BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//VLAB - ECPv6.17.1//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://vlab.org X-WR-CALDESC:Events for VLAB REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/Los_Angeles BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0800 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:PDT DTSTART:20220313T100000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0800 TZNAME:PST DTSTART:20221106T090000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0800 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:PDT DTSTART:20230312T100000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0800 TZNAME:PST DTSTART:20231105T090000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0800 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:PDT DTSTART:20240310T100000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0800 TZNAME:PST DTSTART:20241103T090000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0800 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:PDT DTSTART:20250309T100000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0800 TZNAME:PST DTSTART:20251102T090000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0800 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:PDT DTSTART:20260308T100000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0800 TZNAME:PST DTSTART:20261101T090000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0800 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:PDT DTSTART:20270314T100000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0800 TZNAME:PST DTSTART:20271107T090000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20230824T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20230824T203000 DTSTAMP:20250227T081750Z CREATED:20250219T102727Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250227T081750Z UID:16073-1692900000-1692909000@vlab.org SUMMARY:Founders’ Series: Investment Landscape and Opportunities in Generative AI DESCRIPTION:Founders' Series\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Investment Landscape and Opportunities in Generative AI\nJust the Tip of the Iceberg?\n \n \n \n \n \n Thursday\, August 24\, 2023\nFireside Chat: 6:00 pm – 6:30 pm\n“Hot Seat” Startups: 6:30 pm – 6:50 pm *\nQ&A: 6:50 – 7:00 pm \n* 3-4 selected founders from audience will be featured on stage. \n \n \n \n \n \n As companies continue to seek innovative ways to differentiate themselves\, Generative AI has emerged as a game-changing technology with tremendous potential for disruption across a wide range of fields and industries. From creating unique content and designs to optimizing complex processes\, Generative AI is opening a new world of untapped opportunities for startups to explore. \nThis VLAB Founders Series event will provide an opportunity for founders to hear firsthand from a leading VC in this space and gain new perspectives about the rise of generative AI and its profound impact on the startup ecosystem. Whether you are a startup founder looking to explore the potential of generative AI\, an executive considering a pivot to building AI-capable products\, or simply an aspiring entrepreneur seeking inspiration\, this event is tailored to provide you with the insights you need to stay ahead in this game. \nIn this event\, Arjun Chopra (partner at Floodgate Fund) and André Thiollier (partner at Foley & Lardner LLP) will discuss the latest trends in generative AI\, share their insights on its potential\, and examine how these technologies are being used by startups to create new products and services: \n\nHow will startups be able to leverage Generative AI to scale their business?\nWhat are the potential risks associated with Generative AI for startups?\nHow can startups position themselves strategically to attract investment?\n\nIn addition to the “fireside chat” discussion\, a few select founders will have the opportunity to get in the “hot seat” and receive some individual counseling about their unique situations. \nJoin us on August 24 for this exciting and thought-provoking discussion. \n \n \n \n \n \n Speaker\n \n \n \n \n \n Arjun Chopra\, partner\, Floodgate Fund \nAs a partner at Floodgate\, Arjun leads the firm’s investments in opportunities that transform the “IT stack” in ways that help companies change the way they do business and compete. Before Floodgate\, Arjun was the CTO at Cambridge Technology Enterprises (CTE)\, a publicly traded cloud services company\, where he launched and led their cloud business. He was a member of the board and executive team that raised multiple rounds of financing. He led 350+ people\, managed 200M hours of uptime in the public cloud and was recognized as one of Amazon Web Service’s top 22 partners world-wide. Arjun joined CTE when they acquired Vox Holdings\, the open-source startup he founded. Arjun holds multiple technology patents that have been cited as prior art by firms like Apple\, AT&T\, and iRobot. He has also held several technology development and management positions in consumer and enterprise software companies\, including Microsoft\, Motive\, and IBCC. \n \n \n \n \n \n Moderator\n \n \n \n \n \n André Thiollier\, partner and business attorney\, Foley & Lardner LLP \nAs a partner in the Silicon Valley office of Foley & Lardner LLP\, André is a member of the firm’s Transactions Practice\, where he focuses on mergers and acquisitions\, private equity\, emerging growth and venture financings\, and general corporate and business counseling. He represents a variety of clients ranging from late-stage private companies and strategic buyers to venture capital and private equity funds across various industries\, including life sciences\, technology\, financial services\, healthcare\, and outsourcing. André’s extensive experience in multiple jurisdictions\, combined with fluency in different languages\, allows André to better advise clients in cross-border transactions\, particularly in Latin America\, including Brazil\, Argentina\, Chile and Mexico. Prior to joining Foley\, André worked as an associate at the Silicon Valley office of a global law firm. With over 15 years of experience in transnational transactions\, André has practiced law in top law firms in São Paulo\, New York\, and Madrid. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the VLAB Founders’ Series\nFounders’ Series events provide a unique opportunity for startups and technologists to take part in an interactive session. Come prepared with your burning questions! \nIf you would like to have the rare opportunity to take the “Hot Seat” on stage to receive feedback from the speakers\, please be sure to enter your question in the field below. Startup founders selected for the “Hot Seat” will be notified in advance. \nFor all other questions\, please contact founders.series@vlab.org. \nNote: Founder's Series tickets are for startup founders and are subject to approval. Please allow 24-48 hours for final ticket confirmation. URL:https://vlab.org/event/generative-ai/ LOCATION:San Francisco\, CA CATEGORIES:Founders Series ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://vlab.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/VLAB-Investment-Landscape-and-Opportunities-in-Generative-AI.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260625T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260625T203000 DTSTAMP:20260608T223441Z CREATED:20260608T063206Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260608T223441Z UID:18428-1782410400-1782419400@vlab.org SUMMARY:Founders’ Series: How to Build Products That Stand Out in the Age of AI DESCRIPTION:Founders' Series\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n How to Build Products That Stand Out in the Age of AI\nIs Generative AI Destroying Differentiation?\n \n \n \n \n \n  Thursday\, June 25\, 2026 \n6:00 pm: Reception \n7:00 pm: Fireside Chat \n7:30 pm: “Hot Seat” Startups * \n7:50 pm: Q&A \n* 3-4 selected founders from the audience will be featured on the stage. \n— Bonus Gift —(See below.) \n \n Purchase Ticket\n \n \n \n \n \n Very Limited Seating \n \n \n \n \n \n Building new products has never been easier. But there’s a catch: it is becoming harder than ever to build products that stand out. \nGenerative AI is dramatically lowering the time and the cost required to create and launch products\, flooding almost every category with new entrants. However\, this huge influx is having unintended consequences\, with an increasing number of similar-looking products offering similar-looking features. In many markets\, the ability to create is far outpacing the ability to differentiate. \nMeanwhile\, the cost to acquire new customers is escalating rapidly\, with global ad spending projected to surpass $1 trillion this year. As these conditions continue to evolve\, winning customers will be defined by a company’s ability to embed differentiation\, customer value\, and trust into its product from day one. \n In this special Founders’ Series event\, Lifang He\, author of Brand Power Built In\, and Stephanie Zeppa\, partner at Sheppard Mullin Richter and Hampton\, will share their thoughts on how founders and entrepreneurs can avoid costly mistakes and make high-stakes decisions with confidence.\n \n\nBeyond innovation\, what else do you need to differentiate your product?\nWhy should your brand be an integral part of your product offering?\nHow can you use positioning to guide what you build\, not just how you market it?\n\nIn addition to the “fireside chat” discussion\, a few select founders will have the opportunity to get in the “hot seat” and receive some individual counseling about their unique situations. \nJoin us on June 25 to hear more about differentiation in the age of AI — and get a free signed copy of Lifang’s book. \n \n Get Your Ticket Now\n \n \n \n \n \n Speaker \nLifang He\, author and brand strategist\, LifangHe.me \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Lifang is the author of Brand Power Built In: How Tech Products Really Win Hearts and Minds. She brings nearly 20 years of experience driving brand strategy\, product marketing\, and go-to-market excellence for companies like Apple\, Amazon\, and Ring. From launching iPhones globally to shaping entirely new product categories\, her career has been defined by building products and brands that scale fast and deliver results. She now advises startup founders and C-suite executives on brand strategy and product innovation. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Moderator \nStephanie Zeppa\, partner\, Sheppard Mullin Richter and Hampton LLP \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Stephanie advises founders\, startups\, and investors on company formation\, venture financing\, mergers and acquisitions\, and strategic growth across tech and life sciences. Her clients have described her as “an excellent negotiator” with a “broad understanding of issues.” She also serves as an advisor to VLAB and has extensive experience helping emerging tech companies navigate the journey from startup to scale and successful exit. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n In-Person Event \nSan Francisco\, CA \n(Location details will be sent to registered attendees.) \n Ticket Pricing \nOnly $35 per person \nThis is our pre-pandemic\, pre-inflation price— and includes a bonus gift: \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Bonus: Signed Copy of Brand Power Built In\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The first 30 people who purchase a ticket to this event will receive a free signed copy of Brand Power Built In: How Tech Products Really Win Hearts and Minds (a $30 value). \nGet your ticket early to secure your bonus gift. \nSorry\, no shipping. You must attend the event to receive your book. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Purchase Ticket Here\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n View event on Eventbrite. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Special Thanks to Our Event Sponsor\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the VLAB Founders’ Series\nFounders’ Series events provide a unique opportunity for startups and technologists to take part in an interactive session. Come prepared with your burning questions! \nIf you would like to have the rare opportunity to take the “Hot Seat” on stage to receive feedback from the speakers\, please be sure to enter your question in the field below. Startup founders selected for the “Hot Seat” will be notified in advance. \nFor all other questions\, please contact founders.series@vlab.org. \nNote: Founder's Series tickets are for startup founders and are subject to approval. Please allow 24-48 hours for final ticket confirmation. URL:https://vlab.org/event/founders-series-how-to-build-products-that-stand-out-in-the-age-of-ai/ LOCATION:San Francisco\, CA CATEGORIES:Founders Series ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://vlab.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Building-Products-that-Stand-Out.jpg END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR