Frontier in Action: Physical AI Demo Day
🌐 Overview
This event is part of #SFTechWeek — a week of events hosted by VCs and startups bringing together the tech ecosystem.
Learn more at www.tech-week.com
Physical Intelligence brings together the builders creating the next generation of physical AI systems and the investors backing the category.
During this curated SF Tech Week gathering, founders, investors, and AI builders will explore how intelligence is moving off the screen and into the physical world — across robotics, embodied agents, world models, simulation, and real-world autonomy.
The afternoon is designed around product discovery and high-signal dialogue: ten curated Physical AI startups will demonstrate what they are building, followed by a forward-looking VC conversation on where capital, defensibility, and value creation are emerging across the Physical AI stack.
Co-hosted with NXTVC (San Francisco Chapter) — a national community for pre-partner venture capital investors — together with 500 Global, Sixty Degree, Spatial Frontier Club, and Mission Robotics, the gathering connects next-generation fund leaders with senior investors from leading Silicon Valley firms, with additional venture leaders joining as the lineup expands.
Expect candid conversations, working-product demonstrations, and meaningful connections between the builders creating the next wave of Physical AI breakthroughs and the investors helping shape their trajectories.
⚡ What to Expect
🤖 Startup Showcases
10 curated Physical AI companies will demonstrate working products across:
Humanoid & Mobile Robotics
World Models & Simulation
Embodied Agent Infrastructure
Industrial & Field Autonomy
Each showcase will be followed by a brief founder Q&A.
💸 VC Panel
A forward-looking conversation with investors and ecosystem leaders exploring:
Where capital is flowing in Physical AI
What creates defensibility
Where durable value will be built
How the category may evolve over the next several years
🤝 High-Signal Networking
A relaxed, curated networking environment bringing together founders, venture investors, operators, and ecosystem partners.
🗓 Agenda
1:00 – 1:40 PM | Arrival & Networking
Check-in, light refreshments, and casual networking among founders, investors, and ecosystem partners.
1:40 – 1:55 PM | Opening Remarks + Keynote
Welcome and introduction to the Physical Intelligence theme — exploring how AI is moving beyond the screen and into the physical world.
A venture investor will also share a perspective on where capital and conviction are flowing in the Physical AI era.
1:55 – 2:25 PM | VC Panel — Investing in Physical Intelligence
A forward-looking discussion featuring investors and thought leaders from leading Silicon Valley venture firms.
Topics include investment theses, defensibility, commercialization, capital formation, and emerging opportunities across the Physical AI stack.
2:25 – 2:35 PM | Coffee Break
A short reset before the startup showcases.
2:35 – 4:15 PM | Startup Showcases
Ten curated startups demonstrate working products and share concise presentations, followed by brief founder Q&A.
Focus areas include:
Humanoid & Mobile Robotics
World Models & Simulation
Embodied Agent Infrastructure
Industrial & Field Autonomy
4:15 – 5:00 PM | Networking Reception
Open networking with founders, investors, and ecosystem partners.
Light drinks, introductions, and casual conversations continue.
👥 Who’s Attending
Builders
Founders actively building in Robotics, World Models & Simulation, Embodied AI, Industrial AI, and real-world autonomy
Investors
VCs, CVCs, and angels exploring the next wave of Physical AI, robotics, industrial technology, hard tech, and deep tech
NXTVC Community
Pre-partner investors from leading North American venture firms
Ecosystem Partners
Leaders across hardware, cloud, infrastructure, simulation, manufacturing, and innovation platforms relevant to Physical AI deployment
🚀 Why This Gathering
Physical AI is moving quickly from research and prototypes into working systems deployed in the real world.
This gathering is designed to put the people building the technology in the same room with the people funding, supporting, and scaling it.
See what’s being built.
Meet who’s building it.
Understand where Physical AI is going next.