On October 9th, SHACK15 hosted a roundtable discussion led by California State Senator Scott Wiener, which focused on artificial intelligence, regulation, and creating local impact within the Bay Area. Senator Wiener, who actively put forth legislation with backing from a few of the Bay Area's largest tech and AI companies, took questions from SHACK15 members working in AI and other fields. The event was hosted by Michael Seiler, whose impact acceleration consulting firm, Collective Impact, leverages growth marketing and new technology for those working on the frontlines of social and environmental challenges, introduced by SHACK15 programming manager Jaron Gandelman.

San Francisco has established itself as the global center for AI innovation, with an unparalleled concentration of builders, VCs, and AI-focused funding. As AI continues to shape industries and societal structures, there is an urgent need to consider the regulatory framework that governs its development and use, particularly in ways that create meaningful local impact. Senator Wiener’s forthcoming AI regulation bill aims to address these challenges, and this discussion serves as a platform to gather critical feedback from the builder community.

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Join us for an exclusive Author Talk with Guy Kawasaki. Guy needs no introduction but here we go -  the chief evangelist of Canva and the creator of the Remarkable People podcast, who recently launched his book Think Remarkable. He is an executive fellow of the Haas School of Business (UC Berkeley), and adjunct professor of the University of New South Wales. He was the chief evangelist of Apple and a trustee of the Wikimedia Foundation. He has written Wise Guy, The Art of the Start 2.0, The Art of Social Media, Enchantment, and eleven other books. 

In this podcast, SHACK15 member, founder and first CEO of Shazam - Chis Barton - is in conversation with us. Three-time startup founder, pioneer of mobile ecosystems at Google and Dropbox, and inventor of 12 patents including one found within the Google search algorithm, Chris is an incredibly charming personality. Shazam has been downloaded 2 billion times and was acquired by Apple in 2018 for a reported $400 million, making it Apple’s 6th largest acquisition of all-time. Chris is now building his third startup company which will detect drowning in swimming pools using artificial intelligence and computer vision. Tune in, and enjoy!

In this conversation, we have an illuminating discussion with Waymo co-CEO Dmitri Dolgov moderated by Sebastian Thrun who started the Google Self-Driving Car project back in the day, and is also the founder of GoogleX, Google Brain, Waymo and Udacity. Tune in as they dive into the story behind Waymo's fully autonomous cars, and the road that lies ahead in this fascinating industry that is changing the way we move in the world.

In this conversation, we have an illuminating discussion with Waymo co-CEO Dmitri Dolgov moderated by Sebastian Thrun who started the Google Self-Driving Car project back in the day, and is also the founder of GoogleX, Google Brain, Waymo and Udacity. Tune in as they dive into the story behind Waymo's fully autonomous cars, and the road that lies ahead in this fascinating industry that is changing the way we move in the world.

One year after a stimulating panel discussion with the climate justice org People Over Plastic, SHACK15 hosted an evening of conversation featuring anti-GMO activist specializing in traditional Hawaiian farming Josh Mori and Bay Area-based Native educator, cultural arts advocate and CEO of The Cultural Conservancy Sara Moncada. They shared their unique perspectives on food sovereignty as a pathway toward climate justice, including indigenous-led solutions to heal and restore the land. The conversation was moderated by People over Plastic Managing Director Yvonne Chen with opening remarks by SHACK15 member Shilpi Chhotray, who is also co-founder and executive director of People over Plastic.

Today, over 100 billion garments are produced annually for less than 8 billion people worldwide, a massive overproduction that places fashion in critical opposition with the planet’s natural capacity to support life on earth. On December 5th, SHACK15 hosted Remake Founder and CEO Ayesha Barenblat and a special guest, the labor activist Kalpona Akter, Founder and Executive Director of the Bangladesh Center for Workers Solidarity, who is known globally for her engagement with various international organizations including United Nations agencies, to bring greater respect to garment workers in Bangladesh. She is now one of the most high-profile union organizers in the global garment industry. Together, Ayesha and Kalpona brought attention to the injustices within the fashion industry, centered the voices of garment workers, and shared ways that you can advocate for a more ethical, sustainable future of fashion. The conversation was introduced by SHACK15 member and founder and CEO of Dhana Inc., Shamini Dhana. 

After decades of suppression, psychedelic medicine is having a pivotal moment. At the forefront is soap company Dr. Bronner’s, which is among the first companies in the U.S. to offer Ketamine-Assisted Therapy as part of its employee healthcare benefits. Together with Enthea, which provides insurance coverage for psychedelic healthcare, and Flow Integrative, Dr. Bronner’s is helping to change the perception of psychedelic medicine in the workplace, and the world. A recent panel discussion about the future of employee supported psychedelic wellness included Elizabeth Kost, who works in branding and packaging for Dr. Bronner’s, Sherry Rais, who leads Enthea, and Christie Myers, who heads up Flow Integrative. Jen Nguyen of Teamwerc moderated the conversation. Let’s listen to their inspiring conversation.

Eleven months, nine tournaments, and $1.6 million in prize money all came down to one thing: the finals of the award-winning Meltwater Champions Chess Tour. SHACK15 hosted the Opening Ceremony in San Francisco's iconic Ferry Building on November 10th before the final battle to be the world's #1 online chess player began, hosted by Play Magnus Group and Meltwater, the title sponsor of the tour that has taken the chess world by storm. As part of the evening’s lineup, World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen spoke with Meltwater founder Jorn Lyseggen about what it takes to be the world's best. They explored what it means to cultivate the mindset of a champion, and the parallels between the worlds of chess and business. Let’s listen to their conversation.

The African tech scene has witnessed an explosion of innovation and growth in recent years with several impressive startups springing up all across the continent, a staggering influx of global talent and over 5 billion dollars raised in investment. From artificial intelligence, to the Internet of things, to blockchain, SHACK15 placed the spotlight on Africans using technologies in exciting ways to solve everyday problems and foster inclusivity. The conference on October 18 was presented in collaboration with MEST Africa in Ghana. MEST Africa is the non profit arm of the software company Meltwater, and was established in Ghana in 2008. It has trained and developed thousands of software entrepreneurs and provided seed investment to a lot of them.  The conference highlighted the success stories and investment opportunities for technology startups in Africa, and why it’s important that Silicon Valley pays attention now.

Part 2 focuses on How to Navigate Investments in African Startups, with panelists Lexi Novitske (General Partner, Norrsken22, Lagos Nigeria), Pardon Makumbe (Co-Founder and Managing Partner at CRE Venture Capital),  and Aadil Mamujee (Founder, Musha Ventures, Kenya), as well as pitch sessions by Wi-flix Co Founder and CCO Louis Manu, Smile Identity CTO Cameron Gray, and Omnibiz CEO Deepankar Rustagi.