Physical AI Founder × Funder: San Francisco

About the Event

What does it take to build AI that understands the physical world, not just language and images?

As AI moves beyond screens into machines, factories, laboratories, vehicles, and other physical environments, a new generation of founders is building the intelligence that allows systems to perceive, learn, predict, and act.

But turning these breakthroughs into venture-scale companies comes with unique challenges. How do founders build defensible technology? What makes a Physical AI startup investable? And what does it take to move from an impressive research demonstration to a commercially viable product?

Physical AI Founder × Funder brings together technical founders, active investors, researchers, and industry leaders for an evening focused on the technologies and companies shaping the future of Physical AI.

After our New York editions, we're bringing the series to San Francisco.

Expect a candid panel conversation, five selected founder pitches, and meaningful introductions between people building and backing the next generation of Physical AI companies.

What We're Exploring

World Models & Physical Simulation

AI systems that learn how physical environments behave, predict future states, and simulate outcomes. From learned world models and digital twins to physics-based AI and sim-to-real transfer.

Perception & Physical Data

Spatial intelligence, multimodal perception, sensor fusion, physical data collection, and the proprietary datasets that enable machines to understand and interact with their surroundings.

Embodied Intelligence & Robot Learning

Vision-language-action models, robotic foundation models, imitation learning, manipulation, planning, and adaptive control.

Physical AI Infrastructure

The software and systems needed to train, evaluate, deploy, and improve Physical AI, including simulation platforms, evaluation frameworks, edge intelligence, and real-world feedback loops.

Commercialization & Defensibility

What creates lasting value in Physical AI? Proprietary data, technical differentiation, deployment capabilities, commercial traction, and the infrastructure needed to scale.

Who Should Attend?

Founders Building Physical AI

We're especially interested in technical founders building:

• World models and physical simulation
• Embodied intelligence and robot learning
• Perception, spatial intelligence, and sensor fusion
• Physical data infrastructure and synthetic data
• Simulation-to-real-world learning
• Robotics software and autonomous systems
• Edge intelligence and physical AI deployment infrastructure
• Evaluation, reliability, and safety systems for autonomous machines

Whether you're emerging from a research lab, building your first prototype, working with early customers, or preparing to raise capital, we want to meet you.

Investors & Funders

We're inviting active investors across venture capital, deep tech, robotics, AI infrastructure, autonomy, and emerging technologies.

This includes pre-seed and seed funds, specialist Physical AI investors, corporate venture teams, active angels, and family offices interested in backing technical founders.

Researchers & Industry Leaders

We're also welcoming select robotics researchers, AI engineers, technical leaders, and operators working across autonomous systems, industrial technology, robotics, and physical infrastructure.

The Founder × Funder Panel

What Gets Funded in Physical AI?

Where is venture capital flowing, and what separates a compelling technical breakthrough from an investable company?

We'll bring together investor, technical, and company-building perspectives to explore:

• Where are the biggest investment opportunities in Physical AI today?
• Are world models and robotic foundation models becoming standalone venture-scale businesses?
• What creates defensibility as AI models and infrastructure evolve?
• What do investors expect at pre-seed and seed: benchmarks, pilots, proprietary data, customers, or revenue?
• How should founders approach capital intensity, data acquisition, and deployment costs?
• What does it take to move Physical AI from research into reliable real-world applications?
• Which emerging technologies are investors most interested in backing?

Moderator: Padma Malladi, Community, House of 434

Featured Speakers

Dr. Subhash Challa

Founder, CEO & Chairman, SenSen AI | Professor, University of Melbourne

Additional investors and speakers to be announced.

Five Founders Pitch Live

Five selected early-stage Physical AI companies will pitch their technology and business to investors and experienced technology leaders.

We're particularly interested in founders developing world models, perception, embodied intelligence, physical data infrastructure, simulation, and enabling technologies for Physical AI.

Each founder receives:

• 5 minutes to present their company, technology, and vision
• 3 minutes of questions and feedback from the panel
• Opportunities to connect with relevant investors following the pitches

Two selected founders will also receive additional visibility through post-event spotlights and potential introductions across our network, subject to founder consent and investor interest.

Building a Physical AI startup and raising pre-seed or seed funding? Apply to pitch.

We also welcome relevant Series A companies to participate in the broader Founder × Funder community.

Agenda

5:00 PM | Doors Open & Networking

Drinks and introductions with Physical AI founders, investors, researchers, and industry leaders.

5:30 PM | Welcome from House of 434

A brief introduction to the series and the opportunities emerging across Physical AI.

5:35 PM | Founder × Funder Panel: What Gets Funded in Physical AI?

A conversation about venture investment, technical differentiation, commercialization, and building venture-scale Physical AI companies.

6:10 PM | Audience Q&A

Bring your questions directly to the panel.

6:20 PM | Five Physical AI Founder Pitches

Selected founders pitch their companies and receive live feedback.

7:00 PM | Investor & Technical Takeaways

What investors and experienced operators want to see from the next generation of Physical AI startups.

7:10 PM | Founder × Funder Introductions

Dedicated networking and curated introductions between founders, investors, researchers, and potential collaborators.

7:45 PM | Closing Conversations

8:00 PM | Event Concludes

Ways to Get Involved

Pitch Live

Five selected Physical AI startups will present to investors and technology leaders. Founders actively raising capital are encouraged to apply.

Submit Your Pitch Deck

Building in Physical AI but not selected to pitch? Share your deck for consideration and potential introductions.

Join as an Investor

Meet early-stage technical founders building world models, embodied intelligence, physical data infrastructure, and autonomous systems.

Speak on the Panel

Nominate yourself or recommend an investor, researcher, or technical leader with relevant Physical AI expertise.

Investors, Funds & LPs

Connect with founders, fellow investors, and members of the emerging Physical AI investment ecosystem.

Media & Partners

We welcome relevant media, ecosystem partners, and organizations supporting Physical AI innovation.

Submissions are reviewed by the hosts. Seats are limited and confirmed by invitation.