Founders Ride featured in Forbes. On business, cycling and the power of community

The most interesting stories rarely happen overnight. Sometimes, they begin with a simple idea, a handful of people and a shared bike ride, then gather momentum with every kilometre. We have supported Founders Ride with communications since the initiative began, which makes us even happier to see its story featured in Forbes, both online and across four pages of the print magazine.

In the in-depth feature “Networking in the peloton,” Magdalena Lemańska speaks with Tomasz Woźniak, co-founder of Founders Ride, about how a passion for cycling grew into a community bringing together entrepreneurs, sport and genuine relationships. No rigid conference formats, exchanging business cards or networking for the sake of it.

A community built around more than cycling

Founders Ride was created by Tomasz Woźniak and Szymon Kubicki, who decided to bring together two worlds close to them: business and cycling. The initiative quickly became much more than a series of group rides. Today, it offers founders a space to meet people facing similar challenges, take care of their health and step away from the everyday pace of running a business.

As Tomasz explains in Forbes, founders spend much of their time operating on their own, expected to keep pushing their companies forward regardless of the circumstances. Founders Ride events remind entrepreneurs that they are not alone in facing these challenges. Conversations happen naturally before the start, along the route and over a shared meal, while sport helps people build relationships without unnecessary formality.

From the first rides to a community of 350 people

Founders Ride has already brought together a community of around 350 people. Each event attracts approximately 50 participants and sells out. The community consists primarily of entrepreneurs, but it also includes directors and managing partners from large companies. Some participants travel from Kraków, the Tricity, Poznań or Wrocław to join the rides.

The ambition is to grow Founders Ride into a network of 1,000 people while protecting what has made the initiative special from the start: trust, an informal atmosphere and relationships built primarily offline. At a time when so many business connections are being moved into yet another group or app, Founders Ride focuses on shared experiences and genuine presence.

Four pages dedicated to Founders Ride in Forbes

The Forbes feature explores not only how the community works, but also the bigger idea behind it: helping entrepreneurs lead healthier, more conscious lives. It is a story about sport, responsibility, the loneliness many founders experience and relationships that can eventually develop into shared projects or business ventures.

It’s great to watch an initiative we have supported from the very beginning grow, develop its own identity and make its way into one of Poland’s leading business publications. We’re even happier to accompany Founders Ride on this journey and help tell the story of a community proving that great networking doesn’t have to begin with a conference badge. Sometimes, it starts with a bike, breakfast and a few dozen kilometres covered in good company.

The full feature is available on the Forbes Polska website and in the print edition of Forbes magazine.