Terna Innovation Zone Forum 2026 | Innovating the Grid: Next-Gen Power for AI and Data Centers

Terna Innovation Zone Forum San Francisco 2026

Powering What’s Next: AI, Energy and Infrastructure

Join us on November 10 at the Mind the Bridge Innovation Center in San Francisco for the 2026 edition of the Terna Innovation Zone Forum.

Terna, Italy's electricity Transmission System Operator, in collaboration with Mind the Bridge, brings together leading players from the European and US energy, technology and innovation ecosystems to discuss how AI, digitalization and the rapid growth of data centers are reshaping the electricity system.

The Forum will bring together grid operators and utilities, technology companies, research organizations, startups, scaleups and innovation leaders to explore how electricity grids can evolve to meet these emerging challenges.

The conversation will move from the investment and infrastructure race behind the AI economy to the challenges of connecting new large loads, unlocking more capacity from existing grids and bringing innovative GridTech solutions into real-world applications.

A focused transatlantic dialogue on the future of energy, infrastructure and innovation, connecting European experience with the Silicon Valley ecosystem and exploring new opportunities for collaboration.

Agenda

• 4:00PM - Doors Opening & Networking
• 4:30PM - Welcome & Intro

• TBA, Mind the Bridge
• 4:35PM - Opening Remarks

• TBA, Terna
• Massimo Carnelos, Consulate General of Italy in San Francisco
• 4:45PM - Keynote: AI, Investment & Energy Infrastructure

A Silicon Valley perspective on the acceleration of AI, computing capacity and data center investment, and the implications for energy and infrastructure.

• Steve Westly, Founder & Managing Partner at The Westly Group
• 5:00PM - Panel: The Connection Race

Key players across the energy and digital value chain discuss how to connect new large electricity loads to the grid, faster.

• Carlo Brancucci, Co-Founder and CEO at [encoord](https://www.encoord.com/)
• Lénaïg Le Gall, Smart Grid Program Manager at EDF US Innovation Lab
• TBA, Hyperscaler
• TBA, US Utility
• Moderator: Daniele Vitullo, Head of Innovation Scouting & Ecosystems Management at Terna
• 5:30PM - Ecosystem Insights: Silicon Valley & Terna Innovation Zone

A data-driven snapshot by Terna and Mind the Bridge of the Silicon Valley energy and GridTech innovation ecosystem.

• Alberto Onetti, Mind the Bridge
• 5:40PM - Panel: Grid Technologies, from Breakthrough to Deployment

A discussion with GridTech startups and scaleups on turning technological innovation into real-world applications.

• Emily Goldfield, Director of Strategy & Business Development at GridCare
• Puneeth Kalavase, [Head of Grid Services](https://www.emeraldai.co/) at Emerald AI
• Abhishek Sastri, CEO & Co-Founder at FLUIX AI
• TBA, GridTech Startup
• Moderator: Sandra Chavez, Head of Incubatenergy Labs at EPRI
• 6:10PM - Closing Remarks

• TBA, Terna
• 6:15PM - Networking & Startup Showcase with Italian Aperitivo

Speakers and panelists will be announced shortly.

By attending this event, participants acknowledge and consent to being photographed and/or recorded, with the resulting material potentially used for publication and social media purposes.