At PlayGround Global in Palo Alto on Wednesday evening, some incredibly bright minds crafting innovations you may not yet grasp will elucidate what’s on the horizon. This marks the final StrictlyVC gathering for 2025, and indeed, the speaker list is exceptional.
The series, presented by TechCrunch, has journeyed across the world. Steve Case secured a D.C. theater; we engaged with Greece’s prime minister in Athens; and Kirsten Green played host at the Presidio in San Francisco. Yet the core idea remains constant: assemble individuals pioneering truly significant advancements in a space before their importance becomes widely recognized.
Our most cherished memory? Back in 2019, Sam Altman shared with a StrictlyVC audience that OpenAI’s plan for monetization was essentially to “create AGI, then ask it for ways to generate revenue.” The audience chuckled. He was serious.
This time around, we feature Nicholas Kelez, a particle accelerator physicist with two decades at the Department of Energy creating seemingly impossible technologies. He’s now tackling a major challenge in semiconductor manufacturing: every advanced chip relies on $400 million machines utilizing lasers made exclusively by one Dutch company. (Adding insult to injury, the technology was initially invented by Americans before being sold to Europe.) Kelez is pioneering the next generation in America using particle accelerator technology. It’s as intensely technical as it sounds, yet more vital than you might realize.
Also presenting is Mina Fahmi, who has engineered a ring capable of capturing whispered thoughts and transcribing them into text. Before dismissing it, note that he and cofounder Kirak Hong dedicated years at Meta to this technology following their company’s acquisition. The Stream Ring isn’t designed to be a companion; it’s intended to augment your cognitive capabilities. Backed by Toni Schneider, an operator who scaled WordPress to a billion users, Sandbar recently emerged from stealth mode and may well be onto something significant. (Schneider is a partner at True Ventures, which has also invested in Peloton, Ring, and Fitbit; he will also be in Palo Alto next week.)
We also have Max Hodak — founder of Science Corp, featured on Time magazine’s cover, and previously a cofounder of Neuralink — who has already helped restore sight to many visually impaired individuals through retinal implants. Currently, he’s developing “biohybrid” brain-computer interfaces, where chips seeded with stem cells integrate with brain tissue, enabling paralyzed individuals to control devices using their thoughts. And Hodak considers this merely the beginning. He anticipates a radically different landscape in 2035 and is eager to share his insights.
Finally, we are delighted to welcome Chi-Hua Chien and Elizabeth Weil, two venture capitalists who supported Twitter, Spotify, TikTok, Slack, SpaceX, Figma, and Coinbase before they gained widespread recognition. Chien heads Goodwater Capital and believes Silicon Valley is fundamentally misunderstanding the AI landscape as the focus narrows to enterprise AI. Weil established Scribble Ventures after positions at Andreessen Horowitz and Twitter, made over 100 angel investments, and boasts a first fund demonstrating 4x returns. Her network is remarkably strong. Both believe that the most promising consumer tech opportunities are those being overlooked, and they will explain why.
Techcrunch event
San Francisco
|
October 13-15, 2026
PlayGround Global, along with general partner Pat Gelsinger, formerly the CEO of Intel, is hosting the event. Expect drinks, excellent food, and festive cheer; as space is limited, secure your spot promptly if you wish to attend.
If you’re interested in partnering with the series in 2026, please reach out.
