First Block — From Thiel Fellow to $2B Startup: Inside Mercor
How do you reinvent hiring when AI can vet every candidate in minutes?
Join us in San Francisco for an invite-only taping of First Block, Notion’s founder-led series on building breakout companies from day one.
For our next episode, we’re sitting down with Brendan Foody, Co-founder & CEO of Mercor — the AI-powered talent marketplace that’s leapt from dorm-room idea to a $2 billion valuation in just two years. Backed by Felicis, Benchmark, and Jack Dorsey, Mercor matches thousands of specialists with the world’s fastest-growing AI labs.
Brendan will share:
The single product decision that unlocked a $100 million Series B round.
Why “evaluation as work” could redefine knowledge jobs.
How a 30-person core team runs a global labor marketplace at scale.
The tool stack that keeps Mercor shipping day after day.
🎙️ Moderator: Katy Shields, Chief People Officer, Notion
Agenda
5:30 PM – Check-in & mingling (please arrive on time)
6:00 PM – Fireside chat + live audience Q&A
7:00 PM – Rooftop networking & light refreshments
8:00 PM – Event close
Who’s in the Room
This is an in-person event in San Francisco. Expect a packed room of top founders and AI builders, a post-talk rooftop happy hour with skyline views, and light refreshments.
No livestream, no fluff — just real talk and real connections.
Catch previous episodes of First Block with founders of Cursor, Anthropic, Rippling, Webflow, Front, and more.
About Notion
The AI workspace that works for you. Startups move fast — and Notion helps you move faster. From idea to IPO, build docs, manage projects, and run your team in one connected workspace powered by Notion AI. Apply now to get up to 6 months of Notion’s Business plan with Notion AI included — a $12,000 value.
About Mercor
Founded in 2023 by three Thiel Fellows, Mercor uses AI to source, vet, and pay top talent in hours, not weeks. Its continuous feedback loop sharpens the matching engine with every placement — powering hiring for leading AI labs and Fortune 500 innovators alike.