​Two days. One roof. We’re gathering builders and funders at the edge of what’s next.

​Sept 18–19, Hero City

​On September 18–19, Frontier Tech Forum convenes at Hero City, Draper University — a two-day gathering at the edge of possibility in the heart of Silicon Valley. This is where Innovation Pioneers in AI, Robotics, Deep Tech, Cybersecurity, Blockchain, and Quantum converge. Boundaries are being redefined through visionary keynotes, sharp technical breakouts, and fast-moving panels that put builders and innovators at the center. If you’re ready to step beyond the hype and into the conversations shaping the future, this is where you belong.

​Some of our confirmed speakers include:

• ​Tim Draper, Billionaire VC, $1.2B AUM Fund (Draper Associates), early investor in Tesla, SpaceX, Coinbase

• ​Ryan Baird, Managing Director, Baird Augustine, investment banker with $700B+ AUM capital network

• ​Daniel Idzkowski - Inventor, Investor, and Deep Tech entrepreneur responsible for sparking the creation of 10B+ in industry innovation

• ​Ray Wu - AI/Robotics/Web3 Investor @Alumni Ventures

• ​Naveen Kumar, Managing Partner at KFC Ventures ($1.5B CVC), Chair at Nityo Infotech ($3B private enterprise)

• ​Gary Fowler, CEO of GSD Venture Studios, Global leader & investor, 17x founder, unicorn creator, original management team of ClickSoftware ($1.35B exit)

• ​Pramod Gosavi - Senior Principal at Blumberg Capital, $800M AUM fund, early-stage in AI, cybersecurity, and enterprise software.

• ​De Kai, AI pioneer and best-selling author, UNESCO expert, and professor driving machine learning for human–AI collaboration

• ​Abhay Mav, VP of Corporate Development at MoonPay, driving global crypto infrastructure growth

• ​Jeni Chang, Behavioral science strategist, Founder Institute Mg Dir, Venture Capitalist

• ​Alan Leong, Fintech/Blockchain Advisory Co-Chair, SkyDeck | Managing Partner, Hesperian Ventures, former Gartner strategist.

​… to name a few of our 60+ notable speakers…

​Agenda

​17 September

​5:00 pm - 8:00 pm • Invite-Only Speakers, VIPs & Sponsors Reception

​18 September

​▫️ 11:00 am - 11:30 am • Doors opened. Breakfast and networking.
▫️ 11:30 am - 11:40 am • Opening remarks.

🔸 11:40 am - 12:10 pm • Prof. PK's Applied AI Best Practices & Industry Use cases.
Prof. Prasanna Kumar
🔸 12:10 pm - 12:50 pm • The Past, Present Future of AI: Playbook for Managing Risks Opportunities, Profits & Impact for 2025-2035
Prof. Prasanna Kumar, Vatsal Mehta (TBA), Mariane Bekker, Jeni Chang, Ash Kumra, Grace Gong
🔸 12:50 pm - 1:35 pm • AI & Cybersecurity: Two Sides of a Sword
Tony Zirnoon, Anurag Gurtu, Pramod Gosavi, Chelsea Strong, Jukka Alanen

▫️ 1:35 pm - 2:15 pm • Networking and Lunch

​🔸 2:15 pm - 3:00 pm • Fireside Chat with De Kai
De Kai, Tonya J. Long
🔸 3:00 pm- 4:00 pm • Fireside with Tim Draper
Tim Draper, Hermine Wong
🔸 4:00 pm- 4:10 pm • Next Frontier Investing (Intro)
Dr Pavel Vinitsky
🔸 4:10 pm- 5:00 pm • Next Frontier Investing
Dr Pavel Vinitsky, Ray Wu, Hamet Watt, Nardo Manaloto, Keith Chen, Keshia Theobald-Van Gent
🔸 5:00 pm- 6:00 pm • Blockchain and Tech Regulation
Ryan Baird, Martin Kirkwood, Hermine Wong
🔸 6:00 pm- 6:45 pm • Future of Blockchain
Alan Leong, Ajit Deshpande, Bill Sun, Nitin Gaur, Victor Fang, Ph.D.
🔸 6:45 pm- 7:30 pm • Investing in Blockchain
Alan Leong, Ray Wu, Alex Botte, Keith Chen, Abhay Mav

​▫️ 7:30 pm- 9:00 pm • Happy Hour & Networking

​19 September

​▫️ 11:00 am - 11:30 am • Doors opened. Breakfast and networking.

​🔸 11:30 am - 12:10 pm • AI Relational Intelligence: Redefining the Human–AI Connection
Katrina Starr, Stephen Klein, Michael Alcock, Kristopher Floyd, Steven Echtman
🔸 12:10 pm - 12:30 pm • Decentralized AI
Eric Frost
🔸 12:30 pm - 1:10 pm • Decentralized AI & Agents
Eric Frost, Serephina Ha, Mike Prince, Shaun Geer, Craig DeWitt
🔸 1:10 pm - 1:50 pm • Quantum Horizons: Shaping the Next Era of Intelligence and Trust
Nardo Manaloto, Sho Sugiura, Ed Heinbockel
🔸 1:50 pm - 2:20 pm • Fireside with Adam and Daniel
Adam Draper, Daniel Idzkowski

​▫️ 2:20 pm - 3:00 pm • Networking and Lunch

​🔸 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm • Invasion of AI Agents
Tonya J. Long, Gary Fowler, Jesse Anglen, Alexander der Ridder, Daniel Campbell
🔸 4:00 pm- 5:00 pm • CVC 2025: From Strategic Partner to Innovation Engine
Dr Pavel Vinitsky, Naveen Kumar, Abhay Mav, Sobhan Khani, Katherine He
🔸 5:00 pm - 5:20 pm • Robotics (What Humanoid Robotics Can Reveal About Human Potential)
Tennyson John (Keynote)
🔸 5:20 pm- 6:00 pm • Future of Robotics
Tennyson John, Ali Ahmed, Daniel Theobald, Alex Dantas
🔸 6:00 pm- 7:00 pm • Frontiers of AGI: Promise, Peril, and Progress
Melanie Uno, Ed Heinbockel, Daniel Campbell

​▫️ 7:00 pm - 7:20 pm • Final remarks
Dr Pavel Vinitsky, Katrine Starr, Martin Kirkwood, Tonya J Long

​

​Expo Opportunities

• ​9-foot Premium Table – $1,200

  • ​high-traffic location includes two chairs and inclusion in event-branded materials

• ​6-foot Standard Table – $600 

  • ​Table positioned in shared expo space

​* All expo opportunities include company logo placement in event collateral 

​Sponsorship Opportunities

​Platinum Sponsor – $12,000

• ​Main-stage recognition during Forum

• ​Co-hosting one of the community events (Happy Hours, Speakers, VIP Dinner, Launch)

• ​Prime logo placement (stage screen, website, printed collateral)

• ​One 9-foot premium expo table and two chairs

• ​Six VIP passes + two speaker lounge passes

• ​Inclusion in press release and media mentions

• ​Priority access to networking with investors and founders

​Premium Sponsor – $6,000

• ​Logo placement (website, digital collateral, shared signage)

• ​One 6-foot expo table with branded signage

• ​Two VIP passes

• ​Mention in closing remarks

• ​Inclusion in digital partner listings and recognition in event app

​Supporting Sponsor – $3,000

• ​One VIP pass + one Regular pass

• ​Inclusion in digital partner listings and recognition in event app

• ​Logo placement (website, digital collateral)

​For sponsorship opportunities and questions, you are welcome to reach out to Dr. Pavel Vinitsky directly at (650) 931-7932.

​Why Partner

​This event convenes investors controlling trillions in capital and founders building the next billion-dollar platforms. It's not simply another tech gathering — it is a curated exchange of ideas and capital flows at the edge of innovation.

• ​For speakers, it is a platform to influence the agenda of frontier industries.

• ​For investors, it is an opportunity to source, validate, and accelerate the next generation of category leaders.

​Delivered by

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​SmythOS is a developer-focused AI automation platform and open-source Agent Operating System for building, deploying, and managing intelligent agents at scale. We provide the infrastructure to move from AI experimentation to production—powering the Agent Economy.

​

​Founders Bay is a membership community of 80,000 founders and VCs coming together to grow their startups through curated weekly events, expert-led virtual workshops, and educational resources. Proudly woman-owned and operated by Mariane Bekker, we are dedicated to empowering a diverse and inclusive startup ecosystem.  Subscribe to our newsletter and become a member today.

​

​Draper University is a Silicon Valley entrepreneurship school and startup hub in San Mateo, founded by VC Tim Draper.
It runs intensive programs and accelerators—plus the Hero City campus—that connect founders with top mentors, investors, and a global alumni network. Curriculum focuses on hands-on company building, pitch training, and real-world fundraising to turn ideas into fundable startups.

​Hesperian Ventures is an AI-first growth platform that bridges the needs of both founders and investors. For startups, our Venture Studio-as-a-Service helps co-build and scale companies with proven playbooks, talent infrastructure, and operational support. For investors, our Venture Capital-as-a-Service strengthens portfolios, streamlines operations, and unlocks curated deal flow. By combining AI-driven modernization, strategic advisory, and capital syndication, we accelerate outcomes across the entire venture lifecycle—from idea to scale to capital deployment.

​Orbis86 is on a mission to democratize access to emerging tech

​Aiify.io - Community of 20K+ Engaging IRL & Building What's Next: AI Events Calendar

​ICONS is where visionaries converge — from star-studded galas to bold investments and unfiltered conversations with the icons shaping our future. We unite Hollywood, AI, and culture to mentor and empower the next generation of leaders

​Iconic Venue

​Hero City at Draper University is a startup campus and co-working hub in San Mateo founded by VC Tim Draper.
It hosts accelerators, venture studios, and high-energy events that connect founders with mentors and investors.
With flexible offices, demo spaces, and an iconic pitch theater, it’s a go-to venue for building and showcasing frontier tech.