In October 2024, we successfully held the 45th Bootcamp. In this article, SFIH founder Ruslan Gafarov shares his impressions of the program and explains why participating in the Bootcamp is a key step before joining our community.
Ruslan and Alina Gafarov, founders of the San Francisco Innovation Hub in Silicon Valley
Day 0. Preparation for the Bootcamp
On the first day of our Bootcamp, we met with advisors at 11 a.m. Advisors are members of our community who have completed the program themselves and now contribute to creating the best experience for new participants. They are our initial circle, embodying our values and supporting community-building efforts.
We had about five hours before Bootcamp participants arrived. During this time, we focused on recalling the activities ahead, defining who we need to be, and determining how we should show up to create an exceptional experience for the Bootcamp participants.
We started by discussing changes since our last Bootcamp meeting. We reflected on how our community has impacted the lives of those helping us build it. It became clear that everyone benefits immensely. Most importantly, participants find not only practical tools here but also people who are experiencing similar processes and can discuss personal transformations.
I believe every entrepreneur is driven to these transformations by global crises, the recent pandemic, wars, and technological advancements, especially artificial intelligence. We understand the world is speeding up, and what worked before no longer applies today. Each day, we need to recreate ourselves anew.
We engaged in exercises to build cohesion, established our main focus for the Bootcamp, and agreed on cultivating a specific state of mind to share with participants.
Those who join us are very successful individuals. During our programs, we often encounter skepticism, as each participant is influenced by their environment and the expectations others have of them.
The only way we can help participants discover something new is by not arguing when they disagree. Instead, we reach out, embrace them, and reassure them that everything will be okay. And for this, we need to feel joy and happiness ourselves. If you lack joy, happiness, and love within, you cannot offer it to others.
Day 1. Introduction, Stanford University, and Immersion into Silicon Valley Culture
On the first day, we met at Stanford University, where we collectively moved to a new stage of group dynamics.
Since most people don’t know each other and feel tense or unsure when unfamiliar eyes are on them, it can be challenging for them to express themselves freely and authentically. Our goal for the first day was to facilitate meaningful introductions, fostering a deep connection that allows participants to feel comfortable with one another.
We divided into groups, introduced ourselves, selected leaders, began working with ChatGPT using prompts, came up with group names, made presentations, and practiced reaching agreements—all in just five to six hours of intense engagement.
On the one hand, it’s exhausting; on the other, you gain incredible energy from the vibrant interactions with unique and accomplished individuals.
After lunch, we took a tour around Stanford. Stanford is considered the birthplace of Silicon Valley. It was here that Professors Hewlett and Packard developed their first device, which they sold to Disney, marking the start of Silicon Valley’s history.
Phil Knight, the founder of Nike, also attended Stanford Business School. The founders of Instagram and numerous other successful companies in the Valley studied here as well.
In the evening, after Stanford, we gathered in the hotel lobby, where we had reserved a space for light refreshments and drinks. This provided a safe environment to anchor the dynamic we had initiated throughout the day.
Day 2. UC Berkeley and the Creation of Innovation
We began the second day at UC Berkeley, a place we visit along with Stanford to understand the origins and culture behind innovation.
A professor, well-acquainted with most of Silicon Valley’s leaders—Elon Musk, Sergey Brin, Bill Gates, and many others—spoke to us. He shared various stories about how companies emerge and how innovations are built. He guided us around the campus, showing unique spots typically inaccessible to the public.
After lunch, we headed to Circuit Launch, where the founder of the accelerator spoke to us. He shared his vision of a future where robots outnumber humans and robotics becomes an integral part of daily life. You can check Mikhail Vorobyev’s channel for insights he’s shared about robotics.
We then heard from a former Intel executive who worked in innovation.
Finally, we visited Paul, who founded a company headquartered in Silicon Valley and now develops innovative exhibition equipment for retailers. He spoke about his company’s culture, stages of growth, and the current phase of development.
Day 3. VC and Venture Funds
The third day was dedicated to venture investments. We began the day by reviewing the previous days and outlining what was in store for our venture investment day.
We spent the entire day at Plug and Play, a venue that started as a carpet store where IT entrepreneurs rented space to code, paying rent with options. When this company was eventually sold to eBay, the carpet store owner made $1.5 billion, realized the business model’s potential, and has been engaged in venture investments ever since. He went on to build the very first startup accelerator, Plug and Play.
Our first speaker was Alexander Soroka, who shared insights and tips for venture investing. Alex Zhuravlev followed with a structured presentation on how the venture industry operates. We also heard from the most renowned startup attorney in Silicon Valley, who has been working in the industry for over 30 years. Later, Alex spoke about his journey in raising funds and selling his company for $100 million.
Day 4. Artificial Intelligence
The fourth day was dedicated to AI. Since OpenAI currently leads this field, a current employee of the company joined us to share insights on the latest developments within the AI sphere and the trends we can expect in the near future.
After that, Dima, who has participated in several accelerator programs, including Y Combinator, and successfully raised tens of millions of dollars in the AI industry, spoke to us. He discussed his current projects and the journey he’s taken as an entrepreneur in Silicon Valley.
We also heard from the founder of an AI startup, NVIDIA’s Director of Artificial Intelligence, and Nikolay Davydov, the founder of the venture fund DVC.
Through this day, we gained two key insights: the current trends in AI and how startups operate in this industry.
Day 5. Immersion in Corporate Culture
On the fifth day, we began exploring corporate operations. Our first meeting was with a manager from Meta, who shared insights into internal processes, corporate culture, and managing a team of 100 people.
We also spoke with representatives from companies focused on marketing and sales. We met with the CEO of Five9, and the day ended with a meeting with Arnon, who has worked with Elon Musk, Sergey Brin, and Larry Page, assisting them in building corporate culture.
This day tends to leave a lasting impression on our participants, as they hear from real corporate leaders who share how companies grew from ideas into large corporations.
Day 6. Google, PayPal, and Amazon
We began the sixth day at Google, spending the morning there. We discussed corporate culture, project launches, managing project work, and the process of generating and implementing ideas.
After lunch, we met with a former Director of Development at PayPal, who spoke about conducting one-on-one meetings, the role of managers, and the corporate structure.
Next, an engineer and entrepreneur shared his experience working at Amazon, discussing the company’s principles and internal processes. This gave us a chance to compare Google’s culture of inclusivity with Amazon’s culture of goal achievement.
In the evening, thanks to our advisors, we went to a rented house where we met interesting people from Silicon Valley and wrapped up the program.
Day 7. Program Wrap-Up and Ruslan Gafarov’s Birthday
We began Saturday morning in a conference room to wrap up the program. Participants shared insights, and then moved on to project work. All groups gathered again to work with ChatGPT prompts prepared in advance under the guidance of their leaders. The task was to create a project and present it before a panel of judges. We spent half the day on this, consolidating all the knowledge gained about startup creation, attracting investments, building internal culture, and organizing management processes.
After lunch, we headed to a winery to celebrate my birthday. Around 180 people attended the event. The day started with a networking session, followed by a party where everyone could dance, eat, drink, and continue connecting.
After each Bootcamp, we hold an event in Silicon Valley, inviting all program participants. These events help expand networks and foster deeper integration into the Silicon Valley community.
Following the 45th Bootcamp, we organized the Silicon Valley Private Circle—a unique gathering held in a former church building, followed by a group hike along the ocean coast the next day. Read more about the experience in the article.
