Hello everyone!

We are Eda and Ari, founders of Chess Not Checkers. Our initiative is a unique space for builders, founders, and operators to connect through the timeless game of chess. Although we work in different domains—Eda in startups and Ari in investments—we connected at Austin’s SXSW in March over our shared childhood passion for chess. 

We discovered that, similar to us, many others in the startup and investment ecosystem appreciate the game for its emphasis on patience, problem-solving, and strategic thinking.

We started by casually hosting events during NFT Week and NY Tech Week, where we received fantastic feedback. Now, we’re excited to elevate this experience and connect more chess enthusiasts who share these values across the startup and investment ecosystem.