SAN JOSE, California — An Nvidia executive and San Jose’s mayor touted Silicon Valley’s artificial intelligence and innovation boom at a packed event for startups and entrepreneurs during the tech titan’s GTC 2024 gathering.

Tech innovators crammed into the grand ballroom of a downtown San Jose hotel Monday evening to network with each other during the Nvidia Inception Reception, hoping to pitch — and find — the next game-changer of an idea.

“The inception program is one of the most important initiatives at Nvidia,” Greg Estes, vice president of developer programs at Nvidia, said during a speech to kick off the key meeting.

Nvidia executives and founders were present at the downtown San Jose inception event to provide ideas and insights for startup execs and entrepreneurs. The Nvidia leaders mingled with the heads of fledgling and infant companies who hoped to ensure their products and services would be on the tech titan’s radar.

“I hope the next trillion-dollar company is in this room,” Estes told the Inception Reception attendees Monday night. “It’s very likely.”

San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan made it clear during his speech that San Jose hopes to capitalize on the advantages and cutting-edge technologies being generated by artificial intelligence.

“As a former startup founder myself turned elected official I would be remiss if I didn’t pitch you on my latest startup idea,” Mayor Mahan told the assembled entrepreneurs.

Artificial intelligence can help the Bay Area’s largest city solve everyday challenges and become more efficient in delivering services, the mayor declared during his presentation.

“You should partner with us to build the city of the future here in San Jose,” Mahan said. “We are working to produce incentives to create a stronger startup ecosystem downtown.”

San Jose has already launched artificial intelligence to determine whether AI can help the city detect, prioritize and repair potholes. That’s just scratching the surface, in the mayor’s view.

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