AI Meets Robotics – Launch & Fund Your Own Startup (Edition 1)
The official AI Meets Robotics – Launch & Fund Your Own Startup (Edition-1) hackathon will take place on February 14–15, 2026 in San Francisco, CA, as the on-site finale of an eight-day global hybrid program. In the days leading up to the event, teams build remotely, validate their ideas, and prepare investor-ready demos before coming together in SF.
📌 This announcement outlines the launch of a Global Human+AI Exchange — aligning universities, global cities, talent networks, and industry to accelerate human-centered AI innovation, technology transfer, and economic growth.
On-Site Event Schedule
Day 1 – February 14 (SF Time)
10:00 AM – Doors Open & Breakfast & Coffee
10:30 AM – Opening Ceremony
10:45 AM – Partners’ Words
11:10 AM – Project Submission Workshop + Pitching Form Explanation
Qwen Keynote - David Yam - AI Solutions Architect, Alibaba Cloud International
12:00 PM – Workshop: The Physical AI Era: From Simulation to World Foundation Models
12:30 PM - Keynote - Get Funded With Surge
12:45 PM - Secret Tech Announcement
2:00 PM – Lunch
5:00 PM – Submission Deadline
5:30 PM – Keynote Speech: AI Driven Leadership – Amir Khan, iCodeGuru
6:00 PM – Panel: Future of AI & Robotics
• Pawel Czech, CEO, Surge & Natively
• Paul Ruiz, DevRel Lead, AI on Robotics, Google DeepMind
• Marianne Bekker, Managing Partner, Foundersbay
• David Rodriguez, Co-founder & VP Business Development, Robot.com7:00 PM – Networking
8:00 PM – Doors Close
Day 2 – February 15 (SF Time)
10:00 AM – Doors Open
10:00 AM – Breakfast & Coffee
10:30 AM – Live on-stage pitching for all on-site teams with Live Q&A with audience
1:00 PM – Pitching ends
1:00 PM – Lunch
2:00 PM – Panel: AI in Enterprise – Mayank Debnath x MindsSB x Pawel Czech
2:00 PM – Final list of winners
3:00 PM – On-site live winners announcement
5:00 PM – Doors close
Participants will explore AI + robotics through hands-on challenges and mentorship opportunities. Projects will focus on building software-only robotics products in simulation or as devtools: autonomy and planning in digital environments, operator dashboards and fleet control, orchestration platforms, and analytics or infrastructure for robotics teams - with no physical hardware required.
Backed by partners such as Surge, Google, Google DeepMind and lablab.ai, the hackathon will reward creativity and execution through on-site pitching opportunities and follow-on support for selected teams. The most impactful teams will be invited to participate in person in San Francisco to present their work, connect with mentors, and plug into a broader 🏆 $1,000,000+ pool of credits, token prizes, perks, and funding opportunities across the Launch & Fund Your Own Startup series.
Location
MindsDB Office, 3154 17th Street, San Francisco, 94110
Please note: On-site capacity is limited. Priority access will be given to selected teams. Travel and accommodation will not be covered.
📲 Real-time on-site updates (SF)
For real-time announcements and information during the on-site portion (Feb 14–15), join the LabLab SF Chapter WhatsApp group: