Registration Open | ICML AfterParty — ZODA Happy Hour & D-Robotics Innovators Night

If you’re attending ICML 2026 in Seoul and seeking high-signal, meaningful connections beyond formal conference sessions, mark your calendar for our exclusive side event: ZODA Happy Hour & D-Robotics Innovators Night. Co-hosted by ZODA, MolarData and D-Robotics, with strategic support from ZhenFund and ComNergy Tech, this curated evening brings together top-tier academic researchers, senior industry tech leaders, core open-source contributors, and early-stage robotics founders under one roof.

Far from superficial small talk, our gathering is designed for focused idea exchange, research collaboration matching, and long-term partnership building. Set against panoramic high-rise views of Seoul’s iconic night skyline, guests can network casually over signature craft cocktails and gourmet bites, listen to cutting-edge technical talks, join a cross-border expert panel, and enter our exclusive lucky draw with premium robotics and compute prizes. Spots are strictly limited to preserve an elite, intimate atmosphere—secure your registration early to join this must-attend ICML networking highlight.

Event Core Agenda

🔬 Researcher Lightning Talks

We kick off the evening with two forward-looking presentations covering quantum AI, world models and embodied intelligence, two defining frontiers of modern machine learning and robotics.

🎤 Cross-Border Expert Panel Discussion

Following the talks, our distinguished panel will dive deep into open-source AI ecosystem construction, technical bottlenecks, and viable commercialization pathways for embodied AI:

• Zhuofei Meng, Ecosystem Lead, ZODA
• Prof. Junchi Yan, ICML Board Member
• Dr. Wei Sui, VP of Algorithms, D-Robotics
• Tina Kuang, Investment Principal, ZhenFund

Panelists will answer audience questions, facilitate small-group breakout conversations, and connect attendees with potential research partners, investment leads, and industrial collaboration opportunities.

🎁 Exclusive Lucky Draw Rewards

All registered attendees are eligible for our prize giveaway:

• 1 × D-Robotics RDK S100 Dev Kit (80 TOPS high-performance computing, purpose-built for embodied robot intelligence co-evolution research and product development)
• 20 × MaaS Compute Credits sponsored by ComNergy Tech (valued at ¥1,500 per credit, total pool worth ¥30,000, valid for unlimited model inference calls)

Spotlight: D-Robotics Gravity Program (DGP)

The D-Robotics Gravity Program (DGP) is an initiative empowering robotics startups and innovators with technical resources, industry connections, funding opportunities and market access.

Conceptualized as a gravitational hub pulling together fragmented innovation resources across academia, industry and capital markets, DGP operates on a free membership model, with a mission to accelerate the commercialization of cutting-edge robotic technology and build the foundational mother ecosystem for the next generation of intelligent robots.

If you are building a robotics startup or exploring productization for your embodied AI research, this ICML side event offers a perfect chance to meet our DGP team face-to-face, learn detailed admission criteria, and explore how our ecosystem can accelerate your roadmap from lab prototype to market-ready product.

About Co-Host & Supporting Partners

• ZODA International Open-Source Community: Builders of next-generation AI data and evaluation infrastructure, connecting global researchers, developers and enterprises via ZODA Benchmark, Leaderboard, Challenge and ZODA House initiatives, making AI performance measurable, reproducible and reliable.
• MolarData Intelligence: Spun out from Zhejiang University Institute of Computer Innovation in 2020, offering end-to-end data services, customized benchmarking and model evaluation solutions for large models and embodied AI scenarios.
• ZhenFund & ComNergy Tech: Providing investment resources and high-value cloud compute infrastructure to fuel AI innovation and industrial landing.

How to Register

This is a capacity-limited exclusive ICML side event. If you aim to network with top academic circles, find research collaborators, win high-value developer hardware and compute resources, or explore entry into the DGP startup acceleration program, submit your registration to secure your spot.

ICML 2026 is the premier stage for global machine learning innovation, and our ZODA Happy Hour & D-Robotics Innovators Night creates an intimate, high-quality space to turn conference conversations into tangible partnerships. We look forward to welcoming you for an evening of discussion, collaboration, and new possibilities overlooking Seoul’s skyline.