Discover the Future in Palo Alto
▼ Summary
– The final StrictlyVC event of 2025 at PlayGround Global in Palo Alto features innovators working on groundbreaking technologies before they become widely recognized.
– Nicholas Kelez is developing next-generation semiconductor manufacturing technology in the U.S. using particle accelerator tech to replace expensive Dutch-made laser machines.
– Mina Fahmi’s Stream Ring, backed by experienced operators, captures whispered thoughts and converts them into text as a brain-extension device.
– Max Hodak is advancing biohybrid brain-computer interfaces with stem cell-seeded chips to help paralyzed individuals control devices via thought and restore vision.
– VCs Chi-Hua Chien and Elizabeth Weil, who have early investments in major tech companies, believe the best consumer tech opportunities are currently being overlooked.
This Wednesday evening, PlayGround Global in Palo Alto will host a gathering of brilliant minds shaping tomorrow’s technologies. The final StrictlyVC event of 2025 brings together an extraordinary lineup of innovators poised to reveal breakthroughs that could redefine entire industries. Organized under the TechCrunch banner, this series has traveled from Washington D.C. to Athens and San Francisco, consistently spotlighting groundbreaking work long before it enters the mainstream.
One memorable moment came in 2019, when Sam Altman addressed a StrictlyVC audience about OpenAI’s monetization approach. He stated their strategy was essentially to build AGI, then ask it how to make money. The crowd laughed, but Altman wasn’t joking, a reminder that the most ambitious ideas often sound like science fiction until they become reality.
Among the featured speakers is Nicholas Kelez, a particle accelerator physicist with two decades of experience at the Department of Energy. He’s now confronting a critical bottleneck in semiconductor manufacturing: the reliance on $400 million laser machines produced solely by one Dutch company. Kelez is developing a next-generation alternative using particle accelerator technology, aiming to bring this vital capability back to American soil.
Also presenting is Mina Fahmi, co-creator of the Stream Ring. This discreet wearable captures whispered thoughts and converts them into text, designed not as a social tool but as a cognitive extension. Fahmi and cofounder Kirak Hong refined the concept during their tenure at Meta post-acquisition. Backed by Toni Schneider of True Ventures, known for scaling WordPress and investing in Peloton, Ring, and Fitbit, Sandbar, their startup, has recently emerged from stealth mode.
Max Hodak, founder of Science Corp and former Neuralink cofounder, will share his latest work. Having already restored vision to dozens through retinal implants, Hodak is now advancing biohybrid brain-computer interfaces. These involve chips embedded with stem cells that integrate with brain tissue, potentially enabling paralyzed individuals to control devices with their thoughts. Hodak believes these developments are just the beginning, forecasting a world by 2035 that looks radically different from today.
The event also welcomes venture capitalists Chi-Hua Chien and Elizabeth Weil, whose early bets included Twitter, Spotify, TikTok, and SpaceX. Chien, managing Goodwater Capital, argues that Silicon Valley is misjudging the AI landscape as it flocks to enterprise solutions. Weil, founder of Scribble Ventures after roles at Andreessen Horowitz and Twitter, has a track record of over 100 angel investments and a first fund delivering 4x returns. Both investors contend that the most promising consumer tech opportunities are currently being overlooked, and they’ll detail their reasoning.
Hosted at PlayGround Global with support from former Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger, the evening includes drinks, food, and networking. Space is limited, so interested attendees should secure their spots promptly.
For those looking to align with the StrictlyVC series in 2026, partnership inquiries are encouraged.
(Source: TechCrunch)
