The UCSF Rosenman Institute proudly revived a beloved tradition this year with the return of the Rosenman Founders Dinner, the first in six years.

At the heart of the UCSF Rosenman Institute is a mission to build community, connect passionate founders, and accelerate innovation in healthcare. The dinner offered a rare space for Rosenman Founders to engage in open, honest conversations, share real-world challenges, and form meaningful connections.

The evening’s true highlight wasn’t a keynote or a single conversation. It was the sense of trust and openness that filled the room. Founders shared candid stories about the highs and lows of building a company, trading advice, encouragement, and hard-won lessons.

It was a space where founders could speak freely about their journeys, knowing that those around them understood exactly what it meant to take risks in the pursuit of transforming health through technology.

Rosenman Founders are entrepreneurs who have been invited to take the Founders Pledge, a commitment to pay it forward by supporting one another, sharing insights, making introductions, and helping fellow founders overcome obstacles.

The Rosenman Institute extends our gratitude to the founders who contributed to our annual fund—demonstrating generosity that helps sustain the very programs designed to empower and accelerate their success. Your contribution fuels possibility, purpose, and progress. It reminds us and the founders we serve that we are not walking this road alone. Thank you for being part of the light that helps guide the future of healthcare.

The evening was made possible by the support of Perkins Coie, whose sponsorship helped create this memorable experience.

With more than 200 founders now part of the Rosenman network, the Rosenman Institute remains committed to building a vibrant, collaborative ecosystem for healthcare innovation. Through curated programs, founder mentorship, and connection-driven events like this dinner, we continue to support visionary entrepreneurs bringing life-changing technologies to patients.

As a fun side note, we also left with a crowd-sourced reading list—favorite books on leadership and resilience swapped around the table—including Give and Take by Adam Grant, Drive by Daniel Pink, Good to Great by Jim Collins, Burn Rate by Andy Dunn, and Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe.