/ About this event
What happens when AI moves beyond the screen and into the objects, devices, and environments of everyday life?
Join us for a hands-on afternoon where anyone — engineer or not — turns a product idea into something a factory can actually build.
Type one sentence. Get back a design, a spec sheet, a bill of materials with real part numbers, and a quote from a factory that can make it.
With Vlight AI, participants can move from idea toward factory-ready product specs in an afternoon.
Everyone builds. Everyone pitches.
Bring a laptop and one idea — a gadget, wearable, robot, home device, wellbeing product, or something entirely new.
No CAD. No engineering background. No technical co-founder required.
Artists, designers, technologists and founders are all welcome.
BUILD HUMAN FUTURES
This event is part of Human Futures Lab’s BUILD HUMAN FUTURES hackathon series, designed to discover promising ideas, build real-world prototypes, and help selected teams move toward their next stage.
Promising projects may be invited to continue through mentorship, prototyping, manufacturing exploration, the Human Futures Showcase, and future Human Futures Lab cohort opportunities.
Build something real — and discover which ideas are worth continuing.
AGENDA
2:30–3:00 PM Arrival, check-in & networking 3:00–4:15 PM Build your product — hands-on support throughout the room 4:15–4:45 PM 60-second pitches 4:45–5:30 PM Voting, Q&A, networking & wrap-up
TO BUILD
Bring a laptop and one idea.
No idea yet? We’ll have an Inspiration Library to help you get started.
Every attendee receives 1,000 free Vlight credits.
FOR INVESTORS & INDUSTRY
If you invest in or work across hardware, Physical AI, consumer technology, robotics, wellbeing, future living, or manufacturing, join the pitch round and help identify ideas worth continuing.
PARTNERS
Plug and Play — The global innovation platform founded in Silicon Valley in 2006, connecting startups, corporations, investors, and mentors across 60+ locations and 20+ industries — turning those connections into real business outcomes through accelerators, corporate pilots, early-stage investment, and ecosystem building.
Vlight— Vlight is the product development platform where anyoen can design your hardware product, create factory-ready specs and source manufacturers — in minutes. If you can imagine it, you can build it!
One Culture Foundation — A U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on cultural diplomacy and international cultural exchange, connecting art, learning, wellbeing, and human-centered innovation.
Human Futures Lab — A venture-building and prototyping platform for human-centered innovation, bringing creative talent, technology, industry, and manufacturing together to discover promising ideas, build real-world prototypes, and support selected teams as they move from concept toward scalable products and ventures.
The event runs over two days — you’re welcome to join either one:
Oct 7, 2:30–5:30pm Oct 8, 2:30–5:30pm
This event is a part of #SFTechWeek—a week of events hosted by VCs and startups to bring together the tech ecosystem. Learn more at www.tech-week.com Free to attend. Part of #SFTechWeek.
