Viral Community turned Venture network
Insights by – Jessica Sophia Wong
In the venture capital world, credibility is often built on credentials—MBAs, banking jobs, stints at big tech. Jessica Sophia Wong had none of that. What she did have was a spreadsheet, a QR code, and a knack for connecting people who actually needed each other.
She’s the founder of Yorkseed, a global network that now connects over 10,000 founders and investors across 50+ hubs worldwide. But it didn’t start as a grand plan. It started with burnout, a backpack, and some free Google Sheets.
Accidental Beginnings at South by Southwest
In early 2023, Jessica was back from a trip to Asia and feeling completely wiped—mentally, physically, emotionally. On a whim, she decided to fly to Austin for South by Southwest. She couldn’t afford the badge, didn’t have a hotel, and wasn’t sure what she was even doing there.
To make the most of the situation, she created a spreadsheet listing free events, RSVPs, and where to find food. Then she printed a QR code linking to it, taped it to her purse, and started walking around.
“I literally walked up to people and said, ‘Hey, you want free stuff? Scan me,’” she laughs.
That spreadsheet went viral. Strangers began sharing it. Friends of friends were asking for the link. Before long, people were treating Jessica as the unofficial concierge of SXSW. The attention didn’t fade after the conference—it snowballed.
So she leaned in.
From Spreadsheet to System
Jessica started creating similar guides for other conferences. She added columns like “free food,” “free drinks,” “tech-focused,” or “investor-heavy.” What began as a helpful tool quickly became a signal: if you had access to Jessica’s spreadsheets, you were tapped in.
People started asking her to throw her own events. Founders wanted curated rooms. Investors wanted warm intros. She began organizing informal mixers and founder dinners, all from her phone—mostly coordinated through WhatsApp and spreadsheets.
As the demand grew, so did the structure. She spun up city-based WhatsApp groups: NYC Hub 1, NYC Hub 2, London, Paris, Singapore. She added conference-specific groups for Web Summit, Fintech Week, NFT NYC. With each new group came hundreds of serious operators—builders, investors, fund managers—looking for substance, not small talk.
That was the birth of Yorkseed.
“People think I had this big plan. I didn’t. I just followed what felt useful—and when people kept asking for more, I built the systems to support it.”
The Yorkseed Way: Intentional, Curated, Global
Yorkseed isn’t a casual networking group. It’s built for founders who are actively building and investors who are actually deploying capital. Jessica doesn’t just let anyone in. Every new member is vetted, and she isn’t afraid to remove inactive or misaligned members to protect the culture.
“You’re not allowed to join unless you’re legit. This isn’t a party group. This is for people trying to build things and fund things.”
Today, Yorkseed operates across more than 50 cities and major tech conferences. Jessica still personally manages much of it: event logistics, community vetting, even group moderation. The tech stack is intentionally scrappy—WhatsApp, Beehive for newsletters, Google Sheets for coordination.
“WhatsApp wasn’t made for communities this big, but it works. You just have to be creative. When NYC Hub 1 filled up, I started NYC Hub 2.”
The community now runs hundreds of events per year—from investor dinners to Mayor’s Office summits. There are family office mixers, curated founder-investor matchups, and even fully remote “Expert Sessions” over Zoom and Meet.
Beyond Networking: Toward a Venture Infrastructure
Jessica is clear that Yorkseed is more than a Slack alternative or WhatsApp group. It’s slowly becoming a venture infrastructure layer—a system where high-quality founders can connect directly with aligned capital, regardless of geography.
She partners with family offices and emerging funds. She curates one-on-one intros based on context, not cold email. She’s helping founders skip the pitch fest circus and get into real conversations that lead to checks.
“I’m not here to chase VCs or hype up some vision deck. I care about people building real stuff—and making sure they meet the people who can help them grow it.”
Yorkseed now facilitates real funding conversations. Startups have raised capital. New funds have recruited LPs. And a growing number of angel investors now rely on Yorkseed as a sourcing pipeline.
Jessica still hasn’t visited every city where Yorkseed has a hub. But she doesn’t need to. She builds local infrastructure, empowers regional leads, and keeps the energy aligned across time zones and cultures.
The Secret? A Personal Touch That Doesn’t Scale—But Sticks
What makes Yorkseed different isn’t the tech or even the events. It’s Jessica’s authenticity. She shows up as herself, cracks jokes, and builds trust by being relatable—not performative.
“I’ve never tried to be anyone I’m not. I’m a former interior designer who just wanted to meet good people. That energy sticks. People remember that.”
She’s candid about the tradeoffs. Running all this without a full team is exhausting. Scaling personalization is hard. But she’s committed to keeping Yorkseed human—even as it grows.
Takeaways for Community Organizers
Jessica’s path wasn’t polished or traditional. But it was real—and her methods offer useful lessons for anyone trying to build a strong, values-aligned network.
1. Start Small, Solve Something
“I didn’t plan to build a company. I just made a spreadsheet and it grew.”
Find a real problem in front of you. Solve it simply. Let value lead the way.
2. Clarity Beats Popularity
“You need to know who you’re serving. That’s everything.”
Don’t build for everyone. Build for the people who truly need what you’re offering.
3. Protect the Culture
“If someone’s not aligned, I remove them. We have limited seats.”
Exclusivity isn’t about clout—it’s about protecting the energy of the space.
4. Relationships First, Always
“This only works because people trust me.”
People remember how you made them feel, not what platform you used. Stay human.
5. Systems Can Be Simple
“WhatsApp and Google Sheets got us to 10,000 members.”
You don’t need fancy tools. You need systems that match your actual behavior.
6. Think Ecosystem, Not Just Events
“We’re not just hosting meetups. We’re moving capital.”
The long game isn’t community for community’s sake—it’s creating structures that drive opportunity.
What’s Next?
We’re fired up for what’s ahead and looking forward to seeing our Dot Connector community grow over the coming year. Our vision is to get sharper and closer to building something that truly works and transforms the work of community leaders/builders across the board.
Create a Dot Connector profile with us to stay updated with our launches.
Even better, Schedule a Dot Connector Convo with our team;
we want to hear from you if you’re a community leader/organizer.
Our content rollout is coming! Stay tuned for more in-depth content, including interviews, insights from our recent events, and upcoming opportunities to collaborate directly. Follow us, keep an eye on our newsletter, and join us at future events where we’ll continue these conversations. Your stories and involvement is what makes this all possible.
Onward and Upward,
The Pollen8 Team
