TICKETS OPEN SOON!
Meet Mae Yip: Championing Creative Careers at the next Founders500 event on May 14th, Mae will share her journey of building ERIC from the ground up, discuss alternative funding routes, and provide actionable insights for aspiring entrepreneurs. This session is a must-attend for founders and future founders eager to kickstart their businesses with purpose and impact.
Mae Yip is the co-founder of ERIC, an award-winning app that has supported over 140,000 young people in pursuing creative careers. Motivated by her own experience of receiving inadequate career guidance, Mae, alongside her best friend Sam, launched ERIC to bridge the gap in creative career opportunities. Starting without networks or funding experience, she has impressively raised nearly £1 million and navigated the challenges of being a female founder in a male-dominated space. Mae is passionate about breaking barriers and inspiring more women to start their own businesses—because when women succeed, the world becomes a better place. ERIC was listed as ‘Ones to Watch’ Disruption 100 list.
This is our new monthly event series in partnership with Maslow’s at One Warwick Street, London. This intimate and inspiring gathering is designed for creative founders who are shaping industries, challenging norms, and redefining success.
Each month, we’ll bring together visionary founders for candid fireside chats and in-depth interviews, uncovering the real stories behind their journeys – the highs, the hard lessons, and the game-changing insights they wish they knew from the start. Expect honest conversations covering everything from securing funding to hiring your first employee, navigating failure, and what truly happens when you reach success.
Beyond inspiration, you’ll leave with practical advice and actionable takeaways to help you grow, adapt, and thrive in your own entrepreneurial journey. Whether you’re a startup founder, creative entrepreneur, or future leader, this series is your opportunity to connect, learn, and level up alongside a dynamic community.
Located in a Neo-Baroque mansion on a dynamic corner of London’s storied Soho, 1 Warwick is a members’ House inspired by Maslow’s theory of human motivation and happiness. Set over six floors, 1 Warwick is home to beautifully designed workspaces, members’ lounges, event spaces, a studio and gym – as well as a rooftop restaurant and bar with sweeping views of the neighbourhood, which has played muse to centuries of creatives.
Doors open at 6 PM
6:30 PM Intro and welcome from David Loughlan and Jessica Willis, Co-Founders @ Founders500
6:35 PM 1x 15 min lightning talk by Mae Yip, Co-Founder @ ERIC covering alternative funding routes
6:50 PM Comfort break
7:00 PM 1 hour interview with a founder series + audience Q&A with Mae Yip, Co-Founder @ ERIC
8:00 PM Networking
Doors close at 9 PM
What Makes ERIC a Game-Changer?
ERIC is a free, user-friendly app helping young people aged 16+ access opportunities across the UK’s creative industries. It aggregates over 10,000 internships, apprenticeships, events, training schemes, and courses, saving users valuable time. With a personalised experience based on each user’s creative interests and location, ERIC delivers a curated feed of relevant opportunities. Covering 16 creative sectors—from fashion and film to gaming and music—the app ensures broad industry reach while championing accessibility and inclusivity through mentoring schemes and support for underrepresented groups.
For more information about ERIC, visit their website: meet-eric.com
About Us
Founders500 is the place for creative founders to come together, share cutting edge ideas and level up their skills. We run monthly events, meetups and festivals in the UK!
At Founders500, our name embodies the essence of community transformation and momentum. We recognise that the journey from a small gathering to a thriving, impactful community hinges on reaching key thresholds of engagement. Founders500 is a safe space where new and established founders, as well as future founders, come together to collaborate, support one another, and learn. Around 50–150 participants often marks the moment when a group begins to formalise its identity, shared purpose, and collective energy.
At 500 members, a critical mass is reached where diversity flourishes, sub-communities emerge, and real change becomes possible. Founders 500 represents this tipping point—a movement where connection, innovation, and growth thrive.
Supported by
