Bret

AI has fundamentally reshaped the startup landscape in just two years. But what does that mean for the traditional Silicon Valley startup playbook?

In this one hour Talk, Silicon Valley veteran Bret Waters explores how the path to startup success is evolving for 2027—and what timeless principles remain unchanged. Drawing on decades of experience as a founder, educator, mentor, and startup advisor, Bret will share practical insights on how entrepreneurs should rethink building, launching, and scaling companies in an AI-first world.

Biography:

Bret Waters has spent his career in Silicon Valley, where he currently teaches entrepreneurship at Stanford, serves as an Executive Mentor at the Miller Center for Global Impact, and coaches startup founders privately. He is a three-time Silicon Valley software company Founder/CEO and has held leadership and advisory roles across Stanford and the global startup ecosystem. Bret holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Address:San Francisco, California, United States