Vision Weekend USA 2025
Vision Weekend is our annual flagship event, bringing together researchers, entrepreneurs, and funders to plan for flourishing futures!
Join for the big ideas – talks at the frontiers of science and technology, office hours with leading experts, curated 1-1s, tech demos, unconference discussions, mentorship hours, and a $10k project pitch contest. Stay for fun with new friends – lab tours, satellite events, biohacking sessions, a cyberpunk party, and surprise experiences, all set across iconic Bay Area locations.
Conference
Vision Weekend is about bold thinking and practical action: what kind of future should we create, and how do we actually build it? On the first day, we will explore some of the most exciting work happening at the frontiers of biotechnology, AI, and other fields. Day two is about accelerating progress: how we can bring these futures to life, faster.
Day 1
The theme of day one is “AI for X”, focusing on how AI can advance beneficial technologies. You will hear 30+ short presentations from leading experts in:
- Longevity, rejuvenation and cryonics
- Neurotechnology, brain-computer interfaces and whole brain emulation
- Cryptography, security and AI
- Fusion, energy and space
- Futures of Existential Hope
Day 2
Day two is dedicated to “Funding X”, exploring the funding and innovation landscape for frontier technologies, in four sessions:
- VC and angel funding
- Philanthropic funding
- Government funding
- Crypto and decentralized crowdfunding
After the talks, join the meet and greets with your favorite speakers and funders.
Lightning Talks
The future is brought to you – by you! Whether you want to throw another AI talk into the mix, or think the hype is overblown and want to discuss an entirely different domain for frontier innovation, the stage is yours!
Office Hours
Meet brilliant organizations building beautiful futures! Drop in to learn more about opportunities to collaborate, or chat about topics of shared interest. After registering, you can apply to host your own office hour.
$10,000 Project Pitch Contest
The future needs to be built. Foresight is a community of builders and our mission is to help you accelerate progress. That is why we host a project pitch contest, awarding a $10k grant to the winning proposal for advancing frontier tech for the benefit of life!
Tech Demos, Interactive Art & Surprise Experiences
The future is fun! Are you working on a new longevity diagnostic or non-invasive brain-computer interface? Need test subjects for a study? Producing futurist music or interactive art? Please share! After registering, you can apply to host a demo or share an experience.
VIP Gatherings
Beyond the main event, we are inviting speakers, sponsors, All Access Pass holders, Fellows, and grantees to three exclusive gatherings across the Bay Area. Get excited for a special lab tour and soirée on Friday. Saturday evening features our Cyberpunk party – dress up as the future you would like to see, and indulge in a wonderful dinner, drinks, and the now notorious dance party! On Sunday morning, join us for breakfast and a tour at one of the most exciting new labs out there before the main event starts.
Who will I meet?
Vision Weekend gathers 300 leading scientists, builders, entrepreneurs, funders, and activists building better tomorrows with technology. While Foresighters might specialize in one domain – such as longevity, neurotechnology, AI, nanotechnology, energy or space – most of us love to peek into other fields and drive progress at the intersections. We all share an excitement about what the future might hold, and a sense of responsibility to make it go well. In addition to the official sessions, we encourage you to schedule 1-1s or group discussions with other participants to deep dive into shared areas of interest and start collaborating!
Presenters

Adam Goldstein
Softmax – "A New Paradigm for AI"

Alan Mardinly
Science

Andrew Trask
OpenMined – "Privacy-preserving AI"

Ant Rowstron
ARIA – "ARIA's Funding Approach & Prios"

Catalin Mitelut
Netholabs

Ela Madej
Fifty Years

Erika Alden DeBenedictis
Pioneer Labs – "Automating Life Science Experiments"

Greg Wayne
Google – "Universal AI Assistants"

Gwern Branwen
Gwern.net – "Fireside chat on AI"

John Hallman
OpenAI – "Accelerating life sciences research"

Joshua Elliott
Renaissance Philanthropy – "The Hail-Mary Phase of Climate Change"

Laura Deming
Until – "Longevity Fund's Investing Approach & Prios"

Matthew Cullinen
HSBC

Sean Escola
Protocol Labs

Viren Jain
Google – "AI for Connectomics"
Impressions from previous Vision Weekends








































Day 1, Friday
VIP Event: Lab Tour & Soirée
Day 2, Saturday
Introduction & Welcome
Allison Duettmann, Foresight Institute
AI for Better AI Track
Adam Goldstein, Softmax: A New Paradigm for AI
Andrew Trask, OpenMined: Privacy-preserving AI
Greg Wayne, Google: Universal AI Assistants
Gwern Branwen, Gwern.net: Fireside chat on AI
AI for Bio
Joe Betts-LaCroix, Retro: AI Approaches to Protein Engineering
John Hallman, OpenAI: Accelerating Life Sciences Research
Erika Alden DeBenedictis, Pioneer Labs: Automating Life Science Experiments
Laura Deming, Until: Longevity Fund's Investing Approach & Prios
Lunch
AI for Neuro
Andrew Payne, E11: Scaling up PRISM Optical Connectomics Towards Whole Mammalian Brains
Ed Boyden, MIT: AI for Whole Brain Emulation
Viren Jain, Google: AI for Connectomics
Alan Mardinly, Science
Diana Saville, BrainMind: Neuroethics
Catalin Mitelut, Netholabs: Scalable Whole-Brain Emulation – Paradigm and Progress
AI for Space & Physics
Adam Brown, Google DeepMind: AI & Physics: What Do They Mean for Each Other
Ariel Ekblaw, Aurelia Institute: Space Exploration in the Age of AI
Chiara Marletto, University of Oxford: The Quantum Gravity Experiment
Break
Existential Hope
Liv Boeree, Win-Win Podcast: Win-Win in the Age of AI
David Eagleman, Stanford University
Participant Lightning Talks
Social Time
VIP Evening: Dinner & Cypherpunk Party
Day 3, Sunday
VIP Event: Lab Tour & Breakfast
Community Partner Office Hours
Adam Gries, Vitalism
Austin Chen, Manifund
Brenda Eap, A4LI
Brooke Bowman, VibeCamp
Cecilia Elena Tilli, Cooperative AI Foundation
Daniel Barcay, Center for Humane Technology
Deger Turan, Metaculus
Non-profit Funding sponsored by Astera Institute
Cate Hall, Astera Institute: Astera's Approach & Prios
Anastasia Gamick, Convergent Research: Convergent Philanthropy Approach & Prios
Eli Dourado, Astera Institute: Astera’s programs and mission
Molly MacKinlay, Protocol Labs
Matthew Cullinen, HSBC: Accelerating Private Investment in Technology Deployment With Loan Guarantees
Joshua Elliott, Renaissance Philanthropy: The Hail-Mary Phase of Climate Change
Lunch
For-profit Funding
Steve Jurvetson, Future Fund: Investing for Accelerating Technological Progress
Juan Benet, Protocol Labs
Sean Escola, Protocol Labs
Brandon Goldman, Lionheart Ventures
Ela Madej, 50 Years
Community Partner Office Hours
Emilia Javorsky, Future of Life Institute
Karl Berzins, FAR AI
Mark Lutter, Charter Cities Institute
Rose Bloomin, Plurality Institute
Joscha Bach, CIMC
Lou Viquerat de Kerhuelvez, Shift Grants
Government & Policy
Jim O’Neill, United States Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services
Ant Rowstron, ARIA
Ilan Gur, ARIA
Become a Sponsor
As a sponsor, you make it possible for emerging talents to join the event. The sponsor tickets come in several tiers.