TekTrek
Build the future.
From East to West, and back.
First round trip: complete.
Scroll to explore
The Program
A summer of building, on both coasts.
Most programs pull East Coast talent west and leave it there. TekTrek runs the round trip: the strongest undergraduate founders from MIT, Harvard, and Princeton build in San Francisco for a summer, then carry it back. Summer 2026 was the first: 44 students, 26 teams, ten weeks.
Most programs pull East Coast talent west and leave it there. TekTrek runs the round trip: the strongest undergraduate founders from MIT, Harvard, and Princeton build in San Francisco for a summer, then carry it back. Summer 2026 was the first: 44 students, 26 teams, ten weeks.
Housing, travel, chef, no equity or IP taken; all distractions removed so you can focus on building. The first round trip is complete; the next one is forming. Applications aren't open yet. Register interest and we'll email you when they open.
Housing, travel, chef, no equity or IP taken; all distractions removed so you can focus on building. The first round trip is complete; the next one is forming. Applications aren't open yet. Register interest and we'll email you when they open.
The Spaces
The B&B, USF, & Presidio.
The B & B (Builder & Ballerina)
The B & B (Builder & Ballerina)
29 of the cohort lived at the basecamp in Pacific Heights.
29 of the cohort lived at the basecamp in Pacific Heights.
University of San Francisco
University of San Francisco
A second site at USF housed the other 15.
A second site at USF housed the other 15.
The Builder Lab
The Builder Lab
A dedicated TekTrek space in the heart of the Presidio.
A dedicated TekTrek space in the heart of the Presidio.
The Diary
Cohort One.
Three people is the new thousand. AI gives a small, sharp team the leverage that used to take an organization fifty times its size. The Cohort spent 80% of its time building.
Three people is the new thousand. AI gives a small, sharp team the leverage that used to take an organization fifty times its size. The Cohort spent 80% of its time building.
West to build, back east to land. In between: dinners and mixers on both coasts, introductions tailored team by team, site visits across the Bay's frontier labs, and pitch reps until each showcase was dialed. See how Cohort One spent the summer.
West to build, back east to land. In between: dinners and mixers on both coasts, introductions tailored team by team, site visits across the Bay's frontier labs, and pitch reps until each showcase was dialed. See how Cohort One spent the summer.
The Showcase
Connect with the teams.
TekTrek began in Cambridge. In June the cohort trekked to San Francisco to build; on August 12 the round trip completed at MIT. 17 of the 26 teams presented at Kirsch, recorded and streamed coast to coast. 90+ investors were in the room, with more online.
TekTrek began in Cambridge. In June the cohort trekked to San Francisco to build; on August 12 the round trip completed at MIT. 17 of the 26 teams presented at Kirsch, recorded and streamed coast to coast. 90+ investors were in the room, with more online.
What is TekTrek?
What is TekTrek?
The Showcase in photos
The Showcase in photos
The Founders
The origin.
The founding team came together around a simple conviction: the best student builders from the East Coast need to be in San Francisco this summer, building, with access to the people who've done it before.
TekTrek was conceived at John Werner's Imagination in Action (IIA) Davos 2026 event, following a private meeting between Eric Schmidt, Dave Blundin, Daniela Rus, and Erik Brynjolfsson.
David Siegel was at that same Davos. His family foundation has long supported Imagination in Action, and he has spoken from its stage. He joins as a co-founding funder.
The founding team came together around a simple conviction: the best student builders from the East Coast need to be in San Francisco, building, with access to the people who've done it before.
TekTrek was conceived at John Werner's Imagination in Action (IIA) Davos 2026 event, following a private meeting between Eric Schmidt, Dave Blundin, Daniela Rus, and Erik Brynjolfsson.
David Siegel was at that same Davos. His family foundation has long supported Imagination in Action, and he has spoken from its stage. He joins as a co-founding funder.
The Mentors
Office hours, talks, and more.
All summer, mentors came through the house and the build lab: talks, office hours, and team-by-team sessions. These are the people who gave Cohort One their time.
All summer, mentors came through the house and the build lab: talks, office hours, and team-by-team sessions. These are the people who gave Cohort One their time.
