The last StrictlyVC event of 2025 will take place on December 3. Come convene with us at PlayGround Global in Palo Alto for a truly electrifying VTA! This competition will serve as the grand finale of a worldwide series of competitions organized by TechCrunch. It convenes a powerful network of global leaders in technology and venture capital. Attendees can look forward to a hot-topic lineup led by deep tech industry leaders like Open AI CEO Sam Altman.
Sam Altman, who first spoke to a StrictlyVC audience back in 2019, told us how OpenAI plans to make money. He stated that the strategy hinged on “building AGI, then asking it how to make money.” Altman envisions a world in 2035 that looks radically different than the one we live in now. In short, he proclaims, get ready for some astounding breakthroughs in artificial intelligence and technology.
Nicholas Kelez, a particle accelerator physicist, is coming on board with Altman. He comes to the position with twenty years of experience within the Department of Energy. Kelez’s expertise enriches the event’s greater focus on scientific innovation. You’ll hear from Max Hodak, founder of Science Corp and a former co-founder of Neuralink with Elon Musk on his experiences. Recently, Hodak has been in the news for giving vision back to dozens of blind people with retinal implants.
Former Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger will produce the event in partnership with PlayGround Global. Gelsinger’s deep technology and executive experience make him the perfect guide for conversations on the challenges and opportunities of deep tech breakthroughs.
Joining them will be investors Elizabeth Weil of Scribble Ventures and Chi-Hua Chien of Goodwater Capital. Weil and Chien have remarkable track records of supporting the most innovative companies out there. They funded emerging brands such as Twitter, Spotify, TikTok, Slack, SpaceX, Figma and Coinbase long before they had brand recognition. Their take on the current climate in venture capital and how that should inform investment strategies will be invaluable for attendees.
Attendees will have the chance to hear from impactful keynote speakers as well as a series of engaging panels. They’ll learn about Sandbar, a new Toni Schneider-backed startup that recently came out of stealth mode. If early reports are any indication, Sandbar could be on the verge of a major technological breakthrough.
The StrictlyVC series has taken us all over the world to some pretty spectacular places. It has toured to big cities like San Francisco, NYC, Athens and Washington, D.C. This international lens not only deepens the event’s conversations, but highlights the rich and colorful tapestry of technological innovation.
The event promises to be an incredible environment for networking and discovery. Leaders in the global deep tech community will convene to discuss and workshop cutting-edge solutions. Participants can look forward to engaging conversations that mirror the fluid and exciting development of emerging technologies and what they might mean for our society.
