As global attention turns to Taiwan’s startup founders and world leading supply chain, a distinguished SelectUSA delegation is here to engage and collaborate with American partners, innovators, and investors where Taiwan’s deep tech strength meets Silicon Valley ambition.
Taiwan Innovation Spotlight
May 8, 2026 Friday 5pm
Mountain View, CA
Step into the true birthplace of Silicon Valley with this exclusive guided tour, joining an entourage alongside officials from the Taiwan delegation. Starting at the Hyatt Centric Mountain View, you’ll explore the historic grounds of the former Shockley Semiconductor Laboratory—where the modern tech industry began.
As part of Taiwan Innovation Spotlight, the setting is especially meaningful: Taiwan produces the majority of advanced AI chips, making this a powerful full-circle moment from origin to global scale. Hear stories from Andris Ramans and insights from sculptors Mary White and Vickie Sowell, concluding with remarks from Mark Salquist.
The Birthplace of Silicon Valley Tour
May 8, 2026 Friday 4:30pm
Mountain View, CA
Corporate Capital in the Age of AI
In this episode of Silicon Valley Unplugged, Sparknify brings together leaders from three of the most influential corporate venture capital groups shaping the next wave of AI, semiconductors, and deep tech innovation. These investors sit at the intersection of frontier technology, global manufacturing, and long-term industrial strategy. In this candid conversation, we explore how corporate venture teams evaluate emerging technologies and where they see the next wave of AI-driven infrastructure developing.
As AI dominates headlines and reshapes entire industries, the most forward-looking investors, researchers, and founders are already asking: what comes next? This panel brings together some of the sharpest minds in AI, venture capital, and exponential technologies to explore the next wave beyond artificial intelligence.
The Sparknify Podcast explores how we navigate life in an age of rapidly emerging technologies—from artificial intelligence to breakthrough innovations — examining where they empower us, where they disrupt our world, and where the human spirit must lead.
The Sharks Garage
Startup Bootcamp
This hands-on startup bootcamp invites young curious minds to explore entrepreneurship with Silicon Valley mentors, build real ideas, and pitch with confidence to actual venture capitals in a fun and supportive environment. Spots are limited — join the next generation of innovators today.
The 2026 Sparknify Human vs. AI Film Festival is now open for submissions. Filmmakers and creators worldwide are invited to submit works that explore, challenge, and expand the language of cinema, whether realized through traditional filmmaking or generated with AI. At its core, the festival confronts a defining question for the future of storytelling: can machines truly shape human emotion, or do human directors still reach the heart in ways no algorithm can?
![A Drone That Flies Like a Plane and Dives Like a Submarine [Video]](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/21dd43_4c37529df1334a46a2c9fb3a65264459~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_1196,h_900,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_avif,quality_auto/21dd43_4c37529df1334a46a2c9fb3a65264459~mv2.jpg)
![A Drone That Flies Like a Plane and Dives Like a Submarine [Video]](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/21dd43_4c37529df1334a46a2c9fb3a65264459~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_452,h_340,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_avif,quality_auto/21dd43_4c37529df1334a46a2c9fb3a65264459~mv2.jpg)
In this episode of Silicon Valley Spotlight, composer-improviser David Leikam performs on 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, using music as a powerful language of expression. Through completely improvised performance, he composes in real time, drawing on contemporary composition techniques and experimental sound design to create evolving textures and immersive sonic landscapes. The result is a living audio environment where technology, creativity, and human expression come together in a truly unique performance.
