Stanford University
Mackenzie Room, Jen-Hsun Huang Engineering Center
2026
Agenda
09.00 – 09.30
Registration and Networking Coffee Station
09.30 – 09.45
Opening
Welcome by Organizers
09.45 – 10.15
Report Highlights
What Will Be Left of Open Innovation in the AI Era? (Evolve or be Extinct)
Alberto Onetti
Chairman
Mind the Bridge
10.15 – 11.00
Keynote
The Systems Leader: Mastering the Innovation/Execution Paradox
Robert E. Siegel
Stanford GSB Faculty, Best-selling Author
11.00 – 11.15
Break
11.15 – 12.00
12.00 – 13.00
Networking Lunch
13.00 – 14.30
Learn from your Peers
Round table moderated discussions
14.30 – 15.00
Report Highlights
Regional Innovation Ecosystems and AI Sovereignty
Marco Marinucci
Founder & CEO
Mind the Bridge
15.15 – 16.00
Keynote
No Rules, No Floor: The Innovation-Killing Myth, Data Privacy’s Race to the Bottom, and Your AI Roadmap
Jennifer King
Privacy and Data Policy Fellow, Stanford HAI
16.00 – 16.45
Keynote
The Venture Mindset in the AI Era: How to Make Bold Bets and Win
Alex Dang
Best-selling Co-author of “The Venture Mindset”
16.45 – 17.30
Break
18.00 – 19.30
Award Ceremony
Presenting Awards
Candace Johnson
Chair of the
CSS/SES Judging Committee
Corporate
Startup Stars
2026 Awards
Startup
Ecosystem Stars
2026 Awards
19.30 – 20.00
Closing Cocktail Reception
Networking and Hors d’oeuvre
Mind the Bridge Innovation Center
450 Townsend St, San Francisco
18.30 – 20.00
Networking Cocktail Reception
Stanford University
09.00
The AI Infrastructure Edge: Fueling Corporate R&D with Accelerated Computing
Howard Wright
VP Startup Ecosystem
Nvidia
11.00
The Evolution of Agents at Microsoft and Everywhere
Marco Casalaina
VP Products, Core AI and AI Futurist
Microsoft
14.00
From Concept to Code:
Rapid Enterprise Transformation with Replit
Amjad Masad
Co Founder & CEO
Replit
Mind the Bridge Innovation Center
450 Townsend St, San Francisco
09.00 – 10.00
The Silicon Valley Secret Juice
Discover the mechanics of Silicon Valley’s innovation engine by exploring the macrotrends, models, and best practices of the 400+ corporate and 60+ government outposts operating in the Bay Area today.
We will break down how global organizations deploy lean antennas and CVCs to move beyond “innovation tourism” and drive tangible commercial impact through strategic startup partnerships.
10.15 – 11.45
Parallel Deep Dive Sessions
CSS Session
Scaling Open Innovation: Best Practices from the Stars.
SES Session
Architecting Innovation Hubs: Policy, Practice, and Scaling
