AI Won't Save a Broken Team - #SFTechWeek

Thursday, Oct 8

5:30pm

Hosted by

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AI tools are entering companies faster than their leaders’ thinking is changing. The result isn’t transformation — it’s the same old patterns, just faster. What once took years to become a problem can become a systemic failure in weeks. This session is a candid conversation about what actually determines whether a team can handle AI adoption: not the tools, but the leadership and organizational patterns already embedded in the company. We’ll explore what changes when AI enters the equation — which leadership qualities become essential, which matter less, and why successful AI adoption often starts with changing how the company itself operates. Speakers Daria Derkach — Senior Engineering Manager at Atlassian, with leadership and technical experience across Atlassian, Western Digital, and Expedia. She holds a Master’s in AI and Computer Science, completed executive education at UC Berkeley Haas, and mentors startups at Berkeley SkyDeck. Alexey Dubov — Founder of six companies with two exits and 800+ employees built across his ventures. He co-founded Mighty Buildings, pioneering 3D-printed housing at scale, and now runs BuildTech Ventures, investing in construction tech, robotics, and AI-enabled software. He holds 20+ patents in robotics and physical systems and was recognized as a Global Innovator by the World Economic Forum. Host: Anastasia Totok — strategic partner and offsite facilitator. She rebuilds operating systems that no longer serve the company’s goals — accelerating decision-making, reducing the cost of ineffective structures, and enabling faster response to market change. For rapidly growing startups, she designs organizational structures built to scale. Clients: Google, Samsung, Takeda, UNA-SF, MEDVidi, and global startups. Open to: Founders (pre-A to Series A+), CEOs, COOs, and Chiefs of Staff. More speakers to be announced soon. This event is a part of #SFTechWeek—a week of events hosted by VCs and startups to bring together the tech ecosystem. Learn more at www.tech-week.com.