๐๐ด 2 cities + 2 weeks = endless connections and unforgettable @Techweek_ moments! ๐
Across San Francisco and Los Angeles, we hosted and co-hosted events that brought together founders, developers, and investors to connect, share ideas, and explore what's next for Voice AI.
Here's a look at some of the highlights:
๐ถ TechWalk (SF + LA): We kicked off both weeks with the TechWalk community at Crissy Field in SF and Santa Monica in LA. No slide decks, no agendas. Just great conversations, fresh air, and even better company.
๐๏ธ Voice AI with @DeepgramAI (SF + LA): Two packed sessions featuring live demos, real-world deployment insights, and conversations about what it takes to bring Voice AI into production. We loved seeing so many of you there!
๐๏ธ APIs, Aperol & A Rooftop Social (LA): Our rooftop gathering in Santa Monica brought together guests from a16z, @GoogleStartups, AWS, @CloudflareDev, Red Bull Ventures, @uncorkcap, and more for an evening of great conversations and new connections.
๐ก VC Reverse Pitch with Founders & Funders (LA): Flipping the traditional pitch format! Investors took the stage to share their investment theses with founders, creating a unique opportunity to connect and explore what's next. A big thanks to Founders & Funders for partnering with us!
๐ฅ Founders' Breakfast with @alumniventures (SF): Good coffee, great company, and meaningful conversations with pre-seed to Series A founders. The perfect way to bring the startup community together.
A huge thank you to our partners and everyone who joined us, shared ideas, and made these two weeks so memorable. ๐
See you at the next one. ๐
#SFTechWeek #LATechWeek #VonageAPI #VoiceAI #StartupProgram #TechWeek2026
NEW: INVESTOR ADVICE FOR APPLYING TO SPEEDRUN (SR008 EDITION)
Every cohort we sit down with our investors to hear whatโs top of mind. This time @ndrewlee got in the booth with @kenanhsaleh, @emilybenn12, @seeamshahidnoor, and @tkexpress11 to talk about:
00:00 - whatโs changed in apps this cycle
04:15 - team vs. market vs. traction: how we weigh them
08:14 - hot markets vs. ones that feel inevitable
10:36 - spotting the gaps the frontier models leave
13:35 - where speedrun fits in your founder journey
22:26 - how to make your application stand out
30:05 - common mistakes (AI is not your โwhy nowโ)
38:46 - the 10-min interview + co-founder dynamics
45:41 - what you get working with speedrun
SR008 apps close Nov 1. Watch the full roundtable here ๐
๐ Congrats to @jgreze and @TownAI on their Series B!
A few weeks ago at the @claudeai founder house in SF he, and Deeni Fatiha (Chief AI Officer @GammaApp) chatted with @omooretweets (@a16z) about what it takes to scale AI products into the workplace.
The two most memorable points they agreed on were:
1. The half-life for product edge is shorter than ever (2-3 months).
2. The shaped of AI tooling in the future will look more multi-player / teams oriented with a emphasis on agent to agent interactions.
Excited to see what both @GammaApp and @townai build next!
50+ launches in <90 days.
it's not about virality, it's not about doing a video even.
the best @speedrun teams launched, and launched again, and again. articles, interviews, demos, and yes, occasionally something with higher production value.
we provide a fully kitted studio space, direct connects to the best production partners, and our own distribution channels for every single company.
a massive shout to some of our partners:
@osmo_studio, @nencreative, @chrislouie_, @marquilabs, @pushrecord, @ben_aguilera, and dozens of others who aren't here on X
Applications for SR008 close Nov 1st.
If you're interested in applying, check the link below.
If you're interested in plugging in as a partner, DM me!
We just wrapped a record-breaking 2026 Tech Week! We started in 2022 with just LA. Coming out of the pandemic, people were moving around and finding new communities. There was a growing tech community in LA, and we wanted to bring people together in person.
The response led us to expand to New York and San Francisco, other cities where we were active. We spent the next three years growing in those cities before adding a new one (Boston) this year.
One thing thatโs been interesting to watch is SF. The first time we ran it, it was our smallest Tech Week. We heard plenty of โdoes SF really need another tech event?โ Itโs now the biggest Tech Week we run. The center of gravity for tech is still firmly in SF, and we see that in the numbers.
At the same time, Tech Week has continued to grow in every city, year after year. Itโs clear thereโs demand for coming together in person.
And of course, a big reason weโve been able to keep growing is the team working on Tech Week year-round. A big congrats to @roseajohnson@TracyMassaro_@filgran_@johnsonjanellea@andrewchen.
Excited for next year... Stay tuned for 2027 dates!