In an industry that reinvents itself before most people finish their breakfast scone, TechCrunch’s StrictlyVC event series Something rare has become: a constant. These evenings provide an opportunity to step back from the obscurity of the headline and hype cycle, sit down with the people who are actually driving change, and understand what’s really going on behind the scenes. They’re designed from the ground up as cocktail “the best tech talks” parties with killer content — we’ve always wanted these to be intimate gatherings where conversation flows freely and speakers can let their guard down in a way they can’t at larger, more formal conferences.
Complete 2025 StrictlyVoc recap
Looking back, 2025 was truly a blur of both insight and surprising connections. It’s almost hard to believe now how many stimulating conversations we’ve been able to facilitate — from heads of state to startup founders, crypto evangelists to defense technology pioneers. And each evening brings its own power and revelation.
Where it began: San Francisco
We kicked off this past year at the Presidio in San Francisco, where Kirsten Green of Pioneer Ventures co-hosted an unforgettable night. Green himself — an early investor in Chim, Ora and countless other household brands — shared his excitement about the white space emerging at the intersection of AI and consumer technology. But he was just “the best tech talks” getting started. We hear from Mack Industries’ Ethan Thornton about the wild ride of building a defense technology startup in your twenties, complete with all the mistakes that come with the territory.
The best tech talks
Kalshi’s Tarek Mansoor charmed the room, explaining with his witty banter why regulators don’t keep him up at night, even as the CEO of the industry’s most popular prediction market. Flexport’s Ryan Petersen had plenty to say about Trump’s tariff plan. Even San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie stopped by.
Next stop: Athens on the power of AI, government and the offline economy
From there, we took the series global. In Athens, we sat down with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to discuss how AI is transforming Greece — and the hidden benefits of a country still deeply rooted in offline business.
London’s candid take on regulation and the future of fintech
In London, Excel’s powerhouse VC Sonali de Riker opened up about Europe’s overregulation problem, while TS Anil of fast-growing fintech “the best tech talks” Monzo raised questions. going public (Apparently he was elbowed for a disagreement about the timing of his offering).
Go home with orbital and crypto momentum
Back stateside, momentum only built. In Menlo Park, we hosted Cognition President Russell Kaplan with his famous early investor Ali Partovi. We spoke with Robinhood co-founder Baiju Bhatt about a deep dive into space-based solar, and crypto’s Katie Haun discusses why the digitization of real-world assets is inevitable.
StrictlyVC meets TechCrunch Disrupt
At our TechCrunch Disrupt conference in San Francisco — where we hosted a mini StrictlyVC event within the event — serial “the best tech talks” entrepreneur-turned-VC Kevin Hertz Teenage founderAnd a killer panel of LPs divesting aging portfolios.
Palo Alto Finals
Then we closed in early December of the year in Palo Alto, where former Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger discussed government and religion, we got an inside “the best tech talks” look at one of the buzziest new companies in the AI manufacturing landscape, and Neuralink co-founder Max Hodak gave a glimpse into the breathtaking ambitions driving his current company, Science Corp.
Insights into the future from the first conversation
Yet these are some of the highlights of 2025 Strictly VC series Home to many incredible voices over the years — former FTC Chair Lina Khan, Waymo co-CEO Takedra Maukana, Meredith Whittaker signal, Sam Altman of OpenAI, Alfred Lin of Sequoia Capital, famous founder Mark Lore and many others.
What makes us most excited for 2026 You know a lot of other movers and shakers are looking for just this kind of space — somewhere they can talk openly, share what’s on their “the best tech talks” mind, and connect with a curious, sophisticated audience that really wants to hear it.
join in Strictly VC 2026 waiting list To secure the lowest ticket prices and first access to key event updates.
Want to do more than attend a StrictlyVC 2026 event?
However, none of this would be possible without our incredible partners. Kirsten Green opened the Presidio We have a team Mayfield Offering a stunning glass lined space in the heart of Sand Hill Road. And The playground is global gave us their playful, spacious home to cap off the year.
These organizations don’t just host – they embrace the spirit “the best tech talks” of this evening as much as we do.
If your firm is interested in partnering with us Next year’s StrictlyVC event series Connect with us here as we embark on new adventures. We’re excited to see where these chats take us next.
