The future will be explained to you in Palo Alto

The article previews the final StrictlyVC event of 2025, hosted by PlayGround Global in Palo Alto, which brings together leading innovators working on groundbreaking technologies before they become widely recognized. Highlighted speakers include Nicholas Kelez, a particle accelerator physicist developing next-generation semiconductor manufacturing tools to reduce reliance on expensive European laser machines; Mina Fahmi and Kirak Hong, creators of the Stream Ring, a device designed to extend cognitive capabilities by capturing whispered thoughts; and Max Hodak, cofounder of Neuralink, who is advancing “biohybrid” brain-computer interfaces that integrate stem-cell-seeded chips into brain tissue to help paralyzed individuals control devices with their minds. Hodak envisions transformative changes by 2035. The event also features venture capitalists Chi-Hua Chien and Elizabeth Weil, who have backed major tech successes like Twitter, Spotify, and TikTok. They argue that Silicon Valley is misreading the AI moment by focusing heavily on enterprise AI, while the