An evening of vision, business and networking dedicated to Artificial Intelligencewith some of the experts they investors major international companies, together with founder of startups selected between Europe and the United States. This is the focus of AI For Futurethe WMF event in Silicon Valley than the next one November 5th returns to San Francisco for its second edition, at Mind The Bridge.
After its debut in 2025, AI For Future thus confirms the presence of the WMF in the United States and the work of connection between innovation ecosystems developed through the WMF International Roadshowthe project that from 2021 will connect markets, skills, capital, startups, businesses and institutions at a global level. An international journey that continues towards WMF – We Make Future, The Biggest Innovation Event: AI, Tech & Digital, scheduled from 10 to 12 June 2027 at BolognaFiere.
The event is organized with the support of ICE – Agency for the promotion abroad and the internationalization of Italian companies and of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI). Partners of the 2026 edition are San Marino Innovation, POLIMI School of Management and Digital Innovation Observatories of the Polytechnic of Milan. Five Degrees And Durana Tech Park participate as sponsors.
To underline the value of the initiative for the relationships between the Italian innovation ecosystem and that of the Bay Area Massimo Carnelos, Consul General of Italy in San Francisco:
«The presence of AI For Future in San Francisco represents an opportunity to bring the Italian innovation ecosystem closer to that of the Bay Area, encouraging meetings between companies, startups and investors. In this context, the Consulate General of Italy in San Francisco contributes to strengthening economic and technological relations between Italy and the United States, making its institutional network available and facilitating access to the main players in the local ecosystem, with the aim of promoting new collaborations and enhancing the innovative potential of Italian companies”
The evening was opened by institutional greetings from Leonardo Nasi, Vice Consul – Economic Attaché at the Consulate General of Italy in San FranciscoAnd Josaphat Riganò, Trade Commissioner Italian Trade Agency – Los Angeles.
Also underlining the international continuity of the initiative Cosmano Lombardo, Chairman of WMF – We Make Future and Founder and CEO of Search On Media Group:
«AI For Future was born from the belief that innovation needs international connections to generate real impact. This is the meaning of the Innovation Diplomacy that we carry out with the WMF: creating concrete opportunities for talents, startups, businesses, investors and institutions to meet, connecting ecosystems that can grow through discussion and collaboration”, explains Cosmano LombardoChairman of WMF – We Make Future and Founder and CEO of Search On Media Group. «Returning to Silicon Valley for the second year means giving continuity to this path and strengthening the dialogue between the United States, Italy and Europe, opening it increasingly towards the Middle East too. It is a trajectory that will also take us to Saudi Arabia in 2027 with Saudi Makes Future and which continues through all the international stages of the WMF, with the aim of building stable bridges between markets, skills and capital.»
AI, investments and collaboration between the United States and Europe
Among them speaker and guests announced they appear Alicia Hanf, Head of Institutional Ecosystem Partnerships LG NOVA, LG Electronics; Jerry Kaplan, Entrepreneur and Expert in Artificial Intelligence; Angelo Del Priore, Founding Partner at HP Tech Ventures; Jeffrey Abbott, Founder of AI Salon and co-author of AI and the Art of Being Human; Jazz SamraNorth American Commercialization and Business Development at Nium; Alberto AcitoManaging Director Innovit SF; Federico FrancioniDesign & Strategy Leader Meta, ex-Microsoft; Alessandro PivaDirector of the European Digital Tech Watch (EDTW) of the Polytechnic of Milan; Nicolas RossiniHead of Innovation at San Marino Innovation; Joya ScarlataMarketing Director at InterraIT; Patrick DevereuxOperations Manager at Five Degrees; And Chloe Jones, Business Development Expert at Durana Tech Park.
At the center of the program are some of the main directions that are characterizing the development of AI: investments and venture capitalgrowth of startups, adoption of Artificial Intelligence by businesses, relationships between European and US ecosystems and the development of new markets. Focus on investments and venture capital with the panel “Beyond the AI Hype: Who Will Build, Fund, and Own the Future?”which brings together Alicia Hanf, Angelo Del Priore, Jeffrey Abbott and Jazz Samra for a comparison on the dynamics that are driving the development and financing of new AI companies between the United States and Europe. Space also for the European ecosystem with Alessandro Pivawhich delves into the relationship between startups and large companies and the processes of adopting Artificial Intelligence. The preview presentation of the new one is also scheduled WMF Sports Innovation Trackwith Alicia Hanf and Cosmano Lombardo.
AI 4 Future Startup Competition: 9 founders on stage in San Francisco
Ample space is dedicated to AI 4 Future Startup Competitionwhich he brings to the San Francisco stage 9 startups selected between Europe and the United States: SupraOSactive in enterprise AI; Mulan AIin AI applied to content production and marketing; Health360in digital health; PRODIGY PRODUCTSin enterprise AI and automation; Handy Signsin the accessibility and translation of sign language through AI; MON5in cybersecurity for industrial systems and critical infrastructures; Vertalisin the integration and structuring of industrial data to enable AI applications and technologies within production plants; TerraSparkin CleanTech and space solar energy (winner of the WMF Startup Competition 2026 and selected for the final phase of the Startup World Cup); And Nuhproin FoodTech and in AI applied to nutrition.
The 3 winning startups they get each a dedicated desk in the exhibition area of three international events: WMF – We Make Future 2027scheduled from 10 to 12 June at BolognaFiere; AI Festival 2027the11 and 12 February in Milan; And Saudi Makes Future 2027a Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A path that offers them further opportunities to present their solutions, get in touch with international investors and corporates and explore new markets. The winning startups also enter the Builders Communityaccessing the WMF global network and the opportunities developed within it: pitches, B2B meetings, networking, qualified visibility and connections with investors, venture capitalists, companies and international stakeholders in the different ecosystems reached by WMF initiatives.
The evening, hosted by the journalist and presenter Veronica Maffeithen continues with a networking aperitif dedicated to the meeting between startups, investors, companies, speakers and stakeholders present. With the second edition of AI For Future, the WMF thus consolidates its presence in Silicon Valley and continues the international work of connecting innovation, capital, businesses, startups and institutions which characterizes the WMF International Roadshow.
Useful Links
– AI For Future San Francisco