Executive Producer
Host
Moderator
Associate Producer
Floor Director
Equipment Manager
Photographer
Videographer
Chanel Chan
John Huang
Leah Stamm
Stan Ng
Lana Shapoval
Javier Jimenez Jr.
Vivian Hawkins
Sean Spiller
Director
Cameraman
Cameraman
Cameraman
Audio Technician
Teleprompter Operator
Studio Manager
Midpen Executive Director
Ryan Mast
Stacie Delakovias
Tom Upton
Jo Appogast
Marla Olsen
Toni Gooch
Mark Mclaughlin
Biana Kovic
Date: July 18, 2025 Friday
Time: 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Location: Midpen Media Center
900 San Antonio Rd, Palo Alto, CA 94303
Free Admission (Registration Required)
Join us for our signature live studio show, as we explore the rising tension and harmony between human ingenuity and machine autonomy in the world of drones and autonomous systems. In this episode, you’ll hear from startup founders building cutting-edge autonomous systems for land, sea, and sky, and meet drone racing champions pushing machines to their limits. Enjoy live demos, a tech showcase, and videos of Ukrainian war drones in action showing how drones are reshaping the battlefield.
6:00 PM
Guest Check-In
Please present your ticket at the entrance upon arrival. Each guest must have their own individual ticket for admission—no exceptions. If you do not yet have a ticket, please click the button below or visit sparknify.com to register before entering.
Sponsor Ad
Enjoy casual networking with fellow attendees, speakers, and drone enthusiasts while sampling a glass of wine from Appellations Cellar, crafted by the only female Asian winemaker in Napa Valley. Her journey is as bold as her blends—be sure to learn her story, and don’t miss the chance to bring a bottle home with you.
6:40 PM
Studio Opens
The studio opens at 6:40 PM! Seating is open—if all seats are taken, you’re welcome to grab a folding chair from the rack on the left side of the studio. Standing is also welcome if you prefer. Don’t miss the opening moment!
For everyone’s comfort and safety, we kindly remind you that no food, drinks, or smoking are allowed inside the studio. Please silence your cell phones or other electronic devices before the program begins. There are two emergency exitsclearly marked at the rear and side of the studio—please take a moment to locate them. In the event of a fire or other emergency, please walk calmly to the nearest exit; do not run. Flash photography and unauthorized video recording are prohibited.
6:45 PM
Show Starts
Tonight’s program is hosted by John Huang, Executive Director and Producer at Sparknify. Dedicated to celebrating technological progress while preserving the essence of our shared humanity, Sparknify’s mission is to spotlight bold innovators and spark meaningful conversations around the future of AI, robotics, and human creativity. Sparknify brings together founders, investors, and creators in unique formats like this live studio show, creating space where ideas meet impact.
John Huang
Segment 1
6:50 PM
Traverse Aero develops advanced autonomous aircraft for middle-mile cargo transport, enabling faster, more efficient logistics over regional distances.
CEO Scott Parker is a robotics entrepreneur and engineer with extensive experience building autonomous systems for land, sea and air. His career includes key technical roles at Makani Power, Zipline, MightyFly and Traverse Aero, where he contributed to cutting-edge projects in aerospace, robotics, and autonomous mobility. As the founder of Traverse Aero, Scott is focused on developing industrial-sized drones for palletized cargo, targeting commercial, defense and humanitarian relief customers. He is drawing on his decades of experience and combining eVTOL technology with AI-driven autonomy to build the future of mobility and logistics.
7:00 PM
Zurons is an AI security robotics company building a fully secured human experience for the real world — through autonomous mobile robots, drones, and humanoids.
CEO Shahbaz Abdullah Magsi is a robotics entrepreneur with expertise in mechanical engineering, UAVs, and AI-powered systems. He is dedicated to developing autonomous technologies that enhance human capability and operational safety.
CTO Aazar Jan is a robotics entrepreneur with deep expertise in mechanical engineering, robotics, and advanced manufacturing. With hands-on experience from design to deployment, he focuses on building practical, field-ready autonomous systems for land, sea, and beyond.
Event info
As AI saturates headlines and portfolios, the smartest investors are already looking beyond it. The question is no longer whether AI will transform the world — it’s what comes after. This panel brings together leading minds at the forefront of research, venture acceleration, and future-casting to explore the next major technological shift. What are the early signals pointing to the next investable frontier? Where will the next 10x returns come from? And which ecosystems are already laying the groundwork? As part of Taiwan Demo Day, immediately following the panel, attendees will meet 10 top startups from Taiwan, offering a first look at ventures emerging from one of the world’s most quietly successful tech ecosystems.
Date: July 24, 2025
Time: 5:30 PM
Location: Menlo Park
Admission: Free
Segment 2
7:10 PM
In this segment, we’ll dive into the Future of Drone Racing, exploring how this fast-growing, tech-driven sport is evolving from underground competitions to a global phenomenon. The discussion will be moderated by Sparknify’s Leah Stamm, who brings her expertise in technology communications to guide the conversation. Joining her are the Bay Area’s top drone racing champions — Timofey “Din” Germanov and Jon Gaiser — who will share their insights on the rise of FPV racing, how innovation continues to push the boundaries of speed and skill, and what the future holds for this thrilling, tech-infused broadcast sport at the intersection of human performance and machine autonomy.
Leah Stamm
Tim “Din” Germanov
An experienced FPV pilot who has been competing in national and international drone racing events since 2016. As a sponsored team pilot, Din flies for leading brands such as GensAce Tattu, Team BlackSheep, HDZero, HQProp, Foxeer, and T-Motor. Beyond racing, Din plays a key role in the Bay Area drone community as a Chapter Organizer for the MultiGP Drone Racing League, running events with drones ranging from ultra-light 20-gram builds to powerful 10-pound machines. Din also holds a Part 107 FAA Remote Pilot Certificate, authorizing him to operate commercial drones across the U.S. In addition to his racing and organizing efforts, he runs dindrones.com, an online drone shop that actively supports local educational programs and helps sponsor some of the world’s fastest FPV pilots.
Jon Gaiser
As the founder of the Aero Elite Racing drone racing organization, Jon Gaiser — known on the circuit as "FAERRY"—is building the future of FPV competition. He channels his experience as an internationally recognized pilot, multidisciplinary designer, and musician to merge the artistry of high-speed flight with cutting-edge technology, creating a premier experience that pushes creative and technological boundaries.
Bryson Hagerman
A student pilot and semi-professional drone racer, Bryson ‘Red-5’ Hagerman has been building and flying FPV drones for nearly a decade. Drawn to the potential to exceed machine ability through human skill, drone racing was immediately captivating. As one of the organizers of the largest MultiGP chapter worldwide, Bay Area Racing, he has helped to grow the exceptional community of FPV racers found across Northern California. He is also an accomplished Data Scientist with experience in developing predictive model frameworks including LLMs and “AI”.
Q&A: Got Questions for the Drone Racers?
Raise your hand and we’ll bring the mic to you—please wait for your turn and keep questions brief so everyone gets a chance.
Event info
2025 Summer Camp
Baby Shark Tank
Dates: August 4 to 8, 2025
Location: Midpen Media Center @ 900 San Antonio Rd, Palo Alto, CA 94303
Baby Shark Tank is a one-week startup camp for 4th to 8th graders, inspired by Shark Tank. Campers brainstorm, refine, and pitch their business ideas with guidance from Silicon Valley experts, learning branding, product development, and pitching. The camp ends with a pitch session at a real TV studio, recorded into a TV style episode. More than learning, it builds confidence, teamwork, and creativity. Spots are limited — register today!
Segment 3
8:15 PM
In this segment, Bay Area experimentalist David Leikam will deliver a live performance on the iconic Moog Rogue synthesizer, bringing analog warmth and raw sonic texture to the program for the evening. Known for his improvisational edge and deep engagement with electronic soundscapes, Leikam’s performance will bridge machine logic and human intuition — channeling the spirit of autonomy through voltage and vibration.
David Leikam
An improv composer-performer sonic architect. Being born with cerebral palsy has affected his body and speech, giving him a distinct view into his creative process and largely a self-taught multi-instrumentalist, studied music composition-improv at CalArts primarily with Wadada Leo Smith.
What is Moog Rogue?
The Moog Rogue is a celebrated monophonic analog subtractive synthesizer released by Moog Music in 1981 .
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It features two voltage-controlled oscillators (VCOs) locked in harmony—or optionally spaced an octave apart—permitting the creation of rich bass tones, atonal textures, and anything in between .
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The Rogue sports a 24 dB/octave low-pass filter, a single envelope generator for shaping both loudness and filter response (ASR style), plus a sample‑and‑hold section—uncommon in its class .
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With its compact 32-note keyboard, separate pitch & modulation wheels, and wall‑wart power supply, the Rogue was Moog’s simplest and most affordable synth at the time .
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Despite its pared-down, hard‑wired design, its hard‑driving low-end and classic Moog tone have earned it a loyal following—and even led to rebadging as the Taurus II pedal synth .
In essence, the Rogue delivers pure, raw Moog sound—perfect for bass-heavy drones, gritty leads, and experimental sonic textures in live performances.
Drones of the Ukrainian War
In this powerful segment, Ukrainian filmmaker Lana Shapoval will share real-world footages of Ukrainian drone operations from the ongoing war with Russia. Through her lens, viewers will witness how robotics, AI, and autonomous systems are reshaping modern warfare on the front lines. Lana will provide insight into how these technologies have evolved from experimental tools to critical assets on the battlefield, highlighting both their tactical impact and the ethical questions they raise in this new era of technology-driven conflict.
Lana Shapoval
Lana Shapoval is a Ukrainian filmmaker and certified drone pilot. She began her career documenting Ukraine’s resilience, filming portraits of Ukrainian volunteers for the Ukraine EXISTS exhibition at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. As both a filmmaker and drone operator, she has captured aerial footage for artistic, journalistic, and humanitarian projects — using the elevated perspective of the drone to complement deeply personal narratives on the ground.
Her current feature documentary project Quiet War has participated in the European Film Market of the 73rd Berlinale and received work-in-progress awards at Kino Pavasaris 2024 (Vilnius International Film Festival):
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Marché du Film / Producers Network invitation
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No Problem Music Music Licensing Award
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Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival / New Visions Award
Lana is currently in development on multiple projects: THE EIFFEL LIGHTHOUSE (AI documentary) and HIDE ME IN THE LIGHT (feature documentary). Her recent work also includes drone cinematography for the Temple of the Deep construction for Burning Man 2025.
Q&A: Got Questions on Militarized Zones?
Raise your hand and we’ll bring the mic to you—please wait for your turn and keep questions brief so everyone gets a chance.
If you enjoyed tonight’s episode of SV Unplugged, be sure to sign up for next month’s show! The theme and guests for the next episode are still being finalized, so if you have any suggestions — or would like to recommend a guest, collaborator, or especially a sponsor — we’d love to hear from you. Your feedback will help make Silicon Valley Unplugged even better!