The first StrictlyVC of 2026 kicks off in a week in San Francisco

StrictlyVC’s first San Francisco event of the year is nearly here, and with just a week to go, now’s the time to grab yourself a ticket. The venture and founder communities will be gathering at the Sentro Filipino Cultural Center on April 30 for an evening packed with what StrictlyVC does best: engaging in enlightening conversations with excellent speakers, with ample opportunity for networking that drives outcomes.

And we’re excited to announce one more speaker is joining our lineup: Eclipse founder and CEO Lior Susan, who has recently raised $1.3 billion to solely back “physical AI” startups. That extensive investment will be explored in detail in our discussion with him, as he shares his vision for what autonomy in the real world could look like as the convergence between the digital world of AI and our physical world evolves.

Susan is well-versed in that space, having served in the military and leading Flex’s hardware investments. He’s seen firsthand the kinds of opportunities that lie in improving the industrial systems underpinning the modern world and using new technologies, supported by operators fueled by vision, capital, and innovative new technologies. And he’ll be interviewed by our venture reporter Marina Temkin, so no follow-up opportunity will go unaddressed.

Susan is joining the rest of our speakers for a particularly timely series of conversations. Replit co-founder and CEO Amjad Masad will talk about the AI-driven shift in software development and what the next era of programming may look like, amid continued shifts in practices and employment within the industry.

TDK Ventures president Nicolas Sauvage, whose firm is also sponsoring the event, will join TechCrunch editor-in-chief and StrictlyVC founder Connie Loizos for a conversation about the ins and outs of corporate venture capital, early-stage investing, and key lessons founders must learn about raising from strategic backers. 

In addition, Campbell Brown, co-founder and CEO of Forum AI, will bring her perspective on building more trustworthy AI systems amid an increasingly skeptical environment around the accuracy of any information coming from any number of sources. All of which is informed by her tenure as Meta’s head of media partnerships and as a CNN host. And she’ll be interviewed by our newest senior reporter, Tim Fernholz.

And if you’ve never been to a StrictlyVC event before, this is a great one to start with. These meet-ups are a more intimate, informal affair that allow for candid and particularly instructive conversations that founders and VCs can use to get a head start on the competition immediately. You get the chance to actually connect with speakers, fellow investors, and founders, plus anyone else interested in learning more about the trends shaping Silicon Valley and beyond.

Don’t wait to snag one of the few tickets still available. Block off your Thursday evening, and come to San Francisco on April 30 to join the StrictlyVC community.