WMF brings AI leaders and 9 startups to San Francisco on Nov. 5

AI For Future returns to San Francisco on Nov. 5 for its second edition, gathering international AI executives, investors and startup founders at Mind The Bridge. The event is designed to deepen U.S.-Europe innovation ties and spotlight nine startups competing for visibility, investor access and future showcase slots across WMF’s global events.

Why it matters: - AI For Future is designed to connect AI founders, investors and institutions across the U.S., Europe and beyond. - The San Francisco event gives startups a direct stage in Silicon Valley, where access to capital and enterprise partners can shape early growth. - WMF is using the event to extend its international roadshow and widen its footprint in the Bay Area.

What happened: - WMF will host AI For Future in San Francisco on Nov. 5 at Mind The Bridge. - The event is returning for its second edition after a 2025 debut. - The program brings together AI leaders, investors and startup founders selected from Europe and the United States. - The event is supported by ITA – Italian Trade Agency and the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI). - Partners for the 2026 edition include San Marino Innovation, POLIMI School of Management and the Digital Innovation Observatories of Politecnico di Milano. - Five Degrees and Durana Tech Park are sponsors. - Institutional remarks will open the evening from Leonardo Nasi, Vice Consul – Economic Attaché at the Consulate General of Italy in San Francisco, and Giosafat Riganò, Trade Commissioner at ITA Los Angeles.

The details: - Announced speakers and guests include Alicia Hanf of LG NOVA, Jerry Kaplan, Angelo Del Priore of HP Tech Ventures, Jeffrey Abbott of AI Salon, Jazz Samra of Nium, Alberto Acito of INNOVIT SF, Federico Francioni of Meta, Alessandro Piva of Politecnico di Milano, Nicolas Rossini of San Marino Innovation, Joya Scarlata of InterraIT, Patrick Devereux of Five Degrees and Chloe Jones of Durana Tech Park. - The agenda centers on investment and venture capital, startup growth, enterprise AI adoption, U.S.-Europe ecosystem links and new market development. - The panel “Beyond the AI Hype: Who Will Build, Fund, and Own the Future?” will feature Alicia Hanf, Angelo Del Priore, Jeffrey Abbott and Jazz Samra. - Alessandro Piva will discuss the relationship between startups and enterprises and the path to AI adoption in Europe. - Alicia Hanf and Cosmano Lombardo will preview WMF’s new Sports Innovation Track. - The AI 4 Future Startup Competition will feature nine startups from Europe and the U.S.: SupraOS, Mulan AI, Salute360, PRODIGY PRODUCTS, Handy Signs, MON5, Vertalis, TerraSpark and Nuhpro. - SupraOS focuses on enterprise AI. - Mulan AI works on content creation and marketing. - Salute360 operates in digital health. - PRODIGY PRODUCTS focuses on enterprise AI and automation. - Handy Signs uses AI to improve accessibility and sign-language translation. - MON5 specializes in cybersecurity for industrial systems and critical infrastructure. - Vertalis is building industrial data infrastructure for AI deployment in manufacturing plants. - TerraSpark works in CleanTech and space-based solar energy. - TerraSpark won the WMF 2026 Startup Competition and was selected for the final stage of the Startup World Cup. - Nuhpro focuses on FoodTech and AI-powered nutrition. - The three winning startups will each receive a dedicated desk at WMF 2027 in Bologna, AI Festival 2027 in Milan and Saudi Makes Future 2027 in Riyadh. - The winners will also join the Builders Community and gain access to WMF’s global network, pitch sessions, B2B meetings and international visibility. - Journalist and presenter Veronica Maffei will host the evening, which ends with a networking aperitif. - WMF – We Make Future is produced by Search On Media Group. - WMF 2026 drew more than 75,000 attendees from 90 countries, more than 800 exhibitors and over 1,000 speakers and guests. - WMF 2026 also included more than 3,000 startups and investors and a combined partner investment portfolio of €1.5 trillion. - WMF 2027 is scheduled for June 10–12 at BolognaFiere in Bologna, Italy. - Saudi Makes Future 2027 is planned for Riyadh as WMF’s Saudi edition. - Search On Media Group said the broader mission is to spread digital culture and support innovation through events, consulting and event platforms.

Between the lines: - WMF is positioning AI For Future as both a business event and a diplomatic platform. - The speaker mix suggests a focus on converting startup visibility into investor meetings, enterprise relationships and cross-border partnerships. - The inclusion of U.S. and European founders reflects a strategy to frame AI development as an international competition for talent, funding and market access.

What's next: - The San Francisco edition will feed into WMF’s 2027 calendar in Bologna, Milan and Riyadh. - Winning startups will use the exposure to pursue investors, customers and expansion opportunities across WMF’s network. - WMF’s next major global milestone is the June 10–12, 2027 edition at BolognaFiere.