Executive program
for strategic AI insights
A week inside the engine of global innovation
The Silicon Valley AI Leadership Journey is an immersive, executive-level experience designed to expose senior leadership to the most advanced practices in artificial intelligence, platform business models, industrial transformation, and innovation ecosystems.
Over five days, participants engage directly with global technology companies, research institutions and innovation hubs — including Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Intel, Palantir, Salesforce, Lucid, Airbnb, Stanford HAI, UC Berkeley, and the venture and startup ecosystem.
The program moves beyond observation into interpretation and strategic integration, combining company visits with guided reflection sessions facilitated by SVIC and program leadership.
What we'll explore
Three connected layers
Direct engagement with leading Tech, AI and innovation companies.
Daily synthesis sessions to extract patterns and insights.
Final leadership synthesis to translate learning into your organization's context.
Five days inside Silicon Valley
Curated visits, presentations and reflections across Stanford, Big Tech, AI labs, and the Bay Area's most innovative companies.
Industrial & Physical AI
Powering the Intelligent Enterprise
Silicon Valley and AI Revolution
- Andrey Kunov, President at SVIC
AI-Driven Manufacturing Excellence – From Efficiency to Operational Resilience
- Ozlem Coday, General Manager — Go-To-Market Leader (HW, SW & AI) at Intel
- Ayşegül İldeniz, President at TUSIAD Silicon Valley
Physical AI for Autonomous Systems in Automotive and Heavy Machinery
- Applied & Partner Company Introductions
- Overview of Physical AI (autonomous systems in automotive and heavy machinery)
- AI in the Enterprise
- Garage Tour
- Joe Forcash, Head of Ag, Mining, Construction Vertical
- Will Tomlinson, Business Development
VC: Physical AI trends
- Bilal Zuberi, GP & Founder Red Glass VC
AI & Nuclear Infrastructure – Powering the Next Generation of Compute
- Kevin Kong, CEO & Founder of Everstar
Scaling AI in Large Organizations
- Shaloo Garg, Managing Director at Microsoft
Industrial & Physical AI
Powering the Intelligent Enterprise
Silicon Valley and AI Revolution
- Andrey Kunov, President at SVIC
AI-Driven Manufacturing Excellence – From Efficiency to Operational Resilience
- Ozlem Coday, General Manager — Go-To-Market Leader (HW, SW & AI) at Intel
- Ayşegül İldeniz, President at TUSIAD Silicon Valley
Physical AI for Autonomous Systems in Automotive and Heavy Machinery
- Applied & Partner Company Introductions
- Overview of Physical AI (autonomous systems in automotive and heavy machinery)
- AI in the Enterprise
- Garage Tour
- Joe Forcash, Head of Ag, Mining, Construction Vertical
- Will Tomlinson, Business Development
VC: Physical AI trends
- Bilal Zuberi, GP & Founder Red Glass VC
AI & Nuclear Infrastructure – Powering the Next Generation of Compute
- Kevin Kong, CEO & Founder of Everstar
Scaling AI in Large Organizations
- Shaloo Garg, Managing Director at Microsoft
Tech Giants & Full-Stack AI
Architecting the Future
Microsoft's AI Vision for Industry
- Rad Desiraju, Director, Worldwide Industry Team at Microsoft
Building Trust in the Era of AI
- Vasu Jakkal, Corporate VP — Security, Compliance, Identity, Management & Privacy at Microsoft
- Thomas Wilson, Business Program Manager at Microsoft
Foundational AI at Scale – Powering Real-World Enterprise Applications
- Joana Carrasqueira, Product @ Google DeepMind
End-to-End Intelligence – Connecting Retail, Engineering, and Manufacturing Through Data
- Alice Vasiliu, Chief of Staff | Sr. Executive Business & Operations Partner to CEOs & C-Suite | Executive Communication & AI Driven Strategy
- Thomas Evans, Ph.D., CAIO | Head of Artificial Intelligence at Lucid
Next-Gen Supply Chain Trends in Automotive, Data Centers, and Humanoids
- Elie Ghossain, Supply Chain at Tesla
- Mustapha Akkari, ex Tesla and ex Rivian Supply Chain
Industrial Intelligence
Orchestrating the Value Chain with AI
AI, Energy Resilience, and Industrial Decarbonization: The Future of Hydrogen in Manufacturing and Heavy Industry
- Siva Yellamraju, Co-Founder & CEO at Fourier
Digital Twins & AI – Transforming Operational Visibility and Decision Intelligence
- Asher Sinensky, Senior Executive at Palantir Technologies
- Siddhant Ekale, Senior Architect at Palantir Technologies
Frontiers of Robotics & AI – Advancing Intelligent Autonomous Systems
- Jakob Thumm, Postdoctoral Scholar, Aeronautics and Astronautics
AI in Mining Exploration
- Tom Wilson, CEO & Co-founder, Atana Elements
AI-Native Operating Systems in Mining Operations
- JT Clark, CEO & Co-founder, Alloy
AI Communications for Automotive Dealerships
- Ari Polakof, CEO & Co-founder, Flai
Epic Leadership in the Age of AI
- Rich Hua, Chief EQ Officer | Global Keynote Speaker | Culture Transformation Architect | Built world's largest corporate-based EQ community | 1.5M people reached | ex-Amazon | ex-Oracle
- Eylul Kayin, Partner at Gradient
Customer-Centric AI
Turning Insight into Impact
AI-Powered Customer-Centric Commerce at Scale: From Personalization to Autonomous Journeys and Enterprise Transformation
- Hampton Sublett, Customer Evangelist at Amazon
AI-Driven Customer Intelligence Platform: Unifying Sales, Service, and Lifecycle Engagement Through Personalization, Automation, and Predictive Insights
- Rob Lamb, Sr. Director of Innovation & Customer Evangelism
- Nükte Sahin, Strategic Enterprise AE @ Salesforce
Data and AI Readiness for Transformation
- Ankur Varma, CEO & Co-founder, Turgon
AI in Heavy Industries – Implementation Approach in Conventional Businesses
- Paul Manwell, CEO & Co-founder, Archimetis
Digital Platforms – Personalization at Scale, Operational Optimization, and Agentic Automation
- Anna Khramova, Data and Tech Lead at Airbnb
AI-Powered Operations
Driving Strategic Advantage
Robotics, AI-Driven Logistics, and End-to-End Supply Chain Optimization
1555 N Chrisman Rd, Tracy, CA 95304AI and Industry 4.0: Redefining Competitive Advantage and Lessons from Global Industrial Leaders
- Gregory LaBlanc, Distinguished Teaching Fellow, Haas School of Business
- Gregory LaBlanc, Distinguished Teaching Fellow, Haas School of Business
Facility Tour – Advancing Fusion Energy: From Cutting-Edge Research to Scalable Clean Power Systems
- Allison Williams, Head of Corporate Development @ Pacific Fusion
Key Questions
Curated discussion prompts for each company we visit. Use them to spark deeper conversation, press into the most valuable insights, and bring takeaways home to your teams.
- When evaluating the companies we'll see this week, which signals would you tell us to anchor on?
- What is the most common reason organizations engage with Silicon Valley but fail to produce concrete results back home?
- What are the clearest behavioral signs that an organization has truly internalized AI or new technology?
- Which areas have lost visibility in the past 12 months but are still creating real value?
- For heavy-industry and operations-heavy companies, what is the most realistic thing transferable from Silicon Valley?
- When teams take this week's observations back into their organizations, where do they most often go wrong?
Voices of the week
Leading experts, innovators, and evangelists hosting the delegation within their organizations — each bringing a distinct perspective on how Silicon Valley truly builds, scales, and deploys.
Where we're going
Hosts and partners spanning hyperscalers, frontier AI, mobility, academia and the venture ecosystem — opening their doors across the Bay Area. Tap a card to view the visit details.
Where you'll stay
Hotel Nia · Menlo Park
200 Independence Drive
Menlo Park, CA 94025
+1 (650) 460 8800
hotelnia.com
"A modern Silicon Valley basecamp — minutes from Stanford, Google, and the heart of the peninsula's innovation corridor."
Where to eat across the Bay
Curated picks for free evenings and informal dinners — from on-property favorites near Hotel Nia to landmark restaurants in San Francisco. Halal options are clearly marked.
Menlo Park & Palo Alto
Protégé
Michelin-starred restaurant from Master Sommelier Dennis Kelly. Refined tasting menu and one of the Bay Area's best wine programs.
Madera
Wood-fired Californian cuisine at the Rosewood Sand Hill, a long-time Silicon Valley power-dining institution.
Yeobo, Darling
Inventive modern Korean from a Quince alum. One of the most exciting recent openings on the Peninsula.
Evvia Estiatorio
Iconic Palo Alto taverna — whole grilled fish, lamb and a lively dining room.
Porta Blu
On-property at Hotel Nia. Refined Mediterranean menu — perfect for late returns from the day's program.
Camper
Greg Kuzia-Carmel's neighborhood favorite — wood-fired, locally sourced, beloved by locals.
Fleming's Prime Steakhouse
Polished prime steaks and an award-winning wine list at Stanford Shopping Center.
Zareen's Palo Alto
Michelin Guide listed. Beloved Bay Area institution — karahi, biryani and kebabs.
Sushi Shin
Intimate Michelin-starred omakase counter — among the Peninsula's most coveted sushi reservations.
Ramen Nagi
Cult-favorite Tokyo import — build-your-own tonkotsu ramen with bold, customizable broths.
Tamarine
Refined contemporary Vietnamese with an acclaimed wine list — a Palo Alto power-lunch staple.
Sundance The Steakhouse
Old-school Palo Alto chophouse — mesquite-grilled steaks and a clubby, wood-paneled room.
Oren's Hummus
Authentic Israeli hummus, falafel and grilled meats from a beloved Stanford Shopping Center spot.
Reposado
Upscale modern Mexican with one of the Peninsula's best tequila and mezcal selections.
San Francisco
Quince
Three-Michelin-star tasting menu in Jackson Square. One of the city's defining fine-dining experiences.
Boulevard
James Beard Award winner on the Embarcadero — bay views and a classic SF power-dinner setting.
Acquerello
Two-Michelin-starred refined Italian, widely considered SF's most elegant dining room.
Mister Jiu's
Michelin-starred modern Chinese in Chinatown — one of the Bay Area's most acclaimed kitchens.
EPIC Steak
Embarcadero steakhouse with sweeping Bay Bridge views. Prime dry-aged cuts and a deep wine list.
Sotto Mare
North Beach institution — "the best damn cioppino in San Francisco."
Lokma
Premier Turkish destination on Clement St — kebabs, mezze and beloved brunch.
Kokkari Estiatorio
Jackson Square landmark for rustic Aegean cuisine — wood-fire grilled lamb and whole fish in a stunning room.
Nopa
Beloved late-night SF institution — organic, wood-fired Cal cuisine with a buzzy bar scene.
Z & Y Restaurant
Chinatown destination for fiery, authentic Sichuan — famed for its mouth-numbing chicken and dan dan noodles.
Kin Khao
Michelin-starred Thai from chef Pim Techamuanvivit — bold regional flavors near Union Square.
La Mar Cebichería
Vibrant Peruvian by Gastón Acurio on the Embarcadero — ceviches, tiraditos and pisco sours with bay views.
Burma Superstar
Iconic Inner Richmond favorite — tea leaf salad and coconut chicken noodle soup are must-orders.
Foreign Cinema
Mission destination serving inventive Cal-Med fare in a courtyard with classic films projected nightly.
Travel guidelines & contacts
Flights & Arrival
Transfer arrangements will be planned according to your individual arrival and departure times — you will be notified separately with your specific schedule.
Currency & Payments
Major credit cards accepted everywhere; tipping 18-20% standard at restaurants.
IDs & Dress Code
- •Have your ID ready for all company visits
- •Business casual throughout
- •No ties required
- •Comfortable walking shoes
Program Locations Map
Every company, university, dinner venue, and the hotel — pinned on a single Google Maps list. Bookmark it on your phone.
In case of need, reach out
Tawab Fakhri
Innovation Evangelist, Silicon Valley Innovation Center