This week, Slow Ventures conducted a three-hour “Etiquette Finishing School,” discussing subjects such as the ideal handshake, public speaking skills, and professional behavior. The event featured a fashion showcase where models displayed various outfits suitable for diverse occasions, concluding with a lesson on caviar and wine.

According to the San Francisco Standard, several hundred founders applied for the complimentary program, which took place at the Four Seasons in SF’s financial area, with 50 founders selected. The majority of participants were male.

The concept reportedly originated as a joke, with Slow Ventures gauging interest at Y Combinator’s Demo Day. Although YC CEO Garry Tan allegedly advised founders to skip the event, he shared on X that he holds “no animosity towards Slow Ventures,” adding, “You don’t need finishing school. You need to create something remarkable, satisfy your users, and focus on craftsmanship.”

An unnamed founder mentioned to The Standard that they participated to learn how to be “less feral.”

“The tech world is no longer whimsical and charming,” Slow Ventures general partner Sam Lessin reportedly informed the attendees. “It’s affecting employment and altering environments. There’s a sense of threat, which necessitates being approachable and respectful, rather than deliberately disrespectful.”