Final Event: Harvard + MIT Series
The final event in this series explores how AI and robotics are transforming construction and real estate, from autonomous site inspections and robotic labor to AI driven development, property intelligence, and infrastructure resilience.
This evening examines how physical AI is reshaping the built environment improving safety, accelerating timelines, reducing costs, and unlocking new business models across construction, property management, and urban development. From how buildings are conceived and designed to how they are built, operated, and adapted over time, AI and robotics are rewriting every layer of the architectural and construction process.
Hosted by SFPlayground, in collaboration with the Harvard Club of San Francisco and the MIT Club of Northern California. Sponsored by Universal AI Services.
Opening Speaker
Argelia Barcena is one of the most influential voices in AEC technology and digital transformation today.
She leads North America for Women in BIM, serves as Associate Director on the AIA San Francisco Board, and sits on the AIA National TAP Leadership Committee helping shape how AI and emerging technologies are adopted across the entire architecture profession.
She is a former Chair of AIASF TAP, an Autodesk Expert Elite, a BIM Hero Medal recipient, and was named one of the “Most Influential Women in Bay Area Business” by the San Francisco Business Times.
A former architect turned design technologist, Argelia has worked at leading AEC firms, taught at universities, and spoken at major conferences worldwide—bridging practice, technology, and leadership at the highest level.
Panelists
Philip Lorenzo, Senior Director of Product at DroneDeploy, is a construction tech entrepreneur with over a decade of experience scaling AI driven solutions across the built environment. His work in reality capture and field intelligence has helped transform construction operations into data driven systems.
Maarten Deschaumes, Founder and Managing Partner of Lands End Capital, is a real estate investor focused on large scale development, capital markets, and long term value creation, with deep expertise in structuring complex deals and shaping urban infrastructure.
Eric Luttmann, Product and Innovation Leader at Wildey Labs, builds at the intersection of software, architecture, and the built environment, leading teams developing technology driven solutions for real world construction and infrastructure challenges.
Margaret Abe-Koga, Santa Clara County Supervisor and former Mayor of Mountain View, has decades of leadership across housing, transportation, sustainability, and regional infrastructure, with a focus on equitable policy and community driven innovation.
Martin Kirkwood is an entrepreneur focused on AI driven PropTech, smart cities, and urban planning, with experience spanning real estate development, circular manufacturing, and public private partnerships.
Who We’re Bringing Together
Senior government leaders, architects, developers, construction executives, real estate investors, and frontier technologists shaping how the city is designed, built, and delivered.
Focus Areas
How AI and robotics are changing how we design, build, and operate the built world
• AI reshaping design, development, and approvals in real time
• Robotics and automation on active construction sites today
• Digital twins driving faster, safer, data driven decisions
• How AI is changing cost, risk, and investment decisions
• Smarter cities through infrastructure, housing, and mobility data
• What's actually working now vs what's still hype
• Skills and systems shaping the next phase of the industry
Schedule
5:30 PM — Doors and Check In6:30 PM — Program and Talks7:30 PM — Networking and Dinner9:00 PM — Event Concludes
Pricing
$20 Harvard and MIT alumni members$30 non members$40 last minute tickets
ZOOM: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5854150305
Sponsors
UAIS helps organizations deploy Physical AI systems end-to-end, from selecting and customizing robots and software through their robotics marketplace to building and launching them across real-world environments.
OVAL - Edge Native AI Conquering Smart Homes.Anthem video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCwv6dL3GyAProduct video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3rpAMFlNco_
HALL Wines - a leading Napa Valley estate renowned for its Cabernet Sauvignon, multiple 100 point vintages, and recognition from Wine Spectator Top 100. A LEED Gold certified winery, HALL defines excellence in modern winemaking.
Blueprints AI uses artificial intelligence to generate permit-ready construction documentation, helping teams deliver more projects faster without scaling headcount.
Community Partners
AngelList builds the software investors use to fund world-changing startups. Founders Cafe is our founder community and co-working space on the first floor of HQ. Apply here.
aec+tech is a community-driven database and platform connecting AEC professionals with the latest tools and technologies shaping the built environment.
It brings together a growing library of solutions, real-world case studies, and ongoing coverage of new tools, reviews, and industry developments. The platform also hosts virtual events where practitioners and technology leaders share how these tools are actually being used in practice.
AEC Technology companies can also create and manage their own pages on the platform, sharing updates, case studies, and insights with a global audience actively researching and evaluating new solutions.
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The AIASF Technology in Architectural Practice (TAP) Knowledge Community works to inform and advance the understanding of design technology and its impact on the built environment. The committee helps to promote and accelerate digital transformation of AIA’s local communities through dialogue and adoption of technologies enabling new processes and experiences.
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