VLAB

Technology Community Eventsvlab.org

VLAB is a non-profit organization founded in 1990 that hosts panel discussions on emerging technologies at Stanford and SRI venues, serving Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and industry experts through an all-volunteer model funded by donations and sponsorships.

Company typePrivate
Founded1990
HeadquartersStanford, United States
Headcount51–100
GTM typeB2C
OfferingServices

What VLAB does

VLAB is a non-profit community organization founded in 1990 that operates a curated panel-discussion forum connecting Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, founders, venture capitalists, and industry experts around emerging and industry-disrupting technologies. The organization is the SF Bay Area Chapter of the MIT Enterprise Forum and functions primarily as an in-person event series, hosted at Stanford University venues (Faculty Club, CEMEX Auditorium, Hauck Auditorium) and the SRI International Conference Center. Programs typically take the form of moderated panel discussions followed by audience Q&A and networking, with coverage spanning AI, cybersecurity, robotics, AR/VR, autonomous vehicles, IoT, biotech, climate, and blockchain/ICOs over the years.

The organization does not operate a proprietary technology platform; its core "product" is the event itself, supplemented by an extensive on-demand video library (YouTube "VLABVideos" channel, vlab.org/vlabcontent), a blog, and an email subscription service. Operations are run on an all-volunteer model, with event chairs, panelists, and operational staff contributing unpaid time; named chairs include Vivek Kumar (VLAB Chair), Brian Cordero (Executive Chair: Mobility and Future Cities), Nathan Stoll (Chair), and David Fudenberg (Chair of Alliances and Partnerships), among others.

The revenue model is donation- and sponsorship-based, with a "Support" donation page on the website, ticket sales or suggested donations for individual events, and at least one disclosed corporate sponsor (Sheppard Mullin Richter and Hampton LLP). Distribution is multi-channel: in-person attendance at Stanford/SRI venues, an online video library, and social/community channels including Facebook (@VLABorg), X (@VLAB), LinkedIn, YouTube, and Meetup.com/VentureLab. The organization references a community of 20,000+ Bay Area technologists and disruptive innovators (with earlier 2013-2014 references to 25,000+), indicating sustained reach within the Silicon Valley innovation ecosystem over more than three decades.

VLAB firmographics

Firmographics

Name: VLAB
Legal name: VLAB
Website: https://vlab.org
Company type: Private
Founded year: 1990
Operating status: Operating
Headcount range: 51–100 employees
Short description: VLAB is a non-profit organization founded in 1990 that hosts panel discussions on emerging technologies at Stanford and SRI venues, serving Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and industry experts through an all-volunteer model funded by donations and sponsorships.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

VLAB industry classification

Industry

Product category: Technology Community Events
NAICS: Business Associations (813910), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)
akta.pro primary industry: Virtual/Hybrid Conference Production & Platform Management (THAHACAM)

Keywords

Technology panel discussions
Entrepreneur networking events
Venture capital forums
Startup ecosystem events
Emerging technology conferences

Where VLAB is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city: Stanford
HQ country: United States
HQ region: North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

VLAB business model

Business model

GTM type: B2C
Offering type: Services
Cost components: Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

VLAB product offering

Product offering

Core offering

VLAB is a non-profit organization that connects entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and thought leaders in Silicon Valley through panel discussions and events examining industry-disrupting innovations. Since 1990, it has hosted in-person panel discussions at venues such as Stanford University and SRI International, complemented by an online video library of past events. The organization is entirely volunteer-run and offers free or donation-based community programming.

Product overview

VLAB is a non-profit organization (established 1990) that connects entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and thought leaders in Silicon Valley. The organization hosts panel discussions and events examining industry-disrupting innovations from varying perspectives. Their primary offerings include organizing events at venues such as Stanford, providing video content from past events, and facilitating community engagement among technologists and innovators. VLAB does not appear to offer software products, platforms, or technology services — it functions as an event and networking organization rather than a product company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

VLAB – Silicon Valley's Venture Lab: The tagline and branding for VLAB positioning it as Silicon Valley's venture lab

Products and services

VLAB Panel Discussion Series
VLAB Video Library

Companies that use VLAB

Customer profile

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

VLAB technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API: No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

VLAB partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

VLAB competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Direct peers

TiE Silicon Valley: TiE (The Indus Entrepreneurs) is a global non-profit fostering entrepreneurship through charter-based chapters. TiE Silicon Valley runs mentor panels, networking events, and investor programs that overlap directly with VLAB's entrepreneur and VC audience.
Keiretsu Forum: Keiretsu Forum is a global angel investor network with a strong Bay Area presence, hosting pitch events and investor education programming. It overlaps with VLAB's investor-segment audience but is focused on deal-making rather than general tech panel discussions.
Founders Network: Founders Network is a paid, invite-only community of tech founders offering peer mentoring and investor introductions. It overlaps with VLAB's founder-and-investor audience but operates on a subscription model rather than free events.
Band of Angels: Band of Angels is one of Silicon Valley's oldest angel investor groups, hosting regular dinners and educational events for its members. It shares VLAB's Bay Area, high-caliber-investor audience and volunteer-driven structure.
MIT Enterprise Forum: MIT Enterprise Forum is the parent network of which VLAB is the SF Bay Area Chapter. It operates other regional chapters globally that run panel discussions and programming for entrepreneurs and investors with the same non-profit, volunteer-driven model.
Startup Grind: Startup Grind is a global startup community that hosts events, fireside chats, and conferences for founders and investors. It competes for the same entrepreneur and VC attention as VLAB but operates with a paid team and digital-first community platform.
SVForum: Silicon Valley Forum is a non-profit technology community organization that has hosted events, panels, and networking programs for the Bay Area tech ecosystem since the 1980s. It is the closest analog to VLAB in terms of mission, structure, and target audience.

Others

TechCrunch: TechCrunch is a leading technology media property that runs Disrupt, industry-specific events, and editorial coverage of the startup ecosystem. It is adjacent to VLAB's mission as a content-and-events platform serving the same entrepreneur and investor audience.
Y Combinator: Y Combinator is the world's most prominent startup accelerator, hosting twice-yearly demo days, office hours, and community events for its portfolio founders. It is a broader incumbent that captures a significant share of the founder-and-investor attention VLAB targets.

Broad incumbents

Plug and Play Tech Center: Plug and Play is a large innovation platform running accelerator programs, corporate partnership events, and industry-specific summits from its Sunnyvale headquarters. It is a broader incumbent in the Silicon Valley startup ecosystem with overlapping entrepreneur and VC audiences.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

VLAB financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

VLAB leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles20 records

VLAB funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

VLAB M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about VLAB

What does VLAB do?

Is VLAB a public or private company?

VLAB is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.

When was VLAB founded?

VLAB was founded in 1990. It employs 51 to 100 people.

Where is VLAB based?

VLAB is headquartered in Stanford, United States, in the North America region.

Who are VLAB's main competitors?

Direct peers on record are TiE Silicon Valley, Keiretsu Forum, Founders Network, Band of Angels, MIT Enterprise Forum, Startup Grind and SVForum. Others are TechCrunch and Y Combinator. Plug and Play Tech Center is listed as a broad incumbent.

Does VLAB have an API?

No public API is recorded for VLAB.

What industry is VLAB in?

VLAB's product category is Technology Community Events. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAHACAM, Virtual/Hybrid Conference Production & Platform Management. Its NAICS code is 813910.