? Llama Lounge 24 was hosted at Google DeepMind’s Googleplex in the heart of Silicon Valley, with Peter Danenberg and Justin Woo making it happen on the Google side. The turnout reflected where the industry is right now: roughly 60% AI founders, 20% investors, and 15% corporate AI leaders looking to partner with startups. The line to get in stretched outside the building, and the theatre was standing room only. As always, I kicked things off by sounding the ceremonial conch shell, followed by remarks from Google, then 10 startup pitches led by emcee Rajiv Ayyangar, each with a demo table for live follow-up conversations. Demand continues to outpace our venue capacity, and we’re actively working on larger spaces for future events. I also brought a few hundred plush lobsters to give away, and the reasoning is worth explaining. Silicon Valley has a tradition of mascots that track where the industry’s attention is: unicorns, decacorns, llamas, and now lobsters.…