Americas Conference 2025 - The Future is Now: Bridging Business, Technology, and Humanity

A Community backing INSEAD Entrepreneurs

Join INSEAD alumni investors and advisors as they share how mentorship, funding, and support drive entrepreneurial success within the INSEAD community and beyond.

• Michael Kosic, Founding Partner at Loyal VC
• Kamal Hassan, Managing Partner at Loyal VC

Silicon Valley Tour: Feel The Future

Explore Silicon Valley's innovation ecosystem and discover Nvidia’s latest AI innovations and how Genentech is transforming healthcare through AI, data, and sustainability.

• Gopi Rangan, Founding Partner at Sure Ventures 
• Ashley Magargee, CEO at Genentech
• Patrick Kelly, Senior Director, Field Marketing Operations at NVIDIA

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Monitoring Challenges and Opportunities

Winner of the 2023 INSEAD Business Sustainability Awards.GHGSat answers questions, provides updates, and discusses the next challenges and opportunities.

Stephane Germain (MBA 94J), CEO of GHGSat

Midas' Touch: The Next Robot Astronaut in the Golden Age of Space and Robotics 

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Just as Midas’ touch turned everything into gold, robotics has the power to transform space exploration - expanding our reach, increasing our capabilities, and reshaping the way we imagine the future.

• Andres Mora, Astrobee Engineering Lead and Ph.D Robotics Engineer at NASA Ames Research Center
• Cyril Nader, CEO and Co-founder, Stealth Startup
• Zach Brown, Co-Founder and Board of Director at Creattura

Angel Investing in 2025: AI trends and More

The INSEAD Angel Club and Loyal VC offer an introduction to angel investing, followed by a discussion of recent AI trends and their impact on startups and investors.

• James So, Investor/Mentor at HealthTech Capital
• Florian Bertele, Angel Investor / Investment Fellow at Xoogler.co
• Michael Kosic, Founding Partner at Loyal VC
• Kamal Hassan, Managing Partner at Loyal VC

Startup Showcase

Eight dynamic startups will pitch, followed by engaging Q&A sessions to explore innovative ideas and entrepreneurial insights. Sponsored by LoyalVC and Swissnex.

• Michael Kosic, Founding Partner at Loyal VC
• Kamal Hassan, Managing Partner at Loyal VC
• Geoff Ralston, President Emeritus of YCombinator

The Opening Ceremony

Celebrate INSEAD's 5th anniversary with a vibrant opening ceremony setting the stage for next day’s discussions on how companies can responsibly leverage new technologies for a just and resilient world.

• Vic Woo, Director of INSEAD San Franscisco Hub
• Amit Akhelikar, President of the USA INSEAD Alumni Association
• David Chiu, City Attorney of San Francisco
• Francisco Veloso, Dean of INSEAD
• Kristin Skogen Lund, Chair of the Board of Directors at INSEAD

Welcome Address

• Vic Woo, Director of INSEAD San Francisco Hub
• Amit Akhelikar, President of the USA INSEAD Alumni Association
• Francisco Veloso, Dean of INSEAD

The Age of Intelligence: Questions That Shape a New World

An interactive session: By clustering survey responses, we'll reveal key themes and discuss what we're prioritizing - and missing - in our conversations.

• SoYeon Chun, Associate Professor of Technology and Operations Management at INSEAD
• Robert Maciejko, Co-founder at INSEAD AI (alumni led) and Florida Metro Leader, at the USA INSEAD Alumni Association
• Barbara Martin Coppola, CEO Decathlon
• Lily Fang, Dean of Research and Innovation at INSEAD

AI on the Edge: Harnessing Innovation for a Better Future

This session invites innovators to explore how AI can drive positive change, aligning technology with purpose to empower people, businesses, and communities.

• Gerard de Graaf, Sr Envoy for Digital to the US and head of the EU office in San Francisco
• Theos Evgeniou, Professor of Technology and Business at INSEAD
• Lutz Finger, CEO at R2Decide and Faculty at Cornell
• Anna Tong, Tech Correspondent at Reuters
• Youssef Benathman Idelcaid, Executive Director, Head of AI Research Center (ARC), Gilead

The Space Playbook: Strategies for Growth Amid Privacy and Data Dynamics

Beyond Rockets: The Power and Perils of Space-Based Data. How satellite imagery, combined with AI, can provide actionable insights for addressing global challenges like wildfires and natural disasters while also navigating the complex landscape of privacy and data security in an increasingly interconnected world.

• Simone D’Amico, Associate Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics at Stanford
• Karan Kunjur, Co-Founder and CEO at K2 Space Corporation
• Zach Brown, Co-Founder and Board of Directors at Creattura
• Ashley Fieglein Johnson, President and CFO at Planet
• Moderator: Hyunjin Kim, Assistant Professor of Strategy at INSEAD 

Lunch: Anniversary Celebration

Celebrate the INSEAD San Francisco Hub's 5th anniversary with a special lunch featuring its origin story, a showcase of achievements, and future initiatives in the Americas.

• Vic Woo, Director of INSEAD San Francisco Hub
• Peter Zemsky, Eli Lilly Chaired Professor of Strategy and Innovation
• Mika Salmi, Entrepreneur and Investor at Lakestar
• Adam Goldstein, Executive Chairman of KNNX Corp, Board Member of INSEAD
• Bansi Nagji, CEO of PANTHERx Rare and a Board Member of INSEAD
• Francisco Veloso, Dean of INSEAD
• Amit Akhelikar , President of the USA INSEAD Alumni Association

Research Announcements

Dean of Research announcing new AI research initiatives 

Lily Fang, Dean of Research and Innovation at INSEAD
Hyunjin Kim, Assistant Professor of Strategy at INSEAD 

The AI-Ready Leader: Harnessing AI for Sustainable Growth

• Kristin Skogen Lund, Chair of the Board of Directors at INSEAD
• Marylene Delbourg-Delphis, CEO at Cilantro Management
• Mark Stabile, Dean of Degree Programme and Dean of the Europe Campus at INSEAD
• Alberto Cairo, Chief Financing Officer and Managing Director at Solera
• Francisco Veloso, Dean of INSEAD

Building Bridges in the Digital Age: Tech Diplomacy on a Global Scale 

Explore how nations are shaping AI policy and regulation as international diplomatic representatives discuss strategies on data governance, ethics, economic impacts, and global cooperation to foster a responsible and inclusive AI future.

• Mariana Ferreira Cardoso Thiele, Deputy-consul - Head of Science, Technology and Innovation Section / Head of Trade Promotion Section at Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brazil - Consulate-General of Brazil in San Francisco
• Joanna Smolinska, Deputy Head of EU Office in San Francisco
• Christina Steinbrecher-Pfandt, CEO at Tech Diplomacy Network

AI and Organization: From Roadblocks to Ramps

Scaling AI: Discover how leaders can address organizational challenges in scaling AI, from initiating adoption to evolving management roles, with key questions and frameworks to build capacity for effective AI integration.

• Vibha Gaba, Professor of Entrepreneurship at INSEAD
• Chwee Foon Lim, Board Member of INSEAD
• Jean-Francois Van Kerckhove, Senior Partner at Bain & Company
• Antoine Thomas, Chief of Staff, Dean’s Office INSEAD

Beyond Disruption: Innovate and Achieve Growth without Disruption

Renée Mauborgne offers a practical framework for "non-disruptive creation," she reveals how to generate new markets and growth by unlocking new demand and making competition irrelevant, through identifying noncustomers and creating new value without displacing existing businesses.

• Renee Mauborgne, Professor of Strategy and Co-Director of the INSEAD Blue Ocean Strategy Institute at INSEAD

Navigating the Investment Frontier: A Focus on Emerging Trends

A discussion navigating the investment frontier in humanity's future. Focusing on emerging investment trends and how to align financial goals with a commitment to positive global impact.

• Mara Larson-Richards, Head of Venture Capital Team at Salesforce
• Mika Salmi, Entrepreneur and Investor at Lakestar
• Kamal Hassan, Managing Partner at Loyal VC
• Peter Zemsky, Eli Lilly Chaired Professor of Strategy and Innovation

Sustainability at Scale: Transforming Data Centres with AI Chip Technology and Renewable Energy

To sustainably meet the world's growing AI needs, explore "Green AI" initiatives in Canada and the Americas. These initiatives focus on faster, energy-efficient hardware, cost-effective renewable energy use, and onshore supply chains to minimize the environmental impact.

• Karen Bozynski, Partnerships Director at Canada’s Semiconductor Council (CSC)
• Kevin Conley, CEO at Applied Brain Research 
• Dr Santosh Raghavan, Principal Hardware Technologist at Groq
• Karel Cool, Strategy Professor at INSEAD

Change Leadership Today: Examining Organizational Behavior and Human Dynamics

An opportunity to reflect and learn about how leaders are currently navigating the strong anxieties and emotional challenges of leading change. Gain insights from applied practices in organizations that empower leading through change anxiety.

• Jonathan Yeo, Founder, The Potential Space
• Brett MacFarlane, Founder, Innovation Leadership

Business Sustainability Award Ceremony

Learn more about sustainability at INSEAD, followed by the announcement of the four winners of the 2nd annual INSEAD Business Sustainability Awards, recognizing innovative approaches to creating a better world through business. The session includes a panel discussion with all four winners. 

• Karel Cool, Strategy Professor at INSEAD 
• Peter Joos, Deputy Dean, Dean of Faculty  at INSEAD
• Winners of the 2025 INSEAD Business Sustainability Award

Closing Remarks

Reflecting on the valuable insights shared by our 30+ speakers and emphasizing the importance of continued collaboration within the INSEAD community and beyond, to navigate the complexities and opportunities of the AI-powered world.

• Vic Woo, Director of INSEAD San Francisco Hub
• Amit Akhelikar, President of USA INSEAD Alumni Association
• Francisco Veloso, Dean of INSEAD

Wine Experience: California’s Finest Wines & Future Trends

Join industry luminaries Mark Bright, Tor Kenward, and Todd Ruppert for a panel on an evolving wine industry, exploring the challenges and future trends shaping wine in California. Paired with an exclusive wine tasting and light lunch at Saison Wine Bar and Cellar.

• Tor Kenward, Founder of TOR Wines
• Todd Ruppert, INSEAD Advisory Council member, Founder & CEO of Ruppert International
• Mark Bright, Co-founder of Michelin-starred Saison
• Federico Pumpin, VP of Sanitary, Food and Beverage at BioFiltro

Global Perspectives Through Art: A Leadership Journey

Join a guided tour of SFMOMA, using Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) to engage deeply with contemporary and modern art. Designed for future business leaders, this dynamic experience explores how art connects culture, leadership, and global perspectives. 

• Lucie Charkin, Founder of Artful Method and Art AMP Studios