Top Takeaways from SF Tech Week 2025
- Jenny Kay Pollock
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
This year’s SF Tech Week blurred the lines between tech, art, and community.
One day we were talking about AI in law, the next about AI in style.
From Wala Kasmi and Natalie Pan’s Kickoff Party on October 3 to a TechWalk in Golden Gate Park hosted by Holly Uber, Zulma Terrones, and Swagata Ashwani on October 4, the week began not with product launches but with people.
Founders, investors, and creators came together to connect before the city exploded into more than 1,500 events that turned San Francisco into a living map of innovation.
You could feel it in the air: optimism, curiosity, and a little chaos.
SF Tech Week 2025 highlighted San Francisco as the epicenter of the global AI conversation.
By the Numbers
1,500+ events hosted across the city
61 founders selected from 14,000 applicants for the Speedrun Demo Day (90% AI-focused)
1,700+ people wait-listed for corporate venture events like IBM Ventures “Scaling Over Cocktails”
Estimated 15,000 attendees citywide
The Human Start to a High-Tech Week
Before the panels and pitch decks came moments of connection. Wala and Natalie’s Kickoff Party gathered hundreds of builders and investors for an evening that set the tone: optimistic, collaborative, and slightly electric.
The next morning, the TechWalk in Golden Gate Park offered a slower rhythm. Dozens of technologists and founders walked side by side through redwood trails, sharing ideas about ethical AI, creative experimentation, and community wellbeing. It was a reminder that innovation grows stronger when we step away from our screens.
Spotlight 1: Aparti.AI Salon — AI and the Future of Law
On October 7, Aparti.AI hosted an invite-only salon at Werqwise that explored how AI is reshaping the legal world.
Moderated by Anna Naidis, CPO and Co-Founder of Aparti.AI, the discussion brought together Rebecca Lynn (Canvas Prime), Joshua Geffon (Fenwick & West), Esther Rosenfeld (Rosenfeld Office), and Igor Sheremet (Aparti.AI).
Key takeaways included:
Empathy and human context still matter in client service.
AI can remove repetitive work, freeing lawyers for higher-value strategy.
Legal judgment cannot be templated. Technology amplifies, not replaces, expertise.
Courtrooms will soon run on real-time data, not delayed transcripts.
The event drew legal experts, AI founders, and investors into unfiltered conversation that showed governance and innovation can coexist when the dialogue is candid and inclusive.
Read our full recap of Aparti.AI → Inside the Aparti.AI Salon
Spotlight 2: Fashion × Tech Showcase — Where Style Meets Algorithm
On October 10, Fashion × Tech: Fashion, Consumer and Creator brought together nearly 300 guests for an evening dedicated to creativity and commerce in the AI era.
Co-hosted by WOMEN x AI, the showcase featured founders, investors, and creators exploring how technology is transforming fashion and consumer culture. The night included:
A panel discussion on the opportunities AI is unlocking for the creator economy.
A startup showcase featuring demos from our WxAI community Maria Lence (For Women’s Health) and Dhivya Vijayakumar (Velvee), both reimagining how health and fashion intersect.
Attended by WxAI community members Reut Lazo, Jenny Kay Pollock, Jasmeen Bal, Robyn White, Annie Deihl and Ruby Vitatoe on the importance of visibility and community in innovation.
It was a night that embodied the theme of the week: AI is everywhere but the human element matters.
Read our full recap of Fashion × Tech→ Fashion x AI Where Style Meets Algorithm
Themes That Defined the Week
1. AI is becoming cultural. No longer a niche topic for technologists, AI conversations spanned law, health, art, and design.
2. Community is the new infrastructure. Decentralized gatherings, from salons to park walks, created genuine exchange far beyond corporate stages.
3. Women are at the center of the conversation. From founders demoing at showcases to moderators guiding complex panels, women shaped the dialogue about how AI can serve humanity.
Looking Ahead
SF Tech Week 2025 reminded us that the future of AI is not being written by one company or one sector. It is being written by communities like this one.
As we carry that momentum forward, we are proud to spotlight the women and allies building the next generation of ethical, inclusive innovation.
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