The Connection Lab
Thu, Feb 05
|New York
Connection Lab is a fresh take on meeting people — experimenting with different formats to explore how connections form across industry, age, interests, and experience.
Time & Location
Feb 05, 2026, 6:00 PM – 11:50 PM
New York, 512 W 22nd St, New York, NY 10011, USA
About the Event
This February, we’re taking a different approach to how we meet people.
Instead of a traditional networking event, Connection Lab is an experiment in how connections actually form — and what helps them last. We’ll be hearing from 4 different speakers on different ways connections happen and how we can help it along.
Daniel Stillman — How to be the architect of a conversation (awareness, frameworks, tools)
Amy Van Doran — Translating dating-coach skills into everyday social confidence (“how to be socially awesome”)
JC Cassis — How to tell good stories and use storytelling as a connection tool
Dr. Rowshanak Hashemiyoon — Why we want connection but often don’t do anything about it
About the Speakers
Executive Coach & Author of Good Talk: How to Design Conversations that Matter
Professional Matchmaker, Ceo of Modern Love Club
She has been featured on Netflix’s Bling Empire, OWN Network, Vogue, The New York Times, Refinery29 etc.
Podcast and event producer (Risk!), Co-creator of a story-centric social event called What's Your Story?
Dr. Rowshanak Hashemiyoon
The people’s neuroscientist™️ PhD – Behavioral, Computational, and Clinical Neuroscientist
Some moments will be structured, others more organic. Some will connect you with people who feel familiar, others with people you might not normally cross paths with. The goal isn’t to collect contacts — it’s to create real points of connection and see what sticks.
Come curious. Come open. Expect to meet people in ways that feel a little different than usual.
About First Thursdays
First Thursdays are our signature monthly gatherings—each one centered around a different theme, but always designed to spark meaningful connections across industries. Past evenings have featured AI x Food, Dancers & the Chefs, and a film premiere from an Oscar-winning director.
Expect a curated crowd, exceptional conversation, and Michelin-level dining from our Chef Coalition of world-class culinary talent.
NEW - CEO HAPPY HOUR (10AM - 1PM Fridays after First Thursday): After a smashing inaugural session, we’ll be opening up Friday after First Thursday as a time to connect, reflect, and brainstorm in pairs while we clean up together (a ritual we also do as Next Jumpers). All leftovers from Thursday will be saved for those who join on Friday. You can sign up here