Hardware Pitch Night @ Studio 45
Join us for an evening of live pitches from hardware founders and investors who actually fund hardware startups.
From drones to AI, and a humanoid robot on site, come see the hottest tech in the bay area in person.
Hardware is hot right now, but it's still way too hard to find hardware-friendly investors. That changes tonight!
We'll be showcasing 6 breakthrough hardware startups pitching to a live panel of leading VCs giving on the spot feedback. Real pitches, real feedback, and the kind of in-person networking that only happens when people who love hardware, build hardware, and invest in hardware are in the room.
Here's the agenda for the night
6:00-7:00pm: Arrival & Networking
7:00-8:00pm: Pitches & Feedback
8:00-9:00pm: Networking & Wrap up
Start ups pitching
Voltair - scaling data collection in the physical world with self-charging drones
AiNEKKO - pioneering open, software-defined AI computing infrastructure, extending open-source principles all the way down to silicon.
Human X - fully autonomous, general purpose humanoid robotics
Standout - a next-generation mobile display with slide-open design that transforms any laptop into a dual-screen workstation.
Future Proof Homes -a privacy-first AI-powered voice assistants for the smart home.
Pila - smart home batteries.
VC Judges
Lauren Dermody - Co-founder, Informal Fund
Radu Skutaru - Investor, VU Venture Partners
PJ LaBarbera - GP, Humanum Capital
Thank you to our food and drink sponsor
Standout is the next-generation mobile display. Its novel slide-open design transforms any laptop into a dual-screen workstation in seconds - improving posture and supercharging productivity.
With a 4K panel that surpasses every mobile display on the market, Standout handles even the most demanding creative work. And for video calls or webinars, magnet-mount your phone on top for an eye-level angle and pristine video quality.
Crafted from precision-milled aluminum with an Apple-grade finish, it’s built for digital nomads, consultants, and creators who demand both performance and aesthetics. With one million units targeted by 2027, Standout is set to become the category-defining brand at the intersection of design, ergonomics, and the future of work.
Thank you to our partners for making this night possible
Studio 45 is a space dedicated to supporting local entrepreneurs and teams building hardware. Located in Mission/Bernal Area, the studio gathers the community, resources, space, and tools needed to build a business making physical products.
Hardware Meetups happen across 45+ cities around the world, bringing together hardware professionals to network, share knowledge, and support each other and the larger hardware ecosystem.
informal fund an investment syndicate with insider access to the hottest hardware start ups in the Bay Area and beyond.
informal collective is a talent network for the best independent professionals in hardware. Whether you're looking for a single contractor, a full-time employee, or an entire team of professionals to work on everything from product development to go-to-market, the informal collective has the perfect collection of people for the job.