Engage / Vision Weekend / Vision Weekend USA 2025
Event

Vision Weekend USA 2025


When

Where

San Francisco, USA

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:

Day 2

Day two is dedicated to “Funding X”, exploring the funding and innovation landscape for frontier technologies, in four sessions:

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 Brown

Google DeepMind – "AI & Physics: What do they mean for each other"

Adam Goldstein

Softmax – "A New Paradigm for AI"

Alan Mardinly

Science

Allison Duettmann

Foresight Institute

Anastasia Gamick

Convergent Research – "Convergent Philanthropy Approach & Prios"

Andrew Payne

E11 – "Scaling up PRISM optical connectomics towards whole mammalian brains"

Andrew Trask

OpenMined – "Privacy-preserving AI"

Ant Rowstron

ARIA – "ARIA's Funding Approach & Prios"

Ariel Ekblaw

Aurelia Institute – "Space Exploration in the Age of AI"

Brandon Goldman

Lionheart VC – "Lionheart's Investing Approach & Prios"

Catalin Mitelut

Netholabs

Cate Hall

Astera Institute – "Astera's Approach & Prios"

Chiara Marletto

University of Oxford – "The Quantum Gravity Experiment"

Ed Boyden

MIT – "AI for Whole Brain Emulation"

Ela Madej

Fifty Years

Eli Dourado

Astera Institute – "Astera’s programs and mission"

Erika Alden DeBenedictis

Pioneer Labs – "Automating Life Science Experiments"

Greg Wayne

Google – "Universal AI Assistants"

Gwern Branwen

Gwern.net – "Fireside chat on AI"

Joe Betts-LaCroix

Retro – "AI approaches to protein engineering"

John Hallman

OpenAI – "Accelerating life sciences research"

Joshua Elliott

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

Juan Benet

Protocol Labs

Laura Deming

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

Liv Boeree

Win-Win Podcast – "Win-Win in the Age of AI"

Matthew Cullinen

HSBC

Molly MacKinlay

Protocol Labs

Niamh Peren

Foresight Institute

Sean Escola

Protocol Labs

Steve Jurvetson

Future Fund – "Investing for accelerating technological progress"

Viren Jain

Google – "AI for Connectomics"

Impressions from previous Vision Weekends

Tickets

All Access Pass

All Access Pass $4,000

Includes:

Main event and VIP gatherings

General Attendance

General Attendance $600

Includes:

Main event

Subsidized Attendance

Subsidized Attendance $250

Includes:

Main event

Day 1, Friday

Time TBA

VIP Event: Lab Tour & Soirée

Day 2, Saturday

9:40 – 10:00 am

Introduction & Welcome

Allison Duettmann, Foresight Institute

10:00 – 11:00 am

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

11:00 am – 12:00 pm

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

12:00 – 1:00 pm

Lunch

1:00 – 2:00 pm

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

2:00 – 3:00 pm

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

3:00 – 3:30 pm

Break

3:30 – 4:30 pm

Existential Hope

Liv Boeree, Win-Win Podcast: Win-Win in the Age of AI

David Eagleman, Stanford University

4:30 – 5:30 pm

Participant Lightning Talks

5:30 – 6:30 pm

Social Time

6:30 pm

VIP Evening: Dinner & Cypherpunk Party

Day 3, Sunday

9:00 – 10:00 am

VIP Event: Lab Tour & Breakfast

11:00 – 12:00 pm

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

11:00 – 12:00 pm

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

1:00 – 2:00 pm

Lunch

2:00 – 3:00 pm

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

2:00 – 3:00 pm

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

3:30 – 3:50 pm

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.

Bronze – $5,000

  • x1 Vision Weekend ticket
  • Your logo mentioned in all Vision Weekend communications
  • Access to VIP events including breakfast at one of the most exciting new labs

Silver– $10,000

  • x1 Vision Weekend ticket
  • Your logo mentioned in all Vision Weekend communications
  • Tailored presentation spot
  • Access to VIP events including breakfast at one of the most exciting new labs

Gold– $15,000

  • x2 Vision Weekend tickets
  • Your logo mentioned in all Vision Weekend communications
  • Tailored presentation spot
  • Curated 1:1 networking opportunities
  • Access to VIP events including breakfast at one of the most exciting new labs

Platinum– $20,000

  • x3 Vision Weekend tickets
  • Your logo mentioned in all Vision Weekend communications
  • Tailored presentation spot
  • Curated 1:1 networking opportunities
  • Co-create one focus track of interest with us at Foresight Institute
  • Access to VIP events including breakfast at one of the most exciting new labs

Fund the science of the future.

Donate today