On Stage with Founders Club

Forget Socialista and Waverly Inn…last night the hottest spot in town was Studio 8H. Never heard of it? It’s a major celebrity hang out and considered to be a New York landmark. For those in-the-know, it also happens to be the home of Saturday Night Live.

Notes on a Party collaborated with Dina Kaplan of Founders Club and NBCU Digital to host a blow-out bash (their last one of the year) for the top entrepreneurs and players in the tech industry. And, let me tell you, the event was anything but your typical meet-up.

THE VENUE: the hallowed halls of SNL

THE HOSTS: Dina Kaplan (blip.tv), Jessica Schell (NBCU Digital), Jason Rapp (IAC), Auren Hoffman (Rapleaf), David Kidder (Clickable), Marc Cenedella (The Ladders), Josh Abramson (CollegeHumor), Joseph Varet (LX.TV), Graham Hill (Treehugger), Joel Smernoff (Paltalk), Daniel Klaus (MusicNation)

THE GUEST LIST: A mix of old guard and young talent (aka “wantrepreneurs”) as well as big media and press (including a few sharp-tongued bloggers)

THE SURPRISE: 80’s popstar, MC Hammer (founder of the upcoming DanceJam.com)

THE SPONSORS: NBCU Digital, Clickable, TheLadders, Bain Capital Ventures, Paltalk and Silverjet

THE DESIGNER DRINKS: Classic CEO Martinis by Chopin Vodka

THE TRENDY MENU: mini-burgers and BBQ chicken wings

THE GIVE-AWAY: Copies of David Kidder’s New York Times bestselling book The Intellectual Devotional and, for one lucky winner, a round trip business class ticket to London on Silverjet.

THE CRASHERS: stuck in the lobby of 30 Rock arguing with the NBC pages

The energy of the event was fueled by just enough industry drama with whispers of funding, launching, acquiring, poaching, and even suing. After a few too many martinis, there may have even been a bit of “canoodling.”

But, it was only fitting that the uber-exclusive venue lifted its velvet ropes to some of tech’s most exclusive - and by invitation only - properties. Representing the elite, members-only category, Joe Robinson, Greg Brody and Sabine Heller of the social networking site, ASMALLWORLD; Alexis Maybank and Alexandra Wilson of the newly launched, fashion shopping site Gilt.com; and, Scott Galloway of the virtual (millionare) men’s club, Carbon.

For more scoop on Founders Club and industry gossip, check out the following posts by:

Henry Blodget and Peter Kafka of Alley Insider, Caroline McCarthy of CNET, Nicolas Carlson of Valleywag and Thomas Farley of New York Insider.

PHOTO CREDIT: Angus McIntyre