UGLY TALK: CAN YOUR BRAND THRIVE IN AGENTIC COMMERCE?

RSVP Here: https://partiful.com/e/G1Rqksr7pQb3T5sGRCPp People are not going to shop the way they do now forever. The shift is already starting. Consumers will increasingly ask AI agents to search, compare, recommend, and in some cases buy for them. That means brands cannot rely on the old playbook alone. If discovery moves from browsers and marketplaces to AI-led interfaces, brands risk losing attention, pricing power, customer data, and margin. The real question is not whether agentic commerce is coming. It is whether your brand will know how to compete when the buyer is no longer a person clicking through your storefront, but an AI making the shortlist. 🎯 Why You Should Attend Learn what agentic commerce actually looks like right now, not just the hype. Understand how shopping behavior may shift over the next 5 to 10 years. Get clear on what parts of the old ecommerce playbook still matter, and what is starting to break. Learn where brands should invest now to stay discoverable, defensible, and profitable. Avoid expensive mistakes around channels, data, pricing, and customer acquisition. Meet the founders, operators, and researchers shaping this shift in real time. 🙋 Who's Getting In This Room Brand owners Ecommerce tech founders Retailers Growth and marketing leaders Researchers studying consumer behavior and digital commerce Builders working on AI shopping, search, recommendation, and agent infrastructure 🎤 Who’s Taking the Stage Ali Mirzaei - Founder & CEO of Dimension Studios Ali Mirzaei is the founder and CEO of Dimension Studios, the social commerce company behind Seller OS, an agentic AI platform that replaces TikTok’s native Seller Center with a unified operational command center for brands and agencies. Ali built the #1 shop on TikTok within six months of the platform’s US launch, and Dimension has since operated four #1 shops for clients including Liquid Death, Final Boss Sour, T3 Micro, SquidHaus, Bones Coffee, and more. The company is profitable at roughly $2.5M ARR with multiple product launches planned for 2026. More speakers announcing soon... Moderator: Alan Zong - Co-Founder & Partner at UpScaleX Alan Zong is Co-Founder and Partner at UpScaleX, a San Francisco-based seed fund investing in AI-native applications and commercial innovations. He brings 10+ years of experience across VC and CVC and has been an early backer of multiple unicorns and decacorns. Alan holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and previously led innovation investment at Alibaba International. 💬 What We Do Not Sugarcoat Brand loyalty may get weaker when AI optimizes for convenience, price, and speed. Paid media may become less effective if discovery shifts upstream into AI interfaces. Consumer behavior is changing faster than most brands are planning for. Brands may lose access to the clickstream signals that used to reveal intent, hesitation, and purchase readiness. Marketplaces and retailers may lose power if agents can bypass them and go more directly to sellers or alternative paths. Margin pressure gets worse if AI agents consistently surface the lowest-priced option. If your brand is invisible to AI systems, it may become invisible to future buyers. A direct conversation for people trying to understand what happens when commerce stops being click-first and starts becoming agent-first. Who's Backing This UpScaleX We don’t just write checks—we roll up our sleeves and build alongside you. Our unique co-building approach means you get hands-on support from day one, with our team working as an extension of yours to accelerate product development, refine strategy, and drive growth. From seed investment to Series A and beyond, we’re committed to being your long-term partner. We invest in founders who are building transformative AI and digital commerce companies, and we provide the capital, expertise, and network to help you scale faster and smarter. Adelphi University Adelphi is one of the top universities in New York and provides students with a uniquely personalized approach to learning. We’re dedicated to transforming students’ lives through world-class academics, a focus on student success, and a warm and inclusive community. RSVP Here: https://partiful.com/e/G1Rqksr7pQb3T5sGRCPp ⭐ About Ugly Talk: Started in 2019, Ugly Talk has been transforming business setbacks into breakthrough “aha!” moments by hosting unfiltered, no-nonsense events where battle-tested entrepreneurs share their raw lessons and insights. With a growing presence in cities like New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Miami, we’ve built a vibrant community of thousands of founders and industry leaders making a profound impact on the entrepreneurial landscape. Official Website: UglyTalk.com 🗣📢 Important Notice for Ugly Talk Attendees Admission & Confirmation Attendance is by approval only. Approved guests will receive a confirmation email along with a calendar invite. Invitations are non-transferable. Additional event details will be shared as the event approaches. Code of Conduct By attending, you agree to: Maintain respect and professionalism, adhering to all venue rules, policies, and applicable laws. Refrain from harassment, discrimination, unwelcome sexual advances (verbal or physical), intimidation, or inappropriate photography/recording. Report any violations to the event hosts immediately. Violations may result in immediate removal from the event and exclusion from future invitations. Liability & Risk Participation is voluntary and at your own risk. The event organizers, hosts, sponsors, and venue are not liable for personal injury, lost or stolen belongings, or any other damages incurred during the event. Media Consent By attending, you grant the event organizers and affiliated entities the right to capture, use, and distribute photos, videos, and audio recordings of you for promotional, marketing, and other lawful purposes, including digital and print media, advertising, and social media. You waive any right to inspect or approve the final materials and release all claims related to their use. Communications By registering, you agree to receive marketing and promotional communications from Ugly Talk and its co-hosts, partners, and sponsors. You may unsubscribe at any time. Agreement If you do not agree to this Code of Conduct, please refrain from attending the event. Official Event Page: [Link]