Building AI-Native Startups at Hackathon Speed: The Power of Trusted Allies & Community to Bring Bold Visions to Life - Light DAO Salon (SF)

Join Light Dao and our community of conscious entrepreneurs and investors for a salon evening filled with connection, deep conversations, and a fireside chat with Sako and Ruby Yeh, Co-Founder of Light Dao. Light Dao is a fast-growing "friends of trusted friends" global network of over 7,000+ entrepreneurs, including 1,000 investors, with curated in-person and online gatherings and experiences in LA, NYC, SF, Lisbon, Taipei, and Australia, with past Retreats to Dominican Republic, Half Moon Bay and Roatan, Honduras. Our heartfelt mission is to expand the collective consciousness and co-create a thriving regenerative future for humanity. SPECIAL SALON GUEST: Sako, founder of the popular 1,000+ member WhatsApp community, LPM Alliance (Large People Model)San Francisco’s startup ecosystem is changing at extraordinary speed. Founders, engineers, investors, and AI practitioners from around the world have arrived to build, collaborate, and explore what is newly possible. At many gatherings, nearly 30% of participants come from outside the US. Yet the landscape is full of contradictions: rapid advances in AI, new funding and company formation, alongside layoffs, uncertainty, and constant shifts in the tools and skills that matter. Join Light DAO for an intimate salon with Sako, an accomplished engineer and one of San Francisco’s most connected and generous technology community leaders. Originally from Azerbaijan, Sako built deep relationships across the Bay Area by consistently showing up at hackathons, contributing his technical expertise, helping teams solve difficult problems, and frequently winning. His ability to stay at the forefront of emerging technology while bringing people together has made him a trusted leader in the San Francisco’s startup ecosystem. We’ll explore: Building AI-native startups at hackathon speedHow today’s tools are changing what individuals and small teams can create.Renaissance EngineeringHow to be among the next generation of builders that will work across AI, engineering, product, design, and business rather than staying inside a single discipline.Keeping up with the new technology landscapeWhich tools, skills, and learning pathways matter now, and how to stay relevant as the field changes.Navigating opportunity and uncertaintyHow to understand a market where new companies are being funded while established companies continue to cut jobs.Finding your place in San Francisco’s increasingly global startup ecosystemWhere to learn, contribute, meet the right people, and discover opportunities as a founder, engineer, newcomer, or non-technical builder.Why generosity and trust—not hustle—create lasting influenceHow helping others, contributing meaningfully, and building around shared values can lead to trusted allies, unexpected opportunities, and stronger ventures.This will be another cutting-edge, signature Light Dao talk you won't want to miss.SALON AGENDA:6:00-7:00pm - Welcome and healthy snacks served (no entry after 7:00PM)7:00-7:30pm - Light Dao's signature Connection Experience7:30-8:15pm - Fireside chat with Sako and Ruby8:15-8:30 - 1-liner business intros from each guest8:30-9:00pm - Hang out & Wrap-up VENUE DETAILS: SOMA DistrictGUIDELINES: This is more than your typical, business networking event. Light Dao is a private membership club for leaders seeking to join a like-valued global tribe and excited to deeply connect with fellow entrepreneurs and investors on a "whole person level," beyond just business networking.We respectfully ask everyone to arrive before 7:00PM when the door will be closed, for our signature "Connection Experience," which has been a favorite among past guests.  If you are not a Light Dao Member Owner yet, please be thorough with your registration answers to help us understand how you might be valued-aligned with our community as an EXPERIENCED FOUNDER OR INVESTOR, which allows us to quickly approve you.Please note, friends or Plus 1s must RSVP individually. JOIN US: We are excited to welcome you to our global community! http://wearelight.one/Our past San Francisco Salon Guests have included: Tim Chang, Mayfield Fund with $4B in exits, and a pioneer in human potentialChris Yeh, Co-author with Reid Hoffman of Blitzscaling, on scaling impactful tech startups|Tom Chi, GoogleX Founding Team Leader & Founder of $500M+ ClimateTech Funds at AtOne VenturesNichol Bradford, Founder of HumanTechWeek & GP of the Niremia Fund .Adam Gries, Founder of the global VitalistBay conference and the Vitalism Movement.Matthew Stepka, MP of Machina Ventures & UC Berkley Lecturer. Former Google VPNola Masterton, LP & Venture Partner of Portfolio & MD of Science Futures.Jeremy Nixon, Architect of the famed SF Bay Area AGI Hacker HousesAni Chahal Honan, Founder & MP of the $1 Billion "Beneficial AI Fund" IMAGINE VenturesVivienne Ming, Co-founder of Socos and an AI and neuroscience visionary and scientistAshley Bell, Leading a $500M fund focused on underserved communitiesAJ Keller, Founder of Neurosity funded by Adam Draper, at the cutting edge of BCI technologyAgnieszka Pilat, Robotics artist & "artist in residence" at XPrize, Boston Dynamics & Seoul airport exhibitionDe Kai, True AI OG with 40 years experience. New AI book endorsed by Geoffrey Hinton & MC Hammer.Mariane Bekker, Founder of the 90,000 member Founders Bay & Venture Fund.Daniel Theobald, Founder of Vecna Robotics & MassRobotics & Chairman of the Founders Guild