"What's a well-known startup that was funded as a result of having paid to meet investors?" The answer to that question isn't known to me. Of course if I was

"What's a well-known startup that was funded as a result of having paid to meet investors?" The answer to that question isn't known to me. Of course if I was the one that was producing the event, and someone asked that question, it would be valid. [1] That is if we could get beyond a definition and why it matters if the startup was "well known". "The reality is that this simply isn't how venture funding works." Half of what people are doing today (1/2 is arbitrary to make a point) are things that go against "how" something currently works. "all it does is send a signal that you don't have a real network." But who does it send a signal to? You mean it paints you with a big fat "I'm a newbie and I don't know how things work label?". To be clear I haven't analyzed the value provided by paying this company money and can't say that I would recommend it (or not). But I don't think it's clear that there isn't any value and I am fairly certain that it isn't a scam either [2] that there could be people getting value from it. [1] That said there are many situations in business where the effort and/or money paid doesn't result in a direct benefit like funding or something (and this is important) that is easily measured. [2] Like those real estate seminars which I would say are a scam but I think they have entertainment value for some people. And maybe after you attend one you learn a valuable life lesson for the money spent.