Step SF 2026

Step SF is the San Francisco edition of the global Step Conference franchise: a two-day AI and startup festival for founders, investors, and operators. Day 1 (August 26) is a Bay-wide kickoff with satellite programming, including a pitch competition track. Day 2 (August 27) is the main conference at The Midway in Dogpatch, with multi-stage sessions, a startup showcase floor, and facilitated matchmaking rather than a free-for-all mixer.

Past Step SF speaker lineups have included operators and investors from companies such as Replit, a16z, Deel, Brex, and Khosla Ventures. The 2026 edition leans into AI-economy builders with international attendee density. Ticket types on Luma include Master and Investor passes plus application-gated startup packages; pricing moves in waves and can sell out.

Wednesday-Thursday, August 26-27, 2026. Main conference day is Thursday at The Midway, 900 Marin Street. Street parking is effectively nonexistent; plan transit or rideshare. Confirm current pass inclusions and satellite RSVPs on stepsf.com and Luma before you book travel.

Go if you want a named multi-track founder/investor festival with structured intros. Skip if you only need a free chapter mixer or a single-topic CNCF builder day. Pair carefully with same-week ACG and Ascend rooms; Step is a paid festival graph, not a chamber social.