Stanford Tech Club: Fireside Chat with Matt Vail, Head of VC Partnerships at OpenAI

​Tech Talk Series: Beyond the AI Hype Cycle

​The AI landscape is shifting from experimentation to implementation. As enterprises move beyond proof-of-concept demos and venture dollars flow toward second-generation solutions, a critical question emerges: what actually survives contact with reality? This quarter's Tech Talk series cuts through the noise to explore what endures when the hype fades. We're bringing together builders, investors, and industry leaders who are separating signal from noise in real time, from OpenAI's ecosystem strategy to enterprise transformation on the ground.

​Kickoff Event: Building in the Next Wave of AI

​OpenAI sits at the center of the AI startup ecosystem. Join us for an intimate fireside chat with Matt Vail, Head of VC Partnerships at OpenAI, on how founders and investors can build, evaluate, and scale in the next wave of AI.

​We’ll cover OpenAI’s ecosystem strategy, practical guidance for building with OpenAI APIs, and what’s changing as AI moves from prototypes to production. Expect a candid discussion on agentic products, go-to-market signals, and what durable advantage looks like in 2026.

​Location: P107, GSB
Time: Jan 30, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Speaker: Matt Vail
Moderator: Catherine Li