Semafor Announces Silicon Valley & The World Initiative

Semafor, a news media company, announced the launch of its Silicon Valley & The World initiative on April 30, 2026. The initiative aims to bring together technology founders and CEOs, government officials, finance figures, and decision-makers from major economies for discussions in Silicon Valley.

The inaugural annual convening is set for two days in November 2026. It will feature live journalism examining artificial intelligence, national competitiveness, energy demand, capital formation, security, labor markets, and the relationship between technological power and public authority. The convening builds on Semafor's 2026 World Economy event held in April.

Reed Albergotti will lead the convening, along with the newsroom including Editor-in-Chief Ben Smith and Executive Editor Gina Chon. Editors covering Washington, China, the Gulf, energy, business, and the global economy will also participate. The initiative includes an advisory board of business and technology leaders to shape its strategic direction.

“The decisions being made inside this 50-square-mile corridor in California are reshaping economies, alliances, and governments worldwide — and yet there is no credible, global initiative that connects the builders of these technologies and the leaders responsible for shaping their nations’ strategies in navigating their impacts.”

Justin B. Smith, Semafor CEO and co-founder, stated that Semafor is positioned to convene leaders across borders, sectors, and systems. Ben Smith, Semafor editor-in-chief and co-founder, said the Silicon Valley AI boom is reshaping global politics and societies.

Semafor was founded in 2022 by media executives Justin B.

Smith and Ben Smith. The company provides reporting and live convenings, with hubs in Washington DC, Silicon Valley, Wall Street, sub-Saharan Africa, and the Gulf. officials. In 2024, Semafor was named to Fast Company's list of the world's most innovative companies for its international reporting.