~$40USD*
For researchers with ideas soon ready to leave the lab. Pay what you can from the suggested $40, or request a subsidy.
Apply as a researcherAbout the mixer
Vision Weekend USA, November 13–15 in San Francisco, closes with tracks on funding frontier projects in AI for science and safety. The Mixer, on November 15, is where those conversations keep going, with funders, founders, and researchers in the same room.
Five focus areas
Where introductions happen
We bring together investors, founders, and research talent working in these five areas.
Secure & Sovereign AI
Longevity Biotech
Neurotech & Neuro AI
Molecular Manufacturing & Nanotech
Space & Energy
About Foresight Institute
Forty years of futures worth funding
Since Christine Peterson and Eric Drexler founded Foresight Institute in 1986, we have championed early-stage, interdisciplinary science and technology too ambitious or complex for legacy institutions. Through grants, prizes, fellowships, workshops, and events, we back the pioneering scientists and innovators advancing technologies for the benefit of life. Our community spans Nobel laureates, technologists, investors, builders, and academics working toward futures worth wanting.
2026 is our 40th anniversary. Come help shape the next forty.
Who’s in the room
Founders
Founders raising for frontier science ventures or FROs, now or in the future.
Researchers
Researchers whose work is ready to leave the lab.
Investors & Funders
Investors and funders looking to back scientific and AI safety talent, at early or later stage.
Foresight reviews every application, curating for our mission fit.
By the numbers
The people at our visionary events
The Mixer closes Vision Weekend USA. These figures describe the founders, researchers, and funders who attend Foresight’s visionary events (Workshops, Salons, and Vision Weekends).
-
~45%
of attendees hold or are pursuing a PhD.
~11% are Foresight Fellows or grantees, backed to work on frontier science.
-
1 in 5
founders has had an exit or built a $100M+ company.
-
$600M+
in pre-seed and seed capital managed by attending investors.
-
~$4B
a year deployed into frontier science and startups by attending funders, together.
“As far as how to recognize research that is going to be really impactful in the long term… I think [Foresight Institute is] doing a good job in recognizing things that have potential.”
“For 40 years, Foresight has backed frontier science that’s too early or too interdisciplinary for legacy institutions, and helped inspire and organize 10,000+ scientists, technologists, philanthropists, investors, students, and dreamers along the way.”
Ideas explored at a Foresight conference around 2004 led to nine years of DoD support, with $5M in funding for novel catalyst development, followed by $12M in seed funding for ThirdLaw Molecular and an additional $5M contract in 2022.
A 2007 Vision Weekend session on mind uploading, led by Todd, garnered significant interest. Fifteen years later he co-founded E11, one of the first successful Focused Research Organizations, mapping brain circuits cell by cell.
“The connections and support from Foresight Institute were instrumental in founding Living Carbon and securing significant funding.”
“Foresight’s fellowship gave me the opportunity to propose and develop ideas that are now leading the field in longevity research.”
His brain tissue replacement project, first proposed in a 2021 Foresight program, is now funded by major longevity investors. In 2024 he was hired to lead a major new US government initiative on the same topic.
“Foresight’s community has been hugely important to Vora. It is how we found our head of hardware and our lead investor. Nick George watched my talk on fiduciary AI from last year’s Vision Weekend on YouTube, reached out, and joined us as Head of Hardware. Then, at Foresight’s Secure & Sovereign AI workshop in Berlin, I met Xavier Meegan, and his fund, Frachtis, invested $1.35M in Vora in October as our lead investor for our seed round.”
At Vision Weekend Puerto Rico 2025, a conversation with Todd Huffman led to Zachary joining his research group at Episteme, securing both a role and funding for neuromimetic systems research.
“Foresight Institute’s willingness to fund high-risk, early-stage discovery research, including work happening inside startups, not just universities, fills a critical gap in today’s funding landscape. At a time when so few funders will take that risk, their support is essential to keeping ambitious science alive.”
What to expect
Connecting visionaries in science and AI
The evening continues Sunday’s funding and innovation programming at Vision Weekend. We will open the doors to new guests to connect around the most ambitious ideas in science, technology, and AI safety.
- 4:00 – 5:00 pm
Vision Weekend Pitch Competition
Pitches from Vision Weekend attendees, competing for the $10,000 Project Pitch Contest prize. Hear insights from teams formed over Vision Weekend.
- 5:00 – 5:45 pm
Visionary Funders Panel
VCs, family offices, grantmakers, and FRO field builders share insights on the future of frontier science and technology, and beyond.
- 6:00 – 7:00 pm
Open Founder Pitches
Selected founders from the Mixer pitch their visionary ideas, by focus area, and sponsors open their dedicated sponsor areas.
- 6:00 – 8:00 pm
Open Founder-Funder Mixing Social
Dinner bites, drinks, and open conversations across our focus areas and sponsor areas.
How to join
Apply early
We review applications on a rolling basis and confirm as spots are allocated, so applying early helps.
$100USD
For founders building in one of the five focus areas. Get connected to funders.
Apply as a founder- Angels
- $250USD
- Funds & family offices
- $400USD
For VC funds, family offices, angels, and philanthropic funders.
Apply as an investorIncluded in your ticket
Already attending Vision Weekend? The Mixer is included in your ticket.
About Vision Weekend- Every ticket needs approval from Foresight before it's confirmed, to review our mission fit.
- Subsidized researcher tickets case-by-case, pre-seed only.
Partner with us
Mixer Sponsorship tiers
The Mixer is a separate sponsorship to our Vision Weekend, with combination requirements. Sponsorship packages are available for grant organizations, foundations, VC funds, accelerators, and family offices who are VIP All Access Pass or General Attendance ticket holders of Vision Weekend, or also sponsors of Vision Weekend. Your sponsorship helps us run our programs backing ambitious science and technology for the benefit of life.
Silver – $5,000
Requires at least 1 Vision Weekend All Access pass, General Attendance pass, or Vision Weekend sponsorship
- 1 Founder and Funder Mixer ticket
- Your logo included in Founder and Funder Mixer event outreach as a Silver Sponsor
- Mixer guest list access
Gold – $10,000
Limited. Requires at least 1 All Access Vision Weekend pass, or Vision Weekend sponsorship, Bronze or above
- 2 Founder and Funder Mixer tickets
- Your logo included in Founder and Funder Mixer event outreach as a Gold Sponsor
- Mixer guest list access
- Dedicated sponsor area at the Mixer with your logo
Platinum – $15,000
Limited. Only combined with Vision Weekend sponsorship, Bronze or above
- 3 Founder and Funder Mixer tickets
- Your logo included in Founder and Funder Mixer event outreach as a Platinum Sponsor
- Mixer guest list access
- Dedicated sponsor area at the Mixer with your logo
- Founder and Funder Mixer panel speaker or moderation slot
To customize our Platinum options, please let us know.
Foresight Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (Tax ID: 77-0119168), so your gift is tax-deductible in the US as allowed by law, less the value of any premiums of significant value received, in this case, 20% of the total cost of your ticket.
Vision Weekend USA 2026 · November 13–15, San Francisco
Tickets
All Access Pass
All Access Pass Ticket$3,500
Includes:Main event and VIP gatherings
PurchaseGeneral Attendance
General Attendance Ticket$1,000
Includes:Main event
PurchaseVision Weekend sponsor tiers
Bronze – $10,000
- x1 Vision Weekend ticket
- Your logo mentioned in Vision Weekend communications
- Access to VIP events with our speakers, grantees, and Fellows
Silver – $15,000
- x1 Vision Weekend ticket
- Your logo mentioned in Vision Weekend communications
- Access to VIP events with our speakers, grantees, and Fellows
- Tailored presentation spot
Gold – $20,000
- x2 Vision Weekend tickets
- Your logo mentioned in Vision Weekend communications
- Access to VIP events with our speakers, grantees, and Fellows
- Tailored presentation spot
- Curated 1:1 networking opportunities
Platinum – $25,000
- x3 Vision Weekend tickets
- Your logo mentioned in Vision Weekend communications
- Access to VIP events with our speakers, grantees, and Fellows
- Tailored presentation spot
- Curated 1:1 networking opportunities
- Co-create one focus track of interest for the event with us
Get connected
Introducing our Registry
Early access for Mixer guests
Foresight’s Founder & Funder Registry
Mixer guests get early access to the Registry, where frontier founders meet visionary funders. For 40 years, Foresight has brought together the people building existentially hopeful futures. Now we’re opening a registry for mission-aligned founders and funders in our community to openly connect.
Explore the Registry
For founders
Raising now, or starting something new
Founders raising for frontier science and secure AI startups, Focused Research Organizations (FROs), or exploring new ventures.
For funders
Backing the frontier, early or later stage
Angels, funds, family offices, syndicates, and philanthropists looking to back scientific and technical talent.
Foresight Nodes
Join our global community
We give compute, grants, and fellowships to researchers and founders around the world, through our Nodes and xNodes. We’re expanding the Nodes network and building out compute to support the frontier of science in the decades ahead. Join our global community of expert researchers, founders, and visionary funders building existentially hopeful futures for the benefit of life.
AI Nodes
San Francisco and Berlin
Grant funding, private compute, and office space for open AI for science and safety projects, plus Atlas, our AI app that connects people across our Nodes.
Explore the Nodes xNodesCape Town and global
Our growing community xNodes, featuring our first, the Cape Institute for Safe AI. Foresight accepts new community xNodes as we build a global, decentralized network.
Launch or join a Node
Grants and Fellowships
For researchers and founders
Grants and fellowships for people advancing frontier science and technology, across our focus areas.
See the Fellowship See our Grants