In this talk, Janis Skriveris, Principal and Deeptech Lead at Plug and Play Ventures, breaks down what it really takes to scale semiconductor and deep-tech startups from early innovation to global impact. Drawing on years of experience running accelerator programs and investing in frontier technologies, he explains how ecosystems, corporate partnerships, and cross-border collaboration—especially between Silicon Valley and Taiwan—enable startups to move beyond prototypes into

In this talk, Andy Lombard, Founder and Managing Partner of Tesoro Venture Capital, shares a candid look at what it truly takes to scale AI and semiconductor startups. Drawing on decades of experience as a serial founder, investor, and former Motorola executive, he explains why deep-tech companies face fundamentally different challenges than software startups—and how global supply chains, capital strategy, and cross-border partnerships, especially between Silicon Valley and T