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Three weeks in Silicon Valley. Twelve Scottish founders. One game-changing question: how do you build a startup when AI isn't just a feature, it's the foundation of everything?
On September 10th from 1-2 PM, we're pulling back the curtain on what our latest Techscaler Silicon Valley cohort discovered about navigating the world's most AI-obsessed startup ecosystem. This isn't your typical "AI is the future" webinar. This is a real conversation about what it actually takes to compete when everyone around you is building AI-first.
Why This Conversation Matters Now
The third Techscaler Silicon Valley Pop-up Hub ran from May 12th to June 1st, 2025, and the timing couldn't have been more perfect. Our cohort didn't just observe Silicon Valley's AI revolution - they lived it. They attended SaaStr.AI in San Mateo, networked with founders building the next generation of AI-powered startups, and came back with insights that go way beyond the usual "integrate AI into your workflow" advice.
Every single founder in this cohort uses AI in their product. Not as an afterthought, not as a nice-to-have feature, but as core to how they're building their businesses. The conversations they had in Silicon Valley went far beyond whether to adopt AI - they were about how to do it better, faster, and more strategically than everyone else racing to figure it out.
What You'll Actually Learn
This isn't going to be a surface-level discussion about ChatGPT plugins. We're diving into the hard questions that Scottish founders face when competing in a global market where AI competency is table stakes:
How do you integrate AI without losing what makes your startup uniquely valuable? There's a difference between slapping AI onto your existing product and building something that couldn't exist without it. Our founders learned where that line is and why it matters for everything from fundraising to customer retention.
What does AI-first product development actually look like in practice? Beyond the buzzwords, how do you structure your team, your roadmap, and your technical decisions when AI is central to your value proposition?
How has Silicon Valley's approach to AI investment changed the game for everyone else? The funding landscape has shifted dramatically. Understanding these changes isn't just useful, it's essential if you're looking to raise capital or compete for global market share.
Meet the Founders Who Lived It
Our panel brings together three founders who didn't just visit Silicon Valley - they immersed themselves in its ecosystem and came back with stories, strategies, and connections that are already changing how they build their businesses:
Sam Gray, Founder of Energy Mutual - Tackling one of the biggest challenges in sustainable energy with AI-powered solutions.
Alasdair Harris, Founder of LingoTeach.AI - Building the future of language learning through intelligent technology.
Amanda Pickford, Founder of ThermaFy Eco Solutions - Revolutionising home energy efficiency with AI-driven innovations.
Sally Dale, Programme Manager at CodeBase, will be facilitating the conversation, digging into the specific insights and breakthrough moments that emerged during their three weeks in the heart of the startup world.
Why This Matters for Your Business (Even If You're Not Building AI)
Here's what we've learned from running international programmes: the founders who get the most value aren't necessarily the ones building in the same sector or using the same technology. They're the ones who understand how global trends and ecosystem dynamics affect their own growth trajectory.
If you're an early-stage founder wondering how AI will reshape your market, this conversation will give you a realistic picture of what's coming. If you're a growth-stage founder considering US expansion, you'll hear firsthand what it takes to position yourself competitively in the world's most demanding startup ecosystem.
And if you're an investor or ecosystem builder, you'll get insights into how Scottish founders are adapting to compete globally - and what support they need to succeed.
The Bigger Picture: Learning from the World's Best
This webinar is part of our Techscaler Takeaways series - events designed to capture and share the insights from our international programmes while they're still fresh. The goal isn't just to benefit the founders who participated, but to strengthen Scotland's entire startup ecosystem by bringing global best practices home.
Silicon Valley's AI-first approach to building startups represents a fundamental shift in how products get developed, funded, and scaled. Understanding this shift isn't just interesting, it's competitive intelligence that every serious founder needs.
Join the Conversation
The session runs from 1-2 PM on September 10th, and we've designed it to be as valuable for people who can't attend live as those who can. Everyone who registers gets access to the recording, so you can dive into the insights when it works for your schedule.
But if you can join live, you'll have the chance to ask our founders directly about their experiences, their mistakes, and their biggest breakthroughs. These are conversations that happen naturally in Silicon Valley's coffee shops and co-working spaces but rarely make it back to Scottish founders who could benefit from them.
Register here and join us for an hour that could change how you think about building your business in an AI-first world.
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