During the World Economic Forum week in Davos, EmTech Invest convened an invitation-only gathering of global investors, policymakers, founders, scientists, and leaders, focused on the technological trends of 2026.
Hosted at the Grand Hotel Belvédère and Mountain Plaza Hotel, EmTech Invest reaffirmed its position as one of Davos’ most strategically relevant private events — where advanced technologies meet capital, regulation, and real-world deployment.
“The world does not lack ideas — it lacks brave execution,”
said Alena Yudina, Founder of EmTech Invest.
“Progress happens when technology, capital, and governance dance together.”
Over three days, EmTech Invest delivered a tightly curated program addressing artificial intelligence, medical technologies, digital assets, governance, longevity, and institutional-grade innovation.
Day One | January 20
The Davos Masterclass — Co-Hosted by BlockBuzz and EmTech Invest
The program opened at the Grand Hotel Belvédère with a closed-door morning masterclass. Designed as a high-signal, off-the-record forum, the session brought together leaders such as Clayton Thomas (Founder of ROOT Brands), Wendy Starland (Co-Founder & President of MusicSoul), Dr. Lisa Corsa (Founder of Premier Therapy Solutions), Dr. Christina Rahm (CEO of DRC Ventures), Riadh Bouaziz (Founder of RKF Luxury Linen), Jessica Chaijaya (President of United Society Council) — setting the strategic tone for the week and prioritizing substance over spectacle.
Days Two & Three | January 21–22
Technology, AI, Regulation & Capital
The core program continued at the Mountain Plaza Hotel with over 500 guests, and focused discussions on applied AI, blockchain infrastructure, capital strategy, and regulatory frameworks shaping global innovation.
AI in Action: Scaling Innovation Across Tech, Energy, Grid Systems & Media
Moderated by Liz Perkins (The Sunday Telegraph), the panel explored real-world deployment of AI across operational environments. Speakers examined how AI is already embedded into software development, decision-making processes, and large-scale energy and infrastructure systems.
Cully Cavnes (Crusoe Energy Systems) shared practical experience deploying AI at infrastructure scale, alongside insights from Yuval Dvir (SandboxAQ) and Sandra Trittin (Futurize Energy). The discussion underscored that AI has moved beyond experimentation and is now a core operational layer across critical industries.
Keynote: Creating Abundance and Avoiding the Zero-Sum Trap: Prioritising Creation over Reduction for Responsible AI
Yuval Dvir, Senior Advisor at SandboxAQ, delivered a keynote challenging efficiency-only narratives around AI. He introduced Large Quantitative Models (LQMs) as a framework for long-term value creation, scientific expansion, and sustainable economic growth.
Blockchain Beyond Speculation: Infrastructure & Enterprise Adoption
Moderated by Sheraz Ahmed, this panel examined blockchain’s transition from speculative assets to foundational infrastructure. Leaders from the Filecoin Foundation, Cardano Foundation, Hashgraph Association, BostonTrading, and Nethermind discussed enterprise adoption, public-goods infrastructure, protocol scalability, and institutional standards.
Keynote: Capital Allocation in a Fragmented Financial System
Todd Ault, Founder of Ault & Company, addressed capital strategy in an era shaped by financial fragmentation, de-banking, and systemic risk, highlighting the growing need for resilient investment models beyond traditional banking frameworks.
Keynote: Chris Voss — Never Split the Difference
Former FBI lead hostage negotiator Chris Voss shared practical frameworks from his bestselling book Never Split the Difference, applying high-stakes negotiation principles to leadership, deal-making, and decision-making under pressure.
Unstoppable Women
Moderated by award-winning executive coach Ellen Mannaer, the Unstoppable Women panel brought together leaders from business, investment, philanthropy, and creative industries. Speakers, including Wendy Starland, Maya Marburger, Dr. Christina Rahm, and Jessica Chaijaya discussed leadership under pressure, responsibility, and long-term impact.
Investor Reception
An exclusive Investor Reception started with a panel on Investment Strategies, joined by Swiss Entrepreneur Patrizia Laeri from elleXX and Israeli investor Naor Baruch from AlgoBlessed. The panel and reception were supported by VNTR Capital, Network VC Group, Black River Ventures, and more than 200 guests, strengthening direct connections between global innovation and institutional capital.
Books Presentations
An intellectual highlight of EmTech Invest 2026 was the presentation of Decoding Despair: How AI Is Reshaping Psychiatry by Mariam Khayretdinova, Founder & CEO of Brainify.AI.
Published by Wiley (2026), the book explores how artificial intelligence can overcome structural limitations of modern psychiatry, offering a practical framework for innovation in diagnostics, research, and next-generation treatment models.
Global release: January 27, 2026 · Available on Amazon: https://a.co/d/i9m0TRU
The program also featured a special book presentation by Chris Voss, former FBI lead negotiator and bestselling author, who introduced his upcoming book Lead with Empathy. The work focuses on empathy-driven leadership, high-stakes communication, and negotiation as strategic tools for modern executives and decision-makers.
About EmTech Invest
EmTech Invest is a global innovation and investment platform convening advanced research, institutional capital, and frontier technologies.
Since 2019, EmTech Invest has united founders, investors, policymakers, and executives representing over $500B in assets under management, creating a trusted environment for high-level dialogue, deal flow, and long-term partnerships across AI, blockchain, medtech, fintech, biotech, and digital infrastructure.
Website: https://emtechinvest.com
Looking Ahead
Following the success of EmTech Invest 2026, the platform continues its global program with upcoming private gatherings, investor forums, and strategic technology summits.
Media & Partnership Inquiries:
media@emtechinvest.com