Living Legends: Andreas von Bechtolsheim
We were privileged to host the legendary Andreas von Bechtolsheim as our inaugural guest – and the response was extraordinary. The event sold out completely, with nearly 200 attendees eager to hear from one of the Valley’s true pioneers.
We were also honored to welcome Germany’s Consul General Theo Kidess from the German Consulate General San Francisco, alongside the enthusiastic computer engineering students from German International School of Silicon Valley, whose thoughtful questions added incredible energy to the evening.
During his talk, Andy shared reflections from over five decades in computing and entrepreneurship. Rather than focusing on valuations or headlines, he spoke about the mindset behind innovation: staying curious, solving problems that aren’t obvious yet, and continuing to build even when the path isn’t clear. As Andy says: “Innovation is the never-ending search for better solutions.”
He emphasized that we’re entering a decade of extraordinary technological acceleration, driven especially by AI and large-scale data infrastructure. His advice to the next generation was clear: learn fast, think boldly, and make things happen rather than waiting for the perfect moment.
For more great pictures of the event, please see our event photo album here.
A heartfelt “thank you” to Andy Bechtolsheim for his generosity and insight, to Achim Voermanek, Kathleen (Herzog) Murphy, and the SAP team for hosting us at their exceptional Palo Alto AppHaus, and to everyone who helped make the evening meaningful and inspiring. The conversations with Andy continued long after the program ended – exactly what this series is meant to spark.
Stay tuned for the next Living Legends event!