This is a hybrid in-person and online event. Pre-registration is required for either. About 40% of all venture capital is invested in Silicon Valley and the Bay Area, making it the leading global startup hub. It is thus a magnet for founders looking for a deep pool of technical talent, and for investors looking for the next unicorn. AI has intensified this effect, with a staggering 73% of all AI-related venture funding coming into this area since the beginning of 2024. In this presentation, Dawn DeBruyn will discuss how things are playing out this year for investment across AI and other sectors. This will include why 2024 was a funding “nuclear winter” for many startups, how exits (acquisitions and IPOs) – or lack thereof – drove that trend, plus the impact of ZIRP (Zero Interest-Rate Policy) and the effects of Covid on venture capital and funding. She will close with a discussion of key factors that have changed in 2025, and her outlook for Q4 and 2026. Speaker(s): Dawn DeBruyn Novarina, 567 Yosemite Dr, Milpitas, California, United States, 95035, Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/496564