Our Story
Building the global AI community, one city at a time
AI Salon brings founders, builders, investors, and the curious together, in person, city by city. This is the story of how it started, why a meerkat became our mascot, and why the people who run our chapters are the reason any of it works.
Who We Are
A community for the people building AI, wherever they are
AI Salon is the global community bringing together AI founders and builders, investors, and partners to connect and collaborate. Across our chapters you'll find people doing the real work of building AI: founders launching their first product, builders shipping something new, investors looking for what's next, and the curious minds who want to understand where all of this is heading.
Co-founders meet for the first time. Ideas turn into companies. Companies find their first hires, their first customers, their first investors. People who would never have crossed paths end up working on something together.
We believe AI should work for people, that the future being built right now should leave room for human flourishing. That's the lens we bring to every event, every conversation, every connection.
How We Got Here
A gap someone noticed, then closed city by city
- Summer 2023
Jeff hits the road
Months after ChatGPT changed everything, Jeffrey D. Abbott saw Silicon Valley filling up with AI events, while almost everywhere else stayed quiet. That summer he flew to Amsterdam, Rome, and Santiago to host the first exploratory AI community events with local partners. Rooms were full, and conversations kept going after the events ended.
- Dec 2023
AI Salon officially launches
AI Salon launches in Phoenix with a simple idea: build something repeatable, and take it city by city.
- Early 2024
The first chapter leads
Jeff reconnects with the hosts of those first events, Jasper Wognum in Amsterdam, Roberto Magnifico in Rome, and Etienne Gillard (later Miami), experienced community builders, investors, and entrepreneurs who become the first chapter leads.
- Aug 2024
Nearly 20 chapters, one global org
More chapters launch across Miami, Mexico City, Tokyo, Stockholm, Buenos Aires, São Paulo, Cairo, Toronto, and beyond. The global organization is formally established, the first virtual summit for chapter organizers is held, and Nicole Schaub joins as the first full-time team member, leading community.
- End of 2024
Crossing 40 chapters
The network keeps growing, city by city, past the 40-chapter mark.
- Oct 2025
The first Global Summit, Lisbon
More than 30 chapter representatives gather in Lisbon, a turning point from inspiration to structure, from local chapters to one global movement.
- Early 2026
As the chapters grow, the global team grows
Jasper Wognum, co-host of that very first Amsterdam event, steps up as CEO to lead the next phase. Sterre Telman, co-organizer of the Amsterdam chapter, joins to lead marketing and operations, and Anton Reshetov joins as CTO, building the platform that connects chapters worldwide.
- Today
70+ chapters and counting
AI Salon now spans 70+ chapters across almost every continent, with events happening every month, somewhere in the world. The story is still being written, by people like you, in cities like yours.
Why a Meerkat?
Curious, social, resilient, basically what we want AI Salon to feel like
Meerkats live in tight-knit groups. They look out for each other, stay close, stay alert, and thrive together. In a world where AI can feel overwhelming or isolating, the meerkat reminds us: we're stronger together.
- Vigilant
- A visionary mindset
- Cooperative
- Collaboration, always
- Adaptable
- Innovation and resilience
- Communicative
- Sharing knowledge openly
- Curious
- Pioneering exploration
- Loyal
- Community, first and last
