VLAB

The Proliferation of Artificial Intelligence: Will AI Be the Biggest Disruption in the Next 10 Years?
2018-06-19 18:00 - 20:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Stanford Faculty Club, Stanford University, 439 Lagunita Drive, Stanford, CA, 94305, United States
The Proliferation of Artificial Intelligence
Will AI Be the Biggest Disruption in the Next 10 Years?

Tuesday, June 19, 2018
6:00 pm to 8:30 pm
6:00 pm: Reception and networking
7:00 pm: Panel discussion (with Q&A)

Evolutionary disruptions in machine learning, deep learning, and artificial intelligence are ushering a new age of “intelligent enterprise,” creating unprecedented opportunities for both startups and established companies. Gartner projects that the value of AI-derived businesses will reach $3.9 trillion in 2022.
From home automation to self-driving cars, cognitive learning and AI have the potential to be the most disruptive class of technologies during the next 10 years. Driven by increasingly powerful computational capabilities and new advances in context-based learning, the implications are huge — for business, for entire industries, and for society as a whole.
In this event, our panelists will explore how enterprises are reinventing business processes, workflows, and customer services.

Will AI live up to its expectations?
What are the requirements for true cognitive learning?
How can businesses leverage the latest advances in AI?

Join us on June 19 to find out.

Moderator

Mariya Yao, Editor-in-Chief, TOPBOTS

Panelists

Patrick Ehlen, Chief Scientist, Loop AI Labs
SriSatish Ambati, CEO and Co-Founder, H2O.ai
Shubho Sengupta, Facebook AI Research (FAIR)
Jishnu Bhattacharjee, Managing Partner, Nexus Venture Partners

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Stanford Faculty Club
Stanford University
439 Lagunita Drive
Stanford, CA 94305
Driving directions and parking information

Fully Autonomous Vehicles: Removing the Front-Seat Driver
2018-05-24 18:00 - 20:30 | William R. Hewlett Teaching Center, Room 200, 370 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA, 94305, United States
Fully Autonomous Vehicles
Removing the Front-Seat Driver

Thursday, May 24, 2018
6:00 pm to 8:30 pm
6:00 pm: Reception and networking
7:00 pm: Panel discussion (with Q&A)

The automotive industry is bracing for a new surge of progress and opportunity, with billions of dollars on the line. The potential is huge. People have been dreaming about owning a self-driving car for decades, and recent sales have shown that consumers are willing to spend big bucks for this dream.
The final push to widespread availability of fully autonomous vehicles has begun. Testing has moved onto public roads, and in the next few years, several vendors plan to release autonomous vehicles in limited-use “Level 4” situations (taxis, transit companies, fleet operations, freeway-only driving). As the technology advances from “assisted driving” to true self-driving, consumer-ready vehicles for general road travel (Level 5) will be tailgating right behind.
In this panel, industry-leading startups, entrepreneurs, and investors will explore the technologies and challenges related to realizing the dream of a fully autonomous self-driving vehicle — i.e. a vehicle that a human does not need to monitor and that can completely take over all driving responsibilities.

Will small startups or large corporations have the inside track?
How will we know when self-driving cars are safe enough?
How will self-driving cars change our lifestyle?

Take a ride with us on May 24 to find out.

Moderator

Rob Coneybeer, Managing Director, Shasta Ventures
– More than $1B under management

Panelists

Sterling Anderson, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer, Aurora
– Named “America’s Hottest Self-Driving Startup” by Wired
Ivan Mihov, Director of Program Management, Zoox
– Valued at over $1B by Crunchbase
Vinay Shet, Director of Product, Lyft
– Ground-breaking car transportation company
Alexei Andreev, Managing Director, Autotech Ventures
– Focused on the $3T ground transportation sector

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William R. Hewlett Teaching Center
Room 200
Stanford University
370 Serra Mall
Stanford, CA 94305
Stanford campus map

Robotic Dexterity: Grabbing the Brass Ring
2018-04-24 18:00 - 20:30 | Stanford Faculty Club, Stanford University, 439 Lagunita Drive, Stanford, CA, 94305, United States
Robotic Dexterity
Grabbing the Brass Ring

Tuesday, April 24, 2018
6:00 pm to 8:30 pm
6:00 pm: Reception and networking
7:00 pm: Panel discussion (with Q&A)

From warehouse operations to surgical operations, robots are lending a helping hand like never before. With a rapidly improving ability to manipulate objects of all shapes and sizes, they have the potential to replace human operators with better accuracy, better precision, and better efficiency.
In Robotic Dexterity, we will explore how the latest advances in robotic technologies have the potential to transform entire industries. By combining cloud computing and machine learning with groundbreaking gripper designs, these innovations in dexterity are shaping our future — sometimes literally.
Our panel of founders and industry insiders will explore these and other issues.

Where are the best opportunities for entrepreneurs?
Will these new robots completely replace all human workforces?
How will society react to increasingly capable robots?

Join us on April 24 to find out what the future “holds.”

Moderator

Stefano Carpin, Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of California, Merced

Panelists

Harsha Prahlad, Co-Founder and CTO and Products Officer, Grabit
Juan Aparicio Ojea, Head of Research Group, Advanced Manufacturing Automation, Siemens
Matt Howard, Managing Partner, Norwest Venture Partners

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Stanford Faculty Club
Stanford University
439 Lagunita Drive
Stanford, CA 94305
Driving directions and parking information

Founders’ Series: Strategies for Negotiating Term Sheets
2018-03-27 18:00 - 20:30 | San Francisco, CA
Founders' Series

Strategies for Negotiating Term Sheets
with Stephanie Zeppa and Andrew Romans

Tuesday, March 27, 20186:00 pm to 8:30 pm6:00 pm: Reception and networking7:00 pm: Fireside Chat

San Francisco(Address will be sent to registered attendees.)

After intense networking, intro requests, and pitches, you have finally landed a term sheet. Signing it will give you much-needed growth capital to take your startup to the next level. You will be able to hire more team members, build out the game plan, and zero in on the needs of your best customers. Most importantly, it will let you, the founder, get back to building the business instead of fundraising.
Unfortunately, this is often the time when most startup founders agree to terms that they regret later.
Join us for a lively discussion from two important perspectives: a corporate attorney and a VC. After a breakdown the do’s and don’t’s of terms sheet negotiation, attendees will have an opportunity to participate in a Q&A session.
There will also be a drawing for a free signed copy of Andrew’s book, Masters of Corporate Venture Capital.

Panelists

Stephanie Zeppa, Partner, Sheppard Mullin, Corporate & Securities Group
Stephanie has extensive experience representing both private and public companies in mergers and acquisitions, investments, strategic transactions and corporate governance matters. She also represents emerging growth companies, founders, and institutional and strategic investors with the formation, financing, and exits of emerging growth and technology companies.
She serves clients in the software, life sciences, and digital media industries. Her clients describe her as “an excellent negotiator” with a “broad understanding of issues.” (Chambers USA Northern California: Venture Capital and M&A).
Stephanie serves as an advisor to VLAB, Astia, and UCSF CTSI’s Catalyst Awards Program. She received her J.D. from UC Hastings and her B.A. from Pepperdine. Stephanie enjoys running, stand up paddle boarding, and riding bikes with her kids.
Sheppard Mullin’s Emerging Growth practice is a leading advisor to start-ups in the United States, Europe, and Asia. With 780 attorneys in 15 offices across the globe, we provide “one-stop” legal services to help an emerging company grow.
Andrew Romans, General Partner, Rubicon Venture Capital
Based in Silicon Valley, Andrew is a successful VC-backed entrepreneur, author of two top-selling books on venture capital, former tech VC and M&A investment banker, cofounder of an angel group, and now general partner of Rubicon Venture Capital, a VC fund active in Silicon Valley, New York, and Europe. His books, Masters of Corporate Venture Capital and The Entrepreneurial Bible to Venture Capital have been translated into Chinese, Japanese, and Russian by major publishers.
Andrew raised over $48m for tech startups he founded by the age of 28. He has continually raised VC funding as a founder, banker, or VC ever since. He was the founder and general partner of The Founders Club and also acted as the managing director of EMEA at VC-backed Sentito Networks (acquired by Verso Technologies) and managed enterprise software sales in Europe at VC-backed Motive Communications (NASDAQ IPO).
He is also a frequent VC guest speaker on TV shows including MSNBC, CNBC and ABC, as well as various TV channels in China and Russia. He was born in Japan, lived in Europe for 15 years and is fluent in English, German, and French and can speak conversationally in Slovak. He began his career in 1993 working in the UNIX computing industry at Pencom Systems in New York, Silicon Valley, and Austin. He holds a BA from the University of Vermont and an MBA in finance from Georgetown University, which he completed on scholarship.

Andrew’s new book Masters of Initial Coin Offerings – ICOs & The Blockchain, which focuses on the rise of Bitcoin, Ethereum, Cryptocurrencies, token economies and what it means for startups, large corporations, sales & trading and venture capital, will be available soon.

About the VLAB Founders’ Series
Founders’ Series events provide a unique opportunity for startups and technologists to take part in an interactive session. Come prepared with your burning questions!
If 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.
For all other questions, please contact founders.series@vlab.org.
Note: Founder's Series tickets are for startup founders and are subject to approval. Please allow 24-48 hours for final ticket confirmation.

The Future of Storytelling: AR/VR Turns Its Gaze on TV and Cinema
2018-03-20 18:00 - 20:30 | Stanford Faculty Club, Stanford University, 439 Lagunita Drive, Stanford, CA, 94305, United States
The Future of Storytelling
AR/VR Turns Its Gaze on TV and Cinema?

Tuesday, March 20, 2018
6:00 pm to 8:30 pm
6:00 pm: Reception and networking
7:00 pm: Panel discussion (with Q&A)

The way we tell stories is on the verge of a seismic shift in technology. Over the millennia, storytelling has evolved from oral traditions shared around the campfire to viral videos shared with millions around the globe — and it’s not stopping there. Technologies such as AR and VR are disrupting TV and film makers everywhere from Hollywood to Bollywood.
As AR/VR shifts its gaze from gaming to cinema, familiar 2-D rectangular displays are being replaced with new experiences that are deeply immersive, interactive, and personalizable. And investment is hot, with more than $5B in VC investments. In a market projected to explode tenfold by 2020, multiple startups are vying for lead roles in this new production.
Our panel of founders and industry insiders will explore these and other issues.

How are startups raising capital and making money in mixed reality?
What impact will AR/VR have on social media?
How are TV and film studios adapting to these new opportunities?
What technical and social challenges stand in the way of mass adoption?

Join us March 20 to hear how these technologies are shaping the future of storytelling.

Moderator

Jesse Damiani, Founder and CEO, Galatea

Panelists

Robin Sho Moser, Founder and CEO, eyecandylab
Larry Cutler, Founder and CTO, Baobab Studios
Ted Schilowitz, Futurist in Residence, Paramount Pictures
Maddie Callander, Director of Operations, Boost VC

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Stanford Faculty Club
Stanford University
439 Lagunita Drive
Stanford, CA 94305
Driving directions and parking information

ICOs and the Token Economy: Disruption or Deception?
2018-02-27 18:00 - 20:30 | Stanford Faculty Club, Stanford University, 439 Lagunita Drive, Stanford, CA, 94305, United States
ICOs and the Token Economy
Disruption or Deception?

Tuesday, February 27, 2018
6:00 pm to 8:30 pm
6:00 pm: Reception and networking
7:00 pm: Panel discussion (with Q&A)

Even the most seasoned investors, entrepreneurs, and established businesses have been caught off guard by the meteoric rise of Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs), cryptographic tokens, and blockchain-based application development. Early-stage startups raised nearly $4B from ICOs during the past year, far outstripping venture and angel funding. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) recently spoke out, emphatically cautioning that many ICOs may be violating securities laws.
Beyond the legal concerns and the hype awaits a potential technological and economic disruption not seen since the birth of the worldwide web: the decentralization of the Internet. If successful, decentralization of data storage and ownership promises to dramatically upend the status quo, cutting out intermediaries and centralized platforms and replacing them with token-based, peer-to-peer transactions executed via “smart contracts.” Myriad service industries are in blockchain’s crosshairs, from financial and payment processing to ride and home sharing, such as Uber and Airbnb.

As decentralization evolves, what form will it take? When will it occur, and at what scale?
What are the obstacles and barriers?
Given recent SEC action, what is the future of ICOs?
How will companies, businesses, and markets benefit from these changes?

Join us on February 27, 2018, to find out.

Moderator

Amy Wan, Founder, Sagewise.io

Panelists

Amanda Straub, Senior Counsel, Cyber Unit, Division of Enforcement, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
Charles Hudson, Founder and Managing Partner, Precursor Ventures
Eric Ly, Founder and CEO, Hub Token, and Co-Founder, LinkedIn
Richard Craib, Founder, Numerai

Demo Pavillion

Alpha Coin • Cypherium • Earn.com • Hack Fund • Hub • Luna Capital • NEM Foundation • Olympus Labs • Sagewise • Votem • WorkCoin

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Stanford Faculty Club
Stanford University
439 Lagunita Drive
Stanford, CA 94305
Driving directions and parking information

Young Immigrant Entrepreneurs: Living the American Dream
2018-01-30 18:00 - 20:30 | SRI International Conference Center, 333 Ravenswood Drive, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, United States
Young Immigrant Entrepreneurs
Living the American Dream

Tuesday, January 30, 2018
6:00 pm to 8:30 pm
6:00 pm: Reception and networking
7:00 pm: Panel discussion (with Q&A)

One of the most highly-motivated, capable groups of individuals in America is often taken for granted: young immigrant entrepreneurs. They leave their home countries to bring their dreams to live in the land of opportunity. Immigrants are some of our most brilliant innovators, researchers, and scientists. They make up only 12% of the U.S. population but in recent years hold 30% of its patents, 47% of its doctorates in science and engineering, and 25% of its Nobel Prizes. Young immigrant entrepreneurs are tackling challenging problems, building successful companies, creating jobs, and adding to the economy.
While there are political factions with anti-immigration agendas, the facts will not change: immigrants are twice as likely to start businesses than U.S.-born citizens. According to Inc. Magazine, between 1995 and 2005 immigrants founded 52% of all new Silicon Valley companies, with 25% of them raising VC funds. In 2012, tech companies founded by immigrant entrepreneurs employed over 560,000 people and generated over $63 billion in sales.
Well-known immigrant entrepreneurs, including Sergey Brin, Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, and Vinod Khosla, have built some of the world’s most successful companies. If not for immigrants, Google, PayPal, Tesla, Evernote, Reddit, and many other companies would not exist. With new ideas and diverse perspectives, young immigrant entrepreneurs are leading promising startups that could be the next unicorns.

What drives these young entrepreneurs to immigrate?
How do they overcome the many challenges that they face?
Are they concerned about immigration reform affecting their companies?

* Source: Bernard Munos, Senior Fellow, FasterCures

Moderator

Mohit Aron, Founder and CEO, Cohesity
With 15 years of experience in building scalable, high-performance distribution systems, Mohit has been attributed as the father of hyper-convergence. Prior to founding Cohesity in 2013, he co-founded Nutanix and before that was at Google as a lead developer on the Google File System engineering project. Mohit holds a B.S. in Computer Science from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and Ph.D. in Computer Science from Rice University.

Panelists

Iba Masood, Co-Founder and CEO, TARA.AI
With a strong passion for machine learning, Iba has spent the last seven years building mechanisms for pre-screening and project deployment in software, for hundreds of enterprise customers. She was recently awarded the Forbes “30 under 30,” is a past winner of the MIT Global Business Plan competition, and was a recipient of the UN ITU Young Innovator’s Award. She has also been featured in TechCrunch, Wired, and The Huffington Post.
Tenzin Seldon, Co-Founder and CEO, Kinstep
Raised in the Indian Himalayas, Tenzin graduated with honors from Stanford University and was the first Tibetan-American Rhodes Scholar at Oxford. An advocate for disenfranchised communities, her work has been recognized around the globe: Forbes “30 under 30,” World Economic Forum Global Shaper, Harry S. Truman Scholar, and one of OZY magazine’s “5 Civil-Rights Leaders for a New Generation.” She has also been a visiting lecturer at Rangsit University and UC Berkeley.
Gary Kurek, Founder and CEO, Kügar
After spending years manufacturing advanced robotic mobility aids, Gary launched Kügar to develop technology that redefines how we build complex electromechanical systems, with an aim to bring automated manufacturing back to the United States. He was the youngest Canadian to ever receive an O-1A extraordinary ability visa, was selected as part of Peter Thiel’s “20 Under 20” inaugural class in 2011, was one of Canada’s “Top 20 under 20,” and is a Forbes “Top 30 under 30.”
Adelanwa Adesanya, Co-Founder, Moving Analytics, Inc.
Originally from Nigeria, Ade is the co-founder of Moving Analytics, a digital health company dedicated to conquering heart disease through digital prevention programs. One of Ade’s passions is helping entrepreneurs actualize their visions. Previously, he worked with researchers at USC to commercialize their research into startup companies and is the co-founder of Lighthouse Africa, a nonprofit whose mission is to foster early-stage investing in African entrepreneurs.

Featured Speaker

Iliana G. Perez, Research Analyst, Stanford University Graduate School of Business
Born in Hidalgo, Mexico, and a DACA recipient in 2013, Iliana focuses on immigrant entrepreneurs, the successes of immigrant students, the effects of deportation on the lives of young adults, and the economics of immigration. She has shared her story with various audiences across the country and on several media outlets, including the LA Times, Business Insider, CNN, CNNE, The Huffington Post, Univision, La Opinion, and Radio Bilingue.

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SRI International Conference Center
333 Ravenswood Drive
Menlo Park, CA 94025

Nuclear Fusion: Reacting To Commercialization
2017-11-14 18:00 - 20:30 | William R. Hewlett Teaching Center, Room 200, 370 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA, 94305, United States
Nuclear Fusion
Reacting To Commercialization

Tuesday, November 14, 2017
6:00 pm to 8:30 pm
6:00 pm: Reception and networking
7:00 pm: Panel discussion (with Q&A)

Successful entrepreneurs including Peter Thiel, Paul Allen, and Jeff Bezos are investing in innovative nuclear fusion startup companies, such as Helion Energy, Tri-Alpha, and General Fusion. Lockheed Martin is building a compact fusion reactor prototype, looking at future markets. These approaches are leaner and evolve faster than large government or international fusion projects.
Startups may now apply AI to accelerate nuclear fusion. Innovative physics and AI technology provide nuclear fusion moon shots an opportunity to change the world, disrupting future markets with cost-effective abundant energy.
The race to commercialization is accelerating, as investors make socially responsible long-term commitments. While each machine is modest compared to government or international efforts, their results point to multiple paths for commercialization of nuclear fusion.
Come listen to a panel drawn from the frontier of commercialization of nuclear fusion.

Learn innovative commercial approaches to Nuclear Fusion
Understand Socially Responsible Investing Options
Ask your questions of the Pioneers!

Moderator

Rachel Slaybaugh, APRA-E Program Director and Assistant Professor of Nuclear Engineering, University of California, Berkeley

Panelists

Michel Laberge, Founder and Chief Scientist, General Fusion
Matthew Thompson, Director of Physics, Tri Alpha Energy
Tom McGuire, Research Engineer and Scientist, Lockheed Martin
Ray Rothrock, Former General Partner, Venrock, Chair of NVCA, and CEO of Redseal

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William R. Hewlett Teaching Center
Room 200
370 Serra Mall
Stanford University
Stanford, CA

This is event is sponsored by

The US-Asia Technology Management Center, or US-ATMC, is an education and research center located at Stanford University. US-ATMC education and research programs about innovation and emerging business trends provide Stanford students in technical fields, and the Silicon Valley community at large, with knowledge and analytical capabilities that will be important to global success in high-tech fields in the Twenty-First Century.

Founders' Series: The Scalable Founder
2017-11-02 18:00 - 20:30 | San Francisco, CA
Founders' Series

The Scalable Founder
Scaling the Company, the Team, and Yourself
with Jacques Benkoski and Mark Coopersmith

Thursday, November 2, 20176:00 pm to 8:30 pm6:00 pm: Reception and networking7:00 pm: Fireside Chat

San Francisco(Address will be sent to registered attendees.)

The “Scalable” founder learns to overcome personal challenges, pushing the limits to achieve lasting success. Failure to manage individual demons can doom a company and destroy friendships. Personal growth may be one of the toughest challenges an entrepreneur may face. Only those who learn how to grow personally will survive and thrive — scaling the company, scaling the team, and “scaling” themselves.
If you are a founder or are thinking about starting a company, join us on Thursday, November 2, 2017, for a fireside conversation with Jacques Benkoski and Mark Coopersmith. Hear from two seasoned entrepreneurs and investors about the seldom-addressed personal challenges you will face in growing your startup and how to overcome them.
Among the topics Jacques and Mark will address:

Navigating founding, funding, and growth
Surviving near-death experiences (and you will have them)
Working with your Board and other key stakeholders
Maintaining perspective

Panelists

Jacques Benkoski
An international businessman, Jacques was born in Belgium, educated in Israel and the U.S., held executive positions in Europe and the U.S. Jacques is an active investor in the Israeli market and in the IT markets in the U.S. Past USVP companies include Trusteer (acq by IBM), Dune Networks (acq Broadcom) and ClearShape (acq Cadence) along with executive chairmanships at Certess (acq Springsoft) and Synfora (acq Synopsys).
Jacques currently sits on the boards of Chute, Kilopass, Kenna Security, Qnovo, SupplyFrame, Zerto, and ZypMedia. Before joining USVP, Jacques was CEO of Monterey Design Systems from 1999 until its acquisition in 2004. He founded the European subsidiary of Epic Design Technology (EPIC) which had a successful IPO in 1994 and became Vice President of European Sales following its acquisition by Synopsys. Earlier in his career, Jacques held a number of positions at IMEC,
Before joining USVP, Jacques was CEO of Monterey Design Systems from 1999 until its acquisition in 2004. He founded the European subsidiary of Epic Design Technology (EPIC) which had a successful IPO in 1994 and became Vice President of European Sales following its acquisition by Synopsys. Earlier in his career, Jacques held a number of positions at IMEC, IBM and STMicroelectronics. Fluent in English, French, and Hebrew, Jacques holds a B.Sc. in computer engineering from Technion Israel Institute of Technology, and an M.Sc. and Ph.D. in computer engineering from Carnegie Mellon University. He is on the Board of Governors of Technion and on board of the California Israel Chamber of Commerce.
Mark Coopersmith
Mark Coopersmith is an educator, entrepreneur, and best-selling author. A Senior Fellow and Faculty Director at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, he teaches entrepreneurship, innovation, and leadership to current and future leaders at CAL and around the world. As a Fortune 500 executive and corporate entrepreneur he has built and run global businesses for Sony and Newell Rubbermaid. He has launched and built successful (and not-so-successful) Silicon Valley startups — Google now owns an e-commerce platform he founded.
Mark is a frequent keynote speaker and moderator. His entrepreneurship students and teams have launched more than 100 ventures globally. Many of these have failed, but more than a few have seen success as well. Learn more in his best-selling book “The Other “F” Word: How Smart Leaders, Teams and Entrepreneurs Put Failure to Work (Jon Wiley and Sons, co-authored with Jon Danner).

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About the VLAB Founders’ Series
Founders’ Series events provide a unique opportunity for startups and technologists to take part in an interactive session. Come prepared with your burning questions!
If 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.
For all other questions, please contact founders.series@vlab.org.
Note: Founder's Series tickets are for startup founders and are subject to approval. Please allow 24-48 hours for final ticket confirmation.

Managing Hyperscale: AI Enters The Data Center
2017-10-17 18:00 - 20:30 | SRI International Conference Center, 333 Ravenswood Drive, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, United States
Managing Hyperscale
AI Enters The Data Center

Tuesday, October 17, 2017
6:00 pm to 8:30 pm
6:00 pm: Reception and networking
7:00 pm: Panel discussion (with Q&A)

Entrepreneurs and established companies alike are exploring a new frontier for AI — The Data Center. Data consumption is increasing at an unprecedented rate as the adoption of enterprise and consumer applications in IoT, cloud computing, autonomous vehicles, and online collaboration tool go mainstream.
To keep up with the demand, data center operators may run 100,000 servers in a single location. Managing critical infrastructure at hyperscale is an expensive challenge that requires skilled IT staff. Artificial intelligence is now providing solutions that allow companies to control costs by optimizing energy consumption, monitoring performance, and even enhancing call center support more efficiently. AI has entered the data center.
According to Stratistics MRC, the Global Hyperscale Data Center market is expected to grow from $20.24 billion in 2016 to reach $102.19 billion by 2023 with a CAGR of 26.0%. Startups along with big players including AWS, Equinix, and Ericsson are all running hard to get the edge over the competition. In this new frontier:

Will startups develop AI solutions that disrupt established companies?
Which trends will lead the industry?
Will AI deliver on the promise of more efficient data center operations?

Join us on October 17, 2017, 6:00 pm at SRI International in Menlo Park.

Moderator

Ravi Belani, Fenwick & West Lecturer of Entrepreneurship at Stanford University and Managing Director at Alchemist Accelerator

Panelists

Scott Noteboom, Founder and CEO, LitBit

Val Bercovici, Founder and CEO, PencilDATA
Tom Vo, Director of Engineering, Ericsson

Supdip Chakrabarti, Partner, Lightspeed Venture Partners

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SRI International Conference Center
333 Ravenswood Drive
Menlo Park, CA 94025

Deep Genomics: Artificial Intelligence Meets The Human Genome
2017-06-20 18:00 - 20:30 | SRI International Conference Center, 333 Ravenswood Drive, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, United States
Deep Genomics
Artificial Intelligence Meets The Human Genome

Tuesday, June 20, 2017
6:00 pm to 8:30 pm
6:00 pm: Reception and networking
7:00 pm: Panel discussion (with Q&A)

Deep Genomics is opening doors to understanding the large-scale, incredibly complex data set that makes up the human genome. The Human Genome sequencing project, completed in 2003 cost $3B and took 15 years to complete. Now the human genome can be sequenced within a matter of days for approximately $1,000, making it possible to generate data sets for Deep Genomics. Using artificial intelligence (AI), deep learning algorithms, and complex data sets, the entire healthcare industry could be revolutionized — from diagnostics to gene therapies to personalized medicine. Deep Genomics holds the key to unlocking the biggest disruptions in the medical, life sciences, and pharmaceutical industries.
The potential returns for investors are driving a funding race. Startups are raising billions of dollars in venture capital. Earlier this year, Grail raised $900M in a series B round for their “high-intensity sequencing approach” in a market estimated to reach $45B by 2024. While there is a tremendous business opportunity, there are huge privacy implications related to mass-genomics data collection.

Which companies will prevail with this emerging technology’s ecosystem?
How will companies access the data?
Will the development of new therapies be accelerated as a result of Deep Genomics?

Moderator

Raeka Aiyar, Director of Scientific Strategy and Communications, Stanford Genome Technology Center

Panelists

Charlene Son Rigby, SVP Customer Operations, Fabric Genomics
Helmy Eltoukhy, CEO, Guardant Health
Andy Felton, VP Marketing & Product Management, Ion Torrent Business
Ursheet Parikh, Partner, Mayfield Fund

View or download flyer for event:

Download the printable PDF.

SRI International Conference Center
333 Ravenswood Drive
Menlo Park, CA 94025

Founders' Series: What Does it Take to Raise a Real Series A?
2017-06-08 18:00 - 20:30 | Palo Alto, CA
Founders' Series

What Does it Take to Raise a Real Series A?

Thursday, June 8, 20176:00 pm to 8:30 pm6:00 pm: Reception and networking7:00 pm: Fireside Chat

Palo Alto, CA(Address will be sent to registered attendees.)

Raising a Series A round is vastly different from raising seed or angel funding and even if a founder has received angel or seed-stage funding, it can be difficult to secure follow-on funding. What do founders need to know in order to increase the likelihood of successfully raising a Series A round?
Join Ted Schlein, General Partner at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and Hank Barry, partner and co-chair of Sidley Austin’s Emerging Companies/Venture Capital practice as they discuss what entrepreneurs need to know in order to heighten their chances of attracting Series A funding. Some of the topics they will cover include:

What metrics (with respect to the product or service; revenue; team) do companies need to achieve before a VC will consider investing?
When should founders start thinking about and developing their Series A strategy? What does the typical timeline look like from seed to Series A?
If a VC has invested at the seed stage, does that increase the likelihood of raising a Series A or raising a larger round?
VCs meet with a lot of entrepreneurs – How can founders stand out from the crowd?
Are investor days worthwhile? What about accelerators?
How much should you raise?

Panelists

Hank Barry
Hank Barry is chair of Sidley’s Emerging Companies and Venture Capital (ECVC) practice and a founder of the firm’s Palo Alto office. Prior to joining Sidley, Hank was a managing director at Hummer Winblad Venture Partners in San Francisco. From 2000 to 2002, he served as CEO and a Board member of Napster, Inc.
Hank has advised many prominent technology companies as a lawyer, investor and director, including seven companies in which he was involved from formation through IPO. He represents Amazon.com Inc. and other companies in digital media matters, as well as technology startups and venture capital firms.
He has testified twice before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee with respect to technology and intellectual property policy.
Hank is a frequent speaker at industry conferences on topics related to venture capital, emerging companies, cybersecurity, eCommerce, digital media and copyright issues, and he has been a guest lecturer at Stanford’s Program in Law, Science & Technology and the Berkeley Center for Law & Technology. He is consistently recognized as a leading practitioner in his field by various publications including: Who’s Who Legal (2016) in the area of Telecommunications Media & Technology; The Legal 500 US and The Best Lawyers in America, who named him San Jose Lawyer of the Year 2016 for Technology Law, and he is also recognized in the areas of Information Technology and M&A Law. Hank currently serves on the Board of Directors of KQED, Inc., the Milt Olin Foundation and he is a member of the VLAB MIT Enterprise Forum advisory board.
Ted Schlein
Ted Schlein joined Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers in 1996 and focuses on early-stage technology companies in the enterprise software and infrastructure markets, including ventures within the networking and consumer security arenas. Ted has led KPCB’s involvement in a number of successful investments, including Mandiant (acquired by Fire Eye), Chegg (CHGG), IPO, LifeLock (LOCK), IPO; ArcSight (ARST), IPO, sold to HP; Beijing Venustech (002439:Shenzhen),IPO; Corio (CRIO), sold to IBM; Extensity (EXTN), sold to GEAC; Fortify Software, sold to HP; Internet Security Systems (ISSX), sold to IBM; and Oakley Networks, sold to Raytheon. Ted was the founding CEO of Fortify Software, a pioneer in the software security market and now an HP company. He serves on the board of directors of 3VR, Area 1 Security, Alien Vault, Chegg, FullStory, Inspirato, Ionic Security, IronNet Cybersecurity, IronPlanet, Phantom Security, Reputation.com, Shape Security, Synack and Trusona. Additionally, Ted oversees KPCB’s investments in Ayasdi, Carbon Black, Endgame Systems and Segment.
Before joining KPCB, Ted served as vice president, Enterprise Solutions at Symantec. One of Symantec’s early employees, he played an instrumental role in the company’s growth and dominance as a global software leader. Ted led Symantec’s successful move into the software utilities market, as well as the launch of its commercial anti-virus solution, an offering that quickly emerged as the industry gold standard.
Ted is the former chairman of the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA), a national alliance advocating the role of venture investing in job creation, technology innovation and economic development. He is also the former president of the Western Association of Venture Capitalists and the founder of DoD sponsored DeVenCI program. He currently serves on the board of overseers of the Engineering School at the University of Pennsylvania and sits on the Board of Trustees at InQTel. Ted frequently participates as an opinion leader in public, private and government forums, providing perspectives on security technology, related investments and market adoption trends. Ted holds a B.A. degree in economics from the University of Pennsylvania.

About the VLAB Founders’ Series
Founders’ Series events provide a unique opportunity for startups and technologists to take part in an interactive session. Come prepared with your burning questions!
If 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.
For all other questions, please contact founders.series@vlab.org.
Note: Founder's Series tickets are for startup founders and are subject to approval. Please allow 24-48 hours for final ticket confirmation.

Sports Analytics: Changing The Game
2017-05-23 18:00 - 20:30 | SRI International Conference Center, 333 Ravenswood Drive, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, United States
Sports Analytics
Changing The Game

Tuesday, May 23, 2017
6:00 pm to 8:30 pm
6:00 pm: Reception and networking
7:00 pm: Panel discussion (with Q&A)

Sports analytics is changing the game by providing insights that improve athletic performance, affect coaching decisions, and engage audiences in new ways. Using sensor technology, computer vision, and VR, startups and tech companies are developing state-of-the-art algorithms that reveal physiological details about the athletes as they train and compete. Now every professional sports team is investing in analytics. Precise data provides coaches and fans with intimate knowledge about each player on the field, allowing them to view the game like never before. As sports technology evolves, it gets relied on more and more each day.
The sports analytics industry, according to Research and Markets analysts, is expected to reach $3.97B over the next five years — but is not without controversy. Athletes are concerned about who has the right to their personal data, and many have speculated that draft picks and player salaries could be determined by the data.

Will sports analytics be available to all, or to only teams with the biggest budgets?
Who stands to make the most money?
Which sports are changing as a result of sports analytics technology?

Moderator

Ted Ramey, Sports Broadcaster at KNBR 1050 and Radio PXP voice of the SJ Earthquakes, and AM sports anchor at 107.7 The Bone

Panelists

Michael Sharf, Founder and CEO, Bridge Athletic
Steven Smith, Founder and CEO, Kitman Labs
Howard G. Wright, Vice President, Intel Capital/Global Business Development, Intel Sports Group
John Malloy, General Partner and Founder, Blue Run Ventures

View or download flyer for event:

Download the printable PDF.

SRI International Conference Center
333 Ravenswood Drive
Menlo Park, CA 94025

Debate Series: Exit Strategies Debated
2017-05-11 18:00 - 21:00 | Quadrus Conference Center, 2400 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, United States
Debate Series

Exit Strategies Debated

Thursday, May 11, 2017
6:00 pm to 8:30 pm

Oxford style debate: Exit by acquisition is new norm, plan for it.
We’re launching VLAB’s Debate Series, a lively Oxford style debate, sponsored by PwC. To weigh the costs and consequences for you, your employees, and your current investors, out team of our world-class investing firms, and a leading law firm debate the proposition “Exit by acquisition is the new norm. Plan for it.”
This is for you if you are a C-level startup executive in growth stage, contemplating exit strategies. You pose questions to the debaters, You determine the outcome.
This event is invite only. If you would like to be considered or nominate someone, send that person’s name, company, and email to debates@vlab.org.
Why Attend

Get insights and war stories from leading investors in the Valley.
Put your questions to the debaters. Get opposing views.

Debate Chair

Stephanie Zeppa, Partner, Corporate & Securities Practice Group, Sheppard Mullin

Debate Team FOR the Motion

Tricia Salinero, Partner and Managing Director, Woodside Capital Partners
Elliott Robinson, Principal, Microsoft Ventures

Debate Team AGAINST the Motion

Kempton Dunn, Managing Director, Morgan Stanley
Jonathan MacQuitty, Venture Partner, Lightspeed Venture Partners

Agenda

6:00 to 6:30 PM – Social with wine, cheese and hors d’oeuvres
6:30 to 6:40 PM – Welcome and introductions
6:40 to 8:00 – Oxford style debate

Audience Poll
Opening arguments
Audience questions
Closing arguments
Post audience polls

8:00 to 9:00 – Social with wine, cheese, and hors d’oeuvres

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Quadrus Conference Center
2400 Sand Hill Road
Menlo Park, CA 94025

This is event is sponsored by

With over 223,000 people in 157 countries, PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers) is one of the world’s largest professional services networks. With a corporate purpose to “Build trust in society and solve important problems,” PwC is organized around 3 primary business lines: Assurance, Advisory, and Tax / Legal. PwC’s people work tirelessly to serve their clients around their most pressing issues, while also enhancing their own professional experiences and development. PwC is a VLAB Platinum sponsor. Learn more at pwc.com.

Next-Generation Networking: Disaggregating the Data Center
2017-04-25 18:00 - 20:30 | SRI International Conference Center, 333 Ravenswood Drive, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, United States
Next-Generation Networking
Disaggregating the Data Center

Tuesday, April 25, 2017
6:00 pm to 8:30 pm
6:00 pm: Reception and networking
7:00 pm: Panel discussion (with Q&A)

Data centers, the last bastions of proprietary Internet infrastructure solutions, are facing a new challenger, one that promises to break down walls by providing standardization, flexibility, and increased control over data center operations — Open Data Center Networking.
For decades, networking giants like Cisco, Juniper, and Brocade dominated the industry. Later, Google, Facebook, and Amazon built extensive data centers using proprietary hardware and software, emerging as leading hyper-scale operators. Today, the Open Compute Project is disaggregating hardware and software in the data center to provide greater flexibility, scalability, and efficiency with software doing more heavy lifting.
This next generation of networking is driving disruption in the IT infrastructure market, which IDC predicts will maintain a 24% CAGR to reach over $140B by 2019.

With the adoption of open data center networking, who will come out ahead?
Will IT infrastructure startups be able to challenge the infrastructure giants that currently dominate the market?
Which companies are the venture capitalists watching?

Moderator

Roy Chua, Co-Founder and Partner, SDxCentral

Panelists

Mansour Karam, Co-Founder and CEO, Apstra
JR Rivers, Co-Founder and CTO, Cumulus Networks
Amit Sanyal, VP of Product Management, Innovium
Sudip Chakrabarti, Partner, LightSpeed Venture Partners

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SRI International Conference Center
333 Ravenswood Drive
Menlo Park, CA 94025

Immunotherapy: Hacking How the Body Fights Disease
2017-03-21 18:00 - 20:30
Immunotherapy
Hacking How the Body Fights Disease

Tuesday, March 21, 2017
6:00 pm to 8:30 pm
6:00 pm: Reception and networking
7:00 pm: Panel discussion (with Q&A)

Immunotherapy researchers are applying new insights into how the immune system works to unleash its power on cancer and fight autoimmune diseases like diabetes, MS and rheumatoid arthritis. Private investors, VCs, and pharmaceutical companies are investing hundreds of millions of dollars into groundbreaking immunotherapies, and clinicians are scrambling to identify and test the most promising treatments.
In spite of the huge expense, time-consuming research, rigorous clinical testing, and FDA approval requirements, startups, non-profit organizations, and established companies alike are racing to bring the next immunotherapy to market. Radically different approaches will stand alone, be combined, or fail in crunch time. According to market research firm MarketsandMarkets, the global immunotherapy market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 13.5%, reaching $201B by 2021, promising huge returns.
Biopharma companies like Merck, Novartis, Roche and BMS are all-in.

With high barriers to entry, are startups able to compete?
What strategies are companies taking to be the first to market?
Will cancer, allergies, and autoimmune disease someday be a thing of the past?

Moderator

Tito Serafini, President and CEO, Founder, Atreca

Panelists

Jonathan MacQuitty, CEO, Forty Seven Inc.
Karin Jooss, Executive Vice President of Research & Chief Scientific Officer, Gritstone Oncology
Edgar Engleman, Professor of Pathology and of Medicine, Stanford University
Jackie Benson, Vice President, Immunology Scientific Innovation, Johnson & Johnson

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SRI International Conference Center
333 Ravenswood Drive
Menlo Park, CA 94025

IoT Security: High Stakes for Billions of Devices
2017-02-21 18:00 - 20:30 | SRI International Conference Center, 333 Ravenswood Drive, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, United States
IoT Security
High Stakes for Billions of Devices

Tuesday, February 21, 2017
6:00 pm to 8:30 pm
6:00 pm: Reception and networking
7:00 pm: Panel discussion (with Q&A)

The speed of Internet of Things (IoT) adoption is creating opportunities for startups developing IoT security solutions. Many industries such as healthcare, energy, automotive, and consumer products are being transformed using insights gained from the real-time data that IoT provides. As new online devices continue to be added at exponential rates, the frequency of sophisticated cyber attacks targeting consumers, businesses, and public services is also increasing.
Startups are competing against large corporations to establish themselves as leaders in IoT security. And the rewards leading the charge to protect against security breaches, hijacking, and individual privacy concerns is enormous. According to KBV Research, the IoT Security market expected to reach $29.2B by 2022.

Is the Internet of Things making us more vulnerable to attacks?
Given the anticipated growth in connected devices, will security solutions be able to keep pace?
What are the biggest challenges for startups working on IoT Security?

Moderator

Mark Weatherford, Chief Cybersecurity Strategist, vArmour

Panelists

May Wang, Co-Founder and CTO, ZingBox
Lasse Andresen, CTO and Founder, ForgeRock
Mallik Tatipamula, Vice President of Service Provider and IoT Solutions, F5 Networks
Carl Ledbetter, Managing Partner, Pelion Venture Partners

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SRI International Conference Center
333 Ravenswood Drive
Menlo Park, CA 94025

Founders' Series: The Funding Pitfalls and Windfalls for 2017
2017-02-01 18:00 - 20:30 | San Francisco, CA
Founders' Series

The Funding Pitfalls and Windfalls for 2017
Office Hours with Tim Chang, Partner, Mayfield Fund
Moderated by Tomio Geron, Reporter, The Wall Street Journal

Wednesday, February 1, 20176:00 pm to 8:30 pm6:00 pm: Reception and networking7:00 pm: Fireside Chat

San Francisco(Address will be sent to registered attendees.)

The funding landscape is changing, so are trending technologies. Are we over the Series A “crunch”? Should you attract strategic investors earlier? How to appeal to the new global investors? Famed investor Tim Chang, managing director of the Mayfield fund, will share his insights to guide us through the pitfalls and windfalls of raising funds in 2017.

Which technologies are trending now?
Is AI still hot?
Is AR/VR falling out of fashion?

Panelists

Tim Chang, Partner, Mayfield Fund
Tim Chang is a proven venture investor and experienced global executive. He has been named to the Forbes Midas list and received the Gamification Summit award for Special Achievement in the Industry. Tim leads Mayfield’s consumer investing practice which focuses on areas such as the Internet of Things, consumerized health & wellness, crowdsourcing, collaborative consumption, mobile-first service and product marketplaces, vertical communities, and enabling platforms and services.
Tim has over a decade of investment experience with firms such as Norwest Venture Partners & Gabriel Venture Partners. His operational experience includes working in Japan for Gateway Inc and as a trilingual Engineer for General Motors, where he led project teams in China, Korea, and Japan. He is currently championing the following entrepreneurs & companies: Chris Anderson/3D Robotics, an Open Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV) Platform; Ron Gutman/HealthTap, mobile-first doctor-patient community and on- demand health services; Alejandro Foung/Lantern, an online programs and coaching company that strengthen your emotional well-being; Steve El Hage/Massdrop, an online community for enthusiasts; Jonah Goodhart/Moat, a brand analytics and intelligence SaaS platform.
Tim’s pre-Mayfield entrepreneurs/companies include: Kunal Sarkar/Lumosity, leader in brain training and mental fitness; Liam Casey/PCH International, Virtualized design, manufacturing, and logistics services for next-generation connected devices.
Tomio Geron, Reporter, The Wall Street Journal
Tomio is a reporter at The Wall Street Journal in San Francisco covering startups, venture capital and technology. Previously he was a staff reporter at Forbes magazine where he covered technology and venture capital, including the on-demand economy. He also edited the Midas List of top technology investors.
Tomio was also a reporter at Dow Jones/WSJ.com where he received a Clabby Award for his coverage of funds created for pre-IPO shares of Facebook and Twitter. He also wrote about the fallout of Lehman Brothers in the tech industry, auctions for tech companies, and the rise of seed investors and incubators. He has written for newspapers on topics including crime, health, immigration and cities. Tomio also worked at startup Exitround.

About the VLAB Founders’ Series
Founders’ Series events provide a unique opportunity for startups and technologists to take part in an interactive session. Come prepared with your burning questions!
If 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.
For all other questions, please contact founders.series@vlab.org.
Note: Founder's Series tickets are for startup founders and are subject to approval. Please allow 24-48 hours for final ticket confirmation.

Young Investors: Venture Capital Millennial-Style
2017-01-17 18:00 - 20:30 | SRI International Conference Center, 333 Ravenswood Drive, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, United States
Young Investors
Venture Capital Millennial-Style

Tuesday, January 17, 2017
6:00 pm to 8:30 pm
6:00 pm: Reception and networking
7:00 pm: Panel discussion (with Q&A)

The accelerated pace of product development is giving rise to young investors, who are shaping the technological landscape by providing venture capital in Millennial-style. With the average app startup moving from ideation to acquisition within 18 months, young entrepreneurs and fast-moving founders need investors that understand the technology and fund them faster than ever before. With more founders exiting and turning investors under 30 years of age, it is clear that Millennials are up for the challenge.
While many established venture capital firms are hiring young investors right out of college, the Millennials are moving into other areas including accelerators, incubators, syndications, and Angelist to find the next promising investment. With the private equity market expected to grow to more than $70 billion by 2020, Millennial investors are ready to make their mark.

But, who are these young investors?
How is their track record?
What types of investments attract their attention?
Is this the birth of a new PayPal mafia?

Moderator

Mark Bunger, VP of Research, Lux Research

Panelists

Bucky Moore, Principal, Costanoa Ventures
Josh Nussbaum, Principal, Compound Venture Capital
Lu Zhang, Founding and Managing Partner, NewGen Capital
Shruti Gandhi, Managing Partner, Array Ventures
William Ichioka, Self-employed, Investor

SRI International Conference Center
333 Ravenswood Drive
Menlo Park, CA 94025

The Future of Transportation: Freeways or Flyways?
2016-11-15 18:00 - 20:30 | SRI International Conference Center, 333 Ravenswood Drive, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, United States
The Future of Transportation
Freeways or Flyways?

Tuesday, November 15, 2016
6:00 pm to 8:30 pm
6:00 pm: Reception and networking
7:00 pm: Panel discussion (with Q&A)

Each day more and more commuters are affected by traffic jams in major metropolitan areas. Aging infrastructure, population increases, and demand for space on the road are all having a negative effect on commutes. As traffic congestion continues to grow, so does the level of commuters’ frustration. Finally, technological advances are catching up to visionary ideas that will solve commuters’ woes around the world — defining the future of transportation.
Innovative startups, established companies, and transit authorities are in a race to bring new breakthroughs in transportation technology to market that could move us from freeways to flyways. Despite technical challenges and regulatory hurdles, their ambitions have not been throttled.
Which technology will lead — Hyperloop, pilotless drones, or flying cars? Venture capitalists are investing heavily in technology that they believe will disrupt the $1.7 trillion automotive industry, which according to Scotiabank will sell over 75M vehicles this year alone.

Which innovation will become the de facto mode of transportation in the future?
Where are investors putting their money?
Will the technology be accessible to all or just the wealthy?

Moderator

Dr. Ilan Kroo, Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Stanford University, and Principal Scientist & Founding CEO, Zee Aero

Panelists

Zach Lovering, Chief Engineer, A3 – Airbus
Aleksey Matushev. CEO / Co-founder, Natilus
Carl Dietrich. CEO/CTO and Co-Founder, Terrafugia
Jeffrey Schox, Partner, Trucks Venture Capital and Founder, Schox.com
Nikhil Goel, Head of Product, Advanced Programs, Uber Technologies

Demo Pavillion

Natilus, Terrafugia, Monday Motorbikes, CITRIS Aviation, Airbus, rLoop

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SRI International Conference Center
333 Ravenswood Drive
Menlo Park, CA 94025

AR/VR: Where Virtual and Physical Worlds Converge
2016-10-18 18:00 - 20:30 | SRI International Conference Center, 333 Ravenswood Drive, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, United States
AR/VR
Where Virtual and Physical Worlds Converge

Tuesday, October 18, 2016
6:00 pm to 8:30 pm
6:00 pm: Reception and networking
7:00 pm: Panel discussion (with Q&A)

Augmented and virtual reality are bringing people together to share incredible experiences, even when spread across vast geographic distances. Imagine strolling through a museum, visiting the courts of kings and queens, or getting medical training — all from the comfort of your home. For nearly 50 years, computer scientists have been pioneering AR and VR to turn this vision into reality.
Pokémon Go is a testimony to consumers’ appetite for tech-enhanced experiences. Advancements in computer vision, holographic rendering, gesture recognition, haptics, and media devices are inserting science fiction into daily life. The race is on to commercialize promising technology that will change our interactions with the world. According to MarketResearch.com, the augmented reality market is expected to outpace the $30 billion virtual reality market, growing to $120 billion by 2022.

What opportunities exist for entrepreneurs on platforms under development by Microsoft, Facebook, and Google?
Which applications will be the most lucrative for investors?
Will social interaction change as these technologies move into the mainstream?

Moderator

William Hurley, Managing Director, Goldman Sachs

Panelists

Dr. Yue Fei, Founder and CTO, uSens
Alberto Torres, CEO, Atheer
Eric Johnsen, Business Development, Augmented Reality & Tango, Google
Ebbe Altberg, CEO, Linden Lab / Project Sansar
Bilal Zuberi, Partner, Lux Capital

Demo Pavillion

Atheer • Chirp Microsystems • Pantomime Corporation • Linden Lab / Project Sansa • Google Tango • Lucid VR • Scope AR

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SRI International Conference Center
333 Ravenswood Drive
Menlo Park, CA 94025

Founders' Series: Incubate or Accelerate?
2016-10-11 18:00 - 20:30 | San Francisco, CA
Founders' Series

Incubate or Accelerate?
Choosing the Best Path to Startup Success

Tuesday, October 11, 20166:00 pm to 8:30 pm6:00 pm: Reception and networking7:00 pm: Fireside Chat

San Francisco(Address will be sent to registered attendees.)

What do Dropbox, Airbnb, and Stripe all have in common? They all participated in Y-Combinator’s program as they built their business.
For any new business or entrepreneur, finding the path to success — and finding it quickly — is critical. The number of hurdles and challenges founders face can be overwhelming. That’s where startup incubators and accelerators can make a big difference to entrepreneurs.
Both accelerators and incubators are designed to help startups find their path to success, but they take different approaches. This VLAB fireside chat will clarify which approach might be right for you:

Is an accelerator or incubator needed to ensure the success of your new venture?
What are the differences between accelerators and incubators?
What do they bring and what do they get?

Speaker

Noah J. Doyle, Managing Director of Javelin Venture Partners (and driving force behind Google Maps)
Noah has founded, launched and grown dozens of high technology products and companies in 20 years of entrepreneurship and management of innovation.
As an angel investor prior to forming Javelin Venture Partners, Noah has supported over a dozen start-ups including Keyhole (Google), Cantametrix (Gracenote), Amae Software (Verint), Nuvon, Ritter Natural Sciences, GET IT Mobile and Magnacash (Yaga). Noah holds M.B.A. and B.A. Economics degrees, as well as certificates in Management of Technology and Global Management from University of California, Berkeley. Noah’s board memberships include AppFirst, Correlated Magnetics, GET.IT, Nexenta, Nuvon, PowerCloud, Rixty, Sociable Labs, and Skytree.

Moderator

Adeo Ressi, Founder and CEO, The Founder Institute
Adeo Ressi is CEO of the Founder Institute, an idea-stage accelerator and startup launch program with chapters in over 120 cities worldwide. The Institute’s mission is to Globalize Silicon Valley and help create 1 million new jobs.
Adeo serves as the Founding Member of TheFunded.com, an online resource for CEO’s to research, rate, and review funding sources worldwide. TheFunded.com has two goals: streamline the fundraising process and encourage more innovation through venture investment. Mr. Ressi has also served on the Board of the X PRIZE foundation, a non-profit chartered to inspire human achievements through competition. In his career, Adeo has founded or built 9 companies, four of which were acquired and four of which are still operating. He has also pioneered a number of advances in the field of venture capital and fundraising. He developed “convertible equity” along with Yokum Taku, Partner at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, which is a financing vehicle that provides all of the flexibility of convertible debt without hindering a company with loans.

About the VLAB Founders’ Series
Founders’ Series events provide a unique opportunity for startups and technologists to take part in an interactive session. Come prepared with your burning questions!
If 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.
For all other questions, please contact founders.series@vlab.org.
Note: Founder's Series tickets are for startup founders and are subject to approval. Please allow 24-48 hours for final ticket confirmation.

Chatbots: The Machines Are Talking Back
2016-09-20 18:00 - 20:30 | SRI International Conference Center, 333 Ravenswood Drive, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, United States
Chatbots
The Machines Are Talking Back

Tuesday, September 20, 2016
6:00 pm to 8:30 pm
6:00 pm: Reception and networking
7:00 pm: Panel discussion (with Q&A)

Advances in Natural Language Processing (NLP) and machine learning are disrupting business processes and the way that companies interact with their customers. New platforms and applications are entering the workforce — Chatbots have arrived. With the capacity to understand human language, gestures, and intentions, these digital assistants have the potential to disrupt the delivery of the customer experience while collecting enormous amounts of personal data.
Many companies are creating platforms and apps to capture a share of a market that is expected to exceed $600 billion in revenue by 2020. Both startups and established companies — like IBM, Facebook, and Slack — are already dominant players and are developing applications that will change the customer experience in finance, healthcare, and travel, to name a few.

Who will emerge as the dominant players?
What types of jobs will be “outsourced to this new digital workforce?
Will adequate consumer protections be adopted?

Moderator

Mohamed Musbah, VP of Product, Maluuba

Panelists

Alex Poon, Founder and COO, X.ai
Will Murphy, Founder and VP of Product, Talla
Jeremy Goldberg, Product Designer, Facebook
Sarah Guo, Investor, Greylock Partners

View or download flyer for event:

Download the printable PDF.

SRI International Conference Center
333 Ravenswood Drive
Menlo Park, CA 94025

Founders Series: Raise Capital NOW with Equity Crowdfunding
2016-06-28 18:00 - 20:30 | Palo Alto, CA
Founders' Series

Raise Capital NOW with Equity Crowdfunding

Tuesday, June 28, 20166:00 pm to 8:30 pm6:00 pm: Reception and networking7:00 pm: Fireside Chat

Palo Alto, CA(Address will be sent to registered attendees.)

Startup founders know that obtaining working capital is critical for building a successful company, but navigating the world of venture capital can be tricky and time-consuming. With the new regulations that took effect this year, startups now have a new way to raise money — Equity Crowdfunding.
New platforms like StartEngine, IndieGogo, and SeedInvest are making it possible for startups to raise much-needed capital through crowdsourcing from unaccredited investors. Groundbreaking regulation changes are democratizing fundraising by allowing startups to raise up to $1 million by crowdsource in exchange for equity.

What are the risks and challenges of choosing equity crowdfunding?
Are there hidden costs?
Which industries will benefit the most?
Can startups raise capital from both VCs and crowdfunding?

Join us for the next VLAB Founders Series event on June 28, 2016 for an engaging fireside chat about equity crowdfunding with Ron Miller, CEO of StartEngine, and Richard Swart, partner at Crowdfund Capital Investors.

Panelists

Ron Miller
Ron is an entrepreneur’s entrepreneur — having founded, built, and sold five companies through management buyouts, private equity firms, private investors and public markets. Ron’s success includes being recognized as a four-time Inc. 500/5000 recipient and as an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award finalist. As CEO of StartEngine Crowdfunding and StartEngine Capital, Ron facilitates “financial ignition” for innovative companies in order to help entrepreneurs achieve the American dream.

Richard Swart
Richard has been recognized as one of the top thought leaders in crowdfunding and alternative finance, with particular interest in their impact on social innovation and global challenges. He has been the subject of stories or interviews in leading business publications, including Forbes, Inc., Entrepreneur, VentureBeat, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, BBC, PBS, MSNBC, NPR, Financial Times, and Washington Post. He is coauthor of the book Crowdfunding: The Corporate Era, which discusses how corporations leverage crowdfunding.

View or download flyer for event:

Download the printable PDF.

About the VLAB Founders’ Series
Founders’ Series events provide a unique opportunity for startups and technologists to take part in an interactive session. Come prepared with your burning questions!
If 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.
For all other questions, please contact founders.series@vlab.org.
Note: Founder's Series tickets are for startup founders and are subject to approval. Please allow 24-48 hours for final ticket confirmation.

Africa Rising: Entrepreneurship & Investment Networks Propelling the Continent
2016-06-23 18:00 - 19:00 | Zambrano Hall, 641 Knight Way, Stanford, CA, 94305, United States
Africa Rising
Entrepreneurship & Investment Networks Propelling the Continent
A Global Entrepreneurship Summit and Stanford SEED Partner Event

Thursday, June 23, 2016
6:00 pm to 7:00 pm

This event has been built to bring Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) Entrepreneurs together with Bay Area investors, entrepreneurs, and students interested in engaging with and learning about companies on the African Continent.
We will feature a 30-minute panel discussion about the entrepreneurship and investment networks on the ground and finish with a 30-minute pitch session in which selected companies from GES will have the chance to share and discuss their companies with our panel.
There are a growing number of unicorns in African markets, and many are led by African Entrepreneurs. Attendees will learn more details surrounding these stories and hear and/or receive live feedback on the business models that GES entrepreneurs are pursuing in multiple sectors.

Panelists

Tim Draper, Founding Partner, DFJ
Eric Osiakwan, Managing Partner, Chanzo Capital
Maya Horgan-Famodu, Managing Director, Ingressive
David van Dijk, Director General, African Business Angel Network
5 GES Companies to be announced

View or download flyer for event:

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Zambrano Hall641 Knight WayStanford, CA 94305

Launching Longevity: Funding the Fountain of Youth
2016-06-21 18:00 - 20:45 | SRI International Conference Center, 333 Ravenswood Drive, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, United States
Launching Longevity
Funding the Fountain of Youth

Tuesday, June 21, 2016
6:00 pm to 8:30 pm
6:00 pm: Reception and networking
7:00 pm: Panel discussion (with Q&A)

Can technology make human longevity a reality? As the pace of discovery accelerates, scientists and entrepreneurs are closing in on the Fountain of Youth. Disrupting the aging process by hacking the code of life, promises better health and longer maximum lifespans. With many layers of complexity from science to ethics, there are still skeptics placing odds against human longevity.
Venture capitalists are betting on success; putting big money on the table to fund longevity startups. Google/Alphabet and drugmaker AbbVie have invested $1.5 billion on Calico, while Human Longevity Inc. recently raised $220 million from their Series B funding round. Complementing traditional venture investment, VCs like Peter Thiel and Joon Yun have established foundations and prizes to accelerate the end of aging.

Why are VCs suddenly investing heavily in longevity startups?
Will extended lifespan be a privilege of the wealthy or will the benefits be accessible to all?
How long before these well-funded startups bring viable products to market?

Special Presenter

Aubrey de Grey, Chief Science Officer and Co-founder, SENS

Moderator

Sonia Arrison, author, 100 Plus: How the Coming Age of Longevity Will Change Everything…

Panelists

Dr. Brian Kennedy, CEO, Buck Institute for Research on Aging
Dr. Daniel Kraft, Founder, RegenMed Systems, and Chair of Medicine, Singularity University
Will Eden, Vice President, Thiel Capital

Joe McCracken, VP of Business Development, Alkahest
Dr. Thomas Rando, Director of the Glenn Center for the Biology of Aging, Stanford University

SRI International Conference Center
333 Ravenswood Drive
Menlo Park, CA 94025

The Next Wave of Online Commerce
2016-05-17 18:00 - 20:30 | SRI International Conference Center, 333 Ravenswood Drive, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, United States
The Next Wave of Online Commerce

Tuesday, May 17, 2016
6:00 pm to 8:30 pm
6:00 pm: Reception and networking
7:00 pm: Panel discussion (with Q&A)

A new wave in e-commerce is picking up energy and is about to hit shore. Powered by Millennials’ preferences for unique products and mobile technology, startups and established businesses alike are competing for the attention of online shoppers. As consumers become overwhelmed by the number of products available, they are craving faster shopping experiences. In response, startups are delivering solutions using “mobile first”, hyper-personalization, and social communities to reach target audiences.
Industry analysts predict 270 million consumers will shop online by 2020 and transactions in the U.S. alone will reach $523 billion.

Will consumers embrace niche marketplaces or are they merely a temporary fad?
Are startups implementing new business models that will disrupt established players?
What role will established retailers play as this new wave picks up momentum?

Moderator

Jim Crawford, Retail Experience Expert

Panelists

Colin Stuart, Co-Founder and CTO, Betabrand
Dennis Liu, Co-Founder and CSO, Touch of Modern
John McDonald, VP of Business Operations, Poshmark
Talia Goldberg, Venture Capitalist, Bessemer Venture Partners

SRI International Conference Center
333 Ravenswood Drive
Menlo Park, CA 94025

Rewriting DNA: Big Returns from Gene Editing
2016-04-19 18:00 - 20:30 | SRI International Conference Center, 333 Ravenswood Drive, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, United States
Rewriting DNA
Big Returns from Gene Editing

Tuesday, April 19, 2016
6:00 pm to 8:30 pm
6:00 pm: Reception and networking
7:00 pm: Panel discussion (with Q&A)

Imagine cutting and pasting genes in DNA, just like editing words in a document on a computer. CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technology does just that, making it possible to replace genetic material with a simpler, cheaper, more precise method than ever before. Dubbed “the biggest biotech discovery of the century” supporters of CRISPR call out benefits such as potential cures for diseases like cancer, malaria, and cystic fibrosis; increased crop yields; and correcting genetic defects. Opponents raise ethical concerns citing the law of unintended consequences, designer babies, and interspecies organ transplants.
With the market for gene editing expected to reach $3.5 billion by 2019, the stakes for companies, scientists, and entrepreneurs are high with battles already being waged over patents. Notably, pharmaceutical companies are jumping in to protect their interests, too.

Will the winner take all?
Can CRISPR eradicate viruses like AIDS and Zika?
Can science truly control genetics?

Moderator

Ted Driscoll, Parther & Digital Healthcare Lead, Claremont Creek Ventures

Panelists

Riley Doyle, CEO & Technical Lead, Desktop Genetics
Edward Lanphier, President & CEO, Sangamo BioSciences
Jenny Rooke, PhD & Managing Director, 5 Prime Ventures

SRI International Conference Center
333 Ravenswood Drive
Menlo Park, CA 94025

Founders Series: Disruptive Business Models in Enterprise Software
2016-04-14 18:00 | San Francisco, CA
Founders' Series

Disruptive Business Models in Enterprise Software
A Fireside Chat with Ann Winblad

Thursday, April 14, 20166:00 pm to 8:30 pm6:00 pm: Reception and networking7:00 pm: Fireside Chat

San Francisco(Address will be sent to registered attendees.)

Ann Winblad, Founding Partner, Hummer Winblad Ventures
Lars Leckie, Managing Director, Hummer Winblad Ventures (moderator)
The success of a new venture is often determined by the level of disruption it brings to the market. What is being disrupted? How is that disruption making an impact? Is the disruption truly innovative? Success in the competitive world of enterprise software requires innovation in both the business model and the technology.
Whether you are a founder of a company or are just thinking about starting a company, join us on Thursday, April 14, for an evening with Ann Winblad, Founding Partner of Hummer Winblad Ventures. Hear from the pioneer of early-stage enterprise software investing to gain important insights for building a successful company.
Among the topics to be covered, Ann will address:

validating the demand for your product or idea
creating a platform versus building single applications
understanding enterprise sales cycles

Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to connect with other startup founders and receive custom-tailored advice — and for a select few, personalized mentorship — from Ann Winblad and Lars Leckie. Learn what it takes to build a winning strategy for your entrepreneurial venture.

Speaker

Ann Winblad
Ann is the co-founder and a managing director of Hummer Winblad Venture Partners. Hummer Winblad Venture Partners (www.hwvp.com) is a leading venture capital firm focused exclusively on software investing and manages over $1 billion in cumulative capital. Since Hummer Winblad Venture Partners’ inception in 1989, the firm has launched over 100 new enterprise software companies.
Ann has over 30 years of experience in the software industry as a successful software entrepreneur, strategy advisor, technical author and venture capitalist. Ann has a BA in Mathematics and in Business Administration from St Catherine University, an MA in Education with a focus in International Economics from the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minnesota, and honorary Doctorate of Law degree from the University of St. Thomas.
Ann has served as a director of numerous start-up and public companies. She currently serves on the boards of Ace Metrix, MuleSoft, OptiMine, and Sonatype. She is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the University of St. Thomas and a board member of the Richard Schulze Family Foundation.

Moderator

Lars Leckie
Lars plays a critical role in selecting and managing HWVP’s investments in SaaS, virtualization, cloud, and mobile technologies. Prior to joining Hummer Winblad Venture Partners, Lars held founding and operational roles at multiple start-up companies. As a co-founder of AutoFarm (now Novariant), which is focused on GPS and robotics, Lars was in charge of strategy, product marketing, business development, and building the sales team across three continents.
Lars has a Masters of Science (Engineering) from Stanford University and an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He also holds an Engineering Physics degree from Queen’s University (with honors). Lars currently sits on the board of Kiip, PLUMgrid, InsideSales.com, Innovative Leisure, and Aria Systems. He has played a key role in the firm’s investments in Karmasphere (Big Data Analytics) and NuoDB (Scalable SQL database). Lars also holds several US patents.

View or download flyer for event:

Download the printable PDF.

About the VLAB Founders’ Series
Founders’ Series events provide a unique opportunity for startups and technologists to take part in an interactive session. Come prepared with your burning questions!
If 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.
For all other questions, please contact founders.series@vlab.org.
Note: Founder's Series tickets are for startup founders and are subject to approval. Please allow 24-48 hours for final ticket confirmation.

Blockchain: Transforming the Future of Global Business
2016-03-15 18:00 - 20:30 | SRI International Conference Center, 333 Ravenswood Drive, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, United States
Blockchain
Transforming the Future of Global Business

Tuesday, March 15, 2016
6:00 pm to 8:30 pm
6:00 pm: Reception and networking
7:00 pm: Panel discussion (with Q&A)

We are on the verge a massive, global change, much like the early days of the Internet. Blockchain technology, extremely secure distributed ledgers, will soon displace legacy databases and their bloated infrastructure in dozens of industries from Wall Street to supply chain management. Secure, running records of verified transactions get chained together and replicated in nodes across blockchain networks. Blockchains will speed up the global economy by allowing companies to complete global transactions faster across borders while guaranteeing data integrity.
Physical, legal, and financial transactions are tied together in a Blockchain, a series of transactions recorded in a distributed ledger without the need for a centralized authority. The economic impact is enormous; Blockchains will account for trillions of dollars in transactions across key industries including healthcare, insurance, real estate, government, banking, and financial markets by 2020.

Is Blockchain all that it is cracked up to be?
Which companies stand to lose the most from Blockchain adoption?
Will Blockchain save businesses and consumers save billions of dollars by reducing losses from theft and fraud?

Moderator

Naveed Sherwani, President & CEO, PeerNova

Panelists

David Aho, Co-Founder, Chronicled
Zaki Manian, Founder, Skuchain
John Wolpert, Global Blockchain Offering Director, IBM
W. Bradford Stephens, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Blockchain Capital

Demo Pavillion

SkuchainNetworks • IBM • Chronicled • PeerNova • Hedgy • Tendermint • Blockseer • ManifoldTechnology • Ledger • BitSE

SRI International Conference Center
333 Ravenswood Drive
Menlo Park, CA 94025
