​Join Us for Tiki Happy Hour @ Tonga Room

​Join Essence and Vermilion for a tiki bar happy hour in San Francisco at the world-famous Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar!

​On October 8th, we’re bringing together founders, operators, and investors for an evening of island cocktails, mocktails, and snacks under the glow of one of the Bay Area’s most legendary tiki bars. Expect a relaxed, high-energy crowd working across developer tools, AI infrastructure, and technical products. The conversations are always sharp, even if the drinks are topped with tiny umbrellas.

​Essence is an early stage venture fund created by Tim Chen, with a deep focus on infrastructure and technical founders.

​Vermilion is an early stage fund created by Ashley Smith, backing technical products built by technical founders.

​This is our third tiki gathering and our second in San Francisco and the vibes have been immaculate. Whether you’re building, scaling, or investing, it’s a chance to connect with people shaping the next generation of software.

​We’d love to see you there. If you'd like to bring a friend, send us a message and we can invite. Space is limited so please RSVP.