In a moment when technology promises constant connection yet delivers growing isolation, Founders Club is making a deliberate statement by planting its flag in Santa Monica.
The three-year-old founders community will convene over 600 entrepreneurs at COSM for its largest Forum to date on March 3, nearly three times the size of last year’s gathering in New York. The significance of the moment extends beyond the scale of the event itself. For Founders Club, this is a long-awaited return to a place that has quietly become home, and a signal that Los Angeles, and Santa Monica in particular, will play a central role in what the organization is building next.
“This is a dream that has been a long time coming,” said co-founder Chris Meade. “In a world consumed by AI and technology, we are supposed to feel more connected, but honestly the opposite is happening. People are becoming more isolated, founders are growing alone - our mission of Founders Club is to stop that.”
Founded to address the emotional and strategic loneliness of entrepreneurship, Founders Club positions itself not as a traditional business network, but as what Meade describes as a "life club." The organization is built around mind, body, and business, with the belief that when people become better humans, stronger companies naturally follow.
“There are plenty of places you can go to chase revenue or raise capital,” Meade said. “My only prerogative is to make your life better. Whether that means you feel less alone, you make new friends, you move your body, you prioritize your relationships, or you finally have people who understand the risks you are carrying. If your life improves, your business will too.”
That philosophy is reflected in the structure of the community. Founders Club hosts more than 160 events annually across six core markets: Los Angeles, Vancouver, Toronto, New York, Miami, and Austin. Los Angeles alone is now home to several hundred members, with one to two events hosted monthly ranging from masterminds and speaker series to hikes, cold plunges, and wellness driven gatherings. Quarterly retreats take members to destinations like Costa Rica and Jackson Hole, while larger annual retreats bring hundreds together in Mexico. Membership currently stands at approximately 1,200, with an annual fee of $9,500 dollars.
The COSM Forum represents a major milestone. Meade describes walking into the venue as a pinch me moment for an organization still in its early years. “It almost feels like imposter syndrome,” he said. “We are three-years-old, and here we are in a venue of this size and stature, saying this is where our Forum will live. It is wild, and does not feel real yet.”
The lineup reflects both the scale and the intention. Speakers include founders from across industries and life paths, including Adam Wexler, founder of PrizePicks following a multi-billion dollar exit, Kim Perell with nine exits spanning technology and consumer brands, Poppi's Allison Ellsworth and TruBar's Erica Groussman after major exits over the past year, Google's Head of VC and Startup Partnerships, and Zachery Dereniowski of MDMotivator, a viral philanthropist known for using social media to transform lives through large scale giving. “It was important to us to bring together founders from all walks of life,” Meade said. “People who have risked everything, time, savings, relationships, to pursue a dream. There is so much to learn from each other.”
The Forum is destination driven by design. Of the 600 attendees, approximately 550 are members flying in, creating what Meade calls a destination wedding energy. That experience begins Monday in Santa Monica with two lead up events meant to immerse members in the city before the main program. The week kicks off with a 250 person 5K run through Santa Monica, sponsored by Cadence and Represent, followed by a welcome pre-party at the Santa Monica Proper Hotel. Members will be staying across the city at the Proper, the Viceroy, the Sandbourne, and nearby hotels, embedding the community directly into Santa Monica’s fabric for several days.
The choice of Santa Monica was deeply personal. “I always wanted to live here,” Meade shared. “I grew up wanting to work in film, to be in Santa Monica, to work on sets. That was the dream. Now, running this business, being able to bring our community here feels full circle.” Over time, that personal pull became strategic. Santa Monica’s weather, walkability, and culture have made it a natural draw for members escaping colder climates, but more importantly, its growing role as a technology and venture hub has aligned with the club’s evolution.
In 2026, Founders Club is making a stronger push into the tech ecosystem. With firms like Andreessen Horowitz, Upfront Ventures, and M13 expanding their presence, Santa Monica emerged as the ideal West Coast anchor. “We are seeing a ton of consumer brands in markets like Miami,” Meade said. “On the West Coast, we want to build tech. We want the best tech founders in the world affiliating themselves with this community, and Santa Monica is the right place to start.”
As Ryan Schinman, speaker, and advisor, observed, “What makes Founders Club different is that it treats entrepreneurship as a human experience, not just a financial one. The relationships built here extend far beyond any single event. As this community establishes deeper roots in Santa Monica, the opportunity is to create an ecosystem where founders support each other, mentor the next generation, and contribute meaningfully to the city around them. That is how lasting impact is made.”
That commitment extends beyond a single event. Founders Club has already hosted masterminds at the Sandbourne and events at the Viceroy, with the Sandbourne emerging as a consistent home base. The next Santa Monica Mastermind is scheduled for March 19 at the Sandbourne, open to members and prospective members looking to engage with the community. Looking ahead, Meade envisions deeper roots and civic partnership.
“There are so many entrepreneurs here who feel lonely, who are trying to build a better life and do not know where to go,” he said. “There is a community for almost everything, run clubs, social clubs, wellness clubs, but after college, when you are in debt and trying to build something meaningful, entrepreneurship can feel isolating. We want to help build that ecosystem here, strengthen local businesses, create jobs, and make Santa Monica an even better place to build a life.”
That long term vision includes the creation of a Founders Hub in Santa Monica, a physical space where founders collaborate, mentor one another, and connect talent to opportunity. “I see people getting jobs from it,” Meade said. “I see real impact over the next 12 to 24 months. The West Coast is here to stay, and Founders Club is putting its stamp down here.”
Supporting the COSM Forum is a group of partners aligned with that vision, including UBS, Delta, Flex, Fanbasis, and NSI. UBS supports members navigating wealth creation and stewardship. Delta provides travel partnership for a highly mobile community. Flex offers credit solutions tailored to founders. Fanbasis supports payment infrastructure for creator driven businesses. NSI, a world class insurance provider, brings stability to an often overlooked but essential part of entrepreneurship. “Insurance is unsexy until you need it,” Meade said. “NSI delivers with speed and class, and that matters when you are building something real.”
Meade’s own journey mirrors the mission. Raised with humble beginnings and limited access to networks, he entered entrepreneurship seeking control over his life rather than a traditional nine to five path. Early mistakes, isolation, and costly missteps defined his first years. A failed deal at 22, a later successful exit at 32, and lessons learned alongside co founder Aaron Spivak shaped the foundation of Founders Club. “We both made the same mistakes,” Meade said. “Hiring the wrong people, overpaying for advisors, realizing too late what we should have known earlier. This community helps you get ahead of those moments. It is like real life insurance while you are making bets in real time.”
The COSM Forum itself is closed and members only, but the invitation stands. For entrepreneurs seeking connection, clarity, and community, Founders Club is positioning Santa Monica as a new home.
As Meade put it, “Your dream life does not have to wait for the weekend - it can be Monday, or tonight - you do not have to build it alone.”