tonight, the future of deep tech will be explained to you at strictlyvc palo alto

A Showcase of Emerging Technologies at StrictlyVC’s Final 2025 Event

An exclusive gathering is scheduled for tonight at Playground Global in Palo Alto, where leading innovators are set to unveil groundbreaking developments that are currently beyond the understanding of many. This marks the final StrictlyVC event of 2025, boasting an exceptionally impressive roster of speakers.

Global Reach of the StrictlyVC Series

Throughout the year, the series has extended its reach internationally under the TechCrunch banner. Events have included a presentation by Steve Case in a Washington, D.C. theater, a discussion with the prime minister of Greece in Athens, and a hosted session with Kirsten Green at the Presidio in San Francisco.

The core principle remains consistent: to convene individuals pioneering truly significant advancements in an intimate environment, prior to widespread recognition of their importance.

A Notable Prediction from the Past

A particularly memorable moment occurred in 2019 when Sam Altman, addressing a StrictlyVC audience, articulated OpenAI’s monetization strategy as simply “develop AGI, and then consult it on revenue generation.” The statement initially elicited laughter, but it was delivered with complete seriousness.

Innovations in Semiconductor Manufacturing

This event will feature Nicholas Kelez, a physicist with two decades of experience at the Department of Energy, focused on realizing previously unattainable technological feats. He is now addressing a critical challenge in semiconductor production: the reliance on $400 million machines, utilizing laser technology exclusively mastered by a single Dutch company.

Notably, the foundational technology was originally developed in the United States before being transferred to Europe. Kelez is spearheading the development of the next generation of these machines within America, leveraging particle accelerator technology. While complex, this work is of paramount importance currently, especially with increasing competitive efforts.

Capturing Thoughts with the Stream Ring

Mina Fahmi will present a ring designed to capture whispered thoughts and convert them into text. This innovation stems from years of research conducted by Fahmi and Kirak Hong at Meta, following the acquisition of their initial company.

The Stream Ring, backed by Toni Schneider – who previously scaled WordPress – aims to augment cognitive capabilities rather than provide companionship. Sandbar, the company behind the Stream Ring, has recently emerged from stealth mode and demonstrates considerable promise. Schneider, a partner at True Ventures, has a successful track record of hardware investments, including Peloton, Ring, and Fitbit, and will also be present at the event.

Advancements in Brain-Computer Interfaces

Max Hodak, founder of Science Corp., a Time magazine cover subject, and a former Neuralink co-founder alongside Elon Musk, has already enabled vision restoration for numerous individuals through retinal implants.

He is currently focused on “biohybrid” brain-computer interfaces, where chips seeded with stem cells integrate with brain tissue, allowing paralyzed individuals to control devices using their thoughts. Hodak believes this is merely a preliminary step, anticipating a dramatically different landscape by 2035, and will share his insights.

VC Perspectives on Silicon Valley Trends

Chi-Hua Chien of Goodwater Capital and Elizabeth Weil of Scribble Ventures, both seasoned venture capitalists, will also be present. They have previously invested in companies like Twitter, Spotify, TikTok, Slack, SpaceX, Figma, and Coinbase before they achieved 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 first fund. Both believe Silicon Valley is misinterpreting current market dynamics, particularly the focus on enterprise AI, and will elaborate on their reasoning.

Event Details and Registration

Playground Global is hosting the event, with support from general partner Pat Gelsinger, the former CEO of Intel. Attendees can expect networking opportunities, refreshments, and engaging discussions.

Due to limited seating, those interested in gaining direct insights from these industry leaders and forging valuable connections are encouraged to register for their seat before it’s gone. StrictlyVC events consistently have limited capacity.

For partnership opportunities in 2026, please reach out for more information.