An evening of insights from pioneering innovators is scheduled for Wednesday at PlayGround Global in Palo Alto, where individuals at the forefront of emerging technologies will share their visions. This event marks the final StrictlyVC gathering of 2025, and the speaker roster is exceptionally strong.

This event series, conducted globally with the support of TechCrunch, has featured diverse locations. Steve Case presented in a Washington, D.C. theater; discussions were held with the prime minister of Greece in Athens; and Kirsten Green welcomed attendees to the Presidio in San Francisco. The core principle remains consistent: to convene individuals developing potentially transformative advancements in an intimate environment, before their significance becomes widely recognized.

A particularly memorable moment occurred in 2019 when Sam Altman, addressing a StrictlyVC audience, described OpenAI’s business model as essentially “developing Artificial General Intelligence, and then consulting it on revenue generation.” The comment was initially met with laughter, but it proved to be a serious intention.

This year’s program includes Nicholas Kelez, a particle accelerator physicist with two decades of experience at the Department of Energy working on groundbreaking projects. He is now focused on addressing a critical challenge in semiconductor manufacturing: the reliance on highly specialized, $400 million machines produced by a single Dutch company. (Some find it particularly noteworthy that this technology was originally invented in the United States, then transferred to Europe.) Kelez is developing a next-generation solution within the U.S., leveraging particle accelerator technology. While complex, this work is profoundly important in the current technological landscape, and is attracting increasing competitive attention.

Mina Fahmi will also be presenting his innovative ring, designed to capture and transcribe whispered thoughts. Before this venture, Fahmi and co-founder Kirak Hong dedicated years to similar research at Meta following their company’s acquisition. Sandbar, backed by Toni Schneider – who previously scaled WordPress – recently launched and is demonstrating promising potential. (Schneider is currently a partner at True Ventures, with prior investments in companies like Peloton, Ring, and Fitbit, and will also be present in Palo Alto next week.)

Max Hodak, founder of Science Corp, a Time magazine cover subject, and a former Neuralink co-founder, has already enabled dozens of visually impaired individuals to regain sight through retinal implants. He is now pioneering “biohybrid” brain-computer interfaces, utilizing chips seeded with stem cells that integrate with brain tissue, allowing paralyzed individuals to control devices using their thoughts. Hodak believes this is only a preliminary step, anticipating substantial changes by 2035 and eager to share his perspective.

We are also pleased to welcome Chi-Hua Chien and Elizabeth Weil, venture capitalists with a track record of successful investments in companies such as Twitter, Spotify, TikTok, Slack, SpaceX, Figma, and Coinbase, prior to their widespread recognition. Chien leads Goodwater Capital, while Weil established Scribble Ventures after roles at Andreessen Horowitz and Twitter, completing over 100 angel investments and achieving a 4x return on her initial fund. (Her extensive network is widely admired.) Both believe Silicon Valley is currently misinterpreting market trends, particularly with the focus on enterprise AI, and will share their reasoning.

PlayGround Global is hosting the event, alongside general partner Pat Gelsinger, the former CEO of Intel. The evening will include refreshments, food, and networking opportunities; due to limited seating, early registration is encouraged.

Organizations interested in partnering with the series in 2026 are invited to connect with us.