​Address: Nixon Peabody LLP, One Embarcadero Center, 32nd floor, San Francisco, CA 94111

​Join us for The Future of Robotics and AI in US Manufacturing, an exclusive gathering designed specifically for executives, leaders, educators, founders, active investors passionate about manufacturing, robotics, AI, and the knowledge economy.

​Hosted by Founder of Cognivix, Daniele Bernardini, Co-Founder of UC-Berkeley Deep Tech Innovation Lab, Matt Rappaport and Nixon Peabody LLP’s Emerging Companies and Venture Capital Practice. This event will feature concise, insightful panel discussions exploring the intersection of robotics and AI, the revitalization of American manufacturing, the rise of the knowledge economy, and Workforce Development and Inclusion.

​​After the panels, you will have the chance to connect and network with fellow founders, investors, innovators, leaders who are equally committed to shaping the future of technology and the economy.

​Attendance is by approval only, ensuring meaningful conversations and valuable connections. We look forward to seeing you there!

​​​​5:00 pm - 5:50 pm: Enjoy refreshments

​​​​5:50 pm - 6:30 pm: Panel 1

​Moderator: Daniele Bernardini, Founder of Cognivix

​Panelists: Alex Horovitz (Vice President of Manufacturing Operations and Test at Snowcap Compute Inc., former Ford Motor and Apple), Bogdan Cristei (Partner at Shack15 Ventures), Steve Croft (Relay Robotics) and Liam Pedersen (Chief Scientist, Nissan Motor Corporation).

​​6:30 pm - 7:10 pm: Panel 2

​Moderator: Matt Rappaport, Co-Founder of UC-Berkeley DeepTech Innovation Lab

​Panelists: Andra Keay (Managing Director, Silicon Valley Robotics), Leonardo Banchik (Investment Director, Voyager Ventures), Peter Sun (Founding Principal, Climactic)

​7:10 pm - 8:00 pm: Networking

​Address: Nixon Peabody LLP, One Embarcadero Center, 32nd floor, San Francisco, CA 94111

​***There is a parking garage in our building on Embarcadero One. Parking garage entrance is on Front Street and another one on Battery. Cross street of either entrance is Sacramento St.

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​Speakers:

​Liam Pedersen, Chief Scientist at Nissan Motor Corporation

​He directs autonomous vehicle research with a focus on urban driving technologies and software engineering. He leads cutting-edge work at the intersection of robotics, AI, and automotive innovation. Prior to joining Nissan, Liam was a senior robotics researcher at NASA Ames Research Center, where he developed robotic systems for lunar and planetary exploration, including deployments in extreme terrestrial environments like Antarctica and remote deserts.

​He holds a Ph.D. in Robotics from Carnegie Mellon University and has over two decades of experience advancing autonomy from space missions to city streets.

​Bogdan Cristei, Partner at Shack15 Ventures.

​He invests in early-stage DeepTech and AI startups, with a focus on robotics, infrastructure, and security. He began his career as a systems engineer at Emerson Electric before moving into venture capital. He holds a BS in Chemical Engineering (UC Irvine), an MS in Industrial Engineering, and an MBA from UC Berkeley. In his free time, he enjoys mountain biking, meditation, and sci-fi.

​Alex Horovitz, VP of Manufacturing at Snowcap Compute.

​He oversees the development of superconducting digital compute and the manufacturing infrastructure that brings them to life. He has held leadership roles at Apple, Intel, and Ford Motor Company with a career spanning software, machine learning, and advanced manufacturing. A longtime advocate for empowering skilled labor through intelligent tools, Alex brings a pragmatic lens to AI, emphasizing real-world impact over hype and championing the integration of human expertise with cutting-edge automation.

​Peter Sun, the Founding Principal at Climactic.

​He works with early-stage founders deploying physical AI into sectors with the biggest climate and efficiency impact from energy to construction. On the side, Peter runs the most searched AI x Climate Tech market map on Google and nerds out on deploying automation in VC. Previously, he was a management consultant at Bain & Company—while running a side hustle in Bain’s LGBT leadership team. Peter co-founded the Duke Impact Investing Group, Duke’s first student-founded impact angel fund. He holds a BS in Financial Economics and a BA in Architecture History from Duke University. Outside of work, Peter is a tea connoisseur, urban explorer, and competitive swimmer.

​Leonardo Banchik, PhD, Investment Director at Voyager Ventures 

​He brings over 20 years of climate tech experience spanning consulting, startups, research, and policy. Before joining Voyager, he was a Partner at Global Founders Capital, leading global climate and deep tech investments. He previously worked at McKinsey on sustainable investing and energy transition strategy, and led product innovation at desalination startup Sandymount.

​Leo holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from MIT, where he was an NSF Fellow focused on low-carbon desalination. He began his career as a scientist at two U.S. National Labs and as a researcher at the Department of Energy.

​A graduate of MIT and UNLV, Leo lives in San Francisco with his wife and two children.

​Andra Keay, Managing Director at Silicon Valley Robotics

​She leads initiatives that accelerate robotics startups and shape global industry trends. A pioneer in Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) and founder of Women in Robotics, Andra champions inclusive leadership and ethical tech development. She plays an active role in IEEE standards, organizes leading robotics and entrepreneurship events, and is a frequent keynote speaker at global forums including Web Summit, SxSW, Davos, and the Ada Lovelace Festival. Her work centers on the future of robotics, value-driven innovation, and building impactful tech ecosystems.

​Steve Croft, CFO at Relay Robotics

​He is an accomplished executive with extensive experience in operations and finance, currently serving as CFO and Chief Operating Officer at Relay Robotics since March 2019. Prior to this role, Steve held significant positions at Valin Corporation as Executive Vice President of Operations, where leadership over a diverse team facilitated substantial growth through numerous acquisitions, and as VP of Engineering, focusing on streamlined processes in engineering projects. Additional experience includes consulting roles, entrepreneurial endeavors at SRI International, and leadership positions in business development and product development at various companies, including Industrial Perception, Hanwha Solar, and Miasole.

​Steve holds an MBA from Stanford University Graduate School of Business and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University.

​Vera Maslova, Founder of SCIENCEME

​A Strategic Networking Specialist with over a decade of experience cultivating high-level networks, and driving investment growth. She provides partnership and fundraising advising to businesses and startups at various stages of their fundraising journeys.

​Daniele Bernardini, Founder of Cognivix

​He is an entrepreneur specializing in product strategy, software development, and data science, with a particular focus on machine learning and computer vision technologies. With over 20 years of industry experience, he has a proven track record of delivering large-scale, complex projects in data management and analysis.

​His expertise spans addressing the technological challenges of mid- to large-sized companies—gained through his experience as both a founder and manager of several ventures, as well as a research group leader at the Technical University of Munich (TUM). These roles have honed his leadership abilities and reinforced his commitment to driving measurable, high-impact results.

​As CEO of Cognivix, he leads the transformation of cutting-edge research into practical industrial applications. With a career bridging technology and business, he is uniquely positioned to navigate the technical and strategic demands of this role.

​Matt Rappaport, Co-Founder/Director of UC-Berkeley Deep Tech Innovation Lab and General Partner at Future Frontier Capital

​Has over two decades of experience in IP strategy and deep tech commercialization and has guided dozens of startups, VC investments, and M&A transactions.

​He bridges academic research with real-world impact through cross-disciplinary education, startup acceleration, and ecosystem building. Matt has mentored hundreds of students and founders, and serves as faculty at UC Berkeley’s Fung Institute, teaching deep tech commercialization, R&D strategy, and ethics.

​Through his firm IP Checkups, Matt has led IP and innovation strategy for global deep tech clients since 2004. He brings a rare blend of technical insight, business acumen, and early-market pattern recognition to help founders navigate from lab to market.