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Community Events Calendar
Midtown Fridays
Get ready, Santa Cruz — Event Santa Cruz Midtown Fridays Summer Block Party is back for its 6th year, and it’s bigger and better than ever!
Every Friday night from May 29 through August 28, Event Santa Cruz is throwing the ultimate summer block party right in the heart of Midtown at 1111 Soquel Ave. It’s completely free, super fun, and packed with community vibes all summer long.
14 incredible local Santa Cruz bands are hitting the stage throughout the summer, plus a rotating lineup of some of the best local food trucks around (yes, your favorites are back — along with some new ones!). You’ll also find amazing local artists, makers, vendors, specialty drinks, family-friendly activities, and all kinds of fun surprises every single week.
Whether you’re coming for the live music, the food, the shopping, or just to hang out with your community on a warm summer evening, Midtown Fridays is the place to be.
Over the last six years, Midtown Fridays has grown into one of Santa Cruz’s favorite weekly summer traditions — bringing thousands of people together to celebrate local music, local businesses, creativity, and community.
Let’s make this summer unforgettable!
Every Friday • May 29 – August 28
5:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Midtown Santa Cruz • 1111 Soquel Ave
2026 Live Music Lineup
July 3 – Santa Cruz Latin Collective
July 10 – Hijinx
July 17 – Ancestree
July 24 – Ripatti Rose Band
July 31 – Amp Melo with Special Guest
August 7 – Trestles
August 14 – Fire Peach
August 21 – The Rumba Madre
August 28 – Alex Lucero Band – Finale
Letter Writing Workshop
Lasting Letters: A letter writing workshop
with frish brandt
Saturday, July 11, 10-12
“I Miss You”
A Guided Letter Writing Workshop with Frish Brandt
At Tumbleweed Found, we are continually drawn to the stories people carry and the objects that help preserve them. Whether through family heirlooms, handwritten notes tucked into books, or collections passed from one generation to the next, we are reminded that what often matters most are the connections behind the things we keep.
This special workshop with Frish Brandt invites you to explore memory, connection, and the enduring power of the written word. As Frish often says, letter writing is to communication what slow cooking is to fast food. The process invites us to slow down, listen deeply, and find the words that matter most.
In this intimate workshop, Frish Brandt guides participants to explore one of the most universal themes in letter writing: “I Miss You.” These may be words we never found the right moment to say or words for someone we have lost or who lives far away, or perhaps a version of ourselves from another time.
Through reflection, conversation, gentle prompts, and dedicated writing time, participants will be guided toward a letter they have been wanting—or needing—to write. Whether addressed to a parent, child, friend, former partner, ancestor, mentor, or someone no longer living, letter writing creates the space for reflection and connection.
Writing in the company of others can reveal unexpected insights. While sharing is welcome, it is entirely optional.
This workshop is designed to be supportive, reflective, and accessible to both experienced writers and those who haven’t written a letter in years. Now is the write time.
About Frish Brandt
Frish Brandt is a Letter Midwife, writer, curator, and founder of Lasting Letters. After a forty-five-year career in the arts, including directing Fraenkel Gallery in San Francisco, she turned her attention to helping people write the letters that matter most.
Her work began in hospice and palliative care and has since expanded to include people of all ages and circumstances seeking to express gratitude, love, regret, remembrance, forgiveness, and connection.
Frish has helped midwife more than 700 letters and teaches Lasting Letters and the Art of Deep Listening at Stanford Medical School. She has led workshops at the De Young Museum, Harvard Divinity School, End Well, Sun Valley Center for the Arts, and numerous other organizations.
Frish's book, Unfinished Business: Writing the 5 Essential Letters of Your Life will be released October 27th and will be available at Tumbleweed Found.
Registration
Space is limited
$65 per person, non-refundable
For questions or to reserve your space, please contact Dana at Tumbleweed Found. (831) 419-3130
MBARI Open House
This free community event is your chance to learn about MBARI’s latest discoveries and technology innovations. Meet members of our science, engineering, marine operations, and communications teams, test your skills building and piloting an underwater robot, make children’s crafts, check out our fleet of deep-sea robots, and view our research vessels at the dock.
Time
12:00 p.m–5:00 p.m. (Pacific)
Location
MBARI
7700 Sandholdt Road
Moss Landing, CA 95039
Parking
Limited free public parking is available along the street. The nearby Moss Landing Harbor District also offers some parking for a fee. Limited accessible parking will be available on site.
SC Chamber of Commerce: Business Transitions: Planning Ahead for Value, Continuity, and Legacy
Workshop at SC Vets Hall: Business Transitions: Planning Ahead for Value, Continuity, and Legacy
Thursday, July 16, 2026 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM PST
Santa Cruz Veterans Memorial Building
846 Front St
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Workshop: Business Transitions: Planning Ahead for Value, Continuity, and Legacy
Many business owners expect to “figure it out later” when it comes to succession or selling their business—often leaving value on the table or facing unnecessary stress. This workshop provides practical, educational guidance for business owners who want to understand their options long before a sale is imminent.
Led by Carmel Business Sales, this session will walk attendees through the fundamentals of business transition planning, common pitfalls owners face, and steps they can take today to protect and enhance the value of their business—whether they plan to sell in one year or ten.
This is a non-promotional, information-driven workshop designed to empower business owners with clarity, confidence, and foresight.
Workshop Speaker: Carmel Business Sales specializes in guiding business owners through thoughtful, well-planned transitions. With experience across a wide range of privately held businesses, the firm focuses on education, preparation, and strategic planning—helping owners make informed decisions aligned with their financial goals and personal legacy.
Learning Objectives / Key Takeaways
Attendees will leave with:
A clear understanding of what makes a business transferable and attractive to buyers
Insight into timing a sale vs. planning early—and why early preparation matters
An overview of valuation drivers (financial, operational, and emotional)
Common mistakes business owners make when exiting—and how to avoid them
Options for transition, including internal succession, third-party sale, or partial exit
A practical exit readiness checklist they can begin using immediately
CEO Works Luncheon | How to Build a Sustainable Venture Backed Business
Join us on July 29th for our CEO Works Luncheon where we will explore what it takes to build and run a sustainable venture-backed business with Toby Corey — a seasoned entrepreneur, executive, and Stanford lecturer whose career spans some of the most compelling ventures of the past three decades. Toby has led three $1B+ businesses, navigated two IPOs and the Tesla merger, and raised over $300M in public and private capital. As co-founder and President of USWeb, a $3B+ market cap global web services firm, and later as Executive VP at Tesla Energy and CRO at SolarCity, he has led global teams of 7,000+ and executed 40+ M&A transactions. Currently he's the founder and CEO of BrandCapsule, building AI Discovery Intelligence for the era of AI.
In this session, Toby will share candid insights and lessons, including:
-Balancing investor growth expectations with long-term business sustainability
-Lessons learned building across industries — clean energy, materials, mobility, and brand tech
-Managing board dynamics and investor relationships through the ups and downs
-Capital discipline: when to spend, when to conserve, and how to make tough calls
-Building resilient team culture through pivots and funding crunches
More about Toby: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tobycorey/
SC Chamber of Commerce: Women in Business Luncheon
Join the Santa Cruz Area Chamber of Commerce event for an inspiring Women in Business Luncheon at Joby Aviation!
The SC Area Chamber invites you to an engaging panel discussion featuring the women shaping the future of flight at Joby Aviation, on what it takes to lead in a mission-driven, high-stakes company. Our panel will share real-world insights on navigating uncertainty in a fast-paced environment, leading with trust, and driving results through teamwork in a complex, global industry. Stay tuned for the final panel lineup and topic announcements.
Cancellations and Refunds:
No refunds or cancellation requests are offered for this event.
O'Neill Sea Odyssey 30th Anniversary Celebration
For three decades we’ve been turning the ocean into a classroom! Let’s share food and drinks as we celebrate the legendary vision of our founder, Jack O’Neill, the OSO history of impact and our future commitment to access for all to the Monterey Bay.
Help us write the next chapter of the OSO story!
Deep Tech Conference
Ruggedize is a technical forum for engineers, builders, and operators tackling one of the hardest deployment problems in tech: getting AI and robotics to work in the field — where dust, heat, crop variability, and uncontrolled environments destroy most prototypes before they prove anything.
Women's Leadership Summit
This annual event hosted by the Santa Cruz Area Chamber of Commerce brings professional women throughout Santa Cruz County and beyond together for renewal, growth, and inspiration. Through networking opportunities, engaging keynote speaker, dynamic breakout sessions, and our power panel, participants will embark on a journey to lead with authenticity, purpose, and renewal.
2027 LIFT Summit
The 2027 LIFT Summit returns to Monterey, California, bringing together leaders from Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS), workforce development, policy, and industry to drive growth across the global low-altitude economy. Hosted at the stunning Monterey Conference Center from March 30–April 2, 2027, this premier event convenes innovators, policymakers, educators, and workforce experts to connect, collaborate, and advance the future of flight.
5th of July Cleanup
Join Clean Oceans International at Twin Lakes Beach as we work to remove and document post-holiday debris before it reaches the ocean. Every piece collected helps protect our coastline and provides valuable data on pollution sources.
Abbott Square Market 2nd Annual 4th of July Party
A Day to celebrate each other because together we make our world what it is.
Exciting musical acts throughout the day!
2-4 pm: Hands On Fire Band - San Francisco
Crossing all genres of music, experience the dynamic energy of innovative San Francisco artist, James Henry. Experience a new, fresh, modern style. Master percussionist, soulful vocalist, undeniably charismatic James Henry and his band Hands on Fire give a passionate and engaging performance every single time!
4:30-5:30: Aguacero - Bomba of Puerto Rico
A live performance group that fuses Puerto Rican Bomba music with education.
6-8 pm Los Bahianatos - Oakland
Los Bahianatos is an energetic Bay Area band that specializes in Colombian dance music, specifically focusing on cumbia and vallenato driven by the button accordion.
Midtown Fridays
Get ready, Santa Cruz — Event Santa Cruz Midtown Fridays Summer Block Party is back for its 6th year, and it’s bigger and better than ever!
Every Friday night from May 29 through August 28, Event Santa Cruz is throwing the ultimate summer block party right in the heart of Midtown at 1111 Soquel Ave. It’s completely free, super fun, and packed with community vibes all summer long.
14 incredible local Santa Cruz bands are hitting the stage throughout the summer, plus a rotating lineup of some of the best local food trucks around (yes, your favorites are back — along with some new ones!). You’ll also find amazing local artists, makers, vendors, specialty drinks, family-friendly activities, and all kinds of fun surprises every single week.
Whether you’re coming for the live music, the food, the shopping, or just to hang out with your community on a warm summer evening, Midtown Fridays is the place to be.
Over the last six years, Midtown Fridays has grown into one of Santa Cruz’s favorite weekly summer traditions — bringing thousands of people together to celebrate local music, local businesses, creativity, and community.
Let’s make this summer unforgettable!
Every Friday • May 29 – August 28
5:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Midtown Santa Cruz • 1111 Soquel Ave
2026 Live Music Lineup
July 3 – Santa Cruz Latin Collective
July 10 – Hijinx
July 17 – Ancestree
July 24 – Ripatti Rose Band
July 31 – Amp Melo with Special Guest
August 7 – Trestles
August 14 – Fire Peach
August 21 – The Rumba Madre
August 28 – Alex Lucero Band – Finale
Live @ the Lane
Join FOPAR at Lighthouse Point Lawn for food trucks, beer, wine, music and raffle. Live music includes The Lost Boys Featuring James Durbin.
July New Tech
Join Santa Cruz Works for the last New Tech before summer break — back at River Row with a new fast-paced format! Presenters are split across 3 sections, and the audience rotates every 15 minutes — so you'll catch every company up close. Plus networking time at the start and end of the event. Featuring: best selling author Jonathan Lo / Keeping People Interested, Logan Mermin / Western Flyer, Niek Hasselaar / Microsoft , Pianpian Xu Guthrie / Amotions AI, Rachit Verma / SmartBrowse. And TWO raffles: FREE signed-copy of the best-selling book on marketing strategy: Keeping People Interested AND 3-month free subscription to Amotions AI premium ($300 value per person) to 25 people via a raffle.
Learn more and get tickets at: https://www.santacruzworks.org/news/scworks-new-tech-july-1-2026
Inaugural PyTorch Santa Cruz Meetup
Join UCSC for the first PyTorch Santa Cruz Meetup on June 30 from 5:30–8:00 PM. This community gathering brings together people interested in PyTorch and the projects that use it for food, networking, and talks from across the PyTorch ecosystem. Sponsored by Red Hat and UC Santa Cruz, this meetup is not an official PyTorch organization.
Builder Night
Builder Night is a weekly meetup at Pleasure Pizza in downtown Santa Cruz for people who are making things. Software, hardware, businesses, side projects, weird experiments. Bring something you made and tell us about it. Five minutes, no slides required, no sales pitches.
Free. BYO laptop if you want to show and tell. Grab a slice and stay a while.
How to Turn Conflict Into Collaboration
Conflict is everywhere. Whether you're navigating a strained partnership, a team stuck in silence, or a culture that avoids hard conversations, you’re not alone. In this CEO Circle, Kelsey Manne (Donnellan), Founder of Little Pineapple Collaborative, introduces a framework for supporting and encouraging productive conflict. Productive conflict is a practice-based approach of turning conflict into collaboration by effectively identifying the root challenge, addressing it with intention, and modeling receiving pushback. Participants will leave with skills they can use in their very next team meeting. This session is designed for executives and business owners who are ready to stop managing conflict and start leading through it.
Optional survey: Help inform this session and share your experience with conflict! Complete this optional survey by Friday, June 5. All responses are anonymous.
Builder Night
Builder Night is a weekly meetup at Pleasure Pizza in downtown Santa Cruz for people who are making things. Software, hardware, businesses, side projects, weird experiments. Bring something you made and tell us about it. Five minutes, no slides required, no sales pitches.
Free. BYO laptop if you want to show and tell. Grab a slice and stay a while.
Hiring 101 SBDC Training Session
Hiring 101 – Your First Hire Made Simple
This session walks through the basics of hiring, from writing a job description to interviewing and staying HR-compliant, designed specifically for small business owners.
If you’re working with clients who are asking “How do I hire my first employee?” or “What do I need to know to stay compliant?”, this could be really helpful.
Midtown Fridays
Get ready, Santa Cruz — Event Santa Cruz Midtown Fridays Summer Block Party is back for its 6th year, and it’s bigger and better than ever!
Every Friday night from May 29 through August 28, Event Santa Cruz is throwing the ultimate summer block party right in the heart of Midtown at 1111 Soquel Ave. It’s completely free, super fun, and packed with community vibes all summer long.
14 incredible local Santa Cruz bands are hitting the stage throughout the summer, plus a rotating lineup of some of the best local food trucks around (yes, your favorites are back — along with some new ones!). You’ll also find amazing local artists, makers, vendors, specialty drinks, family-friendly activities, and all kinds of fun surprises every single week.
Whether you’re coming for the live music, the food, the shopping, or just to hang out with your community on a warm summer evening, Midtown Fridays is the place to be.
Over the last six years, Midtown Fridays has grown into one of Santa Cruz’s favorite weekly summer traditions — bringing thousands of people together to celebrate local music, local businesses, creativity, and community.
Let’s make this summer unforgettable!
Every Friday • May 29 – August 28
5:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Midtown Santa Cruz • 1111 Soquel Ave
2026 Live Music Lineup
May 29 – James Durbin and The Lost Boys (Opening Band JAM and the Buttered Biscuits)
June 5 – Members of Santa Cruda (new name announcement)
June 12 – Salsa By The Sea with Dj @its dancing time, El Sol, and DJ Monk Earl of Afrobeats Nite Santa Cruz
June 19 – Ribsys Nickel
June 26 – Soul Good Entertainment Take Over ft Skinny Hendrixx & The Earthtones
July 3 – Santa Cruz Latin Collective
July 10 – Hijinx
July 17 – Ancestree
July 24 – Ripatti Rose Band
July 31 – Amp Melo with Special Guest
August 7 – Trestles
August 14 – Fire Peach
August 21 – The Rumba Madre
August 28 – Alex Lucero Band – Finale
International Surfing Day with Swellcycle
Swellcycle is hosting an evening at our micro-factory in the Old Wrigley Building on Thursday, June 18th from 6 to 8 PM — a chance to celebrate the love we all share for surfing and the ocean.
Join them for pizza, cold drinks, good vibes, and a first look at what they’ve been working on.
To mark the occasion, they’ll be unveiling something we believe represents a real step forward in surfboard building.
If you've ridden one of their boards, shaped with them, worked alongside them, or just been part of what they’re building — they’d love to see you there.
It's free. Space is limited, so grab your spot below.
— The Swellcycle Team
NSF I-Corps Program
The Innovation & Business Engagement Hub organizes immersive lean launchpad workshops series focused on training teams advancing university innovations or working on translational and use-inspired research projects. These series provide valuable training on identifying pathways for adoption and implementation and finding a scalable business model through the customer discovery process.
UC Santa Cruz is a partner institution in the (I-Corps) Hub for the Northwest Region and will be providing these series on the Central Coast.
These evening sessions teach you to identify your top customer segment and value propositions, and accelerate finding product market fit. Outside of class, you’ll do at least 20 interviews with potential customers as part of the customer discovery process. The team can expect to conduct 25-30 hours outside of the program’s workshops on interviews.
I-Corps Alumni Success Stories
Teams with a technology innovation based on discoveries in fundamental science and engineering may be eligible to participate in the National Science Foundation Innovation-Corps Teams program with successful workshop series completion and recommendation from the instructor. This national program provides a 7-week extended team training series and $40,000 which supports the team’s program participation including stipends and expenses for virtual and in-person customer discovery. Teams completing the national program have been shown to be more competitive and successful in securing follow-on innovation funding such as SBIR/STTR grants ($150,000 – $300,000 in federal commercialization grant funding)
Upcoming Series
Next series planned with workshops on June 15, 17 , 25 and 29, 2026 5:30-8:30 pm PDT (one-hour orientation June 5 at 2pm that at least one team member must attend).
Application window: April 29 – May 29, 2026.
Application is open now. You’ll be contacted 1-2 weeks before the first day of class to schedule
a team interview with the I-Corps instructor
Builder Night
Builder Night is a weekly meetup at Pleasure Pizza in downtown Santa Cruz for people who are making things. Software, hardware, businesses, side projects, weird experiments. Bring something you made and tell us about it. Five minutes, no slides required, no sales pitches.
Free. BYO laptop if you want to show and tell. Grab a slice and stay a while.
Midtown Fridays
Every Friday night from May 29 through August 28, Event Santa Cruz is throwing the ultimate summer block party right in the heart of Midtown at 1111 Soquel Ave. It’s completely free, super fun, and packed with community vibes all summer long.
Every Friday • May 29 – August 28
5:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Midtown Santa Cruz • 1111 Soquel Ave
2026 Live Music Lineup
May 29 – James Durbin and The Lost Boys (Opening Band JAM and the Buttered Biscuits)
June 5 – Members of Santa Cruda (new name announcement)
June 12 – Salsa By The Sea with Dj It’s Dancing Time
June 19 – Ribsys Nickel
June 26 – Soul Good Entertainment Take Over ft Skinny Hendrixx & The Earthtones
July 3 – Santa Cruz Latin Collective
July 10 – Hijinx
July 17 – Ancestree
July 24 – Ripatti Rose Band
July 31 – Amp Melo with Special Guest
August 7 – Trestles
August 14 – Fire Peach
August 21 – The Rumba Madre
August 28 – Alex Lucero Band – Finale
Company Spotlight Breakfast at Future Motion
Santa Cruz Works is heading to Future Motion HQ for a special Company Spotlight Breakfast on Friday, June 12, from 8:00–9:30am.
Future Motion is the Santa Cruz company behind Onewheel— the single-wheel electric board that has built a global following from a very local idea. Founded by Kyle Doerksen, Future Motion first launched Onewheel in 2014 after a successful Kickstarter campaign, and the company has since grown into one of Santa Cruz County’s most recognizable consumer product brands.
This Company Spotlight gives attendees a chance to start the morning with coffee, breakfast, networking, and a behind-the-scenes look at the team and technology behind Onewheel. Like past Santa Cruz Works Company Spotlight Breakfasts, the goal is simple: bring the community inside the companies building, designing, hiring, and growing here in Santa Cruz County. Recent Company Spotlight events have included local innovators like Spanner, with members gathering for breakfast, connection, and an inside look at the host company’s work.
The Next Wave
The 3D Entrepreneurs Club (3DE Club), in collaboration with DeLaveaga Elementary School, invites the community to The Next Wave — a first-of-its-kind student-led mayoral forum. Elementary school students will ask Santa Cruz mayoral candidates important questions about the city's future and their plans for the next generation.
Santa Cruz Launchpad 2026
Santa Cruz Launchpad 2026 empowers students across Santa Cruz County to turn ideas into real solutions and explore real career pathways. The event combines a student startup competition with a county-wide job fair, building entrepreneurial skills, connecting young innovators with mentors and employers, and sparking responsible, community-focused innovation from high school through university.
Event Date: May 13, 2026
Rooftop New Tech
Join us on May 6 on the rooftop at Anton Pacific, one of our all-time favorite venues, where sweeping views of the San Lorenzo River, the Boardwalk, and Monterey Bay set the stage.
Luncheon with Special Presentation by Santa Cruz County's New County Executive Officer, Nicole Coburn
The Santa Cruz Area Chamber invites you to an important lunch event featuring Nicole Coburn, newly appointed County Executive Officer for Santa Cruz County.
Nicole will provide essential updates that local businesses won’t want to miss, including:
The latest on county budget impacts
Funding opportunities available to local businesses
Guidance on how to do business with the County
Join us for lunch, learning, and connection with fellow community members and business leaders. This timely and informative session is designed to support and strengthen our business community. We encourage all local businesses to attend.
CEO Works Luncheon | How to Attract, Grow, & Retain Young Talent in Santa Cruz County
Santa Cruz County’s economic future depends not just on attracting talent, but on employers’ ability to develop, support, and retain the young professionals who want to build their lives and careers here. In this talk, Candice Elliott, Vice President of People and Culture at Unraid and Founder at Fortress and Flourish HR Strategy, draws on her experience advising innovative organizations to explore why recruiting local talent is a smart business strategy, what young professionals actually need to succeed at work, and where employers often unintentionally create barriers to retention. Designed for CEOs and senior leaders, the session offers practical, realistic insights on how to cultivate work environments where both employers and employees thrive while strengthening the local workforce and economy. Also learn about how Santa Cruz Works, Digital NEST, and the City of Santa Cruz are providing local Santa Cruz businesses with fully paid internships.
2026 Annual Awards Gala Celebration
The Santa Cruz County Chamber of Commerce proudly presents a dazzling gala event that will showcase the most talented and impactful contributors in our community through our esteemed Community Recognition Awards.
- Join the Chamber for a delicious banquet dinner in the The Grove overlooking Monterey Bay
- Celebrate our honorees at the awards ceremony in the Grand Ballroom
- Enjoy the reception with more than 300 local business and community leaders attending
2026 Annual Awards Gala Celebration - Waves of Impact
The Santa Cruz County Chamber of Commerce proudly presents a dazzling gala event that will showcase the most talented and impactful contributors in our community through our esteemed Community Recognition Awards.
- Join us for a delicious banquet dinner in the The Grove overlooking Monterey Bay
- Celebrate our honorees at the awards ceremony in the Grand Ballroom
- Enjoy the reception with more than 300 local business and community leaders attending
Cabrillo College Job & Internship Fair
Connect with dozens of companies searching for talent like yours!
April New Tech
On April 1, New Tech at Chaminade brings organoids, brain interfaces, AI, music, and big ideas into one must-see Santa Cruz night.
Lift Summit 2026
Save the Date! Monterey Bay DART is proud to announce the return of the LIFT Summit, taking place March 31-April 2, 2026 at the Monterey Conference Center in beautiful Monterey, California.
Whether you’re joining us for the first time or returning for our second annual gathering, we can’t wait to welcome you for another inspiring exploration of innovation, regional collaboration, and the future of flight technology.
Santa Cruz Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) Forum
A March 26 public forum will explore whether emerging transportation technologies could help Santa Cruz County move people more efficiently, sustainably, and affordably
CEO Works Luncheon | A One Hour Tech Startup Bootcamp
This talk distills key lessons from Chris Rowen’s Startup Bootcamp, drawing on his experience founding and leading multiple successful startups and working closely with early-stage teams across technology domains. The session covers the essential realities of startups: why people start them, how to discover product-market fit, and the challenges of turning ideas into real products that customers value. It explores how founders engage customers, navigate venture funding, and build teams and cultures that can execute under uncertainty.
A special emphasis is placed on AI startups—where rapid technical progress is creating new opportunities, but also new risks. Rather than treating AI as a shortcut, this talk focuses on sound startup fundamentals, practical judgment, and how AI profoundly changes the economics of experimentation, iteration, and scaling, and ultimately of the entire software ecosystem.
About the Presenter
Chris Rowen is a Silicon Valley entrepreneur and technologist, splitting his time between serving VP of Collaboration AI at Cisco and teaching about tech startups. Most recently he was co-founder and CEO of BabbleLabs, a speech ML company, acquired by Cisco in 2020. Prior to BabbleLabs, Chris served as CTO for Cadence’s IP Group, which he joined after Cadence’s acquisition of Tensilica, the company he founded in 1997 to develop extensible processors. He led Tensilica as CEO and later, CTO, to develop one of the most prolific embedded processor architectures, especially for compute-intensive embedded processing. Chris was a pioneer in developing RISC architecture and helped found MIPS Computer Systems in 1984. He has an MS and a PhD in EE from Stanford and a BA in physics from Harvard. He was named an IEEE Fellow in 2015 for his work in development of microprocessor technology.