Dave Lazovsky is the Founder and CEO of Celestial AI, the creators of the Photonic Fabric.  Celestial AI, a unicorn start-up founded in April 2020, has developed the optical interconnectivity technology platform for AI computing. Prior to founding Celestial AI, Mr. Lazovsky was a Venture Partner at Khosla Ventures.  Prior to KV, he was the Executive Chairman of the Board of POET Technologies, an integrated photonics device company in the semiconductor industry.  Mr. Lazovsky also served as Chairman of Energy Storage Systems (ESS), industry leader in low-cost, long-duration energy storage 2017 - 2018. In 2004 Mr. Lazovsky founded Intermolecular, a semiconductor and clean energy research, development and Intellectual Property licensing company. He served as the company’s Chief Executive Officer, President and as a member of the board of directors from September 2004 through October 2014. As President and CEO, Mr. Lazovsky led all aspects of the business through its lifecycle from early-stage start-up to public company. Intermolecular (IMI) went public on the NASDAQ in 2011. Prior to Intermolecular, Mr. Lazovsky held several senior management positions at Applied Materials. He was responsible for managing more than $1 billion in Applied Materials’ semiconductor manufacturing equipment business in the Metal Deposition and Thin Films Product Business Groups. He currently has over 75 issued and pending U.S. patents.

Viewpoint Forum: The Future of Advanced Compute and Geopolitical Power

This session will explore how academia, government policy, and venture capital can work together to drive innovation in tough tech. From advanced energy systems to cutting-edge biotech, the intersection of these sectors plays a pivotal role in scaling breakthrough technologies and tackling the world’s toughest challenges. The panel will feature insights from leaders in academia, state government, and venture investing, discussing how collaboration across these sectors can catalyze meaningful progress in tough tech.

Convergence