At Taiwan Tech Day: From Lab to Market, Jonathan Gortat’s keynote brought the audience into one of the most important but least understood parts of the innovation economy: the licensing deal. Jonathan is the Director for Licensing and Strategic Alliances at Stanford University’s Office of Technology Licensing.

When people talk about breakthrough technology, they often focus on the discovery. A new material. A new medical platform. A new AI model. A new sensor. A new semiconductor process. The story usually begins with the lab and then jumps quickly to the market, as if the path from invention to product is a straight line.

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Johannes Rott’s opening remarks at 2026 Taiwan Tech Day highlight a central challenge in innovation: great technology does not become impact on its own. It needs an ecosystem of founders, investors, corporate partners, research institutions, and global collaborators to help move breakthrough ideas from the lab into real world markets.

Watch here: ⁠Johannes Rott of Plug and Play: Why Innovation Needs an Ecosystem⁠

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What happens when a startup develops technology that could become essential to national security?

In this episode of Silicon Valley Unplugged, we sit down with Katie Gray, Senior Partner at In-Q-Tel, for an inside look at one of the most unusual and influential organizations connecting Silicon Valley innovation with the United States national security community.

In-Q-Tel is not a traditional venture capital firm. Its mission is to identify promising commercial technologies, invest in the companies building them, and help adapt those technologies to address real government and national security needs.

Katie explains how In-Q-Tel evaluates startups, why cybersecurity remains a critical investment priority, and what founders should understand before entering the government market. The conversation also explores how artificial intelligence is changing cyber offense and defense, why speed matters in national security innovation, and how commercial startups have become increasingly important to America’s technological leadership.

• What In-Q-Tel is and how its investment model works
• How In-Q-Tel differs from a traditional venture capital firm
• What makes a startup relevant to national security
• How commercial technologies are adapted for government missions
• Why cybersecurity has become a strategic investment priority
• How artificial intelligence is transforming cyber threats and defenses
• What founders should know about working with government agencies
• Why dual use technology can create both commercial and national impact
• How investors evaluate founders working in sensitive technology sectors
• Katie Gray’s career, perspective, and advice for the next generation of innovators

As competition over artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, space, semiconductors, biotechnology, and other critical technologies intensifies, the relationship between startups and national security is becoming increasingly important.

This conversation reveals how ideas developed inside young technology companies can move from a startup pitch to a national mission.

About Silicon Valley Unplugged

Silicon Valley Unplugged, also known as SV Up, is Sparknify’s flagship technology discussion series. Each episode brings together founders, investors, academics, technologists, and thought leaders for candid conversations about the ideas and technologies shaping our lives and the future of innovation.

Filmed in Silicon Valley, the program is broadcast across Comcast community channels and distributed through digital platforms.

Visit Sparknify.com/live-show for upcoming episodes, featured speakers, and information about attending future recordings.

Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications to stay connected with future episodes of Silicon Valley Unplugged, where Silicon Valley speaks, unplugged.

#SiliconValleyUnplugged #InQT #KatieGray #NationalSecurity #Cybersecurity #ArtificialIntelligence #VentureCapital #DefenseTech #DualUseTechnology #Startups #GovernmentTechnology #EmergingTechnology #SiliconValley #Innovation #Sparknify

In this episode of Silicon Valley Unplugged, YouTube co-founder Steve Chen shares his perspective on Taiwan’s startup potential, its world-class engineering talent and the bridge it can build with Silicon Valley.

After returning to Taiwan following two decades in Silicon Valley, Steve saw an ecosystem with extraordinary strengths in semiconductors, hardware manufacturing and AI but also obstacles facing entrepreneurs, investors and international talent. He discusses the shortage of early-stage capital, practical challenges such as banking and relocation, and why Taiwan needs a longer-term strategy for cultivating globally competitive startups.

Steve also explains why promising Taiwanese founders should spend time immersed in Silicon Valley, how programs such as Berkeley SkyDeck can provide a softer landing, and why the exchange should ultimately bring experience, companies and opportunities back to Taiwan.

Could the combination of Silicon Valley capital and ambition with Taiwan’s engineering and manufacturing prowess create the next NVIDIA? Watch the full conversation.

About Sparknify SV Unplugged

Silicon Valley Unplugged (SV Up) is a monthly live studio show with audience produced by Sparknify, broadcast across the Comcast network in Silicon Valley, and distributed across social and digital platforms. Each episode brings together visionary founders, technologists, and creators to discuss bold ideas at the intersection of innovation, humanity, and the future.

Visit https://sparknify.com/live-show for information on upcoming episodes, guest speakers, and how to attend future shows in person.

🔔 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell icon to stay plugged in to future episodes of SV Up where Silicon Valley speaks, unplugged.

FOOTAGE CREDITS

Executive Yuan, R.O.C. (Taiwan), “Talent Taiwan International Talent Service and Recruitment Center Opening,” used under the Open Government Data License–Taiwan 1.0. Edited.

Additional technology footage courtesy of the Department of Industrial Technology, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Taiwan.

#SteveChen #Taiwan #SiliconValley #Startups #ArtificialIntelligence #Sparknify

Quei-hua Yang, Director General of Taiwan’s Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), opens Taiwan Tech Day: From Lab to Market, a Silicon Valley gathering focused on how breakthrough technologies move from research labs into real-world markets on April 20, 2026.Hosted at the intersection of Taiwan’s deep tech innovation and Silicon Valley’s startup ecosystem, the event brought together leaders from ITRI, Stanford Office of Technology Licensing, Plug and Play Tech Center, investors, entrepreneurs, and technology transfer experts to explore how research, licensing, venture capital, and global collaboration can accelerate commercialization in the AI era.In this opening speech, Quei-hua Yang sets the tone for a conversation about Taiwan’s role in driving next-generation innovation, connecting world-class research with market opportunity, and building stronger bridges between Taiwan and Silicon Valley.Event produced by Sparknify. For event information, please visit https://www.sparknify.com/event-details/lab-to-market

#TaiwanTechDay⁠ ⁠#ITRI⁠ ⁠#Sparknify⁠ ⁠#SiliconValley⁠ ⁠#TechTransfer⁠ ⁠#DeepTech⁠ ⁠#Innovation⁠ ⁠#AI⁠ ⁠#StartupEcosystem⁠ ⁠#TaiwanInnovation⁠

Artificial intelligence is no longer a distant technology trend. It is already changing how companies operate, how teams make decisions, how leaders think about strategy, and how people imagine the future of work. But as AI becomes more powerful, the most important question is not simply what the technology can do. It is how humans choose to lead with it.In this episode of Silicon Valley Unplugged, we sit down with Tonya J. Long, a leadership and AI strategist, venture builder, speaker, and author of AI and the New Oz: Leadership’s Journey to the Future of Work. Tonya’s work focuses on helping leaders, teams, and organizations translate AI ambition into practical strategy, sustainable adoption, and real business value. Her perspective brings together technology, leadership, organizational change, and the human side of innovation.The conversation explores the intersection of AI and humanity: how leaders can move beyond buzzwords, how organizations can adopt AI responsibly, and why human judgment, creativity, trust, and courage still matter in an increasingly automated world. From the boardroom to the breakroom, AI is forcing every organization to rethink not only its tools, but also its culture, leadership, and purpose.For Sparknify, the rise of AI is not just a technology story. It is a human story. It is about founders, executives, creators, workers, students, and communities navigating one of the most profound shifts of our time.The future will not be defined by AI alone. It will be shaped by the people who decide how to use it, challenge it, guide it, and create with it.Watch this conversation with Tonya J. Long on Silicon Valley Unplugged and explore what it means to lead, work, and remain human in the age of AI.About Silicon Valley UnpluggedSilicon Valley Unplugged (SV Up) by Sparknify is a monthly live studio show with audience produced by Sparknify, broadcast across the Comcast PEG Channels in Silicon Valley, and distributed across social and digital platforms. Each episode brings together visionary founders, technologists, and creators to discuss bold ideas at the intersection of innovation, humanity, and the future.Visit https://sparknify.com/live-show for information on upcoming episodes, guest speakers, and how to attend future shows in person.🔔 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell icon to stay plugged in to future episodes of SV Up — where Silicon Valley speaks, unplugged.#SiliconValleyUnplugged⁠ ⁠#Sparknify⁠ ⁠#TonyaJLong⁠ ⁠#AIAndHumanity⁠ ⁠#FutureOfWork⁠ ⁠#AILeadership⁠ ⁠#HumanCenteredAI⁠ ⁠#ResponsibleAI⁠ ⁠#SiliconValley⁠ ⁠#Innovation⁠

Accelerating ASIC Operations with Agentic AI & Automated WorkflowsIn this talk, Mohamed Kassem, CEO of Native Chips (http://nativechips.ai), explores how the next generation of custom silicon is being built—and how AI is fundamentally reshaping the way ASICs move from concept to production.As demand for specialized chips continues to surge across AI, edge computing, and high-performance systems, traditional ASIC development cycles are being pushed to their limits. Mohamed shares how agentic AI systems and automated workflows are unlocking a new paradigm—streamlining design, reducing iteration cycles, and enabling faster, more scalable silicon delivery.From rethinking design operations to orchestrating complex toolchains with intelligent agents, this session dives into what it takes to build custom silicon at the speed of modern innovation.Whether you’re a semiconductor engineer, founder, or investor, this talk offers a forward-looking perspective on how AI-native infrastructure will define the future of chip development.Topics covered: • The evolution of ASIC design and delivery • Agentic AI in semiconductor workflows • Automating complex design and verification pipelines • Reducing time-to-silicon in an AI-driven world • The future of custom silicon platforms⸻📍 Filmed in Silicon Valley🎥 Produced by SparknifyVisit https://sparknify.com/live-show for information on upcoming episodes, guest speakers, and how to attend future shows in person.

What if the next great Silicon Valley moonshot is not software, chips, or AI — but human longevity?

In this episode of Silicon Valley Unplugged, we sit down with Sergey Jakimov, Managing Partner of LongeVC, a venture capital fund backing early-stage biotech and longevity-focused founders working to change the future of human health.

Sergey is not just an investor. He is a serial entrepreneur, co-founder of multiple deep-tech ventures, co-founder of Longenesis, and co-founder of the Longevity Science Foundation. His work sits at the intersection of biotech, venture capital, medical innovation, and one of humanity’s oldest dreams: living longer, healthier lives.

In this conversation, we explore why longevity is becoming one of the most important frontiers in technology, how investors separate real science from hype, what kinds of biotech startups may define the future of healthspan, and whether Silicon Valley’s next great revolution could be biological.

From cancer and neurodegenerative disease to biomedical data, clinical trials, and the future of venture capital, this episode goes deep into the science, business, and philosophy behind the longevity movement.

Is longevity just another tech trend — or the beginning of a new era for humanity?

Watch the full episode of Silicon Valley Unplugged and join the conversation.

About Silicon Valley Unplugged

Silicon Valley Unplugged (SV Up) by Sparknify is a monthly live studio show with audience produced by Sparknify, broadcast across the Comcast PEG Channels in Silicon Valley, and distributed across social and digital platforms. Each episode brings together visionary founders, technologists, and creators to discuss bold ideas at the intersection of innovation, humanity, and the future.

Visit https://sparknify.com/live-show for information on upcoming episodes, guest speakers, and how to attend future shows in person.

🔔 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell icon to stay plugged in to future episodes of SV Up — where Silicon Valley speaks, unplugged.

What if the people we love — our parents, mentors, friends, and the creators who shape our world — could stay with us longer?In this episode of Silicon Valley Unplugged (SV Up), Sparknify explores one of humanity’s most powerful questions: can we extend not just lifespan, but healthy human life?Our guest is Dr. Artem Trotsyuk, a longevity researcher, entrepreneur, and investor working at the intersection of AI, biotechnology, regenerative medicine, and human healthspan. Artem is affiliated with Stanford University, where his work has connected advanced bioengineering, artificial intelligence, and medicine. He is also involved in the longevity investment ecosystem through LongeVC, supporting startups working to transform the future of aging and human health.Artem represents a new generation of longevity leaders — people who are not only studying aging, but also helping turn scientific breakthroughs into real-world solutions. His work spans research, investing, and company-building, giving him a rare perspective on what it will actually take to help people live longer, healthier lives.In this conversation, we discuss how longevity science is changing the way we think about aging, why healthspan may matter even more than lifespan, how AI is accelerating biomedical discovery, what investors look for in longevity startups, and why extending healthy human life is not just a scientific challenge — but a deeply human one.Because at the heart of longevity is a question everyone can feel:What if the people we love could stay with us longer?

About Silicon Valley Unplugged

Silicon Valley Unplugged (SV Up) is a monthly live studio show with audience produced by Sparknify, broadcast across the Comcast network in Silicon Valley, and distributed across social and digital platforms. Each episode brings together visionary founders, technologists, and creators to discuss bold ideas at the intersection of innovation, humanity, and the future.Visit ⁠https://sparknify.com/live-show⁠ for information on upcoming episodes, guest speakers, and how to attend future shows in person.🔔 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell icon to stay plugged in to future episodes of SV Up — where Silicon Valley speaks, unplugged.

#Longevity #Healthspan #Aging #Biotech #AI #Stanford #VentureCapital #Startups #SiliconValley #Sparknify #SVUp #FutureOfHealth #LongevityScience

In this episode of Silicon Valley Spotlight, we feature composer-improviser David Leikam performing with the NS Design CR 6-string fretless electric cello — a uniquely engineered instrument paired with high-fidelity sound technology.Born with cerebral palsy, David experiences the world in a way that has deeply shaped his artistic voice. For him, music is a primary language of expression, a way to communicate emotion, curiosity, and imagination through sound.In this performance, David composes purely improvised music in the moment, drawing on the vocabulary of contemporary composition and experimental sound techniques. Using the expressive range of the fretless electric cello, he creates evolving textures and sonic landscapes that feel like living audio environments.🎧 Experience a performance where technology, improvisation, and human expression come together to create something truly unique.🎥 About Sparknify SV Spotlight Silicon Valley Spotlight is a live studio performance produced by Sparknify, broadcast across the Comcast network in Silicon Valley, and distributed across social and digital platforms. The show shines a light on creative and innovative performers who push the boundaries of sound and expression — from artists mastering exotic musical instruments to performers inventing entirely new ways to merge technology and art. Each episode celebrates originality, experimentation, and the human spirit of creativity that thrives in the heart of Silicon Valley. 🌐 Visit https://sparknify.com/live-show for information on upcoming episodes, guest performers, and how to attend future shows in person.🔔 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell icon to stay plugged in to future episodes of SV Spotlight.

#DavidLeikam⁠ ⁠#ElectricCello⁠ ⁠#FretlessCello⁠ ⁠#NSDesign⁠ ⁠#ImprovisedMusic⁠ ⁠#LiveImprovisation⁠ ⁠#ExperimentalMusic⁠ ⁠#AmbientMusic⁠ ⁠#Soundscapes⁠ ⁠#ContemporaryMusic⁠ ⁠#AvantGardeMusic⁠ ⁠#MusicImprovisation⁠ ⁠#AccessibleArts⁠ ⁠#CerebralPalsy⁠ ⁠#MusicAsExpression⁠ ⁠#SiliconValleySpotlight⁠ ⁠#Sparknify⁠