| FOR MEDIA INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Yolanda Fintschenko, Executive Director
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Hazel Wetherford, Assistant City Manager City of Dublin, CA 925-833-6650 hazel.wetherford@dublin.ca.gov
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
4th Annual Tri-Valley AI Summit Explores the Rise of the Autonomous Economy
Industry Leaders, Entrepreneurs, National Laboratory Researchers, and Business Executives Convene to Discuss What’s Real and What’s Next in AI
August 19, 2026
Dublin, CA — Business leaders, entrepreneurs, researchers, investors, educators, and technology professionals gathered at Patelco Credit Union headquarters on August 12 for the 4th Annual Tri-Valley AI Summit, AI and the Autonomous Economy: What’s Real, What’s Next? Organized by Startup Tri-Valley and the City of Dublin, presented by Sandia National Laboratories, and hosted by Patelco Credit Union, the event brought together experts from industry, startups, and national laboratories to explore how artificial intelligence is evolving from tools that assist people to increasingly autonomous systems capable of managing workflows, supporting decision-making, and transforming business operations.
The summit featured leaders at the forefront of enterprise AI, workplace intelligence, cybersecurity, national security, agentic AI, and digital transformation. Speakers represented organizations including Sandia National Laboratories, Snowflake, Miro, Humaniti, Airrived, and Neuron ERP Solutions, offering attendees a range of perspectives on the opportunities and challenges presented by autonomous AI.
Throughout the evening, speakers and attendees explored one of the most pressing questions facing organizations today: where is artificial intelligence creating real business value now, and what developments are likely to reshape the economy in the years ahead? Discussions focused on practical AI deployment, organizational readiness, workforce implications, cybersecurity considerations, and the emergence of AI-powered agents capable of executing increasingly complex tasks.
“The conversation around AI has moved rapidly from experimentation to implementation. Leaders across every sector are now asking how autonomous systems will change the way organizations operate, compete, and innovate. This summit brought together the people building that future and those preparing to navigate it.”
— Yolanda Fintschenko, Executive Director, i-GATE Innovation Hub and Startup Tri-Valley
As presenting sponsor, Sandia National Laboratories highlighted the importance of collaboration among research institutions, industry, startups, and public-sector partners to accelerate innovation and strengthen economic competitiveness. The event also demonstrated the Tri-Valley’s unique position as a hub where national laboratories, entrepreneurs, investors, educational institutions, and technology companies work together to advance emerging technologies.
“Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing how organizations solve complex problems, accelerate discovery, and strengthen economic competitiveness. The Tri-Valley AI Summit provides an important opportunity for researchers, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders to exchange ideas, explore emerging technologies, and better understand how autonomous AI will influence the future economy.”
— Amanda Dodd, Director, Computation and Analysis for National Security Center, Sandia National Laboratories
Patelco Credit Union hosted the event for the fourth year in a row at its Dublin headquarters, providing a venue for meaningful conversations among regional leaders and innovators. Attendees participated in networking sessions before and after the panel discussion, creating new connections across sectors and organizations.
“The conversations at this year’s summit reflected a shift from curiosity and information to collaboration and implementation. Business leaders at the forefront of this transformation came together to understand where AI is creating measurable impact across sectors today and discuss with other leading practitioners how autonomous systems may transform organizations in the years ahead.”
— Kal Majmundar, Chief Technology & Transformation Officer, Patelco Credit Union
Mayor Sherry Hu welcomed attendees and reaffirmed the City of Dublin’s commitment to innovation, entrepreneurship, and regional collaboration. The event reflected the continued efforts of Tri-Valley partners to cultivate an environment where emerging technologies can move from research and development into real-world impact.
The evening began with a networking reception and wine tasting featuring Del Valle Winery and the Livermore Valley Winegrowers Association, showcasing another industry that contributes to the region’s reputation for innovation, entrepreneurship, and quality of life.
The Tri-Valley AI Summit launched as a collaboration between the City of Dublin and Startup Tri-Valley and is part of Startup Tri-Valley’s broader mission to connect founders, researchers, investors, technology leaders, educators, and community partners around emerging technologies that drive regional economic growth. As artificial intelligence continues to evolve, organizers expect the conversations sparked at this year’s summit to contribute to future collaborations, workforce development initiatives, startup formation, and technology commercialization efforts throughout the region.
About the Presenting Sponsor
Sandia National Laboratories
Sandia National Laboratories is a multimission laboratory operated by National Technology and Engineering Solutions of Sandia LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Honeywell International Inc., for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration. Sandia Labs has major research and development responsibilities in nuclear deterrence, global security, defense, energy technologies and economic competitiveness, with main facilities in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Livermore, California. Visit sandia.gov for more information.
About the Host
Patelco Credit Union
Patelco Credit Union is a not-for-profit financial institution serving more than 550,000 members nationwide with $9.5 billion in assets. It provides personalized banking solutions, expert guidance, and financial education that strengthen members’ financial wellbeing. Patelco is based in Dublin, CA, and has been honored with industry, consumer, business, and finance awards, including Newsweek’s America’s Best Regional Credit Unions, Forbes’ Best-In-State Credit Union, and Bankrate’s Top Credit Union for 2025. Visit patelco.org for more information.
About the Organizers
Startup Tri-Valley
Startup Tri-Valley is an initiative to grow and strengthen our region by helping more startups succeed. We do this by connecting founders and innovators to a tightly networked ecosystem of resources built specifically for science-based startups. The initiative is sponsored by the Tri-Valley cities of Dublin, Livermore, Pleasanton, the Town of Danville, and i-GATE Innovation Hub partners Lawrence Livermore and Sandia National Laboratories. To learn more, visit startuptrivalley.org.
i-GATE Innovation Hub
i-GATE Innovation Hub is a non-profit organization focused on increasing economic prosperity through entrepreneurship in the Tri-Valley. i-GATE provides startup incubation resources through Daybreak Labs and connects the regional innovation ecosystem through the Startup Tri-Valley initiative. To learn more, visit igatehub.org.
City of Dublin, California
From a population of approximately 14,350 in 1982, the City of Dublin has become a highly diverse city with a resident population of nearly 73,000, and a thriving community with over 2,100 businesses. Visit dublin.ca.gov for more information.
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Caption:
Pictured left to right: Amanda Dodd, Director, Computation and Analysis for National Security Center, Sandia National Laboratories; Sridhar Kalaga, Director, Enterprise AI Applications & Agents, Snowflake; Mayank Thakur, Founder & CEO, Neuron ERP Solutions; and Anurag Gurtu, Co-Founder & CEO, Airrived. The “What’s Real” panelists discussed the current capabilities of autonomous AI during the 4th Annual Tri-Valley AI Summit on August 12, 2026, at Patelco Credit Union headquarters in Dublin, California.
Caption: Pictured left to right: Sridhar Kalaga, Director, Enterprise AI & Agents, Snowflake (Moderator); Amanda Dodd, Director, Computation and Analysis for National Security Center, Sandia National Laboratories; Chun Jiang, Chief of Staff to Growth, Miro; and Bhaskaran “Bhaski” Devaraj, Founder & CEO, Humaniti Inc. During the “What’s Next” panel at the 4th Annual Tri-Valley AI Summit, panelists explored future AI capabilities, human-AI interaction models, autonomous systems, emerging trends, and the long-term implications of the autonomous economy.
Caption: Pictured left to right: Sridhar Kalaga, Director, Enterprise AI & Agents, Snowflake (Moderator); Amanda Dodd, Director, Computation and Analysis for National Security Center, Sandia National Laboratories; Chun Jiang, Chief of Staff to Growth, Miro; and Bhaskaran “Bhaski” Devaraj, Founder & CEO, Humaniti Inc. During the “What’s Next” panel at the 4th Annual Tri-Valley AI Summit, panelists explored future AI capabilities, human-AI interaction models, autonomous systems, emerging trends, and the long-term implications of the autonomous economy.