San Francisco · 2026

Get in the room.

250 of the most accomplished people you know. A day and a half. Single track. No spectators — everyone in the room is someone worth meeting.

The Inaugural OpenWater Summit

Why you need to be there

Be seen.

You’ve spent decades building expertise that doesn’t fit on a resume. The Summit gives you a stage, an audience, and a room full of people who understand your value. Present what you know. Let people see how you think.

Meet your people.

Not another networking event with name tags and small talk. These are 250 people who’ve done what you’ve done. Same stage of life. Same caliber. Same hunger to stay in the game.

Get in front of decision-makers.

Corporate leaders, venture investors, and talent decision-makers will be in the room — not reading your LinkedIn, not scanning your resume, but watching you present, solve problems, and think out loud.

Be part of Year 1.

Every great gathering has a founding story. The people who were in the room for the first one. This is that moment for OpenWater. If this community has meant something to you, the Summit is where it becomes real.

The caliber of the room is the product

Speakers & Guests

We’re in conversation with leaders from across technology, media, finance, and social impact. Keynotes and sessions will be shared as our speakers are confirmed. Every speaker is someone who has built something that mattered, and has something to say about what comes next.

Plus keynotes and sessions led by our most compelling members — the people who make this community what it is.

Want to present?

The stage is yours.

We’ll open speaker submissions this summer. If you have a hard-won insight, a lesson that changed how you work, or expertise the room needs to hear — this is your moment.

This is not a conference. There are no paid speakers. No panels of strangers. Our members are the content — on stage, in breakout rooms, at every table.

Speed Networking

Meet 10–12 people in the first hour. The room is warm before the first talk begins.

🎤

Member Talks

Members present their expertise. Editorially curated. Every session followed by real conversation.

🧠

Mastermind Live

A member brings a real challenge. Peers solve it together. Our most powerful format — now in person.

Lightning Round

3 minutes. One lesson. No slides. The most honest, high-energy segment of the day.

💰

Give & Get Showcase

Four members share real stories: a consulting gig, a board seat, a new venture — all born from this community.

🤖

AI in Action

Live AI reskilling workshop. Members working with tools in real time. Experience meets fluency.

💜

WOW Breakfast

Women of OpenWater gather before the main program for candid conversation and connection.

📌

The Wisdom Wall

Every member contributes one hard-won lesson. By end of day, it becomes a collective artifact of everything this room knows.

🏢

Corporate Leaders

Senior executives and talent decision-makers in the room — not just watching, but in an invitation-only working session.

We’ve done this before. The Summit makes it bigger.

120+ people at an OpenWater event at The Battery Club, San Francisco

The Battery Club · San Francisco · 120+ Attendees

Think of the best dinner you’ve had with OpenWater members.

Now multiply it by 250.

Your peers from 20+ local chapters. Former executives from Google, Meta, The New York Times, Deloitte, and dozens of other organizations. People who’ve built companies, led teams, and are now figuring out what’s next — just like you. The conversation that starts over coffee turns into a collaboration by lunch and a real opportunity by dinner.

Don’t hear about it later.

The people who were in the room for Year 1 will talk about it for years. Make sure you’re one of them.

I Want In

We’ll notify you when registration opens.

Inaugural pricing

Year 1 pricing. If this sells out, next year won’t look like this.

Early Bird

$399

First 100 tickets

Standard

$599

Remaining 100 seats

250 total seats. When they’re gone, they’re gone.

Interested in sponsoring the Summit?

OpenWater is bringing together experienced operators, founders, executives, and decision-makers in one room. If your organization wants to explore sponsorship, we'd love to show you what we're building.

Explore Sponsorship