Step SF 2026: The AI & Tech Startup Festival
Join founders, investors, and builders shaping the future of AI, startups, and tech...
🗓️ 26 August: Kickoff Day
Side events and activations happening across San Francisco. Meetups, conversations, and community moments throughout the city.
🗓️ 27 August: Conference Day
9am-5.30pm: The main event at The Midway. Founders, investors, builders, and operators come together to explore how AI is transforming the way we build, scale, and invest.
6-8pm: Step SF Closing Party @ The Midway
🔗 StepSF.com
📸 IG: @stepsanfrancisco
Step returns to San Francisco on 27 August 2026 at The Midway for the third edition of Step SF - bringing founders, investors, builders, and operators building the next wave of the AI economy.
From frontier models and autonomous systems to real-world applications transforming industries, Step SF explores how artificial intelligence is reshaping the way we build, scale, and invest in technology.
This is where ambitious builders meet the people, ideas, and opportunities driving the future of innovation. Expect a full day of conversations, product showcases, and networking across the venue with the founders, investors, and teams pushing the boundaries of AI and emerging technology.
Our speaker lineup is currently taking shape, featuring leading voices from the global startup and AI ecosystem. Stay tuned - many more announcements coming soon. 👀
Here’s what to expect:
✨ Insightful talks and conversations with founders, investors, and industry leaders
🚀 A curated startup showcase featuring emerging companies and breakthrough technologies
🧠 An expo area packed with new tools, platforms, and intelligent systems. Interested in exhibiting? Get in touch
🤝 Networking with founders, investors, engineers, and operators building the future
Step SF Is Not Your Average Tech Event
✅ Real Conversations - Practical insights from people actually building companies
✅ Founder Energy - Builders, investors, and operators in one place
✅ Connections That Matter - Meet collaborators, partners, customers, and investors
✅ Momentum Starts Here - Whether you’re launching, hiring, investing, or scaling
Our Startup Showcase is designed to help early-stage and scaling companies connect with investors, partners, and potential customers through curated meetings and live demos.
🎯 Want to showcase your startup? Apply here
Step San Francisco brings together the global startup community for a day of discovery, connection, and new opportunities - right in the heart of the Bay Area.
Getting to Step SF:
Step San Francisco is taking place at The Midway, a creative and cultural venue in the city’s Dogpatch neighborhood. It’s easily accessible via Muni Metro, bus routes, Caltrain, rideshare, or bike. There’s limited street parking, so we recommend public transport or Uber/Lyft. Coming from SFO? It’s a 20-min drive or BART + short ride.