The First Steps Toward Commercialization: IP and Funding

Welcome to Week 20: The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist Film Screening! This week is a bit unconventional as instead of reading a paper, we'll be watching a film! Join us on CMU campus in Porter Hall 226C at 7 PM! The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist (2026), directed by Daniel Roher and Charlie Tyrell, examines the tension between AI's existential risks and radical potential through the personal lens of an expectant father. Featuring interviews with over 40 key figures—including Sam Altman, Demis Hassabis, Yoshua Bengio, Ilya Sutskever, Timnit Gebru, and Eliezer Yudkowsky—the documentary maps out the spectrum between doomerism and techno-optimism as rapidly scaling capabilities collide with institutional safety, governance, and human readiness. 📖 Reading Recommendations, Questions, or Comments? Contact us here! 🔎 View past meeting notes here. What's this? A super warm group of folks discussing their favorite topics! In the first half, we host an optional quiet reading space In the second half, we have a discussion where people can talk about what they found interesting about the reading and ask questions about things they didn't understand When/Where: CMU campus, Porter Hall 226C 7 PM start film screening, 8:40 PM start discussion, 9:00 PM wrap up Here's how it usually goes: 7:00 PM — arrival and settling in 8:00 PM — introductions 8:10 PM — discussion time 9:00 PM — wrap up then open discussion Who's it for? People who've been wanting to read up on the latest papers in ML and other fields but just haven't been able to find the time/motivation. Why: We've been procrastinating too much on our readings, even though we have so much fun doing them. We know we're not alone in this and want to keep others accountable for learning more about what they're passionate about! We've also met a ton of really fun friends by discussing what we care about! Rules/guidelines on how to act: Act like a host, include people in conversations, talk to people even if t

A lot of local "networking events" feel a little too much like a job interview for our liking. That is: The networking events that even exist here in Pittsburgh! This event is exactly what it sounds like: an (indoor!) picnic for founders, entrepreneurs, and local LinkedIn Lunatics to connect IRL, without presentations or forced small talk. You're the target audience if you're: → A founder or entrepreneur building something → Active in the LinkedIn / online biz space → Someone who works closely with founders and wants in on the community That being said: If you're just curious about entrepreneurship or you've been wanting to meet more of Pittsburgh's business community in person, come through. This isn't a velvet-rope situation. The vibe: Inside Avenu: Meyran, we'll move away all the chairs and tables and set things up like a real picnic! Just good conversation & no agenda. We'll have a few conversation starters on hand in case things get quiet, but mostly we just want you to talk to people you've only ever known as a profile picture. The food & drinks: We're bringing a small charcuterie board and some non-alc drinks. It's BYOB if you want to bring your own something, just keep it low-key. Hosted by: Sam Hindman & Jasz Joseph Sam Hindman is a ghostwriter for founders on LinkedIn and Substack, building content systems that support lead generation and sustainable growth. She also LOVES hosting events. You can check out her services here, or connect with her on LinkedIn. Jasz Joseph is a business growth strategist, HubSpot lover, and connector of humans. She is all about helping businesses grow, introducing awesome humans, and creating spaces where great ideas (and collaborations) happen. Connect on LinkedIn and check out her website for more! Thanks to Avenu Workspaces for sponsoring this event! If you're looking for coworking and office space in Oakland or Uptown, Avenu offers flexible options across four locations. Memberships start at just $50/month. Reach out to he

Scale Expo is an Innovation Works event connecting local hardware, med-tech, and robotics innovators with regional manufacturers for hands-on conversations about production partnerships. Hardware entrepreneurs and their teams are welcome to attend free of charge to talk with manufacturers about prototyping a new idea or scaling and existing product. Learn more at: https://www.innovationworks.org/founders/scale-expo/

Serving Up the Tea on AI & Data Centers! Join PSR PA and Selena T. West for a night of performance, fun and games. The goal is for you to leave with a broader understanding of data centers and their health impacts.