The founder of London Tech Drinks has relaunched it as ‘Gathr,’ creating a thriving community for tech enthusiasts in London.
- Initiated by Mark Shepherd, the group initially started as an informal LinkedIn meet-up.
- Gathr is organised into three key areas: Connect, Learn, and Find.
- Nearly 10,000 active members, including investors and tech founders, are part of the Gathr community.
- Gathr aims to provide support, knowledge, and resources to tech businesses to address growth challenges.
Mark Shepherd founded London Tech Drinks, initially an informal gathering, to foster connections among tech professionals via LinkedIn. These meet-ups have now evolved into a structured platform known as Gathr, aimed at enhancing the tech ecosystem in London.
Gathr is divided into three distinct verticals – Gathr to Connect, Gathr to Learn, and Gathr to Find. These segments enable tech founders, investors, and advisors to form peer connections, learn from industry experts, and find essential service providers. The core objective remains to assist tech companies in navigating their growth trajectories effectively.
The ‘Gathr to Find’ section is of particular interest, functioning as a marketplace driven by community suggestions to connect users with recommended service and software providers. This approach promises to alleviate the challenges often faced during provider selection and enable businesses to concentrate on strategic growth.
Mark Shepherd’s journey began in February 2022 when a simple LinkedIn post seeking social interactions and shared experiences related to mental health led to the creation of this substantial community. The initiative grew far beyond expectations, reaching a membership of nearly 10,000.
According to Arabella Reeves, board member of the Global VC Platform Community, Gathr has aggregated insights from reputable VCs and operators, creating a trustworthy platform that streamlines the process of identifying top-tier providers, thus allowing businesses to focus on execution rather than exhaustive searches.
Gathr has emerged as a vital resource for London’s tech community, effectively supporting its members in overcoming growth challenges.
