness of sustainable practices within your community.

Learn more about the Happily Broadcast Studio here.

May: Pitch and Public Speaking Workshop

• Format: Onsite, Virtual, or Hybrid
• Location: Global (Hybrid/Virtual) or Local (Onsite)
• Audience: Your portfolio companies and an application process for other founders
• Duration: 1 - 1.5 hours
• Experience Goal: Empower participants to deliver impactful pitches and presentations, fostering their professional growth and success.
• Strategic Outcomes: Enhance brand reputation, foster professional relationships, attract diverse talent, and expand market influence.
• Metrics: Participant satisfaction, increased confidence in pitching and public speaking, positive feedback, collaboration opportunities, and talent acquisition.

This workshop is focused on empowering entrepreneurs in your portfolio companies (and potential portfolio companies) to confidently present themselves and their ideas. A carefully curated agenda would cover essential topics such as crafting compelling pitches, mastering persuasive public speaking techniques, cultivating personal branding, and engaging in practical hands-on practice sessions. By attending this workshop, entrepreneurs will nurture confidence to effectively communicate their vision and attract potential investors. When entrepreneurs continually elevate their communication skills, they enhance their chances of securing funding and propelling their ventures forward.

At Happily, we understand the importance of effective communication and with Speaker Coaching Specialists to support this workshop. Our experts bring extensive experience in guiding individuals to refine their presentation skills and deliver impactful messages. By collaborating with us, you can ensure that your workshop delivers a transformational experience, empowering participants to excel in their entrepreneurial journeys and contribute to the success of your portfolio companies.

Learn more about the Happily Strategy Studio here.

June: Annual General Meeting (AGM)

• Format: Onsite, Virtual, or Hybrid
• Audience: Stakeholders
• Reach: Global (Hybrid/Virtual) or Local (Onsite)
• Experience Goal: Elevate the AGM experience with enhanced design and seamless operations, taking the event to a new level of excellence.
• Strategic Outcomes: Enhance stakeholder satisfaction, foster investor confidence, and drive company growth through effective communication and alignment.
• Metrics: Attendance rates, participant satisfaction, engagement levels, decision-making outcomes, and overall impact on stakeholders.

Elevate your Annual General Meeting (AGM) into an extraordinary experience that captivates and deeply engages stakeholders. With meticulous curation, you can craft an atmosphere of sophistication that leaves a lasting impression. Choose a venue that not only meets logistical needs but also inspires, such as an art gallery or a non-traditional space. Pay attention to every detail, from ambiance and capacity to accessibility and technology, ensuring a memorable event that exceeds expectations. Seamlessly managing logistics, including efficient registration, smooth session transitions, and proactive event management, will contribute to an enjoyable experience for all attendees.

Infuse the AGM with cutting-edge technology and innovative design elements to elevate the overall experience. Captivating audiovisual enhancements, original music, carefully crafted presentations, and engaging content will immerse stakeholders fully in the event. By investing in an exceptional AGM, you demonstrate unwavering commitment to quality and reinforce your credibility among stakeholders. It becomes an invaluable opportunity to align communication and strategic direction, fostering investor confidence and trust. By delivering an outstanding AGM, you establish a dynamic platform for continued engagement, collaboration, and long-term success.

Learn more about the Happily Experiential Studio here.

July: Summer Happily Hour

• Format: Onsite
• Audience: Open to the Public or Invite-Only
• Reach: Local
• Duration: 2 - 3 hours
• Experience Goal: Foster authentic interactions and facilitate meaningful conversations.
• Strategic Outcomes: Elevate brand awareness and enhance value within your community.
• Metrics: Attendee numbers, participant satisfaction.

The Summer Happily Hour is an exclusive networking reception designed to capture the essence of the season. This event brings together a diverse community of founders, investors, and industry professionals in a trendy venue. From chic restaurants to stylish wineries and lively bar courtyards, the chosen location should complement the vibrant and carefree atmosphere of summer.

With a focus on fostering authentic interactions and facilitating meaningful conversations, the Summer Happily Hour goes beyond traditional networking. It provides a platform for forging valuable connections, exploring mentorship opportunities, and fostering potential collaborations within the ecosystem. The event could also feature special guests and informal panel conversations, offering attendees insights and inspiration from industry leaders. In a commitment to empowerment, the Summer Happily Hour could partner with local vendors that honor the location, creating a supportive and inclusive environment. Attendees can expect a vibrant, relaxed, and enjoyable atmosphere at the Summer Happily Hour. Live music sets the mood, engaging food stations satisfy the palate, and lively cocktail bars serve up refreshing beverages. This unique combination of elements ensures a memorable experience that blends networking with the joyful spirit of summer.

Learn more about the Happily Experiential Studio here.

August: Refresh Your Website

• Experience Goal: Revitalize your website to ensure it reflects your brand's unique identity, provides an exceptional user experience, engages stakeholders and investors, showcases your portfolio companies, and aligns with current design trends.
• Strategic Outcomes: Enhance brand perception, attract and engage visitors, increase conversions, strengthen relationships with stakeholders and investors, highlight portfolio success, and maintain competitiveness in the digital landscape.
• Metrics: Increased website traffic, longer average session duration, higher conversion rates, improved search engine rankings, positive stakeholder/investor feedback.

Give your VC's online presence a boost by refreshing your website and brand visuals. Your website serves as a virtual gateway to your brand and portfolio, making it vital to regularly review and update its UX, content, and design. By dedicating resources to cultivate a modern and visually captivating website, you can create an engaging user experience that reflects your brand, showcases your portfolio companies, and resonates with your target audience, including stakeholders and investors.

Start by focusing on optimizing the user experience, ensuring that visitors can easily navigate, find information about your investment focus areas and portfolio companies, and interact with your brand. Prioritize fast loading times and mobile responsiveness, as these factors greatly influence user satisfaction and search engine rankings. By providing a seamless and intuitive browsing experience, you can attract and retain more visitors, ultimately increasing the likelihood of conversions.

Learn more about the Happily Web Studio here and the Happily Creative Studio here.

Bonus August Project: Brand Video

• Format: Pre-recorded Video
• Experience Goal: Create a compelling and informative branded video that effectively communicates the narrative of your VC and the essence of your mission.
• Strategic Outcomes: Enhance brand awareness, attract partners and investors, establish credibility, and maximize reach and impact through a powerful marketing tool that introduces your VC to a wider audience and leaves a lasting impression.

A polished Brand Video presents a valuable opportunity to craft a high-quality and engaging video that effectively communicates the essence of your VC. By showcasing your unique value proposition, attracting potential partners and investors, enhancing credibility, and leveraging its versatility, the brand video becomes an essential asset in driving growth and establishing your VC as a respected and influential player in the industry.

As a versatile marketing asset, the brand video can be strategically utilized across various channels. It can be featured prominently on your website, shared on social media platforms, and incorporated into presentations at events and sponsorships.

Learn more about the Happily Broadcast Studio here and the Happily Creative Studio here.

September: Founders Retreat

• Format: Onsite
• Location: Local, National or International
• Audience: VC Portfolio Founders
• Duration: 2 - 4 Days
• Experience Goal: Provide a nurturing and immersive retreat experience for portfolio founders, fostering personal growth, collaboration, and strategic planning.
• Strategic Outcomes: Strengthen founder relationships, enhance knowledge sharing, and align growth strategies for portfolio companies.
• Metrics: Participant feedback, collaborative initiatives, strategic partnerships formed.

Hosts an exclusive Founders Retreat designed to create a supportive and rejuvenating environment for your portfolio founders. This experience would be hosted in an inspirational destination, carefully chosen to inspire creativity and encourage reflection. The retreat would offer a unique opportunity for founders to disconnect from their daily routines, forge meaningful connections with fellow entrepreneurs, and gain fresh perspectives on their businesses.

A Founders Retreat serves as a platform for strengthening relationships among portfolio founders, fostering a sense of community among themselves and to your VC firm. Informal networking activities, shared meals, and team-building exercises create an environment conducive to building lasting connections and forming strategic partnerships. Founders can exchange insights, share best practices, and provide support to one another, resulting in a stronger network within the VC portfolio.

By hosting this retreat, your VC demonstrates its commitment to the success and wellbeing of your portfolio founders. It provides an opportunity for you to deepen your understanding of each company's unique challenges and goals, enabling more tailored support and guidance. The retreat also facilitates strategic planning discussions, aligning growth strategies and fostering a shared vision for the portfolio as a whole.

Learn more about Happily Retreats here.

October: Learning Webinar

• Format: Virtual
• Audience: Public
• Duration: 1 hour
• Reach: Global
• Experience Goal: Provide an engaging and valuable learning experience, fostering empowerment and inspiration in entrepreneurial journeys.
• Strategic Outcomes: Build industry brand awareness, expand contact database, strengthen network, and foster collaboration within the wider entrepreneurial community.
• Metrics: Registration numbers, participant satisfaction.

Build upon online engagement by organizing a valuable webinar. This virtual event brings together a diverse global audience, offering them a platform for engaging and valuable learning content via your VC. Through a dedicated microsite and an optimized registration process, the webinar would be a powerful vehicle for knowledge sharing, insightful discussions, and growing your industry connections.

By leveraging the capabilities of online platforms, the webinar creates an inclusive and dynamic virtual gathering, fostering connections with participants from around the world. Thoughtful content, expert speakers, and interactive elements ensure that attendees gain invaluable insights, practical strategies, and engage in thought-provoking conversations to empower their entrepreneurial endeavors.

A webinar not only enhances your brand awareness but also serves as a valuable opportunity to expand your contact database. By driving meaningful engagement and delivering exceptional content, a webinar can be a catalyst for growth, collaboration, and ongoing success within your expanding network of like-minded individuals.

Learn more about the Happily Broadcast Studio here.

November: Community-Based Initiative

• Format: Onsite, Virtual or Hybrid
• Audience: Community members, employees, partners, and stakeholders
• Experience Goal: Foster a sense of goodwill, generosity, and community engagement.
• Strategic Outcomes: Enhance brand reputation, strengthen community relationships, and make a positive social impact.
• Metrics: Number of participants, funds raised or donated, volunteer engagement, media coverage, and positive feedback from the community.

Unite community, employees, partners, and stakeholders in support of a meaningful cause, fostering collaboration and social responsibility. Choose to sponsor or collaborate with a local nonprofit that aligns with your company's mission, or organize a community-based give-back event during the Holiday Season. By connecting with a nonprofit organization that shares your values, you can make a greater impact and create a sense of purpose within your community.

Through volunteer activities, fundraising initiatives, or donation drives, this event aims to foster a sense of goodwill, generosity, and community engagement. By actively contributing to a worthy cause, your VC can enhance its brand reputation, strengthen relationships within the community, and make a positive social impact.

Learn more about the Happily Experiential Studio here.

December: Winter Happily Hour

• Format: Onsite
• Audience: Open to the Public or Invite-Only
• Reach: Local
• Duration: 2 - 3 hours
• Experience Goal: Foster authentic interactions and create a cozy and festive atmosphere.
• Strategic Outcomes: Maintain brand presence, deepen industry connections, and platform the success of the year.
• Metrics: Attendee numbers, participant satisfaction.

Embrace the holiday spirit and celebrate the year with a Winter Happily Hour, a delightful networking reception designed to capture the warmth and charm of the festive season. Just as the Summer Happily Hour brings together a diverse community of founders, investors, and industry professionals, the Winter Happily Hour continues to foster authentic interactions and facilitate meaningful conversations in a cozy environment.

Similar to its summer counterpart, the Winter Happily Hour offers a platform for forging valuable connections, exploring mentorship opportunities, and nurturing potential collaborations. It may also feature special guests and engaging discussions centered around industry trends and insights, providing attendees with valuable knowledge and reflection upon the year that was. The Winter Happily Hour provides a unique opportunity to maintain brand presence, deepen industry connections, and celebrate the achievements of the year during the holiday season. By creating a festive atmosphere, the event ensures that attendees can continue to network, share ideas, and build relationships while embracing the joy and spirit of the holiday season. It serves as a memorable way to conclude the year and set the stage for new opportunities and collaborations in the year to come.

Learn more about the Happily Experiential Studio here.

Customization is Key

When it comes to your VC’s event program, customization is key. While the provided event framework serves as a useful starting point, it may not fully align with your unique mission and target community. That's where Happily comes in.

Happily understands the importance of tailoring events to reflect your platform’s identity and business objectives. Our dedicated Strategy Studio will collaborate closely with you to customize the year-long program and individual events. With the combined strength of our diverse studios – Experiential, Broadcast, Creative, Web and Strategy – we offer a comprehensive range of services to elevate your event program and make it exceptional.

By partnering with us, you gain access to our expertise and in-depth knowledge of creating impactful events for VCs like yours. From the initial brainstorming and ideation stage to flawless execution, our team will provide you with essential guidance and unwavering support every step of the way. Through our customized approach, Happily ensures that each event becomes a memorable and focused experience, designed for your audience and your business goals. By infusing your unique identity and values into the program, we will create a cohesive and authentic event series that resonates with your community, builds trust, and drives value.

Learn more about the value Happily can help you bring to your community by setting up a chat.