Coastal sunset over the water beside a fire pit and outdoor seating
A two-day working retreat · Half Moon Bay

Product Design Strategy Workshop

A 2-day workshop about designing and developing successful products in the AI era.

Early bird: save 20% when you register by November 30.

JAN 29—30  /  MAVERICK’S HOUSE
WhenJanuary 29–30
WhereHalf Moon Bay, California
Investment$632 early bird · until Nov 30$790 · all meals included
ForStartup Founders & Product Executives

Step back from the noise. Relax and think.

Things are moving fast right now and it's easy to get stressed. So we've designed a 2-day workshop on the coast, overlooking the waves, to think about what really matters in product design. Two days immersed with other startup founders and product executives, discussing successful product design strategy in the AI era.

Two immersive days in a workshop with the ocean on one side and a spa on the other.

Two days. Three useful artifacts.

Made around your product or idea, and ready to travel back into the real world.

01 / THE CONCEPT

A concept you can stand behind.

A stress-tested concept, plus the fragile assumption that needs to be true for it to work.

02 / THE EXPERIENCE

A journey with a next step.

An end-to-end customer journey and a testing plan designed to learn before you overbuild.

03 / THE STORY

A strategy you can share.

A completed four-slide strategy deck to bring the thinking into your team’s next conversation.

Two days.
A clearer path forward.

From early discovery to a strategy you can test. Meals and beverages are included.

Day 1 · Jan 29

Insight and Imagination

Explore the market, uncover the human need, and challenge the assumptions behind your idea.

Day 2 · Jan 30

Putting It to Work

Shape the customer journey, plan how to test your idea, and bring the work together in a clear strategy.

All meals included. WINE · DISCUSSION · NETWORKING
In the room with you

A team of experts.

The workshop is facilitated by Bret Waters and Sinem Ergunay. Bring your perspective; the work gets sharper when the room does.

Bret Waters speaking at an event

Bret Waters

Bret Waters has been in Silicon Valley his entire life as a serial entrepreneur, investor, and educator. He teaches innovation and entrepreneurship at Stanford and is a Board of Advisors Mentor at StartX, the startup accelerator dedicated to Stanford’s most accomplished entrepreneurs. He is the author of The Launch Path: Getting from a startup idea to a launched venture.

Previously, he was Founder/CEO of three Silicon Valley software companies, spent six years on the advisory board of the Stanford University Graduate School of Education, was interim CEO at Stanford New Schools, and served as Chief Mentor with the European Innovation Academy. He holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Sinem Ergunay portrait

Sinem Ergunay

Sinem Ergunay has held positions at Apple and Google, working with multidisciplinary teams to deliver impactful and scalable products and services that enhance the user experience and meet the business goals. She is an Adjunct Professor at Parsons School of Design in NYC, where she teaches the Capstone Research Studio, guiding graduate students in applying design thinking and strategic management principles to their final projects.

She holds an MS degree in Strategic Design and Management from Parsons and a Master’s degree in Industrial Design, Innovation and Strategy from Istituto Europeo di Design.

Maverick’s House waterfront venue across the harbor in Half Moon Bay
A place to get perspective

Close to the water.
Far from the usual.

Our workshop venue is Maverick’s House, waterfront in Half Moon Bay. A setting with enough distance from the day-to-day to let a different kind of thinking take hold.

Maverick’s House
Half Moon Bay, California
Meals and beverages included.
Oceano Hotel and Spa beside the waterfront in Half Moon Bay
Stay on the coast

Optional Accommodations

The workshop will be held at Maverick’s House, a 30-minute drive from the heart of Silicon Valley.

For participants who want to stay on the coast, we have reserved a special rate at Oceano Hotel and Spa, just a short walk from our workshop location. Contact us for details.

Bring a real challenge.
Leave with a way forward.

Two days of focused work, all meals, and a networking reception by the water.

$790 $630$790 Early bird · until Nov 30per attendee
Register now

Reserve your seat.

Registration takes a minute. You’ll check out securely with Square and receive a receipt by email right away.

Have a question first? Email Bret at [email protected]. He usually replies within a day.

Early bird · 20% off until November 30
$790 $630$790per attendee

Register by November 30 to save $160. The price goes to $790 on December 1.

  • A full 2-day workshop overlooking the waves
  • Meals, beverages, workshop materials.
  • Friday dinner and overnight hotel are optional extras.
  • Your concept, customer journey, test plan, and four-slide strategy deck
Register now

Secure payment by Square. All major cards accepted.