TechCrunch Disrupt 2023
September 19 – 21, 2023 — San Francisco
Speakers
Asset Abdualiyev
CEO and Founder Silkroad Innovation Hub
Jim Ajioka
Co-founder & Chief Scientific Officer Colorifix
Immad Akhund
Co-founder & CEO Mercury
Sophie Alcorn
Founder Alcorn Immigration Law
Karl Alomar
Managing Partner M13
Dario Amodei
Co-founder & CEO Anthropic
Sophia Amoruso
Founder & General Partner Trust Fund
Zach Anderson Pettet
Director of Content Money 20/20, Fintech Family Hour
Jacob Andreou
Partner Greylock
Eric Andrews
VP Marketing Securiti
Ayo Arikawe
Co-Founder ThriveAgric Ltd
Wade Arnold
Co-Founder & CEO Moov Financial
Amir Ashkenazi
Founder & CEO Switchboard
Chloé Bakalar
Chief Ethicist / Assistant Professor Meta
Sophie Bakalar
Partner Collaborative Fund
Naba Banerjee
Head of Trust & Safety Airbnb
Anamitra Banerji
Co-founder & Managing Partner Afore Capital
Maren Bannon
Co-founder & Managing Partner January Ventures
Michael Basch
Founder, General Partner Atento Capital
Justin Bauer
Chief Product Officer Amplitude
Wendy Bergh
GM, Online Business Zoom
Kathy Baxter
Principal Architect, Responsible AI & Tech Salesforce
Morgan Beller
General Partner NFX
Morgan Berman
Vice President of Partnerships Techstars
Marc Bhargava
Managing Director General Catalyst
Rob Biederman
Managing Partner Asymmetric Capital Partners
Sam Blond
Partner Founders Fund
Lisa Bonos
Assistant Tech Editor Washington Post
Whit Bouck
Managing Director Insight Partners
Sarah Brandt
EVP, Partnerships NewsGuard
Erik Braund
Founder & CEO Katmai Tech
Jared Brickman
Senior Director, Marketing Center of Excellence Insight Partners
Po Bronson
General Partner, SOSV & Managing Director, IndieBio SF SOSV
Lisa Mae Brunson
Founder & Chief Visionary Wonder Women Tech
Stephanie Buscemi
Chief Marketing Officer Confluent
Andy Byrne
Co-Founder and CEO Clari
Christina Cacioppo
Co-Founder and CEO Vanta
Noramay Cadena
Managing Partner Supply Change Capital
Marc Cadieux
President, Silicon Valley Bank Commercial Silicon Valley Bank
Dr. Brian Cameron
Interim Chief Technology Officer The Aerospace Corporation
Angelo Campus
Co-founder & CEO BoxPower
Lesley Carhart
Director, Incident Response Dragos Inc
Jen Carter
Global Head of Technology Google.org
Guilherme Cerqueira
Founder & CEO Worthix
Guru Chahal
Lightspeed Venture Partners Partner
Ines Chami
Chief Scientist Numbers Station
Rajeev Chand
Partner & Head of Research Wing Venture Capital
Harrison Chase
Co-founder & CEO LangChain
Jill Chase
Partner CapitalG
Priti Youssef Choksi
Partner Norwest Venture Partners
Weilyn Chong
Co-founder & COO swsh
Akshay Chopra
Vice President, Head of Innovation & Design for CEMEA Visa
Mac Conwell
Founder & Managing Partner RareBreed Ventures
Laura Crabtree
Co-founder & CEO Epsilon3
Camille Crittenden
Executive Director CITRIS & the Banatao Institute
Nick Cromydas
Co-founder & CEO Cromydas
James Currier
General Partner NFX
Healey Cypher
COO Atomic
Dipanwita Das
CEO Sorcero
Sherrod DeGrippo
Director Threat intelligence Strategy Microsoft
Claire Delaunay
COO Farm-ng
Frederique Dame
General Partner GV (Google Ventures)
Rodrigo De Paula
VP Digital Partnerships & Ventures LAC Visa
Alexandra Debow
Co-founder & CEO swsh
Charles Denby
Co-founder & CEO Berkeley Yeast
David DeSanto
Chief Product Officer GitLab
Sara Deshpande
General Partner Maven Ventures
KJ Dhaliwal
Chief Strategy Officer Social Discovery Group
Andre Dickens
Mayor City of Atlanta
General James Dickinson
Commander U.S. Space Command
Carilu Dietrich
Former CMO, Advisor Several Hypergrowth Companies
Thomas Dohmke
CEO GitHub
Maria Dramalioti Taylor
Founding Partner Beacon Capital
Marie-Elise Droga
SVP, Fintech Partnerships, Global and North America VISA
Céline Dufétel
President & COO Checkout.com
Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins
Founder & CEO Promise
Joelle Emerson
Co-founder & CEO Paradigm
Dr. Debra L. Emmons
Vice President and CTO The Aerospace Corporation
Beth Esponnette
Co-founder & Chair unspun
Ryan Evans
CEO Bedrock Learning
Miladys Felix
Senior Sales Executive Discover Global Network
Veronica Fernandez
SVP, Head of Visa Commercial Solutions North America Visa
Mark Fiorentino
Partner Index Ventures
Joe Fitzsimons
Founder & CEO Horizon Quantum Computing
Rick Fox
Co-founder & CEO Partanna
Hernan Farruggia
Co-founder & Business Development Kadre
Lacey Frenzl
Vice President, Customer Experience ISVPay Inc
Oliver Friedrichs
Founder and CEO Pangea Cyber
Noah Gale
Co-Founder Tribe AI
Cathy Gao
Partner Sapphire Ventures
Lior Gavish
Co-Founder and CTO Monte Carlo
Brian Gerkey
Director of Open Robotics Intrinsic
Deanna German
Creative Director Koto
Anastasis Germanidis
Co-Founder & Co-CEO Runway
Binny Gill
Founder & CEO Kognitos
Fonta Gilliam
Founder & CEO Wellthi Technologies
Raj Gokal
Co-founder, Solana & COO Solana Labs
Vitaly Golomb
Partner Drake Star
Sergey Gribov
Partner Flint Capital
Katie Gray
Senior Partner In-Q-Tel
Cullen Greenfield
Program Manager, Space Portfolio Defense Innovation Unit
Miles Grimshaw
General Partner Benchmark
Arvind Gupta
Partner Mayfield Fund
Dan Gwak
Managing Partner Point72 Private Investments
May Habib
CEO and Co-Founder Writer
Brittany S. Hale
Interim CEO & COO Digitalundivided
Mamoon Hamid
Partner Kleiner Perkins
Kathy Hannun
Co-founder & President Dandelion Energy
Nathaniel Harding
Managing Partner Cortado Ventures
Ruben Harris
CEO Career Karma, Inc.
Maryam Hassani
Acting Head of Trends and Innovation Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority
Tess Hatch
Partner Bessemer Venture Partners
Peter Hazlehurst
CEO & Co-Founder Synctera
Ashraf Hebela
Head of Startup Banking J.P. Morgan
Sandhya Hegde
General Partner Unusual Ventures
Travis Hedge
Co-founder and CRO Vouch Insurance
Tyson Hendricksen
CEO Notice.co
Samara Hernandez
Founding Partner Chingona Ventures
Mar Hershenson
Founding Managing Partner Pear VC
Jomayra Herrera
Partner Reach Capital
Aaron Holiday
Co-founder & Managing Partner 645 Ventures
Katelin Holloway
Founding Partner Seven Seven Six
Katie Haun
Founder & CEO Haun Ventures
Sonya Huang
Partner Sequoia Capital
Charles Hudson
Managing Partner Precursor Ventures
Chris Irving
Co-founder School Twist
Jessy Irwin
CEO Amulet
Jared Isaacman
Astronaut & Commander Inspiration4 & Polaris Program
Steve Isakowitz
President and CEO The Aerospace Corporation
Sara Ittelson
Partner Accel
Lisa Jackson
Vice President, Environment, Policy, & Social Initiatives Apple
Erica Jain
CEO Healthie
Sundeep Jain
Chief Product Officer and SVP Engineering Uber
Steve Jang
Founder & Managing Partner Kindred Ventures
Rehan Jalil
Founder & CEO Securiti
Ash Jhaveri
Vice President of Partnerships Meta
Reed Jobs
Investor Yosemite
Peggy Johnson
CEO Magic Leap
Rebecca Kacaba
Co-founder & CEO DealMaker
Ritika Kalia
Engineering Manager Runway
Susan Karlin
Regular Contributor Fast Company
Alex Katouzian
Group General Manager, Mobile, Compute, & XR (MCX) Qualcomm, Inc.
Simon Kearney
Senior Strategy Director Koto
Amy Keller Laird
Founder Mental
Brendon Kim
MD & Head of Investments Samsung Next
Ralph Koker
Global Head of Market Expansion Visa Direct Visa
Dave Korsmeyer
Deputy Center Director (Acting) NASA Ames Research Center
Ofir Krakowski
Co-founder & CEO Deepdub
Christie Kristensen
VP, Global Developer Strategy & Business Enablement Mastercard
Daniel Krivelevich
AppSec CTO Palo Alto Networks
Abdulahad Kuchkarov
Executive Director IT Park Uzbekistan
Sarah Kunst
Managing Director Cleo Capital
Kotryna Kurt
CEO & Founder Linkedist
Thomas Kurian
CEO Google Cloud
Sandy Lacey
Executive Director, Howe Innovation Center Perkins School for the Blind
Chris Lattner
Co-Founder & CEO Modular
Tessa Lau
Founder & CEO Dusty Robotics
Elizabeth Lawler
Founder & CEO AppMap
Danielle Lay
Partner NEA
S. Ko-yung Lee
Investor and Coach Launch Lab/Fika Ventures
Wendy Cai Lee
Founder & CEO Piermont Bank
Chris Lehane
Chief Strategy Officer Haun Ventures
Chris Letourneau
Client Services Director Koto
Qi Li
Physician Executive InterSystems
Rodrigo Liang
Co-Founder & CEO SambaNova Systems
Herbert Lin
Senior Research Scholar, Hank Holland Fellow Stanford University
Robin Liu
CEO OnePlus North America
Zhenni Liu
Partner MaC Venture Capital
Rebecca Liu-Doyle
Managing Director Insight Partners
Allan Liska
Ransomware Researcher / Intelligence Analyst Recorded Future
Sal Lo
Co-Founder & CEO Jorie Healthcare Partners
Bob Lord
Senior Technical Advisor CISA
Rebecca Lynn
Co-founder & General Partner Canvas Ventures
Ran Ma
Co-founder & CEO Siren
Emily Man
Partner Primary Venture Partners
Gary Marcus
Founder Robust.AI & Geometric.AI; Emeritus Professor Psychology & Neural Science NYU
Bill Marczak
Senior Researcher Citizen Lab
Craig Martell
U.S. Dept. of Defense Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer U.S. Department of Defense
Jesse Martinez
Founder & CEO LSA Global/Latinx Startup Alliance
Hilary Mason
Co-founder & CEO Hidden Door
Ashley Mayer
Co-founder & General Partner Coalition Operators
Marissa Mayer
Co-founder & CEO Sunshine
Cameron McCord
Co-founder & CEO Nominal
Ian McCubbin
Startup and VC Engagement Manager Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Jim McCullen
Chief Information Officer Century Supply Chain Solutions
Shrav Mehta
Founder & CEO Secureframe
Lindsey Mignano
Founder Mignano Law Group
Nik Milanovic
General Partner The Fintech Fund
Helen Min
Co-founder & Managing Partner Phenomenal Ventures
Nicholai Mitchko
Manager, Solution Partner Sales Engineer InterSystems
Jon Moeller
COO BlocPower
Alex Monger
Managing Director, Koto NY Koto
Rachel Morford
Principal Director The Aerospace Corporation
Saam Motamedi
Partner Greylock
Vaikkunth Mugunthan
Co-founder & CEO DynamoFL
Dave Munichiello
General Partner GV
Tara Murphy
CEO Govini
Aine Nakai
ATLAS Deputy Director Space System Command
Ritu Narayan
Founder & CEO Zūm
Nat (Rajesh) Natarajan
Chief Product & Strategy Officer G-P (Globalization Partners)
Jaclyn Rice Nelson
Co-founder & CEO Tribe AI
Deon Nicholas
Co-founder & CEO Forethought
Dr. Marily Nika
Founder AI Product Academy
Turner Novak
Chief Meme Officer Banana Capital
Emeka Nwachinemere
Chief Executive Officer Kitovu Technology Company
Shaquille O'Neal
NBA Superstar and Philanthropist Entrepreneur
Jillian Ochs
US Market Lead Abu Dhabi Investment Office
Jeremiah Owyang
General Partner Blitzscaling Ventures
MK Palmore
Director, Office of the CISO Google Cloud
Kaustubh Pandya
Partner Brick & Mortar Ventures
Andy Parsons
Senior Director, Content Authenticity Initiative Adobe
Nikki Pechet
Co-founder & CEO Homebound
Alessandra Pecoraro
Sr. Manager, Performance Marketing & Analytics Vericast
Tanya Pemberton
SVP, National Systems Group The Aerospace Corporation
Zach Perret
Co-founder & CEO Plaid
John Plumb
Assistant Secretary Defense, Space Policy Department of Defense
Will Pomerantz
Executive Consultant Space Workforce 2030
Andy Powell
Chief Business Officer OAK'S LAB
Chris Power
Founder & CEO Hadrian
Gill Pratt
Chief Scientist Toyota Motor Corporation
Matthew Prince
Co-founder & CEO Cloudflare
Michel Protti
Chief Privacy Officer, Product Meta
Marc Raibert
Executive Director The AI Institute
John Scott Railton
Senior Researcher Citizen Lab, University of Toronto
Rajeev Rajan
CTO Atlassian
Prashanthi Raman
VP, Global Government Relations Cruise
Guillermo Rauch
Creator of Next.js, Founder & CEO Vercel
Robert Ravanshenas
Investment Partner Maven Ventures
Vijay Reddy
Partner Mayfield
Yuval Refua
Vice President, Product Navan
Torsten Reil
Co-founder & Co-CEO Helsing
Megan Reynolds
Principal Vertex Ventures
Amanda Robson
Partner Cowboy Ventures
Dan Roesbery
VP, Fintech Business Development Visa
Emily Rogers
Manager Third Derivative
Paul Rosen
Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, Investment Security U.S. Department of the Treasury
Nicole Sahin
Founder & CEO G-P (Globalization Partners)
Rex Salisbury
Founding Partner Cambrian Ventures
Surbhi Sarna
Group Partner Y Combinator
Marietje Schaake
Internnational Policy Director Stanford Cyber Policy Center Stanford University
Jim Scheinman
Founding Managing Partner Maven Ventures
Sascha Segan
Sr. Manager of Public Relations Qualcomm Incorporated
Neil Sequeira
Founder & Partner Defy.vc
Richie Serna
CEO Finix
Amit Serper
Director of Security Research Sternum IOT
Dana Settle
Co-founder & Managing Partner Greycroft
Mo Shaikh
Co-founder & CEO Aptos Labs
Nikita Shamgunov
Partner Khosla Ventures
Emmalyn Shaw
Co-founder & Managing Partner Flourish Ventures
Damion Shelton
Co-founder & CEO Agility Robotics
Tye Sheridan
Co-founder & President Wonder Dynamics
Gary Silberg
Partner & Global Automotive Sector Leader KPMG
Arianna Simpson
General Partner a16z crypto
Michael Sindicich
EVP & General Manager, Navan Expense Navan
Navrina Singh
Founder & CEO Credo AI
Sukh Singh
Director UC Berkeley Disaster Lab
Melissa Smith
Co-Head Innovation Economy; Head of Specialized Industries, Commercial Banking J.P. Morgan
Window Snyder
Founder& CEO Thistle Technologies
Laura Spiekerman
Co-founder & President Alloy
John Spitzer
Vice President of Developer & Performance Technology NVIDIA
Loren Straub
General Partner Bowery Capital
JB Straubel
Founder & CEO Redwood Materials
Aaron Stein
Chief Content Officer War on the Rocks
Erik Swain
Co-founder & CEO Respondology
Amanda Swoverland
Chief Compliance Officer Unit
Kevin Systrom
Entrepreneur & Co-founder Instagram
Parisa Tabriz
Vice President, Chrome Google
Al Tadros
Chief Technology Officer Redwire
Everette Taylor
CEO Kickstarter
Vlad Tenev
Co-founder & CEO Robinhood
Delores Terry
Consumer Fintech Business Development Lead Visa, Inc.
Sabrina Tharani
Senior Vice President, Global Fintech Programs Mastercard
Laura Thomas
Chief of Staff & Strategic Initiatives Infleqtion
Andrea Thomaz
CEO & Co-Founder Diligent Robotics
Rachel Tobac
Friendly Hacker & CEO SocialProof Security
Atul Todi
Founder & CEO 10Times
Stephen Tong
CEO Zellic
Grace Torrellas
VP Product, Polygon zkEVM Product Lead Polygon Labs
Jorge Torres
Co-founder & CEO MindsDB
Dave Tremper
Deputy Assistant Secretary Defense, Aquisition Integration & Interoperability Office of the Secretary of Defense
Tomasz Tunguz
General Partner and Founder Theory Ventures
Colonel Wallace Turnbull
Deputy Director, Space Systems Integration Office Space Systems Command
Uma Valeti
Founder& CEO UPSIDE Foods
Inara Valiyeva
Acting Chairperson of Innovation and Digital Development Agency Innovation and Digital Development Agency of Azerbaijan
Monica Varman
Partner G2 Venture Partners
Mandy Vaughn
CEO and Founder GXO, Inc.
Emilia Vicini
HR & Talent Acquisition Lead We Are Kadre
Kyle Vogt
Founder & CEO Cruise
Dmitry Volkov
Founder Social Discovery Group
Vlad Voroninski
CEO and Founder Helm.ai
Job van der Voort
CEO and Co-Founder Remote
Amir Wain
CEO i2c
Kyle Wallgren
CEO Edsoma
Matthew Walker
Managing Director, Food and Agriculture S2G Ventures
Casber Wang
Partner Sapphire Ventures
Richard Ward
Chief Design Officer Otter.ai
Faye Wattleton
Co-founder & EVP EeroQ
Libby Wayman
Partner Breakthrough Energy Ventures
Brian Weeden
Director, Program Planning Secure World Foundation
Yana Welinder
Co-founder & CEO Kraftful
Erica Wenger
General Partner Park Rangers Capital
Wendy Tan White
CEO Intrinsic
Meredith Whittaker
President Signal
Chris Wallace
Founder & General Partner Dunbar Capital
Peter Wegner
Chief Strategy Officer BlackSky
Sam Wiener
Host Techsetters
Jillian Williams
Partner Cowboy Ventures
Julie Willoughby
Chief Commercialization Officer Circ
Andrew Wilson
Quantum Physics Division Chief National Institute of Standards & Technology
Melonee Wise
CTO Agility Robotics
Sam Wong
Startup Coach & Fractional Founder Fundable Startups
Monique Woodard
Founding Partner & Managing Director Cake Ventures
Rocio Wu
Principal F-Prime Capital
Ellie Wu
VP, Sales & Customer Success Center of Excellence Insight Partners
Hussein Yahfoufi
Product Manager Arta Finance
Anatoly Yakovenko
Co-Founder of Solana & CEO of Solana Labs Solana Labs
Rick Yang
Partner & Head of Technology New Enterprise Associates (NEA)
Sam Yen
Chief Innovation Officer for Commercial Banking J.P. Morgan
Rujul Zaparde
Co-Founder & CEO Zip
Celeste Ford
Managing Director Stellar Ventures
Luciana Leuci Garcia
Trainer | Mentor | HR Project Manager & Scrum Master. JOBPONT
Henry Scott-Green
Co-founder & CEO Context
Michelle Zatlyn
Co-founder, President & COO Cloudflare
Xi Zeng
Creative Director for Product OnePlus
Askar Zhambakin
Deputy Minister Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Tarin Ziyaee
Neural Interfaces Research Manager Facebook Reality Labs
Eugenio Zuccarelli
Data Science Manager CVS Health
Asset Abdualiyev serves as the CEO and Founder of Silkroad Innovation Hub, a thriving startup community in Silicon Valley catering to entrepreneurs hailing from Central Eurasia. With a robust background in strategy and operations, he has previously held roles at Taskrabbit.com, McKinsey & Company, and the Almaty Mayor’s Office. Additionally, Asset is an angel investor and startup advisor. He also sits on the boards of Kazakhtelecom, the foremost telecommunications operator in Central Asia, and the American University of Central Asia, a leading institution for liberal arts education in the region. Asset holds Master’s degrees from Stanford Graduate School of Business, Harvard Kennedy School, and the University of Dundee.
Asset's Sessions
The Digital Silk Road: From Central Eurasia to Silicon Valley @ Breakout Room 2
For centuries, tradesmen from the Far East traversed the Great Silk Road transporting valuable goods and ideas to the Middle East, Central Asia and Europe. Now, a digital version — the Silkroad Innovation Hub — fosters connection and opportunity for entrepreneurs, founders and startups in Central Eurasia’s booming IT and tech ecosystem. Join them for a discussion on the burgeoning startup ecosystem, rapidly growing venture capital market, strategic government partnerships and cross-border investment opportunities featuring key players from Azerbaijan, Mongolia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Jim is a founder and Chief Science Officer. Jim has had a life-long passion for the environment, with a PhD in Ecology and Evolution. At the University of Cambridge, Jim’s background in building tools for molecular genome analysis led to early adoption of synthetic biology methods aimed at the construction of a biosensor as a sustainable method to assess arsenic contamination of drinking water in Nepal and Bangladesh.
Jim's Sessions
Is Sustainable Fast Fashion Possible? @ Industry Stage 2
Giants in fast fashion know the greenwashing game like the backs of their hands, yet the industry’s actions speak louder than words. As brands cash in on TikTok-fueled microtrends and embrace their products’ shrinking lifespans, their dependence on fossil fuel ingredients, toxic dyes and worker exploitation harms people and the planet. Can the industry address its toll while still attracting customers with the latest looks and ultra-low prices? Join us as three trailblazers weigh in on the future of circular fashion, sustainable materials, and the roles they believe emerging tech will play in decarbonizing the industry. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Immad Akhund is the co-founder and CEO of Mercury and an angel investor with more than 250 investments.
Immad's Sessions
Startup Banking in a Post-SVB World @ Industry Stage 1
The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank left a hole in the world of startup banking that numerous startups and big banks alike are trying to fill. Hear from some of the players that have stepped in to help fill that gap about what they are doing to offer startups and investors meaningful alternatives in this post-SVB world. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Sophie Alcorn is the founder of Alcorn Immigration Law in Silicon Valley and 2019 Global Law Experts Awards’ “Law Firm of the Year in California for Entrepreneur Immigration Services.” She connects people with the businesses and opportunities that expand their lives.
Sophie's Sessions
Meditate with us! – TC+ Lounge
Start your day with clarity, purpose and focus: meditate with TechCrunch’s very own immigration attorney contributor Ask Sophie™, Sophie Alcorn, for a peaceful respite. Nourish your mind and soul so you can continue your day of innovation and connection with presence! (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Meditate with us!
Start your day with clarity, purpose and focus: meditate with TechCrunch’s very own immigration attorney contributor Ask Sophie™, Sophie Alcorn, for a peaceful respite. Nourish your mind and soul so you can continue your day of innovation and connection with presence! (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Ask Sophie LIVE – Your Startup Immigration Questions Answered! @ Breakout Room 2
Are you a fan of TechCrunch’s Ask Sophie column? Join expert immigration attorney Sophie Alcorn and moderator Walter Thompson of TechCrunch to ask your founder visa and green card questions live! Sophie will be in the hot seat and providing answers to your most pressing issues about H-1Bs, O-1As, self-sponsored green cards, hiring and retaining top global talent at startups – and more! 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Small Group Session: Founders of Extraordinary Ability – How to Get & Use the O-1A Visa
Join us for this small group Q&A session to continue the conversation with other TC+ members. (✴️ Open to TC+ Annual/2-Year Subscribers Only) (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Small Group Session: How Founders Can Transfer their H-1Bs to their Startups
Join us for this small group Q&A session to continue the conversation with other TC+ members. (✴️ Open to TC+ Annual/2-Year Subscribers Only) (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Karl Alomar is an investor and serial entrepreneur with more than two decades of experience scaling venture-backed businesses, and is the Managing Partner of M13, an early-stage firm backing visionary software founders at seed and Series A. At M13, he focuses on infrastructure technology across fintech, developer productivity, and the future of work, with a particular emphasis on how AI and web3 are reshaping these categories. Karl spends his time across all aspects of the firm, from leading investing to overseeing M13’s Propulsion platform team and running the underlying organization. He is best known for building DigitalOcean, one of the fastest-growing cloud infrastructure companies, where he served as COO and helped scale the business from first product to roughly $250 million in ARR and an eventual IPO on the NYSE (DOCN), at which point the company’s valuation peaked around $15 billion. Before M13 and DigitalOcean, Karl co-founded and served as CEO of China Export Finance, growing the business to approximately $140 million in revenue before its acquisition in 2010, and co-founded and led Clearview Networks, which was acquired in 2000. He holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and a BEng in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from Imperial College London.
Karl's Sessions
Leadership from Distress to Hypergrowth @ Roundtable 3
In today’s ever-changing business landscape, leaders are constantly challenged with navigating their organizations through ups and downs. Gain insights into strategies for sustaining growth and momentum over the long term as Karl shares the art of leadership during these critical moments. Having guided multiple companies through difficult times and successfully propelled them toward hypergrowth, hear practical strategies to recognize distress, transition to recovery, prepare for growth, and beyond. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session) 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Leadership from Distress to Hypergrowth @ Roundtable 4
In today’s ever-changing business landscape, leaders are constantly challenged with navigating their organizations through ups and downs. Gain insights into strategies for sustaining growth and momentum over the long term as Karl shares the art of leadership during these critical moments. Having guided multiple companies through difficult times and successfully propelled them toward hypergrowth, hear practical strategies to recognize distress, transition to recovery, prepare for growth, and beyond. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session) 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Dario Amodei is the CEO of Anthropic, an AI research company. Anthropic is a public benefit corporation dedicated to building steerable AI systems that people can rely on, and generating research about the opportunities and risks of AI. Claude is Anthropic’s AI assistant for tasks at any scale, and is based on Anthropic’s research into training helpful, honest, and harmless AI systems. Previously, Dario served as Vice President of Research at OpenAI, where he led the development of large AI language models like GPT-2 and GPT-3. He is also the co-inventor of reinforcement learning from human feedback, the technique that powers conversational AI systems like ChatGPT and models created by Anthropic. Before joining OpenAI, he worked at Google Brain as a Senior Research Scientist. Dario earned his doctorate degree in biophysics from Princeton University as a Hertz Fellow, and was a postdoctoral scholar at the Stanford University School of Medicine.
Dario's Sessions
Stronger, Faster…Safer? Anthropic's Dario Amodei on Letting AI Find Its Best Self @ Disrupt Stage
Is it possible for AI to be built ethically, to operate safely, yet remain useful and perhaps even profitable? Anthropic aims to thread this needle by moving slow and avoiding breakage — and it has raised hundreds of millions to do so. Co-founder and CEO Dario Amodei speaks about taking on the most complex software ever attempted with one hand tied behind his back. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Sophia Amoruso is the Founder & General Partner at Trust Fund, an emerging early-stage venture fund focused on pre-seed and seed-stage investments. In 2020, Sophia founded Business Class, a comprehensive digital entrepreneurship course and community for founders. Sophia made her mark as the founder of fashion e-commerce phenomenon Nasty Gal, which she founded in 2006 and built to over $100 million in revenue. Sophia is also the author of #GIRLBOSS, which spent 18 weeks on the New York Times Bestseller List, sold 500,000 copies, and was adapted into a Netflix series of the same name produced by Charlize Theron. In 2016, Sophia was featured on the cover of Forbes Magazine’s America’s Richest Self-Made Women issue, and has been featured on the covers of Inc., Entrepreneur, Success, and Money magazines. Sophia was also named to the Fortune 40 under 40, Forbes 30 under 30, Inc. 30 under 30, and Fast Company’s Most Creative People in Business lists. Sophia resides between Los Angeles and Kauai and can’t remember what she was thinking when she decided to accept three tiny toy poodles named Donna, Gino, and Cosi into her home, rent-free, forever.
Sophia's Sessions
When to Follow the Hype and When to Ignore it?
Chasing the next big thing is often a pretty good idea for founders and investors alike. But when folks are chasing the wrong trend, the hype can be more siren song than victory march. When should founders follow the hype? When should they ignore it? Let’s talk about it. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
As Content Director of Money 20/20, the largest FinTech conference in the world, Zach Anderson Pettet is interested in financial inclusion, education, and leveling the playing field in the US economy. Zach also hosts the Fintech Family Hour Podcast and nerds out on all things fintech.
Zach's Sessions
The Power of Partnerships: Accelerating Innovation Through Strategic Partnerships
Join us for an engaging panel session that dives into the power of strategic partnerships and collaborative innovation. This session brings together industry leaders from Navan, Visa and Zip to explore the art of forging meaningful partnerships that drive growth, innovation and transformative change. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Jacob is a product executive and builder who backs founders building the next generation of consumer software. Prior to joining Greylock, Jacob spent 8 years at Snap, where he helped scale the company from its early days to 360M+ DAUs and $4.5B in revenue. For most of his time at the company, he ran a team of several hundred people across the product, design, growth, data science and analytics, and user research teams. Under his leadership, he launched some of its biggest initiatives, including Spotlight. Most recently, he launched My AI, Snap’s own AI chatbot powered by ChatGPT. Prior to Snap, Jacob co-founded and led product at ThinkAkili, an online retail analytic platform. He holds a B.S. in Biomedical Computing from Queens University.
Jacob's Sessions
TechCrunch Startup Battlefield – Session 3
TechCrunch’s iconic startup competition is back, as entrepreneurs from around the world pitch expert judges and vie for the Startup Battlefield Cup and $100,000. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Eric Andrews is VP of Marketing at Securiti, a leader in multicloud data protection, privacy and governance. He has more than 25 years of leadership experience in the networking and security industry. Previously he was VP Cloud Security at Symantec, driving marketing for the fastest growing division within the company. Eric came into Symantec through the acquisition of Elastica (via Blue Coat), where he led marketing for the CASB startup since its inception. Prior to Elastica, he led marketing for WiChorus, a wireless gateway startup which was acquired by Tellabs. He has also held leadership roles at NetDevices (acquired by Alcatel), Turnstone Systems (IPO) and Newbridge Networks. Eric holds an MS and BS in Computer Science and Electrical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Eric's Sessions
Mitigating Risk While Harnessing Generative AI @ Roundtable 2
The rapid rise of generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT, Bard, Vertex and others creates unique data challenges for those charged with its safekeeping. They must balance the need for innovation with ensuring their organizations meet their obligations to protect data. This session will explore how to enforce data security, privacy and governance controls to attain and insure the safe use of AI technology. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Ayo Arikawe is the Co-Founder & CTO of ThriveAgric LTD, a fast-growing agricultural technology company that is passionate about ensuring food security and productivity in Africa by empowering smallholder farmers through its flagship proprietary products; Agricultural Operating System (AOS). Till date, ThriveAgric has partnered with several organizations to unlock over $150m financing for farmers; worked with over 500,000 smallholder farmers; produced and traded over 800,000 metric tonnes of grains; impacted over 2800 communities across 26 states in Nigeria and targeted 10,000,000 farmers in 2027. Thrive Agric also directly employs over 2,500 people with an average age of 27 and indirectly engages over 40,000 youths all over Africa. Ayo also leads the market access thematic group of the Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG); a notable platform for public-private dialogue in Nigeria and he serves on the Advisory board of Ukhanyo Farmer Development (a non-profit organization that helps South African farmers unlock finance). He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering from Covenant University and is an alumnus of YCombinator, Google Launchpad, and World Food Programme Accelerator. Recently he emerged winner of the 2022 Visa Everywhere Initiative (VEI) for Central Europe, Middle East Africa. In 2019, he also emerged Top 10 Jack Ma Foundation Africa Netpreneur Prize Initiative (ANPI) and is a 2019 YTech 100 recipient from the Future Awards Africa. His noteworthy achievements all started as a result of his flair for solving big problems and real life issues on a large scale.
Ayo's Sessions
Visa Everywhere Initiative: The Ultimate Fintech Pitch Competition @ Industry Stage 1
Fintechs startups inspire — Visa enables. Join the Visa Everywhere Initiative, where we welcome the next generation of fintechs. Visa has selected five visionary startups from across the globe, and they’re ready to pitch their game-changing solutions to a panel of fintech industry leaders. It’s your chance to witness the future of payments unfold and learn how you can join us in the fintech revolution. #EverywhereInitiative (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Serial entrepreneur Wade Arnold is the Co-Founder and CEO of Moov Financial, responsible for rebuilding banking infrastructure for modern, cloud-native applications without dependence on legacy technology. As a visionary leader, Wade is instrumental in establishing Moov’s renowned open source libraries and creating Moov’s rapidly expanding developer community. Throughout his career, he’s served in various high-profile roles at banking and fintech organizations, most notably as the founder and CEO of Banno, a white-label digital banking platform that was acquired by Jack Henry. Previously, Wade served as Executive Vice President of Technology at BillGO, an all-in-one platform for managing and paying bills. Wade has also served as a member of several boards, including the President of the Association for Financial Technology (AFT), and is a mentor at Techstars. Wade holds a Computer Science degree from the University of Northern Iowa, an MBA from the University of Iowa, and completed the ABA Stonier Graduate School of Banking.
Wade's Sessions
Visa Everywhere Initiative: The Ultimate Fintech Pitch Competition @ Industry Stage 1
Fintechs startups inspire — Visa enables. Join the Visa Everywhere Initiative, where we welcome the next generation of fintechs. Visa has selected five visionary startups from across the globe, and they’re ready to pitch their game-changing solutions to a panel of fintech industry leaders. It’s your chance to witness the future of payments unfold and learn how you can join us in the fintech revolution. #EverywhereInitiative (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Amir Ashkenazi is a serial entrepreneur, having founded and sold three companies prior to launching remote collaboration tool startup Switchboard. Amir founded Shopping.com in 1997 and performed the CTO role until it was acquired by Ebay in 2006. Amir then became VP of Product Search at Ebay until 2007 when he founded Adap.tv, a video advertising platform, and was CEO until 2013 when it was acquired by AOL. Amir was then president of AOL from 2013 to 2015. In 2018 Amir founded Toukee, an AI & voice technology company, which was acquired out of stealth by LogMeIn. Switchboard came to life during the pandemic when Amir became frustrated with standard video calls that didn’t serve him during his virtual guitar lessons. Then he created the solution to his problem: a collaborative platform where anyone can open multiple applications and work seamlessly together.
Amir's Sessions
When Should Founders Provide Early Liquidity to Retain Staff?
Look, we all want more IPOs. But they’re still far rarer than startups need them to be if they want to retain staff who want to see their hard-earned shares turn into something other than paper. So when should founders take a little pre-IPO liquidity as a treat, and when should they let staff do the same? (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Dr. Chloé Bakalar is Chief Ethicist at Meta. She joined Meta’s Responsible AI team in May 2019, where she has developed and leads an applied ethics program focused for AI and genAI. Ethics at Meta both (1) identifies and builds understanding of the ethical considerations around Meta’s family of AI-powered platforms, products and systems, and also (2) designs and operationalizes ethics tooling to enable ethics-forward product work. In addition to her work at Meta, Bakalar is an Assistant Professor of moral / political philosophy and public law (esp. civil rights and civil liberties), at Temple University. Her academic research focuses on the intersection of information technology, ethics and democratic citizenship. Before joining Meta and Temple, she was a Values and Public Policy Postdoctoral Associate with appointments at Princeton’s University Center for Human Values (UCHV), Center for Information Technology Policy (CITP) and the Center for the Study of Democratic Politics (CSDP). During that time, she co-founded the Princeton Dialogues on AI and Ethics, an interdisciplinary academic program aimed at empowering AI design and deployment to produce greater positive impacts on people and society while reducing potential risks.
Chloé's Sessions
Can AI Be Ethical? @ Industry Stage 1
There’s palpable excitement around AI, especially generative AI. But like many technological breakthroughs, these tools aren’t perfect, and they can cause serious harm when deployed irresponsibly. Generative AI has the potential to reshape our workflows and drive innovation, yet it can also power misinformation and IP theft. Policymakers around the world are grappling with the implications of AI, as will this panel, which will explore tensions in the AI space and how they can be responsibly mitigated. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Sophie invests in consumer products at Collaborative Fund in New York.
Sophie's Sessions
How to Build a Capital-intensive Startup in a Tough Venture Market
Every VC wants you to think that they’re bravely funding expensive hardware that will revolutionize the future. You know, space launches that use twigs, and satellites that can also zap aliens. That sort of thing. And then you read about new NFT fundraising. The good news is that even in a more conservative venture environment, it’s possible for founders to tackle big, hard and capital-intensive projects. Let’s talk about how it’s done. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Small Group Discussion: How to Build a Capital-Intensive Startup in a Tough Venture Market:
Join us for this small group Q&A session to continue the conversation with other TC+ members. (✴️ Open to TC+ Annual/2-Year Subscribers Only) (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Naba Banerjee is Head of Trust & Safety at Airbnb. Naba’s focus is to ensure that guests and Hosts have peace of mind as they live, travel and host on Airbnb. Naba’s most recent work includes the development of Airbnb’s reservation screening technology, to help identify potentially high-risk reservations and prevent those users from taking advantage of our platform. Naba oversees Airbnb’s work to combat fraud, stop bad actors from using the platform, and build trust between Hosts and guests. Naba has over two decades of experience building products that deliver innovative, customer centric solutions. Naba joined Airbnb after spending 13 years at Walmart.com, where she played an instrumental role in the evolution of product management, ranging from enabling shipping packages to customers faster and building mobile apps that help customers self scan and checkout faster.
Naba's Sessions
How to Build Intelligent Startup Ops that Will Scale with Your Business
Ignore topics like trust, safety and privacy at your own peril: For startup customers, these are much more than nice-to-haves. But as a young startup, it can be hard to build ops in a way that makes sense both in your early days and as you scale. From this panel, expect operational notes and tips that you can put to work to avoid known pitfalls and build the right operational foundations from day 1. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Anamitra Banerji is a co-founder of Afore Capital.
Anamitra's Sessions
How to Stretch Your Venture Dollars
Cash is worth more this year than last year, and certainly more than the tech industry got accustomed to during the last venture supercycle. With the dollar now more powerful than ever, how should startups ensure that their raised capital — equity, debt, whatever floats your burn — goes as far as possible? After all, the more you can do before you need more cash, the higher a price you can charge in your next round. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Maren Bannon is Co-Founder and Managing Partner at January Ventures, a pre-seed firm focused on B2B startups that are digitally transforming traditional industries, including work, health and climate. January Ventures has invested in 60 companies to date, and closed Fund II in March 2022. Maren is an engineer turned operator and entrepreneur. Before co-founding January Ventures, Maren was CEO and co-founder of LittleLane, a mobile marketplace for local experiences. Her operating experience also includes marketing and sales roles at health tech startups as well as leading consumer marketing for a $1B product at Genentech. She is a contributor at Forbes and a Mentor at Stanford StartX and TechStars. She has an MBA from Stanford and an Engineering degree from Dartmouth. Maren is based in London, United Kingdom.
Maren's Sessions
TechCrunch Startup Battlefield – Session 4
TechCrunch’s iconic startup competition is back, as entrepreneurs from around the world pitch expert judges and vie for the Startup Battlefield Cup and $100,000. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
What Do You Need to Raise a Series A Today?
Gone are the days when you simply needed $1 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR) to raise a Series A. Some startups have raised a Series A with a lot more, and we’ve seen many manage the same feat with far less in recent quarters. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)So before raising a Series A, how can a founder ensure their business has the right metrics and that their pitch is tuned for the current venture climate? Jennifer Neundorfer of January Ventures and Loren Straub of Bowery Capital are coming to Disrupt’s Builders Stage to help us answer those questions, and more. If you’ve raised pre-Seed or Seed capital, this is a conversation you shouldn’t miss.
Small Group Session: What do you need to raise a Series A today?
Join us for this small group Q&A session to continue the conversation with other TC+ members (✴️ Open to TC+ Annual/2-Year Subscribers Only) (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Michael is the Founder and General Partner of Atento Capital, where he leads the vision and strategy for the firm and investments. From sourcing deals to supporting the portfolio companies, Michael takes an active role both within the team as well as the broader portfolio. Before joining Atento and moving to Tulsa, OK, Michael had a vast operational background. Michael’s career started as a barista at a coffee shop in high school. Through undergrad and business school, he oversaw operations of 22 stores and managed a $19M coffee operation. Michael eventually partnered with close friends to grow a product manufacturing company to nearly $40M in revenue before selling it to a publicly traded company. During that time, Michael began investing in real estate as well as angel investing. This led him to join Spotad, one of his portfolio companies, as President, building that from $0 to $16M in revenue in under two years. From there, he joined the Clinton Campaign in 2016 and continued looking for more ways to make animpact. This led him to launch Atento Capital in Tulsa, where he’s spent the last 5+ years investing in early-stage companies and driving various transformative programs and initiatives geared toward building a vibrant and inclusive tech ecosystem. He received his MBA from The University of Southern California and has lived in California, New York, London, and Tel Aviv. Michael is husband to Romi, and father to Leo, Olivia, and his furry daughter, Osita.
Michael's Sessions
Why coastal tech hubs should pay attention to the innovation happening in the Midcontinent @ Breakout Room 1
The heartland of America has been an economic engine for the country for centuries because of legacy sectors like energy, agriculture, healthcare, aerospace/defense, and manufacturing. Now, the region is seeing a new wave of venture capital that is funding tech startups to innovate in these legacy sectors, creating massive opportunity for venture returns in a geography traditionally ignored by coastal VCs. Nathaniel Harding of Cortado Ventures, and Michael Basch of Atento Capital, two of the largest early-stage funds in the region, will share how we’re building a tech ecosystem that is attracting new, diverse talent into the region – including talent that is migrating from the coasts. In addition, we’ll share some of our region’s top startups that you would never have guessed are building tech unicorns in Oklahoma. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Justin is a product and analytics expert who believes that personalization starts with great data. As the Chief Product Officer at Amplitude, Justin leads product management, design, growth, and analytics, and helps companies from startup to enterprise unlock the power of their products. He’s a 2x entrepreneur as well as an alumnus of McKinsey, Stanford GSB and Carleton College.
Justin's Sessions
Product-led growth: Industry buzzword or business game-changer? @ Breakout Room 2
We’re all familiar with the sales-led growth model – it’s been the go-to business model for decades. These days it’s product-led growth (PLG) in the limelight. As the economy took a nosedive, many companies scrambled to implement PLG, going all-in with only a surface-level understanding of how to operate under this model. The question is: what is best for driving growth in today’s economy? PLG has mistakenly created a polarizing mindset – you’re either all-in on your product, or you’re all in on sales and marketing. This is a huge misconception. This panel will convene three leaders who have witnessed distinctively different approaches to growth – product-led, sales-led, and product-led sales – to debate which model works best for different types and stages of companies. Alongside Justin Bauer, these leaders will discuss their experiences with the different growth models, sharing specific examples and anecdotes as well as advice for other SaaS companies figuring out the optimal way to drive growth in today’s market. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Wendy Bergh has deep domain experience in e-commerce, marketing, and mobile. She has spent 20+ years in leadership roles across leading e-commerce brands and Fortune 500 companies. Wendy is passionate about delivering customer experiences that deeply engage users, and increase conversion and loyalty. She has a proven track record of driving strategic initiatives, building high-performing teams, and delivering exponential revenue growth. Wendy is currently at Zoom, where she is GM, Online. In this role, Wendy is responsible for Zoom’s Online revenue and growth by making it simple for customers to try, buy, and engage with Zoom products in a self-service ecosystem. Previous to Zoom, Wendy held leadership roles at Service Now, Minted, and Walmart. Wendy holds an MBA from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business and a B.A. from Colby College.
Wendy's Sessions
Product-led growth: Industry buzzword or business game-changer? @ Breakout Room 2
We’re all familiar with the sales-led growth model – it’s been the go-to business model for decades. These days it’s product-led growth (PLG) in the limelight. As the economy took a nosedive, many companies scrambled to implement PLG, going all-in with only a surface-level understanding of how to operate under this model. The question is: what is best for driving growth in today’s economy? PLG has mistakenly created a polarizing mindset – you’re either all-in on your product, or you’re all in on sales and marketing. This is a huge misconception. This panel will convene three leaders who have witnessed distinctively different approaches to growth – product-led, sales-led, and product-led sales – to debate which model works best for different types and stages of companies. Alongside Justin Bauer, these leaders will discuss their experiences with the different growth models, sharing specific examples and anecdotes as well as advice for other SaaS companies figuring out the optimal way to drive growth in today’s market. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
As Principal Architect of Responsible AI & Tech at Salesforce, Kathy develops research-informed best practices to educate Salesforce employees, customers, and the industry on the development of responsible AI. She collaborates and partners with external AI and ethics experts to continuously evolve Salesforce policies, practices, and products. Kathy is a member of Singapore’s Advisory Council on the Ethical Use of AI and Data and a Visiting AI Fellow at NIST contributing to the AI Risk Management Framework. She is on the Board of EqualAI and periodically co-hosts their podcast, “In AI We Trust?” Since 2018, she has been involved with the World Economic Forum’s Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Prior to Salesforce, she worked at Google, eBay, and Oracle in User Experience Research. She is the co-author of “Understanding Your Users: A Practical Guide to User Research Methodologies.” She received her MS in Engineering Psychology and BS in Applied Psychology from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Kathy's Sessions
Can AI Be Ethical? @ Industry Stage 1
There’s palpable excitement around AI, especially generative AI. But like many technological breakthroughs, these tools aren’t perfect, and they can cause serious harm when deployed irresponsibly. Generative AI has the potential to reshape our workflows and drive innovation, yet it can also power misinformation and IP theft. Policymakers around the world are grappling with the implications of AI, as will this panel, which will explore tensions in the AI space and how they can be responsibly mitigated. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Morgan is a General Partner at NFX, a seed-stage venture capital fund. Most recently, Morgan was at Facebook where she originally joined as part of the Corporate Development team in May 2017. Her main project was trying to answer the question “how should Facebook be thinking about blockchain?” This evolved into the creation of the dedicated blockchain team which later became Diem and Novi. Morgan was Head of Strategy for Facebook’s Novi. Prior to Facebook, Morgan ran Corporate Development at Medium where she led the Embedly acquisition and helped develop the subscription strategy. Before that, Morgan was on the Deal Team at Andreessen Horowitz. For the latter half of her time there, she was solely focused on the early stage ecosystem.
Morgan's Sessions
Why is Venture Capital So Uneasy with the World’s Largest Customer? @ Industry Stage 2
The U.S. Defense Department is the world’s biggest customer and is eager to work with innovative companies backed by venture capital. Unfortunately, most of the largest venture capital firms in the United States are gun shy when it comes to backing companies looking to tackle federal markets. Why is this? Are they being foolish and leaving money on the table? Or do they understand something important? (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
TechCrunch Startup Battlefield – Session 2
TechCrunch’s iconic startup competition is back, as entrepreneurs from around the world pitch expert judges and vie for the Startup Battlefield Cup and $100,000. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Morgan is the Vice President of Partnerships at Techstars. In this capacity, Morgan works with corporate, government, university, investor, and non-profit partners to support founders all over the world.
Morgan's Sessions
Strategic Partnerships: Unlocking Growth Opportunities for Startups
This discussion will focus on how strategic partnerships can boost startup growth opportunities. The panellists will outline how to choose the best partners to create beneficial relationships for all parties involved while encouraging the development of innovative solutions and services that can improve society as a whole, especially in the early childhood development (ECD) sector. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
At General Catalyst, Marc is part of GC’s fintech/crypto investment team. Marc focuses on early stage investing across both crypto and fintech, as well as building out the creation strategy. Additionally, he contributes to GC’s expanding AI efforts. Marc’s core areas of interest include: (1) security and data infrastructure; (2) startup tooling platforms that make building a software, and especially financial services, company easier, such as authentication/identity products, crypto on-ramps, automation tools for tax/compliance/accounting; (3) the intersection of fintech and crypto, specifically platforms that leverage both decentralized technologies as well as fintech best practices on UI/UX, user acquisition, and compliance; and (4) building from zero to one, and starting companies and getting first hire, product, client, distribution deal. Prior to joining GC, Marc spent years as a founder-operator with an emphasis on new fintech, AI, and crypto technologies. Marc co-founded Tagomi, one of the first institutional prime brokerage for digital assets (Coinbase purchased Tagomi in 2020). As an angel investor, Marc worked closely with founders on sales, distribution, and fundraising, investing from his family office in early stage fintech, crypto, and AI/start-up tooling companies. Earlier, Marc worked at Airbnb, Castanea Partners, and McKinsey, with a focus in business operations and investment analysis. Marc received his MBA from Harvard Business School in 2016 and graduated from Harvard College in 2008.
Marc's Sessions
TechCrunch Startup Battlefield – Session 2
TechCrunch’s iconic startup competition is back, as entrepreneurs from around the world pitch expert judges and vie for the Startup Battlefield Cup and $100,000. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Rob Biederman is the Managing Partner of Asymmetric, an early-stage venture capital firm investing in transformative technology companies. Prior to founding Asymmetric, Rob co-founded and served as co-CEO of Catalant Technologies for eight years, building the company into a market leader connecting businesses with more than 70,000 independent consultants and 1,000 boutique firms. He currently serves as Chairman of Catalant. Before Catalant, Rob was a private equity investor at Goldman Sachs and Bain Capital, where he advised public and private companies across healthcare and high-tech on growth strategy, M&A, capital allocation and financing. He is also an Executive Fellow at Harvard Business School, where he co-teaches the Scaling Technology Ventures course. Rob graduated cum laude from Princeton University with an A.B. in Economics and Finance and from Harvard Business School as a Baker Scholar.
Rob's Sessions
Telling the TAM Story: How to Get VCs Excited About Your Market Opportunity, Especially in Less Sexy Spaces @ Roundtable 4
As the fundraising market has tightened, VCs have become increasingly disciplined on due diligence. Market sizing is a critical factor influencing investment decisions at the earliest stages, likely the second most important variable after founder. Join this session for a conversation on getting investors hooked on a large and attractive addressable market! (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session) 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Sam is a Partner at Founders Fund. He invests in companies at all stages and works with founders and go-to-market leaders on accelerating revenue growth and increasing the value of their business. Previously, Sam served as Chief Revenue Officer at Brex, where he oversaw revenue growth from less than $1M to several hundred million dollars of annualized revenue. Sam joined the company before its official launch, and when he left four years later the company was valued at $12.5B. Prior to Brex, Sam was VP of Sales at Zenefits, where he oversaw revenue growth from less than $1M to $70M of ARR in two years. Sam joined the company pre-Series A as employee number 18. When he left, the business was over 1500 employees and was valued at $4.5B. Sam was an active angel investor during his time at Brex and Zenefits, backing 25 software startups ranging from Seed to Series C.
Sam's Sessions
TechCrunch Startup Battlefield – Session 4
TechCrunch’s iconic startup competition is back, as entrepreneurs from around the world pitch expert judges and vie for the Startup Battlefield Cup and $100,000. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Lisa Bonos is a longtime Washington Post editor and writer. She’s currently the assistant tech editor in The Post’s San Francisco bureau. Previously, she covered dating, relationships, friendship and single life for The Post’s lifestyle section.
Lisa's Sessions
Social Life 3.0: AI and the Future of Digital Connection @ Industry Stage 1
Social media has taken a toll on people’s social skills, played on their insecurities and overwhelmed them with endless choice. How can technology, and AI specifically, help people move beyond superficial relationships to build authentic connections — romantic or platonic — in the digital world? (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Whitney Bouck joined Insight Partners in 2022 as a Managing Director and brings more than 30 years of operating experience to venture capital. In addition to advising the firm’s many portfolio companies, Whitney sits on the boards of Paycor, Trengo and BlueOcean. Prior to joining Insight, Whit sold three companies, led three through IPO, facilitated two spin-offs, and executed more than 15 acquisitions. Her most recent role was as COO of HelloSign, where she was responsible for growing and scaling the company in partnership with the CEO, CTO and the executive team. HelloSign was acquired by Dropbox in 2019, and Whitney continued to serve as COO of the business inside Dropbox. Before joining HelloSign, Whitney ran the global marketing organization at Box and built Box’s Enterprise business from the ground up, helping pivot the company from being an SMB-oriented product. Whitney also spent 15 years with Documentum and then EMC (via acquisition) and held a variety of leadership positions, including CMO of the Information Intelligence division at EMC. Previously, Whitney held a variety of technology and leadership roles at both Sybase and Oracle.
Whit's Sessions
Selling your SaaS startup: The VC view @ Industry Stage 2
There are many reasons to sell your SaaS startup, but what is the investor perspective? This panel looks at why VCs might support your move to sell, and when they might encourage you to keep going. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Sarah Brandt is Executive Vice President of Partnerships for NewsGuard, a company that counters misinformation using human intelligence. In that role, she manages NewsGuard’s global partnerships with generative AI providers, technology platforms, ad tech providers, media monitoring companies, researchers, and more. She is based in Austin, Texas. Prior to joining NewsGuard, Sarah worked at Bain & Company, a global management consulting firm. She graduated from Yale University.
Sarah's Sessions
How AI Can Both Accelerate and Slow Down the Disinformation Economy @ Industry Stage 1
The threat of AI-generated disinformation, or just plain spam, is on everyone’s minds. We know language models can dish it out, but can they also hold it back? This panel will explore the risks and potential solutions as an election year looms. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Erik founded Katmai in 2020, a time when the entire world was re-learning how to communicate with one another. As his business transitioned to remote work, he became frustrated by the limited and lifeless options available for working together online and began looking for alternatives. A chance encounter with a promising tech demo led to Erik leveraging his 20+ years of industry contacts, building a team that could develop a solution to this problem. Today, Katmai is building that solution: a digital environment that facilitates meaningful, people-first communication. Prior to founding Katmai, Erik’s life revolved around music. He received his BFA from New York University’s Clive Davis Institute, and went on to create and operate Braund Studios, a production company in Brooklyn and Los Angeles. Erik has worked with artists and performers such as Julian Casablancas, P Diddy, Nick Jonas, Courtney Love, Sting, Brian Cox, and Mac DeMarco, while producing content for The Food Network, Audible, Yamaha, The New York Times, Morgan Stanley, and many others. Erik was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska, approximately 260 miles northeast of the beautiful Katmai National Park. Given that the company aims to give digital life a sense of place, Erik took inspiration from his beautiful home state — where he still returns regularly to visit family and play with his rock band, Delmag.
Erik's Sessions
The Workplace of the Future is Here @ Industry Stage 2
How can you build a more effective and productive remote work culture? Katmai offers a breakthrough way for remote teams to work. Our 3D virtual office brings people together in one space to provide more natural communication, unlock real-time collaboration and reduce meeting fatigue. Katmai combines video conferencing with immersive, photo-realistic environments for companies to meet, work and feel like a team — not a Brady Bunch box where everyone disappears when the call ends. Join Erik for a virtual visit to Katmai HQ and the future of work. PS: We’re in private beta with a waiting list. TC Disrupt attendees get to pass the velvet rope. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Jared Brickman is Senior Director of the Marketing Center of Excellence at leading software investor Insight Partners, where he advises CMOs of the firm’s 500+ portfolio companies on how to go-to-market. Jared’s research, as well as his 15 years of operating experience, span product marketing, account-based marketing (ABM), post-sale marketing, attribution, and applied generative AI. While a marketing leader at fintech unicorn Snapdocs, Jared built an account-based program that 2x’d bookings and 3x’d average contract value in a year. Prior to that, he led drone startup PrecisionHawk’s expansion into four markets, doubling revenue twice year-over-year. Jared holds an MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. He lives in Raleigh, North Carolina with his wife Sarah and son Wesley.
Jared's Sessions
The New Power Duo in Capital-Efficient Growth: Marketing + Customer Success @ Breakout Room 2
In this talk, we’ll explore how the emerging partnership between Marketing and Customer Success (CS) can be a catalyst for your customer experience and your organization’s net revenue retention (NRR). CS’s expertise maximizing value and Marketer’s mastery of experience at-scale can amplify value realization. Learn how top-performing companies align goals and metrics, leverage data to create personalized experiences, and create ongoing communication and feedback loops as they onboard, renew, and expand customers. We’ll also discuss the impact of post-sale marketing on key metrics such as customer retention, acquisition, and advocacy. Attendees will gain practical insights to build a powerful partnership between Marketing and Customer Success and transform their business by boosting retention and expansion through personalized connection and community. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Since 2018, Po has been Managing Director of IndieBio. He is passionate about reconceptualizing complex challenges into more elegant forms in order to broaden understanding and highlight priorities. Po is a longtime science journalist honored with nine national awards, and author of seven bestselling books that are available in 28 languages worldwide. His work has been cited in 185 academic journals and 503 books. His background is in Economics. He learned finance at Credit Suisse and consulting at a division of Arthur Andersen. Prior to IndieBio he spent four years as a Futurist with Attention Span Media, consulting corporate innovation efforts for globally recognized brands. Most recently, Po is the author of Decoding the World: A Roadmap for the Questioner, published by Twelve Books, a division of the Hachette Publishing Group.
Po's Sessions
TechCrunch Startup Battlefield – Session 1
TechCrunch’s iconic startup competition is back, as entrepreneurs from around the world pitch expert judges and vie for the Startup Battlefield Cup and $100,000. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Raising in a New Climate @ Industry Stage 2
Hear from investors about the current headwinds facing climate tech, where they’re finding new opportunities and areas they wish more startups would enter. Where opportunities might be found, overlooked areas and more. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Lisa Mae Brunson is Chief Visionary and Founder of Wonder Women Tech, host of the Wonder Women Tech Show Podcast, and a speaker, author, and a Social Innovation Architect. She serves as Chair for the Commission for Technology and Innovation for the City of Long Beach, and serves on the board for CSULB Innovation and Entrepreneurship. As a Black, Latina and Indigenous female, Lisa Mae is passionate about Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging and Humanity. She builds programs and initiatives working with Fortune 500 Companies, Government Entities, Schools and Universities, Organizations, and individuals to address the challenges stemming from lack of inclusion, discrimination, systemic racism, gender parity and more.
Lisa Mae's Sessions
How Designing Inclusive Business Solutions and Leadership Practices Builds Success @ Roundtable 2
Business leadership needs to recognize the crucial role that diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) solutions play in building success and impact. The numbers don’t lie — inclusive practices and diverse teams generate more revenue and better performance. This roundtable discussion will explore the transformative power of inclusive practices to stimulate creativity, innovation, storytelling, impact and diverse solution-building. Led with empathy, this session will be an open discussion and a safe space to explore new ideas and best practices. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Stephanie is an accomplished business leader with a 20-year track record of success in business-to-business solutions marketing, business operations, field marketing, and brand positioning. As Confluent’s CMO, Stephanie is responsible for leading and scaling Confluent’s global marketing organization as the company pioneers a fundamentally new category of data infrastructure focused on data in motion. Before Confluent, Stephanie was CMO of Salesforce, where she led a global team of 1700 marketers working at the intersection of product vision, a dynamic market, and a world-class sales organization. Stephanie also served as EVP, Product Marketing, at Salesforce. Prior to Salesforce, Stephanie served as CMO and SVP at IHS Inc. and SVP of Marketing at SAP, in addition to marketing leadership roles at Oracle, Business Objects, and Hyperion Solutions. Stephanie is co-author of Driven to Perform, a book for all business professionals, providing them corporate performance management tools for strategy, planning, execution, modeling, and optimization to improve their business performance.
Stephanie's Sessions
Product-led growth: Industry buzzword or business game-changer? @ Breakout Room 2
We’re all familiar with the sales-led growth model – it’s been the go-to business model for decades. These days it’s product-led growth (PLG) in the limelight. As the economy took a nosedive, many companies scrambled to implement PLG, going all-in with only a surface-level understanding of how to operate under this model. The question is: what is best for driving growth in today’s economy? PLG has mistakenly created a polarizing mindset – you’re either all-in on your product, or you’re all in on sales and marketing. This is a huge misconception. This panel will convene three leaders who have witnessed distinctively different approaches to growth – product-led, sales-led, and product-led sales – to debate which model works best for different types and stages of companies. Alongside Justin Bauer, these leaders will discuss their experiences with the different growth models, sharing specific examples and anecdotes as well as advice for other SaaS companies figuring out the optimal way to drive growth in today’s market. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Andy's Sessions
New CEO Imperative: Why You Need a Revenue Governance Strategy @ Breakout Room 2
Given the challenging macro-environment, the #1 question Boards and VCs are asking CEOs right now is, ‘What’s your revenue governance strategy?’ It’s not enough to share your quarterly revenue target and how you’ll meet it. Founders also need to demonstrate they have the rigor, discipline, and systems in place to collaborate on and control the end-to-end revenue process, and stop revenue leak – revenue earned but not captured – so they can answer the most important question in business: ‘Are we going to beat, meet, or miss on revenue?’In this breakout session, Clari founder and CEO Andy Byrne will share a new framework for Revenue Collaboration & Governance and why many investors now require it. Andy will discuss what VC’s expect and how to manage the relationship – with learnings from how Andy manages and reports his own revenue strategy and results to his board. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Christina Cacioppo is the CEO and co-founder of Vanta, a leading security and compliance trust management platform backed by Sequoia Capital, Craft Ventures, Goldman Sachs Ventures, J.P. Morgan Ventures, Y Combinator, and the venture arms of Atlassian, CrowdStrike, HubSpot, and Workday. Over 8,000 companies, including Intercom, Icelandair, Miro, and ZoomInfo rely on Vanta to build, maintain, and demonstrate their trust — all in a way that’s real-time and transparent. Prior to founding Vanta, Christina led product management for Dropbox Paper and was a member of the investment team for Union Square Ventures. Christina received her B.A. in Economics and an M.S. in Management Science and Engineering from Stanford University.
Christina's Sessions
Certified SaaS @ Industry Stage 2
To sell your SaaS product to regulated industries, you will need to get certified. At a minimum, most enterprises now expects you to have a SOC 2 certification, but there are also the ever-present GDPR, ISO 27001 and HIPPA, among many others. In this session, we’ll talk to Vanta, which helps startups gain these certifications and HR SaaS solution Remote, which due to its global nature needs to comply with a plethora of local rules. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
An engineer turned venture capitalist, Noramay Cadena leads investments at MiLA Capital and Portfolia’s Rising America fund.
Noramay's Sessions
How to Build a New Venture Firm in Public
Venture funds aren’t new, and neither are solo GPs. What is a fresh innovation in venture land, however, is building a new fund or firm in public. Some newer investors are as well-known for their online presence as for their investments. And that’s no diss: Raising capital is tough, and building a brand is no sin. Still, we want to know both the pros and cons of building something as complicated as a venture fund without a filter. Founders, there will be learnings for you as well, even if you are a few exits away from hanging up your spurs and taking the other side of the deal-making table. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Marc Cadieux is president of Silicon Valley Bank’s commercial banking business where he focuses on the needs of innovation companies at all stages of development, including the investors who back them. Marc’s career at Silicon Valley Bank, a division of First Citizens Bank, began in 1992. In the three decades since, he has held a variety of top credit and sales roles serving some of the world’s most innovative companies. Most recently, he served as chief credit officer, appointed in 2013, and oversaw credit policy and process, credit underwriting, loan approval and portfolio management activities. He is a strong advocate of bank initiatives to expand opportunities for those who are underrepresented in the innovation economy. He serves as an executive sponsor for the company’s employee resource group focused on women employees. When he first joined SVB, Marc launched the bank’s first loan workout and restructuring group. He has held a variety of roles in credit, sales, and relationship management, which included assistant chief credit officer, Peninsula region manager, and risk manager for the Eastern U.S. division, the UK, Israel, and Canada. Previously, Marc held several positions with Pacific Western Bank and Bank of New England. He earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Colby College.
Marc's Sessions
Startup Banking in a Post-SVB World @ Industry Stage 1
The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank left a hole in the world of startup banking that numerous startups and big banks alike are trying to fill. Hear from some of the players that have stepped in to help fill that gap about what they are doing to offer startups and investors meaningful alternatives in this post-SVB world. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Dr. Brian Cameron is the Interim Chief Technology Officer (CTO) in the Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO) at The Aerospace Corporation. In this role, Cameron leads a dynamic, nationwide team responsible for executing OCTO’s three-part mission: developing, implementing, and managing corporate technical and strategic investments; maturing innovative technologies and prototyping advanced concepts; and driving technology transition to government and commercial partners. Cameron leads four offices within OCTO: eLab, responsible for setting the technical investment strategy and priorities; xLab, responsible for developing, building, and operating prototypes; Solution Accelerator, responsible for delivering independent and innovative solutions with speed and national impact; and the Office of Tech Transfer, dedicated to driving the transition of technology to external stakeholders and bridging innovation with real-world application. He also manages the company’s $60 million-plus internal research and development program and the Aerospace Technical Fellows program, with the company’s top engineers and scientists.
Brian's Sessions
The Hardest Problems in Space @Breakout Room 2
Space is big, and working in space is difficult. From the daunting task of achieving interstellar travel, to the pressing concerns about space debris and its potential threat to spacecraft and satellites in orbit, we will delve into the complexities and uncertainties that define the vast expanse beyond our planet. Together let’s explore the immense challenges that await humanity as we venture into the cosmos, contemplate the critical issues that we face today, and discuss the cutting-edge research and visionary ideas that pave the way for solving the hardest problems in space. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Angelo Campus has spent 12 years working on BoxPower Inc. and its precursor research projects. Originally the lead designer, Angelo has held almost every role at BoxPower and now leads sales and forward-looking technology development. Angelo is a 2019 Forbes 30 under 30 listmaker, 2019 Halcyon Fellow, 2019 GSBI Fellow, DRK Entrepreneur, 2017 Echoing Green Climate Fellow and 2017 Princeton Tiger Entrepreneur Award winner. Angelo graduated magna cum laude from Princeton in 2016, where he designed an independent major combining civil engineering and anthropology, where he focused on renewable energy technologies and business models for rural electrification.
Angelo's Sessions
Decentralized, Decarbonized, and Fully Electrified – Tomorrow's Grid @ Industry Stage 2
Electrify everything: it’s one of the leading solutions to the climate problem. But doing that isn’t as easy as simply swapping smoke stacks for solar and wind power. It’ll require an entirely new electrical grid that’s ready for new ways of generating and using power. Join us to hear how innovative startups are working to remake the grid from the bottom up. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Lesley Carhart is the Director of Incident Response for North America at the industrial cybersecurity company Dragos, Inc., leading response to and proactively hunting for threats in customers’ ICS environments. Prior to joining Dragos, Lesley was the incident response team lead at Motorola Solutions. Following four years as a Principal Incident Responder for Dragos, Lesley now manages a team of incident response and digital forensics professionals across North America who perform investigations of commodity, targeted, and insider threat cases in industrial networks. Lesley is also a certified instructor and curriculum developer for Dragos’ incident response and threat hunting courses. Lesley is honored to be retired from the United States Air Force Reserves, and to have received recognition such as “DEF CON Hacker of the Year”, “SANS Difference Maker”, and “Power Player” from SC Magazine. You may find Lesley organizing resumé and interview clinics at several cybersecurity conferences, lecturing, and blogging and tweeting prolifically about cybersecurity. When not working, Lesley enjoys being a youth martial arts instructor.
Lesley's Sessions
What We Can Learn from Cybersecurity Trashfires @ Industry Stage 2
Hacks happen every day, and they can be highly embarrassing. But it’s the response, handling and aftermath that few ever forget and what can make a cyber incident into a cyber disaster. You’ll hear from three of the sharpest hackers and security researchers in their fields about cybersecurity horror stories, with advice and guidance on how founders and startups can avoid making the same mistakes. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Jen Carter is the global head of technology at Google.org, Google’s philanthropic arm, and leads the company’s pro bono initiatives. She has been at Google for over 14 years and works to harness the power of technology to accelerate the impact of nonprofits & civic entities around the world. As part of that effort, Jen manages a team of ~50 Google.org Fellows working in areas like education, economic opportunity, climate, crisis response, and more, with a focus on supporting underserved communities and providing opportunity for everyone. Over the past few years, she has led 400,000+ hours of pro bono work dedicated to that cause, helping nonprofits & civic entities build and launch over 30 social impact products. She was recently recognized as the Most Admired Product Leader, who up-and-coming product leaders aspire to be, as part of the Product 50, honoring the most innovative people in product.
Jen's Sessions
AI for Social Good: How technologists & nonprofits can partner to deliver lasting impact @Breakout Room 1
As the climate crisis, refugee crisis, food crisis, mental health crisis, and many other challenges of our time have made clear, we need the business, nonprofit, government, science, and tech communities to work together to tackle the Sustainable Development Goals. We’ve seen that AI can reduce the time and resources needed to advance progress, but having completed over 400,000 hours of pro bono work over the past few years, we also know that partnering to deliver lasting impact can be hard. We’ll share case studies and discuss best practices and lessons learned from building & launching 30+ social impact products with nonprofits & civic entities over the past few years, in order to help individuals & companies who want to lend their tech expertise maximize their impact. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Guilherme Cerqueira is the founder and CEO of Worthix, an Atlanta-based technology startup. He has +20 years of experience in Marketing Research, is a serial entrepreneur, and is a member of multiple accelerators and associations, such as 500startups, ATDC, ESOMAR, and Endeavor. Cerqueira majored in Psychology and has multiple degrees and certifications from renowned international institutions such as ENSEAD, Standford, and Harvard Business School.
Guilherme's Sessions
Bridging the Gap Between What Companies Offer and What Customers Value @Breakout Room 1
Out of all the experiences a company delivers to its customers, many are unperceived and others are meaningless. Only a few of these experiences provide value and generate revenue. Find out what Customer Value (CV) is, why it’s important, and how you can measure and deliver it to build a thriving company. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Guru Chahal, a Partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners, is a visionary investor with a passion for revolutionizing digital landscapes. Renowned for his insights into industry trends encompassing DevOps, automation, security, and application development, Guru’s expertise is invaluable. Since 2012, he has been an instrumental force at Lightspeed, spearheading early investments in groundbreaking companies like Zscaler (IPO), Avere Systems (acquired by Microsoft), and Avi Networks (acquired by VMware). As a co-founder of Avi Networks in 2013, he played a pivotal role in propelling the company from infancy to catering to an impressive 20% of Fortune 50 giants. Guru’s dynamic journey led him back to Lightspeed in 2019, where he continues to make astute investments in cutting-edge ventures like nGrok, Hubilo, Noname, Infiot, and Pensando.
Guru's Sessions
TechCrunch Startup Battlefield – Session 3
TechCrunch’s iconic startup competition is back, as entrepreneurs from around the world pitch expert judges and vie for the Startup Battlefield Cup and $100,000. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Ines Chami is the Chief Scientist and Co-Founder of Numbers Station. She received her Ph.D. in the Institute for Computational and Mathematical Engineering from Stanford University where she was advised by Prof. Christopher Ré. Prior to attending Stanford, she studied Mathematics and Computer Science at Ecole Centrale Paris. Ines is particularly excited about building intelligent models to automate data-intensive work. Her work spans applications such as knowledge graph construction and data cleaning. For her work on graph representation learning, she won the 2021 Stanford Gene Golub Doctoral Dissertation Award. During her Ph.D. she interned at Microsoft AI and Research and Google Research where she co-authored the graph representation learning chapter of Kevin Murphy’s “Probabilistic Machine Learning: An Introduction” book.
Ines's Sessions
AI for SaaS @ Industry Stage 2
The use cases for generative AI are endless, so it’s no surprise that virtually every new and existing SaaS startup now wants to make it part of their core product. In this session, we’ll talk about how to best do that, no matter whether you have an established product or just starting out – all while doing so responsibly. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Rajeev is a partner at Wing and head of research. He spearheads Wing’s research franchises and summits, and hosts and interviews the most recognizable names in business and technology today.
Rajeev's Sessions
AI and Warfare @ Industry Stage 2
The lightning fast adoption of ChatGPT supercharged conversations about how AI promises to transform warfare. But will it? Is the technology ready or overhyped? Are military institutions ready? Are the right companies ready to work with the military? This panel – representing industry, the academy, and the Defense Department – will unpack these questions and more. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Harrison Chase is the CEO and co-founder of LangChain, a company formed around the open source Python/Typescript packages that aim to make it easy to develop Language Model applications. Prior to starting LangChain, he led the ML team at Robust Intelligence (an MLOps company focused on testing and validation of machine learning models), led the entity linking team at Kensho (a fintech startup), and studied stats and CS at Harvard.
Harrison's Sessions
Building Applications with AI @ Breakout Room 1
Join us for a roundtable discussion with top data leaders as we explore the future of AI-powered applications. In this session, Harrison Chase CEO of Langchain & Henry Scott-Green, CEO of Context, discuss the best-practices for building applications with AI. Discussion topics include: The types of applications are best suited for using LLMsThe infrastructure & tooling required to achieve successMaximizing the user experience If building applications in a modern way is on your roadmap – or even just a curiosity – you don’t want to miss this exciting panel discussion. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Jill is an investment partner at CapitalG, where she focuses on emerging use cases for AI/ML, data infrastructure, and enterprise technology. She has spent the past few years working with senior Googlers and industry experts to round out her AI/ML thesis and has had the fortune of working with several tremendous founders and technologists in the space. Since joining CapitalG in 2020, Jill has led the firm’s investment in Magic and played a leadership role in investments in executive women’s network Chief and financial data leader MX. She has also been a guest lecturer at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business since 2019. Prior to joining CapitalG, Jill worked in senior startup operating roles, both as the CEO of a private equity-backed business and as the founder of a Y Combinator-backed startup. Jill graduated magna cum laude from Williams College with a dual degree in economics and psychology and was captain of the women’s basketball team. She came out to the West Coast to earn an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business, but she was born and raised in Boston, where she had the opportunity to cheer on the most impressive era of professional sports a city has ever experienced (Go, Patriots).
Jill's Sessions
Scale at all Cost? @ Industry Stage 2
What are the best ways to scale a SaaS startup in 2023? With the markets changing and potential SaaS buyers reevaluating how they allocate their spend, it’s clear that we’re not in 2021 anymore. We’ll talk to VCs and experienced founders about the tactics that they think SaaS startups should use today to keep growing – and the ones they should avoid. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Priti brings more than twenty years of corporate and business development experience to her role as a partner on Norwest’s consumer Internet team. Prior to Norwest, Priti spent nine years at Facebook in executive roles in corporate development and business development, where she led M&A efforts for the company, negotiated key partnerships, and served as a strategic advisor to product leadership teams across Facebook. Before her time at Facebook, Priti spent six years at Google in strategic partnership roles. As director of distribution partnerships, she led deals for Google applications such as Toolbar and Chrome and negotiated transformative search partnerships with companies such as Apple and Mozilla. Top-line revenue from these deals grew from $0 to $4 billion under her stewardship. Earlier in her career, Priti earned her startup chops in strategy and management roles at two fast-growth companies, one of which was acquired by Inktomi in 2001 and the other went public in 1997. Priti holds an MBA with honors from Northwestern’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management and graduated magna cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania with degrees in architecture and communications.
Priti's Sessions
TechCrunch Startup Battlefield – Session 2
TechCrunch’s iconic startup competition is back, as entrepreneurs from around the world pitch expert judges and vie for the Startup Battlefield Cup and $100,000. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Weilyn Chong is the Co-Founder/COO of swsh, the social app that strengthens the relationships that matter to you. Weilyn was born in Singapore and raised in Singapore, Hong Kong, and The Netherlands. Weilyn studied Economics and Computer Science at Princeton University. She co-founded The Entrepre女ers Network, a community and a network of 6 podcast shows supporting women entrepreneurs across the world. She is a board member at the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center and the host and producer of VEP podcast at the Center.
Weilyn's Sessions
Gen Z Founders You Should Know @ Breakout Room 1
What does it take to build a startup in the current landscape? How is Gen Z going to transform the industry? Join us for a double-header session where we interview two early-stage founders who are making waves. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Akshay is a serial tech investor, inventor and board member. Akshay serves as Head of Innovation & Design for Visa for 90+ countries in Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (CEMEA), and on the Board of the MENA FinTech Association. He has built over 8 major innovation labs & hubs for tech firms and governments across Asia, Europe, Africa and the Middle East. He leads teams of product experts, designers, engineers, and digital commerce specialists based in Visa’s Innovation Centre in Dubai, and Visa’s Innovation Studios in Moscow, Nairobi and Saudi Arabia. His team co-creates new commerce use cases with products with banks, internet companies, FinTechs and merchants across the region. Since 2021, Akshay has also been overseeing Visa’s cryptocurrency products in CEMEA. Akshay holds 8 global patents in the FinTech and payments, and has served in various digital leadership capacities in Asia-Pacific and EMEA. He has played a key the role in the development of numerous commercially successful products in eCommerce and digital banking. A veteran digital and product development expert, Akshay and his teams have run over 200 co-creation sprints with diverse partners. Akshay is an active venture investor, with several deals and exits in fintech, payments, eCommerce, AI and beyond. Prior to his current role, Akshay was a founding member of Visa’s Asia-Pacific Innovation Centre in Singapore, where he served as Senior Director and led partner co-creations. Prior to Visa, Akshay co-founded and led the Deloitte Greenhouse in Southeast Asia, a award-winning joint initiative between the Singapore government and Deloitte, focused on analytics-driven innovation. Before Deloitte, Akshay served as Director, Emerging Markets at Gartner, and started his career at Standard & Poor’s. Akshay holds an MBA from the Indian School of Business and BA (Honors) in Economics from the University of Delhi.
Akshay's Sessions
Visa Everywhere Initiative: The Ultimate Fintech Pitch Competition @ Industry Stage 1
Fintechs startups inspire — Visa enables. Join the Visa Everywhere Initiative, where we welcome the next generation of fintechs. Visa has selected five visionary startups from across the globe, and they’re ready to pitch their game-changing solutions to a panel of fintech industry leaders. It’s your chance to witness the future of payments unfold and learn how you can join us in the fintech revolution. #EverywhereInitiative (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
McKeever “Mac” Conwell II is a software engineer by trade and was a former DOD contractor with a top-secret clearance. He was a two-time founder with an exit and a failure. Next Mac moved on to the venture capital world via the Maryland Technology Development Corporation as part of their Seed Investment Team. During his four years there, Mac amassed experience leading an initiative to create the first and only, at the time, state-backed pre-seed fund for women and minorities in the country; known as the Builder Fund. The program institutionalized the friends and family round for black-, women-, and minority-led startups and was subsequently funded long-term by the state of Maryland. Mac then went on to found RareBreed Ventures, a pre-seed to seed venture fund that invests in exceptional founders outside of large tech ecosystems.
Mac's Sessions
How to Build a New Venture Firm in Public
Venture funds aren’t new, and neither are solo GPs. What is a fresh innovation in venture land, however, is building a new fund or firm in public. Some newer investors are as well-known for their online presence as for their investments. And that’s no diss: Raising capital is tough, and building a brand is no sin. Still, we want to know both the pros and cons of building something as complicated as a venture fund without a filter. Founders, there will be learnings for you as well, even if you are a few exits away from hanging up your spurs and taking the other side of the deal-making table. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Laura is the CEO and Co-Founder of Epsilon3. Among the initial members of the operations team for SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, she helped put the US back in the human space flight business. Laura wants to continue to revolutionize the space industry, beginning with operational tools.
Laura's Sessions
The Future of Sending Human Beings Into Space @ Industry Stage 2
With commercial organizations playing a more prominent role in sending humans into space, governments, regulators, and even companies themselves are not quite sure what this heralds for the new space age. This panel will help us understand the future of sending humans into space and the respective roles of governments and companies. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Camille Crittenden, Ph.D., is the executive director of CITRIS and the Banatao Institute and co-founder of the CITRIS Policy Lab and the EDGE (Expanding Diversity and Gender Equity) in Tech Initiative at UC. She served as chair of the California Blockchain Working Group in 2019–20 and co-chaired the Student Experience subcommittee of the University of California’s Presidential Working Group on Artificial Intelligence. Prior to coming to CITRIS in 2012, she was executive director of the Human Rights Center at Berkeley Law, where she helped to develop its program in human rights, technology and digital media. She has written and spoken widely on these topics, as well as technology applications for civic engagement, digital equity, and government transparency and accountability. She held positions as assistant dean for development with International and Area Studies at UC Berkeley and in development and public relations at University of California Press and San Francisco Opera. She earned an M.A. and Ph.D. from Duke University.
Camille's Sessions
Can AI Be Ethical? @ Industry Stage 1
There’s palpable excitement around AI, especially generative AI. But like many technological breakthroughs, these tools aren’t perfect, and they can cause serious harm when deployed irresponsibly. Generative AI has the potential to reshape our workflows and drive innovation, yet it can also power misinformation and IP theft. Policymakers around the world are grappling with the implications of AI, as will this panel, which will explore tensions in the AI space and how they can be responsibly mitigated. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Nick is the Co-Founder and CEO of Hunt Club, a full-service recruiting company that connects businesses with the world’s best talent. Prior to Hunt Club, Nick founded New Coast Ventures, a venture studio that started or invested in over 40+ early-stage startups, including Gopuff and Compass. Nick is also a Forbes 30 Under 30 award winner, multiple Inc 500 recipient, and is deeply passionate about starting and growing new companies.
Nick's Sessions
How Founders Can Leverage a Soft Labor Market into a Competitive Edge
It seems like it was just yesterday that the tech talent market was so hot that mega-corps hoarded staff to simply keep them off the market and out of the reach of their competitors. Today things are different: Layoffs are more common than hiring binges, and suddenly perks have a bad name. How can startups use a new, and perhaps more attractive, talent market to their advantage? Let’s find out. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Small Group Session: How Founders Can Leverage a Soft Labor Market into a Competitive Edge
Join us for this small group Q&A session to continue the conversation with other TC+ members. (✴️ Open to TC+ Annual/2-Year Subscribers Only) (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
James Currier is a co-founder and partner of NFX Guild, an early-stage fund with a three-month program for marketplace and network businesses.
James's Sessions
Which Founders Are VC-Backable? @ Roundtable 3
Inside the psychology of a top VC. How are they deciding whether or not to back your business? (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session) 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
What Do You Need to Raise a Series A Today?
Gone are the days when you simply needed $1 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR) to raise a Series A. Some startups have raised a Series A with a lot more, and we’ve seen many manage the same feat with far less in recent quarters. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)So before raising a Series A, how can a founder ensure their business has the right metrics and that their pitch is tuned for the current venture climate? Jennifer Neundorfer of January Ventures and Loren Straub of Bowery Capital are coming to Disrupt’s Builders Stage to help us answer those questions, and more. If you’ve raised pre-Seed or Seed capital, this is a conversation you shouldn’t miss.
Small Group Session: What do you need to raise a Series A today?
Join us for this small group Q&A session to continue the conversation with other TC+ members (✴️ Open to TC+ Annual/2-Year Subscribers Only) (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
As COO, Healey oversees the daily operations of the 11-year-old venture studio to support founders and foster an inclusive culture where team members thrive. He is a serial entrepreneur with three successful exits and a passion for creating exceptional customer experiences and assembling world-class teams. Driven by his entrepreneurial vision and Atomic’s model of building companies in parallel, Healey co-founded BoomPop at Atomic in 2020, where he also serves as CEO and helps Fortune 500 companies create the next generation of workplace culture. Before Atomic, Healey was the Head of Retail Innovation at eBay, Chief of Staff to the CTO, and led business development for milo.com, which he helped sell to eBay in 2010. Healey went on to run and sell two companies (one in retail, one in restaurant tech) before joining Jack at Atomic in 2019. Healey subscribes to the radical notion that being a good person is a competitive career advantage. He’s a father of two, husband to an amazing wife, and a graduate of the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.
Healey's Sessions
TechCrunch Startup Battlefield – Session 2
TechCrunch’s iconic startup competition is back, as entrepreneurs from around the world pitch expert judges and vie for the Startup Battlefield Cup and $100,000. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Contrarian Negotiation Tactics for Sales and M&A that Work for Founders @ Roundtable 4
In the world of negotiation, conventional wisdom centers around seeking agreement and achieving a “yes.” However, one entrepreneur’s startup journey shattered this norm, revealing the power of “no” as a strategic weapon. In this session, Healey Cypher will share seven traps to avoid when negotiating and give you the toolkit you need to come out on top in your future negotiations. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session) 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Dipanwita Das is an award-winning technology entrepreneur and a Sir Edmund Hilary Fellow. She is CEO and Co-founder of Sorcero, the leading platform for AI powered product analytics for Life Sciences and is Google’s partner for Generative AI in medical publications. She developed Sorcero’s vision of applying advanced analytics to medical and scientific content to improve patient outcomes and helped author the company’s 5 patents in biomedical AI and LLMs. Dipanwita previously built the digital scientific platform for the largest global public health policy initiative, influencing health outcomes for over three billion people. Dipanwita has graduated from two of the world’s top 5 startup accelerators and completed Y Combinator’s Female Founders program. She completed Stanford GSB’s Executive Program for Social Entrepreneurship, earned her M.A. from IDS at the University of Sussex, and her B.A. from St. Stephen’s College. She is heavily inspired by science fiction and philosophy and writes her journal in Elvish.
Dipanwita's Sessions
Transforming Patient Outcomes with AI in Life Sciences and Healthcare @ Roundtable 4
Join Dipwanita Das, Sorcero’s Co-Founder and CEO, for a discussion on how AI is disrupting Life Sciences organizations worldwide. Fueled by an overabundance of research, the pharmaceutical sector is missing the proper mechanisms to connect the dots that lead to better patient outcomes. AI-driven technologies can effectively extract meaningful insights from diverse data sources in an omnichannel approach. Learn how the partnership between technology firms, AI, and life sciences companies has demonstrated promising results in extracting valuable wealth of information. These insights can then offer precise treatment to the right patient at the right time. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session) 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Sherrod DeGrippo is Director of Threat Intelligence Strategy at Microsoft. She was selected as Cybersecurity woman of the year in 2022 and Cybersecurity PR Spokesperson of the year for 2021. Previously, she was VP of Threat Research and Detection at Proofpoint, where she led a global team of threat researchers, malware reverse engineers and threat intelligence analysts. Her career in cybersecurity spans 19 years with prior roles including leading Security Business Services at Nexum, senior solutions engineer for Symantec, senior security consultant for Secureworks, and senior network security analyst for the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). She is a frequently cited threat intelligence expert in media including televised appearances on the BBC news and commentary in the Wall Street Journal, CNN, New York Times, and more. Having presented at Black Hat, RSA conference, RMISC, Sleuthcon, and others, Sherrod is a well known public speaker. In her personal time, Sherrod co-hosts the cultural lifestyle podcast Bit Obscene and spends time with her rescue dog Boris Karloff.
Sherrod's Sessions
What We Can Learn from Cybersecurity Trashfires @ Industry Stage 2
Hacks happen every day, and they can be highly embarrassing. But it’s the response, handling and aftermath that few ever forget and what can make a cyber incident into a cyber disaster. You’ll hear from three of the sharpest hackers and security researchers in their fields about cybersecurity horror stories, with advice and guidance on how founders and startups can avoid making the same mistakes. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Claire is a seasoned robotics and engineering professional with a diverse background in the field. She most recently held the position of COO at Farm-ng. Prior to this, she served as Vice President of Engineering at Nvidia, where she developed the groundbreaking Isaac Platform for Robotics and Artificial Intelligence. Claire also co-founded self-driving tech company OTTO and held the role of Vice President of Engineering before its acquisition by Uber. Her experience extends to leading advanced robotics projects at Google Robotics.
Claire's Sessions
What's Next for Robotics @ Industry Stage 1
After conquering warehouses during the pandemic, what comes next for automation? Agriculture, construction and health care are all safe bets. Farm-ng’s Claire Delaunay, Dusty Robotics’ Tessa Lau and Dilligent’s Andrea Thomaz will discuss where robots from here. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Frederique is general partner at GV specializing in disruptive technologies in the consumer space. She has spent 15 years building consumer and enterprise products for public companies and startups. Frederique helped start GV’s Women’s Health team and leads the cross-functional team of investors and advisors making investments in this space. Before joining GV, Frederique led product and engineering efforts at Uber, where in just four years, she helped scale the company from 80 employees to more than 7,000 and from 14 cities in four countries to 400+ in 68 countries. At Uber, she was also responsible for overseeing strategic programs focused on the global driver workforce and employee growth and productivity. Earlier, Frederique pioneered social at Yahoo!, building online communities and adding user-generated content to the company’s Search and Marketplace products. She also worked at online photo-sharing services Photobucket and SmugMug, for which she built social gaming mechanics to engage audiences and drive revenues. Frederique holds a Master of Science in Spacecraft Technology and Satellite Communications from University College London and a Master of Science in Telecommunications Engineering from Télécom SudParis.
Frederique's Sessions
TechCrunch Startup Battlefield – Session 4
TechCrunch’s iconic startup competition is back, as entrepreneurs from around the world pitch expert judges and vie for the Startup Battlefield Cup and $100,000. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
How to Stretch Your Venture Dollars
Cash is worth more this year than last year, and certainly more than the tech industry got accustomed to during the last venture supercycle. With the dollar now more powerful than ever, how should startups ensure that their raised capital — equity, debt, whatever floats your burn — goes as far as possible? After all, the more you can do before you need more cash, the higher a price you can charge in your next round. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Rodrigo Barros de Paula is the Regional Head of Digital Partnerships & Ventures for Visa Latin America and the Caribbean. De Paula is a leader with more than 25 years of experience in the financial services and digital payments industry. As the fintech alliance leader for Latin America and the Caribbean, he is responsible for identifying and managing partnerships, commercial agreements and strategic investments with fintech players throughout the region. His focus over the past few years has been on finding new, innovative and effective ways to provide digital payment solutions to fintechs, enablers, issuers and acquirers in Latin America. He began his career in Brazil with Itaú, where he served in various roles, including legal, core products, loyalty and co-brands. He holds a law degree with a master’s degree in Corporate and Economic Law from the Getulio Vargas Foundation in São Paulo, and a MBA from Insper in Brazil.
Rodrigo's Sessions
Visa Everywhere Initiative: The Ultimate Fintech Pitch Competition @ Industry Stage 1
Fintechs startups inspire — Visa enables. Join the Visa Everywhere Initiative, where we welcome the next generation of fintechs. Visa has selected five visionary startups from across the globe, and they’re ready to pitch their game-changing solutions to a panel of fintech industry leaders. It’s your chance to witness the future of payments unfold and learn how you can join us in the fintech revolution. #EverywhereInitiative (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Alexandra Debow is the Co-Founder/CEO of swsh, the social app that strengthens the relationships that matter to you. She is a Canadian born and raised in Hong Kong. Alexandra studied Computer Engineering at NYU Tandon and Data Science at NYU Shanghai. During Covid, she built Alive Vibe, a virtual events marketplace connecting 30,000+ Gen Zs. In Shanghai, she built Entrepreneurs in Action, a founders’ dinner series, The Entrepre女ers Network, a women entrepreneurs podcast network (6 shows, 20,000+ audience), and The WHY WAIT? Collective, China’s first Gen-Z led women entrepreneurship conference. She worked at Alibaba’s Entrepreneurial Program in HangZhou. She worked on GGV Capital’s infrastructure investment team.
Alexandra's Sessions
Gen Z Founders You Should Know @ Breakout Room 1
What does it take to build a startup in the current landscape? How is Gen Z going to transform the industry? Join us for a double-header session where we interview two early-stage founders who are making waves. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Charles Denby is a scientist turned entrepreneur. Working under UC Berkeley professor and renowned metabolic engineering pioneer Dr. Jay Keasling, Charles’s early scientific career involved bioengineering yeast to produce next-gen biofuels (i.e., clean diesel). His career path, however, would be redrawn by a hobby. While exploring home brewing as a way to engage his passion for beer, Charles saw how the same technology used for making biofuels could be applied to the production of beer and wine, making them more consistent, efficient, and less reliant on resource-intensive agricultural products such as hops and fruit. In 2017, he founded Berkeley Yeast to commercialize this technology and its transformative benefits. Today the company sells bioengineered yeast with extraordinary capabilities to hundreds of breweries and wineries across the country.
Charles's Sessions
Beer, Lab Meat and Climate Chaos @ Industry Stage 2
As climate awareness and anxiety grows, so too has the proliferation of loosely defined terms like regenerative and sustainable agriculture. Yet, what matters most is relatively straightforward; We know business-as-usual isn’t working in virtually any industry as far as the climate goes, and that includes agriculture. Enter startups such as Berkeley Yeast and S2G Ventures-backed Future Meat; these and other emerging tech firms are developing new ways to deliver the same (or even better) foods and drinks we love, ideally without wrecking havoc on the planet that makes such foods possible. Join us as key figures in agriculture-tech dish on the greatest obstacles and opportunities they see in the sector, from the future of beer and lab-grown meat to the ways supply chains can evolve to meet environmentally-conscious consumers’ demands. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
David DeSanto is the chief product officer at GitLab Inc., where he leads GitLab’s product division to define and execute GitLab’s product vision and roadmap. David is responsible for ensuring the company builds, ships, and supports the platform that reinforces GitLab’s leadership in the DevSecOps platform market.
David's Sessions
AI for SaaS @ Industry Stage 2
The use cases for generative AI are endless, so it’s no surprise that virtually every new and existing SaaS startup now wants to make it part of their core product. In this session, we’ll talk about how to best do that, no matter whether you have an established product or just starting out – all while doing so responsibly. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Sara Deshpande is a General Partner at Maven Ventures, a Seed stage venture firm investing in tech companies addressing emerging consumer behavior and trends. Sara joined Maven as the first employee in 2014 and has been a VC for ten years. She invests in emerging trends across consumer software from digital health to consumer applications of AI. Sara received her MBA from Stanford where she now teaches a popular course on startups and entrepreneurship.
Sara's Sessions
What Will be the Breakout Consumer AI Applications? @ Roundtable 3
Recent technical leaps in AI have expanded its ability to address consumers’ wants and needs. This is an exciting time of potential widespread, ground-breaking applications of AI. Join me to dive into big areas of opportunity and discuss where this technology heading, how it can help us, and what the challenges will be. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session) 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
KJ Dhaliwal is a highly accomplished technologist, entrepreneur, investor, and business executive with over a decade of experience. Dhaliwal became the Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) of Social Discovery Group and SDG Lab after the company acquired his dating app Dil Mil in 2019. Before becoming CSO of Social Discovery Group and SDG Lab, Dhaliwal managed Dil Mil’s engineering, product, and marketing initiatives. He also co-founded Finantric Capital, a top-performing investment fund. Dhaliwal graduated cum laude from Drexel University with a Bachelor of Science in engineering and a minor in finance and entrepreneurship. He started his career on Wall Street before transitioning into the tech sector with the social data analytics company Union Metrics.
Andre Dickens is the 61st Mayor of Atlanta. A proud native of Atlanta and a product of Atlanta Public Schools, Mayor Dickens is focused on bringing opportunity and equity to the city that he loves. Mayor Dickens’ agenda is rooted in Moving Atlanta Forward, through improving public safety, increasing opportunities for the city’s young people, empowering neighborhoods, and investing in housing and combatting homelessness, all while fostering a culture of integrity in the City. As he shared in his first State of the City address, his vision for Atlanta is: One city with one bright future. A city of safe, healthy, connected neighborhoods with an expansive culture of equity, empowering upward mobility and full participation for all residents, embracing youth development, and an innovative, dependable government moving Atlanta forward, together. Prior to his election as Mayor, Dickens served eight years as an at-large City Council member. He was an entrepreneur for over a decade in both the private and nonprofit sectors and a leader in Atlanta’s tech sector. Mayor Dickens is a graduate of Mays High School and holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology as well as a Master of Public Administration from Georgia State University. Mayor Dickens enjoys spending time with his daughter, experiencing live music, attending church services, and traveling the world. He is an avid supporter of all of Atlanta’s sports teams.
Andre's Sessions
Clearing the Air on Tech and Cities @ Industry Stage 2
Fast-moving tech, slow-moving government. Or so the story goes. In the era of climate change, city leaders are more eager than ever to embrace new technologies to promote sustainability. But that doesn’t mean everything is always rosy. We’ll hear from city leaders on the highs and lows of bringing sustainable tech to urban spaces. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
U.S. Army General James H. Dickinson is the Commander, U.S. Space Command, the 11th and newest unified combatant command. He assumed command on Aug. 20, 2020, after serving as the first Deputy Commander of U.S. Space Command. General Dickinson is a native of Estes Park, Colorado and a 1985 graduate of Colorado State University where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. He holds a Master of Science in Operations Research and Systems Analysis from the Colorado School of Mines and later earned a Master’s degree in Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College. As the Commander of U.S. Space Command, General Dickinson is responsible for defending U.S. and Allied interests in the space domain while providing space-enabled combat effects to joint warfighters around the world. He exercises combatant command authority over 18,000 Soldiers, Marines, Sailors, Airmen, and Guardians operating ground and space-based systems around the world that provide satellite communication, space domain awareness, offensive and defensive space control effects, and position, navigation, and timing services. General Dickinson has commanded at every level in the United States Army from Platoon to Combatant Command and is the Senior Air and Missile Defense Officer in the Department of Defense.
General James's Sessions
Commercial Spacepower and the Next Space Age @ Industry Stage 2
In the United States, private industry plays perhaps the most important role in keeping America’s space aspirations aloft. This has created both opportunities and challenges as the U.S. government and the private sector try to chart a path forward together into the heavens. This panel unpacks the technologies the American public and private sectors are sending into space and the incentives that bring them together and drive them apart. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Carilu Dietrich is a former CMO, most notably the head of marketing that took Atlassian public. These days she advises CEOs and CMOs of hypergrowth tech companies including Bill.com, Sprout Social, Tackle.io, Weights & Biases, Matillion and Chronosphere, formerly Miro, 1Password and Segment. Prior to Atlassian, Carilu ran global awareness advertising for Oracle. Ms Dietrich is also a co-founder of Pledge 1%, a nonprofit that encourages entrepreneurs to focus on both company growth and giving. Pledge 1% has unlocked more than $2 billion dollars in philanthropy. Outside of work, Carilu loves hiking, kayaking, skiing and yoga.
Carilu's Sessions
Product-led growth: Industry buzzword or business game-changer? @ Breakout Room 2
We’re all familiar with the sales-led growth model – it’s been the go-to business model for decades. These days it’s product-led growth (PLG) in the limelight. As the economy took a nosedive, many companies scrambled to implement PLG, going all-in with only a surface-level understanding of how to operate under this model. The question is: what is best for driving growth in today’s economy? PLG has mistakenly created a polarizing mindset – you’re either all-in on your product, or you’re all in on sales and marketing. This is a huge misconception. This panel will convene three leaders who have witnessed distinctively different approaches to growth – product-led, sales-led, and product-led sales – to debate which model works best for different types and stages of companies. Alongside Justin Bauer, these leaders will discuss their experiences with the different growth models, sharing specific examples and anecdotes as well as advice for other SaaS companies figuring out the optimal way to drive growth in today’s market. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Fascinated by software development since his childhood in Germany, Thomas Dohmke has built a career building tools developers love and accelerating innovations that are changing software development. Currently, Thomas is Chief Executive Officer of GitHub, where he launched the world’s first at-scale AI developer tool, GitHub Copilot, and drives the company’s core mission of making GitHub the home for all developers. Before his time at GitHub, Thomas previously co-founded HockeyApp and led the company as CEO through its acquisition by Microsoft in 2014, and holds a PhD in mechanical engineering from University of Glasgow, UK.
Thomas's Sessions
What’s next for GitHub? @ Industry Stage 2
GitHub has long been at the core of developer workflows, but over the course of the last few years, the company started going well beyond being a code repository and collaboration service. To a large degree, that’s thanks to its Copilot code completion service. In this session, we’ll talk about what’s next for GitHub as it expands beyond its core service under the ownership of Microsoft. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
As the founding managing partner of Beacon, a London-based VC with pan-European focus, Maria has a keen focus on enterprise tech, ranging from data to DevOps to subscription based applications. Beacon invests in companies with a revenue of £1-10m, providing growth capital and much-needed liquidity for early-stage founders. Prior to founding Beacon, Maria enjoyed a successful career in angel investing, delivering a return of 7x DPI. She sits on multiple company boards and is passionate about the ability of engineering to address the complex challenges that enterprises are facing today. With an MBA and an engineering background, Maria began her professional journey as a management consultant at Andersen and Ernst & Young. She also serves on several committees at the Royal Academy of Engineering in London, which help fund deep tech research and further support engineer entrepreneurs. A strong advocate for diversity within the VC community, Maria is also on the board of Included VC. A Greek native, Maria has spent most of her life in London and when she is not working she enjoys fencing the foil. Touche!
Maria's Sessions
When Should Founders Provide Early Liquidity to Retain Staff?
Look, we all want more IPOs. But they’re still far rarer than startups need them to be if they want to retain staff who want to see their hard-earned shares turn into something other than paper. So when should founders take a little pre-IPO liquidity as a treat, and when should they let staff do the same? (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Based in San Francisco, Marie-Elise Droga is Head of Fintech Partnerships, Global and North America at Visa and a member of the company’s North America Leadership Team. Her responsibilities include partnering with innovative Fintechs on relevant solutions that factor in the evolving payments landscape, and leading growth programs with this critical and fast-growing segment of clients. Marie-Elise also spearheads collaboration between Visa’s Venture team and regional fintech heads to identify emerging trends and identify best practices to grow and scale Visa’s fintech portfolio. As a lifelong creative and strategic global business builder, Marie-Elise has deep roots in sales and partnerships. In her prior roles at Western Union, she was at the forefront of strategic efforts to accelerate digital growth and reinvent the company’s approach to distribution. As a leading expert in cross-border payments, she expanded relationships with some of the world’s leading retail and digital brands like Amazon, Airbnb, Google and Walmart. A native of France who has lived and worked on four continents, Marie-Elise earned an MBA from Solvay Brussels School of Economics & Management in Belgium, and a Business Management degree from ESCP Business School in Paris, studying for six months at the Indian Institute of Management in Ahmedabad, India.
Marie-Elise's Sessions
Visa Everywhere Initiative: The Ultimate Fintech Pitch Competition @ Industry Stage 1
Fintechs startups inspire — Visa enables. Join the Visa Everywhere Initiative, where we welcome the next generation of fintechs. Visa has selected five visionary startups from across the globe, and they’re ready to pitch their game-changing solutions to a panel of fintech industry leaders. It’s your chance to witness the future of payments unfold and learn how you can join us in the fintech revolution. #EverywhereInitiative (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Céline Dufetel is the President and COO of Checkout.com, the leading global payments platform serving large-scale ecommerce and services merchants such as Netflix, GE HealthCare, Pizza Hut, Siemens, and Sony; fintech unicorns such as Klarna, Qonto, and WorldRemit; and many of the world’s largest crypto players. Céline oversees the company’s operational and go-to-market teams, as well as all financial, treasury, and strategy functions. Her remit as the COO extends to leading the company’s strategy on all matters involving operations, legal, risk, and regulation. She is also Checkout.com’s executive sponsor of Diversity, Equality, and Inclusivity (DEI). Prior to Checkout.com, Céline was the COO and CFO of Fortune 500 asset manager T. Rowe Price. Before that, she was Managing Director and Global Head of Marketing and Client Service at Neuberger Berman, and started her corporate career as a partner at McKinsey & Company. Céline was named to Barron’s 100 Most Influential Women in U.S. Finance in 2021, and to Fortune’s 40 under 40 in 2020. A native of France, Céline earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in applied mathematics and economics from École Polytechnique in Paris, and a master’s degree in finance from Princeton.
Céline's Sessions
The Future of Payments @ Industry Stage 1
Payments startup Checkout.com cashed in on the tech funding boom of 2021 and reached a valuation of $40 billion. Since then, both Stripe and Checkout.com had to lower their internal valuations. But Checkout.com president Céline Dufétel is here to prove that the payments company is still in growth mode and has big expectations for the U.S. in particular. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins is an American social justice advocate and businesswoman. Phaedra is the founder and CEO of Promise, a payment technology platform that simplifies government debt. Prior to Promise, Phaedra ran revenue and operations at Honor, a home care technology company. Before Honor, Phaedra worked with the musician Prince and led the effort to secure ownership of his masters. She is a labor and community organizer by trade who is committed to making measurable change. Earlier in her career, Phaedra was the Executive Officer of the South Bay AFL-CIO Labor Council, an organized labor federation representing more than 100 unions and more than 110,000 members in California. She was also Executive Director of Working Partnerships USA, a coalition of community groups, and labor and faith organizations working to address economic disparities in California’s Silicon Valley. She also served as the CEO of the anti-poverty organization Green For All. Over the course of her career, Phaedra has been recognized for her leadership. She was honored by the World Economic Forum as a Young Global Leader, Essence for their 25 Most Influential African Americans, Ebony for their Power 150, The Grio for their 100 History Makers in the Making, Black Enterprise for their 40 Next: Emerging Leaders for Our Future and San Jose Magazine named her one of the 100 most powerful people in Silicon Valley. Phaedra serves on the boards of Honor and Tipping Point.
Phaedra's Sessions
How to Found Your First Startup
People around the world are building exciting companies targeting big markets. Given the quick pace of technology innovation and the potential for startups to build something truly special, many people want to know how to become a founder. To help answer that question, TechCrunch has assembled a brilliant panel of founders who will provide actionable advice and insight for individuals looking to build something while navigating the ever-evolving startup ecosystem. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Small Group Session: How to Found your First Startup
Join us for this small group Q&A session to continue the conversation with other TC+ members. (✴️ Open to TC+ Annual/2-Year Subscribers Only) (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Joelle Emerson is the founder and CEO of Paradigm, a strategy firm that partners with innovative companies to build stronger, more inclusive organizations.
Joelle's Sessions
How to Build an Inclusive Startup – and Why it Still Matters
In a more conservative venture capital market, burn reduction and financial stewardship are discussed more frequently than how startups can construct an intentional culture. Still, with younger generations bringing an updated set of values to the workplace – and a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion with them – upstart tech companies cannot ignore how their culture evolves. Paradigm’s DEI-focused software tools put it in the middle of this conversation, with its CEO Joelle Emerson well-known for her perspective on corporate culture. Join us for a conversation discussing how the savviest startups are building for the future, despite political crosswinds at the concept of inclusiveness. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Dr. Debra L. Emmons is vice president and chief technology officer (CTO) at The Aerospace Corporation. In this role, she is responsible for providing vital leadership for determining and executing the company’s technology strategy and investments. Emmons leads four offices: eLab, responsible for setting the technical investment strategy and priorities; xLab, responsible for developing, building, and operating prototypes; Commercial Space Futures (CSF) office, responsible for driving the harnessing of commercial solutions for government missions to advance U.S. space; and the new Solution Accelerator, responsible for delivering independent and innovative solutions with speed and national impact. She also manages the company’s $60M+ internal research and development program and the Aerospace Technical Fellows program, with the company’s top engineers and scientists. Emmons most recently served as chairperson of the CTO Roundtable with federally funded research and development centers (FFRDCs) and university affiliated research centers (UARCs) to develop and maintain relationships with government and other defense-related research laboratories to identify technology priorities, future requirements, and emerging opportunities.
Debra's Sessions
Quantum and a New Age of Espionage @ Industry Stage 2
From busting open sensitive encryption to creating new unbreakable codes, quantum technologies have the potential to transform the world of espionage and cryptography. A government official and physicist, former CIA officer now in industry, Stanford professor and CTO of the only space FFRDC join forces to explain why, and how some of these technologies are related to things in orbit. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Beth Esponnette is the co-founder and executive chair of unspun, a startup that makes custom-fit jeans from a body scan using machine learning and 3D weaving.
Beth's Sessions
Is Sustainable Fast Fashion Possible? @ Industry Stage 2
Giants in fast fashion know the greenwashing game like the backs of their hands, yet the industry’s actions speak louder than words. As brands cash in on TikTok-fueled microtrends and embrace their products’ shrinking lifespans, their dependence on fossil fuel ingredients, toxic dyes and worker exploitation harms people and the planet. Can the industry address its toll while still attracting customers with the latest looks and ultra-low prices? Join us as three trailblazers weigh in on the future of circular fashion, sustainable materials, and the roles they believe emerging tech will play in decarbonizing the industry. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Ryan Evans built one of the most respected national security media brands, including War on the Rocks before co-founding Bedrock Learning, which is transforming how enterprises learn, think, decide, and act. He sits at the center of an unparalleled network of experts and decision-makers. Ryan previously worked for the Department of Defense in Afghanistan.
Ryan's Sessions
Commercial Spacepower and the Next Space Age @ Industry Stage 2
In the United States, private industry plays perhaps the most important role in keeping America’s space aspirations aloft. This has created both opportunities and challenges as the U.S. government and the private sector try to chart a path forward together into the heavens. This panel unpacks the technologies the American public and private sectors are sending into space and the incentives that bring them together and drive them apart. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Why is Venture Capital So Uneasy with the World’s Largest Customer? @ Industry Stage 2
The U.S. Defense Department is the world’s biggest customer and is eager to work with innovative companies backed by venture capital. Unfortunately, most of the largest venture capital firms in the United States are gun shy when it comes to backing companies looking to tackle federal markets. Why is this? Are they being foolish and leaving money on the table? Or do they understand something important? (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Miladys Felix is Senior Sales Executive at Discover Global Network working to enable card programs for companies wanting to enter the payment space. Miladys has over 20 years of payment experience working for a number of payment networks and launching and managing large programs and partnerships in the consumer, gaming, financing, and healthcare industries.
Miladys's Sessions
Women in Fintech: The Power of Partnership @ Breakout Room 2
Fintechs bring new financial technology to life and enable consumers, businesses and financial institutions to innovate and create better financial products and experiences. This session brings together women leaders in fintech, who make up a small percentage of the industry, but have made a profound impact. Join Discover Global Network and their partners as they discuss their role in fintech and the power of partnership. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Veronica is Visa’s Senior Vice President and Regional Head of Visa Commercial Solutions for North America. Visa Commercial Solutions (VCS) enables businesses to thrive through products that provide better cash flow, administrative efficiency, control and acceptance. From small business to large corporate and governments, VCS products cover all forms of business spending, including Small Business, Commercial, and Virtual Cards. Veronica is responsible for the business, strategy and go to market for the U.S. and Canada. Veronica joined Visa in February of 2007, and has led numerous teams across Visa Commercial Solutions, North America Merchant and Prepaid. Prior to joining Visa, Veronica held product management and business development roles at U.S. Bank Corporate Payment Systems in Minneapolis, MN. Veronica earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Minnesota. She is passionate about the advancement of underrepresented at Visa and in Silicon Valley. She serves as executive sponsor of Visa Latinx Connect Employee Resource Group. Veronica also sits on the Advisory Board for Latinas in Tech Bay Area. Ms. Fernandez is a native of Buenos Aires, Argentina and lives with her husband and ten-year-old daughter in the Bay Area.
Veronica's Sessions
The Power of Partnerships: Accelerating Innovation Through Strategic Partnerships
Join us for an engaging panel session that dives into the power of strategic partnerships and collaborative innovation. This session brings together industry leaders from Navan, Visa and Zip to explore the art of forging meaningful partnerships that drive growth, innovation and transformative change. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Mark leads investments focusing largely on fintech and application SaaS. He is especially interested in fintech infrastructure, verticalized payment workflows, and SaaS tools disrupting legacy incumbents. Mark is the board member or lead investor from Index in a number of companies including RevenueCat, Mercantile, and Catch. Prior to Index, Mark helped build and lead business strategy and finance at Stripe from 2015 to 2019, driving key initiatives for sales operations, global growth, and fundraising. He helped the company assess international product market fit, grow from a couple hundred to nearly 2,000 people, and move upmarket into late-stage and enterprise. Before that, Mark was an investor at GI Partners, focusing on vertical SaaS and insurance marketplaces, including the acquisition of MRI Software. He was also an investment banker at Goldman Sachs, and served as a board member of the Stonestown YMCA for three years. Mark graduated from UC Berkeley with a B.S. in business administration. Amongst other hobbies, he’s a certified sommelier and an avid CrossFitter competing in the Open several years running.
Mark's Sessions
TechCrunch Startup Battlefield – Session 1
TechCrunch’s iconic startup competition is back, as entrepreneurs from around the world pitch expert judges and vie for the Startup Battlefield Cup and $100,000. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Fintech Investing Is Not for the Faint of Heart @ Industry Stage 1
Venture capitalists have poured billions into fintech companies in recent years, making it one of the most invested categories in the startup world. While the pace of funding has slowed, there are plenty of investors who are still bullish on the potential of financial technology. What sectors within fintech show the most promise? Which have seen too much hype? Which have proven to be resilient? (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Joe Fitzsimons is the founder and CEO of Horizon Quantum Computing, a company committed to advancing quantum computing as a versatile technology capable of addressing some of the world’s most challenging computational problems. Before founding Horizon Quantum Computing in 2018, Joe held a tenured position as an associate professor at the Singapore University of Technology and Design, where he led the Quantum Information and Theory group. He was also a principal investigator at the Centre for Quantum Technologies, contributing to both theoretical computer science and physics through his research. Earlier in his career, Joe spent time as a fellow of Merton College, Oxford, and a senior research fellow in the Materials Department at the University of Oxford. During this time, he co-invented the universal blind quantum computing which has since become recognised as an important enabling technology for securing cloud-based quantum computing. Joe holds a doctorate from the University of Oxford, where his research focused on quantum computing architectures, and a bachelor of science degree in theoretical physics from University College Dublin.
Joe's Sessions
The State of Quantum @ Industry Stage 2
Quantum computing is quickly moving from a science fiction concept to a technology that has the potential to change the state of computing. In this session we’ll talk about the state of the industry, the challenges ahead and the potential risks involved. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Rick Fox is a serial entrepreneur, philanthropist and three-time NBA champion. During his professional basketball career, Rick captained two of the NBA’s most storied franchises, the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles. Since then, Rick has brought championship-level leadership to the acting and business worlds. After retiring from the NBA, Rick pursued a career in television and entertainment. He has over 200 movie and TV episode credits to his name, either as an actor of producer, and as worked alongside Oscar & Emmy nominated producers, directors and actors. In 2015 he became a pioneer in esports, through his establishment of a gaming franchise that played a major role in shaping the industry. Earlier in his career, Rick worked with top Fortune 500 brands including American Express, Walt Disney, Hewlett-Packard, Asus, AT&T, Comcast, Pepsi, Ford, T-Mobile and Verizon, to name a few, across their global growth initiatives. Currently an Ambassador at Large for The Bahamas, Rick has given his time and energy in creating The Bahamas Relief Foundation and bringing real-estate development opportunities to the region.
Rick's Sessions
Doing Something Concrete on Climate @ Industry Stage 2
Nearly 10% of the world’s carbon pollution can often be found right under our feet — literally. Cement is one of the least climate friendly materials, yet it’s also one that the world depends on for housing, transportation, and commerce. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Three-time NBA champion Rick Fox will be joining us to discuss his carbon-negative concrete startup Partanna, the role of teamwork in startups, and his desire to make a dent in climate change. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
I’m a passionate entrepreneur and eager for knowledge in general… I’m a doer, I truly believe there’s nothing you can’t do, just decide what you want in your life, and go for it!
Hernan's Sessions
Building a Strong Company Culture for Virtual Teams: Best Practices for Remote Onboarding @ Roundtable 2
The transition to remote work has made it more challenging for startups to establish and maintain a strong company culture, particularly when onboarding new hires virtually. In this roundtable talk, we’ll discuss best practices for building a strong company culture for virtual teams through effective remote onboarding, with a focus on multicultural teams. We’ll explore strategies for creating a sense of belonging and fostering collaboration among team members from different cultural backgrounds.We’ll also discuss how to ensure that new hires understand and align with the company’s mission and values, and how to provide ongoing training and support to help them succeed in a high-performance team in a virtual environment. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Lacey is a seasoned professional known for her expertise in driving innovation and successfully launching emerging products in the market. With over 10 years of experience in retail leadership, she has developed a deep understanding of the importance of efficient processes and organizational strategies that accelerate time to market and foster seamless collaboration between customers and internal teams. Lacey’s passion lies in the realm of payments and technology, where she excels in product strategy, implementation, and management. As the Vice President of Customer Experience at ISVPay, Lacey spearheads initiatives aimed at streamlining and optimizing the quality of every transaction and customer interaction. Recognizing the value of staying at the forefront of the rapidly evolving payments landscape, Lacey has been an active member of the Electronic Transactions Association since 2019. This involvement allows her to remain up-to-date with the latest industry trends and advancements, enabling her to drive strategic decision-making and guide ISVPay towards continued success. In 2022, Lacey’s contributions to the payments industry were acknowledged when she was selected as one of the distinguished Young Payment Professional Scholars. This honor reflects her dedication, expertise, and commitment to advancing the field and showcases her ability to make a significant impact within the industry. Lacey’s professional journey is defined by her ability to deliver innovative solutions, optimize processes, and foster exceptional customer experiences. Her passion for bringing new products to market, combined with her strategic mindset and industry involvement, makes her a highly valuable asset in the payments and technology landscape.
Lacey's Sessions
Women in Fintech: The Power of Partnership @ Breakout Room 2
Fintechs bring new financial technology to life and enable consumers, businesses and financial institutions to innovate and create better financial products and experiences. This session brings together women leaders in fintech, who make up a small percentage of the industry, but have made a profound impact. Join Discover Global Network and their partners as they discuss their role in fintech and the power of partnership. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Friedrichs serves as Founder and CEO at Pangea, driving the vision and direction of Pangea’s Security Platform as a Service. Friedrichs formerly served as Vice President, Security Products at Splunk. With a record in building four successful enterprise security companies over the past two decades, Friedrichs served as Founder and CEO at Phantom, acquired by Splunk in 2018. Prior to Phantom, Friedrichs founded Immunet, acquired by Sourcefire in 2010 and a key component to Cisco’s acquisition of Sourcefire in 2013; now thriving as Cisco’s Advanced Malware Protection (AMP). Friedrichs co-founded SecurityFocus (Bugtraq) and led DeepSight, the world’s first Internet early warning system, acquired by Symantec in 2002. He also co-founded Secure Networks and led Ballista (CyberCop), one of the industry’s first vulnerability management solutions, acquired by McAfee in 1998. Friedrichs architected and developed a prototype of the first commercial penetration-testing product, SNIPER, acquired by Core Security Technologies in 2001 and further developed into CORE IMPACT. He attended the University of Manitoba and is the co-author of three security books and a recipient of 40 patents in the cybersecurity space.
Oliver's Sessions
Secure-by-Design: Don’t leave product security as an afterthought @ Breakout Room 2
Startup founders often aren’t thinking about security when they design products – instead, they are laser focused on getting their products to market as fast as possible. But, security is important not only to protect your intellectual property, customer data, and operations, but it can also be required to sell to large companies and government. The National Cybersecurity Strategy, released in March 2023, calls for the commercial sector to think about security during the design phase, not as an afterthought. What does this mean in practice, and how can founders develop products that are Secure by Design? In this session, you will learn why Secure by Design is important and take away strategies to bake in security from your first lines of code and quickly achieve widely-recognized security certifications such as SOC2 and ISO 27001. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Noah Gale is the Co-Founder of Tribe AI, an AI strategy and implementation partner powered by an expert network of 350+ experienced AI researchers, engineers, and data scientists from top technical institutions. Prior to starting Tribe, Noah worked at companies like Expa and Gigster, where he was a part of the founding team. Noah is an angel investor and advisor to over 40 companies with a focus on AI and crypto.
Noah's Sessions
How Founders Can Leverage a Soft Labor Market into a Competitive Edge
It seems like it was just yesterday that the tech talent market was so hot that mega-corps hoarded staff to simply keep them off the market and out of the reach of their competitors. Today things are different: Layoffs are more common than hiring binges, and suddenly perks have a bad name. How can startups use a new, and perhaps more attractive, talent market to their advantage? Let’s find out. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Small Group Session: How Founders Can Leverage a Soft Labor Market into a Competitive Edge
Join us for this small group Q&A session to continue the conversation with other TC+ members. (✴️ Open to TC+ Annual/2-Year Subscribers Only) (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Cathy Gao is a Partner at Sapphire Ventures, where she invests in B2B AI and software, backing founders building AI-native companies that become core to how work gets done. She is particularly interested in companies that deliver measurable customer outcomes, build durable distribution, and compound into broader workflow ownership over time. Cathy serves on the boards of EliseAI, Blue J, Jeeva AI, Sword Health, and Medable. Before joining Sapphire, Cathy invested at AXA Venture Partners and began her career at TA Associates and Blackstone. She also spent time as an operator at Gusto, joining at the Series B, an experience that continues to shape how she partners with founders navigating rapid growth and strategic inflection points. Cathy studied economics and history at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, graduating summa cum laude. Her perspectives on enterprise AI and software have been featured in Bloomberg, CNBC, and The Wall Street Journal.
Cathy's Sessions
Selling your SaaS startup: The VC view @ Industry Stage 2
There are many reasons to sell your SaaS startup, but what is the investor perspective? This panel looks at why VCs might support your move to sell, and when they might encourage you to keep going. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Lior Gavish is CTO and Co-Founder of Monte Carlo, a data reliability company backed by Accel, Redpoint Ventures, GGV, ICONIQ Growth, and Salesforce Ventures. Prior to Monte Carlo, Lior co-founded cybersecurity startup Sookasa, which was acquired by Barracuda in 2016. At Barracuda, Lior was SVP of Engineering, launching award-winning ML products for fraud prevention. Lior holds an MBA from Stanford and an MSC in Computer Science from Tel-Aviv University.
Lior's Sessions
5 Ways Generative AI Changes How Companies Approach Data – And 5 Ways It Won't @ Breakout Room 2
Generative AI is not a new concept. It’s been studied for decades and applied in limited capacities. That is until ChatGPT shocked and awed our collective consciousness in late 2022. Still, generating a recipe for lasagna is an entirely different process than infusing generative AI capabilities across a business or integrating large language models (LLMs) into data engineering workflows. Lior Gavish, CTO and co-founder of Monte Carlo, the data observability leader, shares his take on critical ways LLMs will impact data engineering and analytics teams – and 5 ways it won’t. This presentation will provide insights into practical GenAI use cases and opportunities, as well as shed light on common challenges with AI implementation and adoption. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Brian Gerkey is Director of Open Robotics at Intrinsic, where he’s helping to democratize access to robotics. Brian was previously co-founder and CEO at Open Robotics, and is a board member of the Open Source Robotics Foundation. He has also worked at Willow Garage, SRI, Stanford, and USC. Brian is a strong believer in, frequent contributor to, and constant beneficiary of open source technology.
Brian's Sessions
Automation Education @ Industry Stage 1
Alphabet X graduate Intrinsic was founded with a loft goal: making programming robots accessible. The company is far from the first to tackle the problem, but it has a lot going for it, including Google’s immense resources. CEO Wendy Tan White joins us, along with Brian Gerkey, who joined the team when Intrinsic acquired Open Robotics in December. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Deanna has developed brands for some of the world’s most well-known companies, including Airbnb, Coca-Cola, Pleo, and Glassdoor. Hailing from Australia, she has been in the industry for fourteen years and with Koto for the past five years, including leading the team in London. Having worked at some of the industry’s top branding studios, including Pentagram and DesignStudio, Deanna is a strong and positive force with a passion for big ideas. Her work has been featured in leading publications such as FastCompany, Brand New, It’s Nice That, and Creative Review.
Deanna's Sessions
Why Brand is Your Most Valuable Asset Class @Breakout Room 1
In an age where technology allows for rapid duplication of product features, brand stands as a company’s prime defendable asset. While lasting differentiation seems unthinkable when rivals rapidly mimic functionality, a distinctive brand remains impossible to replicate. Sharing examples from the last decade’s most disruptive and category-defining brands, hear from brand and digital agency Koto on why brand is the most under-leveraged asset class in tech and learn how to utilize it for building a competitive differentiation and a lasting business advantage. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Anastasis Germanidis is a Greek AI researcher, software engineer, and artist based in New York City. He is the Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Runway.
Anastasis's Sessions
Chasing Generative Video @ Industry Stage 1
Tech companies are chasing after what could be the next big thing in generative AI: generative video. Runway is arguably at the forefront — and hopes to foster a creator ecosystem around generative video tech. This fireside will explore Runway’s journey so far and what might loom on the horizon. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Binny Gill, the Founder and CEO of Kognitos Inc, started the company in 2021 on the belief that more people need to be able to instruct computers in natural language and that such a system must be built with complete auditability and explainability in mind. Prior to starting Kognitos, Binny was the CTO of Cloud Services and Chief Architect at Nutanix. He holds a graduate degree from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and an undergraduate degree from Indian Institute of Technology.
Binny's Sessions
Winning with Generative AI: Real-world Case Studies beyond RPA for Business Automation @ Industry Stage 1
Artificial Intelligence is reshaping the way we think about how we leverage Automation and RPA to influence customer and employee experiences. Discover winning AI strategies that tackle complex operational challenges and drive competitive advantage. The future belongs to those who harness AI’s transformative potential. This session provides the roadmap you need to be an industry trailblazer. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Fonta Gilliam, CEO of Wellthi. 10+ years’ finance experience as diplomat and consultant, led White House initiatives, pioneered women’s centers in Africa, innovative financing for global small businesses. Franklin Award recipient, economic development MA, Howard University BA.
Fonta's Sessions
Women in Fintech: The Power of Partnership @ Breakout Room 2
Fintechs bring new financial technology to life and enable consumers, businesses and financial institutions to innovate and create better financial products and experiences. This session brings together women leaders in fintech, who make up a small percentage of the industry, but have made a profound impact. Join Discover Global Network and their partners as they discuss their role in fintech and the power of partnership. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Raj Gokal is the co-founder of Solana and COO of Solana Labs. He previously was director of product at Omada Health; an entrepreneur-in-residence at Rock Health; the co-founder of Sano, a minimally invasive glucose sensor company; and an investor at General Catalyst Partners. Raj has a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Vitaly M. Golomb is a technology investment banker with over 20 years of experience on all sides of the table as a venture-backed CEO, venture capitalist, M&A advisor. Vitaly is the San Francisco/Silicon Valley Partner at award-winning global M&A investment bank, Drake Star Partners. He has deep expertise in the transportation and mobility sector, in addition to experience in artificial intelligence, software/SaaS, and advanced materials. Vitaly has founded several companies and, throughout his career, was involved in dozens of financing, joint venturing, and M&A transactions across North America, Europe, and Asia. Vitaly served as an advisor to Rimac Automobili (Bugatti Rimac), where he successfully secured its first major financing round and joint venture that established it as world’s top brand in high performance electric vehicles. Some of his other notable clients include Fisker, Taiga Motors, HyperloopTT, Damon Motorcycles, and Polaris.
Vitaly's Sessions
Navigating the Evolving Landscape of Robotics, AI and Self-Driving Cars @ Industry Stage 1
What’s happening in robotics, artificial intelligence and autonomous navigation? Experts provide context and insights on a variety of fronts, including pure-play L4 and ADAS-first approaches for self-driving cars. Plus, they’ll discuss the proliferation of AI-driven development beyond the automotive field, including mining, drones and the path toward robotics automation at large. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Sergey Gribov is Partner at Flint Capital, an early-stage venture fund that invests across Israel, USA, and Europe. Sergey is an investor and board member at Socure, Cyolo, Sensi.ai, Quantori, and others. Sergey is a technology entrepreneur and investor with more than 20 years of experience. Over the years he participated as a founder or top manager in many startups in USA and Israel. Sergey has a lot of experience in IT, across such sectors as software development, cybersecurity, digital health, fintech, and others. Sergey holds an MBA from MIT Sloan School of Management and B.Sc. in Computer Science, Cum Laude from Beer-Sheva University.
Sergey's Sessions
The Art of Choosing the Right Investor: A Guide for Startup Founders @ Roundtable 1
Startup founders need more than just funding to succeed. They need an investor who can provide mentorship, guidance, and access to specific resources to help them grow for years to come. Sergey Gribov will share his insights on where and how to find the right investor for your company, what qualities and characteristics to look for, including their track record of working with startups and their willingness to provide added value. He will discuss the concept of a founder-friendly investor and how to identify them, as well as the crucial questions to ask before partnering with a VC. Sergey will also share the tips on how to do proper due diligence and discuss the importance of psychological support during difficult times and how a good investor can provide it. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
The Art of Choosing the Right Investor: A Guide for Startup Founders @ Roundtable 2
Startup founders need more than just funding to succeed. They need an investor who can provide mentorship, guidance, and access to specific resources to help them grow for years to come. Sergey Gribov will share his insights on where and how to find the right investor for your company, what qualities and characteristics to look for, including their track record of working with startups and their willingness to provide added value. He will discuss the concept of a founder-friendly investor and how to identify them, as well as the crucial questions to ask before partnering with a VC. Sergey will also share the tips on how to do proper due diligence and discuss the importance of psychological support during difficult times and how a good investor can provide it. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Katie Gray is the lead investment partner for the Cyber Practice at In- Q-Tel (IQT) where she is responsible for identifying technologies that address challenges faced by the U.S. Intelligence Community. She has led investments in venture-backed startups in the areas of application security, cryptography, cloud security, threat intelligence, security operations, Industrial Control System security, and more. Gray has been on the IQT investment team since 2011 and has led investments in more than 30 companies during her tenure. Before joining IQT, Gray spent more than ten years in product management for mobile consumer electronics products, including the Handspring Treo line of smartphones, mobile phones and tablets at Palm and HP, and an electronic reader at Plastic Logic. Prior to joining Handspring, Gray was a member of the founding team and Vice President of Marketing for Bluelark, a pioneer in mobile web software that was acquired by Handspring. Before moving into the technology industry, Gray worked in Washington, D.C. as professional staff for the U.S. Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee. Gray earned both a bachelor’s degree in human biology and an MBA from Stanford University.
Katie's Sessions
Secure-by-Design: Don’t leave product security as an afterthought @ Breakout Room 2
Startup founders often aren’t thinking about security when they design products – instead, they are laser focused on getting their products to market as fast as possible. But, security is important not only to protect your intellectual property, customer data, and operations, but it can also be required to sell to large companies and government. The National Cybersecurity Strategy, released in March 2023, calls for the commercial sector to think about security during the design phase, not as an afterthought. What does this mean in practice, and how can founders develop products that are Secure by Design? In this session, you will learn why Secure by Design is important and take away strategies to bake in security from your first lines of code and quickly achieve widely-recognized security certifications such as SOC2 and ISO 27001. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Commander Cullen Greenfield is a Program Manager in the Space Portfolio at the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and a Navy Surface Warfare Officer. Before joining DIU he served as the Secretary of Defense Executive Fellow at SRI International, an independent non-profit research institute that supports government and industry and develops and commercializes world-changing products, technologies and innovations. In his most recent operational assignment Cullen served as the Commanding Officer of the USS GERMANTOWN (LSD 42). In recent policy and staff roles he served as the Defense Legislative Fellow for Senator Roger Wicker, and as the Aide-de-Camp to the Commandant of the Marine Corps.
Cullen's Sessions
The Space Domain Awareness Challenge Pitch-off and Winner Announcement @ Industry Stage 2
Five finalists will get the rare opportunity to pitch in front of our judges on the Space Stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2023 and exhibit their AI/ML startup at Disrupt 2023 this September. One Winner will get the opportunity for a customer roadshow and expert-led concept feedback.(⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Miles Grimshaw is a General Partner at Benchmark, investing across application software, developer tools and consumer. Most recently, Miles led the first financing for and serves on the board of LangChain, the leading framework for LLM orchestration. Prior to Benchmark, Miles was a General Partner at Thrive Capital where he led investments in companies including Github, Slack, Segment, Airtable, Vimeo, Benchling, Lattice, Monzo, Mapbox and more. Miles currently serves on the board of directors of Benchling, Lattice, Glide, LangChain, Supergreat and SphinxBio; he previously served on the boards of Segment and Monzo.
Miles's Sessions
Big Fish, Little Pond: Can Investors Make 10-Figure AI Valuations Pay Off in Markets No One Is Sure Exist? @ Industry Stage 1
Everyone seems to have agreed that AI will revolutionize tech, but so far the kind of revenue and deals that would justify billion-dollar valuations are scarce. How do venture capitalists and institutional investors envision the next few years playing out — and paying out? (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Arvind Gupta co-leads Mayfield’s engineering biology practice and is founder and venture adviser at IndieBio. He is the co-author of “Decoding the World,” published by Hachette.
Arvind's Sessions
Raising in a New Climate @ Industry Stage 2
Hear from investors about the current headwinds facing climate tech, where they’re finding new opportunities and areas they wish more startups would enter. Where opportunities might be found, overlooked areas and more. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Daniel Gwak is the Managing Partner of Point72 Private Investments, the institutional private investing business of Point72 Asset Management. He oversees Point72 Ventures’ Defense Tech and Growth investment teams. Before joining Point72, Dan was a Partner on the Investment Team at In-Q-Tel, the strategic investment firm of the CIA and U.S. Intelligence Community. At In-Q-Tel, Dan focused on enterprise analytics and infrastructure companies whose technologies aided the mission of the U.S. intelligence community. Previously, Dan was an investment banking analyst in the M&A group at Credit Suisse, a private equity associate at The Carlyle Group, and a fireteam leader in the United States Marine Corps, where he was awarded the Combat Action Ribbon and Purple Heart for actions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.
Dan's Sessions
Why is Venture Capital So Uneasy with the World’s Largest Customer? @ Industry Stage 2
The U.S. Defense Department is the world’s biggest customer and is eager to work with innovative companies backed by venture capital. Unfortunately, most of the largest venture capital firms in the United States are gun shy when it comes to backing companies looking to tackle federal markets. Why is this? Are they being foolish and leaving money on the table? Or do they understand something important? (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
May Habib is the CEO and co-founder of Writer, a leader and pioneer in enterprise AI. With Writer’s end-to-end AI agent platform, hundreds of companies like Accenture, Mars, Uber, and Vanguard are building and scaling AI agents that are grounded in their company’s data and fueled by Writer’s enterprise-grade LLMs. From faster product launches to deeper financial research to better clinical trials, companies are quickly transforming their most important business processes for the AI era in partnership with Writer. Writer houses the world’s only enterprise-specific AI research lab. Its family of enterprise-grade Palmyra LLMs includes state-of-the-art frontier models, as well as self-evolving, open-source, and domain-specific models. Palmyra models define industry-leading standards for enterprise-grade transparency, reliability, safety, efficiency, and observability. May is an expert in natural language processing and AI-driven language generation. She has led Writer to become one of the world’s fastest-growing generative AI companies, securing its position as a Forbes 50 AI company and inclusion in the World Economic Forum’s Unicorn Community. Founded in 2020 with its headquarters in San Francisco and offices around the globe, Writer is backed by world-leading investors, including Premji Invest, Radical Ventures, ICONIQ Growth, Insight Partners, Balderton, B Capital, Salesforce Ventures, Adobe Ventures, Citi Ventures, IBM Ventures, and others. May and the Writer team have raised over $326M in funding at a valuation of $1.9B. May graduated with high honors in Economics from Harvard University. She is a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader, a Fellow of the Aspen Global Leadership Network, a recipient of Inc.’s Female Founder Award, and one of Worth’s Groundbreaking Women for 2025.
May's Sessions
AI Can Write Words — But Can It Understand Them? @ Industry Stage 1
Text-generating AI is the hot new thing in tech. But while it’s proven to be a major productivity boost for some, it’s far from perfect. Generative text AI has biases and, depending on the model, a tendency to generate toxic content — or even confidently make up facts. Our panelists will discuss these limitations and more as investments in generative AI pick up steam. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Brittany S. Hale is the Interim CEO and Chief Operating Officer of digitalundivided, the leading non-profit leveraging data, programs, and advocacy to catalyze economic growth for Latina and Black women entrepreneurs and innovators. A leadership and organizational design expert, Brittany marries her deep expertise in litigation, politics, and risk management with a fiery commitment to dismantling destructive systems of racial and gender bias.Before joining digitalundivided, Brittany served as a Securities Litigation Analyst at Bloomberg LP and eventually began to develop legal marketing strategies for her clients. Her results-oriented approach led her into trial work representing a Fortune 500 company where she obtained a 100% trial success rate in superior and appellate courts. Her multi-hyphenate experience in litigation, politics, and risk management led her to develop BND Consulting Group, which helps company leaders codify, clarify, and elevate values-led leadership to establish a competitive advantage. As Founder and CEO of BND Consulting Group, Brittany supports leaders with operationalizing aspirational values through proprietary methodological offerings for enterprise, government, and startup clients alike. Brittany is a graduate of the Boston University School of Law and a trusted expert in gender equality, human behavior, and organizational leadership. To date, she has been recognized as 2023 Women in Power Fellow with 92Y, served as a co-lecturer at Columbia University’s School of Professional Studies in 2022, been named a Top 20 Millennial in 2021, was appointed by Governor Murphy to the New Jersey Human Relations Council Executive Committee, developed the first municipal Social Justice Committee in New Jersey, and is a former Obama Organizing Fellow.
Brittany S.'s Sessions
Setting the Stage for Women of Color Founders to Equitably Share the VC Spotlight @ Roundtable 2
Only 2% of Latina and Black women founders receive VC funding. The lack of equitable access may suggest women of color founders are inherently unsuccessful in business. However, Black women are among the fastest-growing entrepreneurial demographic. It’s crucial to acknowledge implicit bias as an underlying factor that delays financial opportunities for WOC founders. Drawing from digitalundivided’s Project Diane data, and founders’ experiences, this session will explore how bias limits access to VC funding and how to create a future where WOC have equitable access to funding and resources. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Mamoon's Sessions
Startup Battlefield Final
TechCrunch’s iconic startup competition is back, as entrepreneurs from around the world pitch expert judges and vie for the Battlefield Cup and $100,000.TechCrunch’s iconic startup competition is back, as entrepreneurs from around the world pitch expert judges and vie for the Battlefield Cup and $100,000. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Kathy Hannun is president and co-founder of Dandelion Energy. Prior to Dandelion, Kathy worked at X, Google Alphabet’s innovation lab. In May 2017, Kathy launched Dandelion as an independent startup. She graduated from Stanford with a B.S. in Civil Engineering and M.S. in Computer Science.
Kathy's Sessions
Decentralized, Decarbonized, and Fully Electrified – Tomorrow's Grid @ Industry Stage 2
Electrify everything: it’s one of the leading solutions to the climate problem. But doing that isn’t as easy as simply swapping smoke stacks for solar and wind power. It’ll require an entirely new electrical grid that’s ready for new ways of generating and using power. Join us to hear how innovative startups are working to remake the grid from the bottom up. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
A born and bred Oklahoman, Nathaniel is an innovator and market maker who has founded, scaled and sold companies. He is a successful investor in energy, biotech and ag tech. Nathaniel was named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum and a Most Admired CEO in Oklahoma by the Journal Record.
Nathaniel's Sessions
Why coastal tech hubs should pay attention to the innovation happening in the Midcontinent @ Breakout Room 1
The heartland of America has been an economic engine for the country for centuries because of legacy sectors like energy, agriculture, healthcare, aerospace/defense, and manufacturing. Now, the region is seeing a new wave of venture capital that is funding tech startups to innovate in these legacy sectors, creating massive opportunity for venture returns in a geography traditionally ignored by coastal VCs. Nathaniel Harding of Cortado Ventures, and Michael Basch of Atento Capital, two of the largest early-stage funds in the region, will share how we’re building a tech ecosystem that is attracting new, diverse talent into the region – including talent that is migrating from the coasts. In addition, we’ll share some of our region’s top startups that you would never have guessed are building tech unicorns in Oklahoma. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Ruben Harris is a professional cellist and a recovering investment banker who now leads partnerships in San Francisco for Honor, a healthcare startup focused on seniors. He is also a founder of the Breaking Into Startups podcast.
Ruben's Sessions
How to Found Your First Startup
People around the world are building exciting companies targeting big markets. Given the quick pace of technology innovation and the potential for startups to build something truly special, many people want to know how to become a founder. To help answer that question, TechCrunch has assembled a brilliant panel of founders who will provide actionable advice and insight for individuals looking to build something while navigating the ever-evolving startup ecosystem. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Maryam Ahmed Hassani is the Acting Head of Trends & Innovation at the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority (ECA). Her current responsibilities within the ECA include designing and implementing strategic innovation projects that focus on the advancement of the early childhood development (ECD) space. Two of the ECA’s flagship innovation projects led by Maryam include Anjal Z and Athar. Anjal Z is a partnerships-driven and experimental program that empowers growth-stage global startups to localize solutions that address critical ECD challenges. While Athar is an in-house design thinking as a service function that equips project teams with the tools to support the continuously evolving needs of the ECD space. Maryam is also a tech startup founder, having launched Zealous in 2022, the UAE’s first networking app for goal-driven individuals to find, meet and stay connected with their communities at their preferred time and place. Zealous reflects Maryam’s passion for connecting people in the tech world as well as her desire to level the playing field when it comes to accessing the region’s growing tech startup ecosystem. Maryam initially entered the innovation space by joining EY as a strategy consultant where she most notably led the Special Olympics Innovation challenge and held a key role in the Mohammed Bin Rashid Innovation Fund (MBRIF) Accelerator Program. Before this, she earned a BA in Political Science at New York University Abu Dhabi. In her free time, Maryam enjoys competing in polo tournaments and exploring marine life through scuba diving.
Maryam's Sessions
Strategic Partnerships: Unlocking Growth Opportunities for Startups
This discussion will focus on how strategic partnerships can boost startup growth opportunities. The panellists will outline how to choose the best partners to create beneficial relationships for all parties involved while encouraging the development of innovative solutions and services that can improve society as a whole, especially in the early childhood development (ECD) sector. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Tess Hatch hopes to travel to space. In the meantime, she is a venture investor at Bessemer Venture Partners who invests in frontier tech.
Tess's Sessions
The Space Domain Awareness Challenge Pitch-off and Winner Announcement @ Industry Stage 2
Five finalists will get the rare opportunity to pitch in front of our judges on the Space Stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2023 and exhibit their AI/ML startup at Disrupt 2023 this September. One Winner will get the opportunity for a customer roadshow and expert-led concept feedback.(⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Why is Venture Capital So Uneasy with the World’s Largest Customer? @ Industry Stage 2
The U.S. Defense Department is the world’s biggest customer and is eager to work with innovative companies backed by venture capital. Unfortunately, most of the largest venture capital firms in the United States are gun shy when it comes to backing companies looking to tackle federal markets. Why is this? Are they being foolish and leaving money on the table? Or do they understand something important? (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
TechCrunch Startup Battlefield – Session 2
TechCrunch’s iconic startup competition is back, as entrepreneurs from around the world pitch expert judges and vie for the Startup Battlefield Cup and $100,000. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
So, You Want to Work in Space? @Breakout Room 2
We have an opportunity to shape humankind’s presence in space in ways that stand to forever benefit the quality of life and security of every human on Earth. To fully realize that exciting future, we must have a bold, vibrant workforce – one that leverages diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences to drive innovation and tackle the hard problems the space industry faces. Join us for a conversation with some of the companies building the next generation’s space industry workforce. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Peter Hazlehurst, CEO and co-founder of Synctera, is a global FinTech entrepreneur and philanthropist with nearly 30 years of experience creating financial products for banks, FinTechs, and large tech companies. In 1993 he built core banking technology for Phoenix, which still powers companies today. More recently, Peter served as Head of Uber Money, Chief Operating Officer at Postmates, Senior Director of Product Management at Google, CEO and Board Member of Google Payments Corporation, and Chief Product Officer at Yodlee. Peter also led Product at Nokia for Enterprise Mobility and Mobile email and has served as a CTO and consultant at several startups.
Peter's Sessions
Making Money Move with Embedded Finance @ Industry Stage 1
Creating a bank account, storing money, receiving a payment card and lending money should be as easy as opening an account on a social network. Or at least, that’s the promise of embedded finance. That’s why a new wave of finance infrastructure companies are reinventing banking — and they could potentially turn any company into a fintech company. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Ashraf Hebela is the Head of Startup Banking at J.P. Morgan, focused on serving startups within the Innovation Economy across Technology, Disruptive Commerce, Life Sciences, Climate Technology and Healthcare IT. Based in San Francisco, Ashraf leads a growing, national team of more than 60 bankers who help founders of pre-seed and seed companies with a range of services including capital raising, strategic advisory and traditional banking services. Prior to joining J.P. Morgan in 2023, Ashraf spent 14 years at Silicon Valley Bank. There he held a variety of roles from product management to strategic analytics and sales operations, and ultimately served as Head of Technology & Healthcare Banking for North America. Before joining SVB in 2009, Hebela held senior positions at NorthStar Systems and Siebel Systems. He is a BUILD mentor, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designate and a member of the CFA Society of San Francisco. He earned a B.A. in Economics from Harvard University and an MBA in General Management and Finance from Stanford University.
Ashraf's Sessions
Disrupting in a Digital World @Breakout Room 1
In today’s world truly disruptive technologies, like AI, quantum computing and frontier technologies are fundamentally changing the way we do business and live our lives. Startups stand at the forefront of these advancements as key agents for change. Being digital-first isn’t just a mindset; it’s a model that creates efficiencies, disrupts the status quo and enables innovation. This group of leaders share how they’re rethinking traditional business models and are harnessing the benefits of these technologies to digitize processes and deliver meaningful customer value. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Sandhya is a General Partner at Unusual Ventures ($1B AUM) where she leads early stage investments in AI and SaaS. Previously, she was an early Executive at Amplitude and helped create the product analytics category resulting in a successful IPO for the analytics company in 2021. An engineer at heart, she started her career as a founder while studying robotics at IIT Bombay. She immigrated to the US in 2011 to spend time at Sequoia Capital and Khosla Ventures learning the ropes of early stage software investing in Silicon Valley.
Sandhya's Sessions
How the Fortune 500 is buying AI Software (or not!) @ Roundtable 1
As an Enterprise AI investor working with over a dozen AI startups selling to Fortune 500 companies, there are some clear patterns in who is buying, what their criteria are and how to sell into them. From safety and data privacy to access permissions – the answers vary based on the type of AI models your startup uses to the level of risk associated with customer adoption! Learn more alongside top GTM leaders and F500 buyers. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
How the Fortune 500 is buying AI Software (or not!) @ Roundtable 2
As an Enterprise AI investor working with over a dozen AI startups selling to Fortune 500 companies, there are some clear patterns in who is buying, what their criteria are and how to sell into them. From safety and data privacy to access permissions – the answers vary based on the type of AI models your startup uses to the level of risk associated with customer adoption! Learn more alongside top GTM leaders and F500 buyers. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Travis Hedge is the Co-founder & Chief Revenue Officer of Vouch Insurance. Vouch Insurance is a new kind of insurance company for startups, built by founders for founders. The company provides insurance products and risk assessment tools to permit digital insurance coverage. Prior to founding Vouch in 2018, Travis was an investor with SVB Capital, focused on early-stage tech companies. Notable investments during his time at SVB include Root Insurance, Earin, and OpenDoor. Travis earned a B.A. from Ohio State University, where he also briefly served as an adjunct professor in startup finance.
Travis's Sessions
Disrupting in a Digital World @Breakout Room 1
In today’s world truly disruptive technologies, like AI, quantum computing and frontier technologies are fundamentally changing the way we do business and live our lives. Startups stand at the forefront of these advancements as key agents for change. Being digital-first isn’t just a mindset; it’s a model that creates efficiencies, disrupts the status quo and enables innovation. This group of leaders share how they’re rethinking traditional business models and are harnessing the benefits of these technologies to digitize processes and deliver meaningful customer value. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Tyson is an experienced Silicon Valley entrepreneur and FINRA-registered broker. In 2021, he founded Notice.co, a secondary market data and network platform. Notice.co offers real time consensus pricing, advanced analysis tools, and an expert broker network to help all secondary market participants be more successful. Tyson is a graduate of Stanford University and resides in Puerto Rico.
Tyson's Sessions
When Should Founders Provide Early Liquidity to Retain Staff?
Look, we all want more IPOs. But they’re still far rarer than startups need them to be if they want to retain staff who want to see their hard-earned shares turn into something other than paper. So when should founders take a little pre-IPO liquidity as a treat, and when should they let staff do the same? (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Samara is the Founding Partner of an institutionally backed pre-seed stage fund, Chingona Ventures, focusing on investing in tech and tech-enabled companies across the U.S. The fund has $60MM in AUM and has made over 40 investments across technology sectors in Financial, Food, Future of Learning, and Health/Wellness. Before this, she was an investor at MATH Venture Partners where she led new investment review, diligence, and execution. Samara started her career at Goldman Sachs, where she was continually ranked top 5 in selling financial products, providing market insights, advising on portfolio construction, and consulting business practices. Her career started in the Fixed Income, Currency, and Commodity (FICC) group where she led multiple tech-enhancing projects across global exchanges. She is on the advisory boards for Coolwater, an organization to support the emerging manager community; Camino Financial, a firm helping get loans to Latinx business owners; and VentureFWD, a non-profit working to get more diversity in the venture capital ecosystem. Samara also co-founded the Latinx Founders Collective to bring together Latinx founders, investors, and community leaders to support the entrepreneurial community. Samara earned an Industrial and Operations Engineering degree from the University of Michigan and a master’s degree in Business Administration from Northwestern University. Samara is the Founding Partner of an institutionally backed pre-seed stage fund, Chingona Ventures, focusing on investing in tech and tech-enabled companies across the U.S. The fund has $60MM in AUM and has made over 40 investments across technology sectors in Financial, Food, Future of Learning, and Health/Wellness. Before this, she was an investor at MATH Venture Partners where she led new investment review, diligence, and execution. Samara started her career at Goldman Sachs, where she was continually ranked top 5 in selling financial products, providing market insights, advising on portfolio construction, and consulting business practices. Her career started in the Fixed Income, Currency, and Commodity (FICC) group where she led multiple tech-enhancing projects across global exchanges. She is on the advisory boards for Coolwater, an organization to support the emerging manager community; Camino Financial, a firm helping get loans to Latinx business owners; and VentureFWD, a non-profit working to get more diversity in the venture capital ecosystem. Samara also co-founded the Latinx Founders Collective to bring together Latinx founders, investors, and community leaders to support the entrepreneurial community. Samara earned an Industrial and Operations Engineering degree from the University of Michigan and a master’s degree in Business Administration from Northwestern University.
Samara's Sessions
How Founders Can Leverage a Soft Labor Market into a Competitive Edge
It seems like it was just yesterday that the tech talent market was so hot that mega-corps hoarded staff to simply keep them off the market and out of the reach of their competitors. Today things are different: Layoffs are more common than hiring binges, and suddenly perks have a bad name. How can startups use a new, and perhaps more attractive, talent market to their advantage? Let’s find out. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Small Group Session: How Founders Can Leverage a Soft Labor Market into a Competitive Edge
Join us for this small group Q&A session to continue the conversation with other TC+ members. (✴️ Open to TC+ Annual/2-Year Subscribers Only) (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Mar is Pear’s Founding Managing Partner. After earning a PhD in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University, Mar developed a groundbreaking technique of optimizing the design of analog semiconductors. Since then, she has accrued over 13 years of founder experience, co-founding three startups in mobile/ecommerce, enterprise software and semiconductor industries and has registered 14 separate patents. As Pear’s co-founder and managing partner, Mar brings operational and technical expertise to the Investment Team. She is in currently a Lecturer for Stanford University, teaching Lean Launchpad, one of the premier entrepreneurship classes at Stanford. Prior to that, she was a Consulting Professor at Stanford teaching the introductory course in Analog Circuit Design for nearly a decade. Mar serves on the board of trustees of Harvey Mudd College and the Advisory Board of the Electrical and Computer Engineering department at Carnegie Mellon University. She is a founder of Equity Summit, the premier conference for connecting URM Venture Capital GPs to LPs, and an initial founding member of All Raise. She has been recognized by MIT Technology Review as a Top Innovator Under 35, named a Champion of Innovation by Fast Company, awarded the Digital Automation Conference’s Marie R. Pistil Achievement Award, and recognized on the Forbes Midas List in 2021, 2022, and 2023.
Mar's Sessions
Startup Battlefield Final
TechCrunch’s iconic startup competition is back, as entrepreneurs from around the world pitch expert judges and vie for the Battlefield Cup and $100,000.TechCrunch’s iconic startup competition is back, as entrepreneurs from around the world pitch expert judges and vie for the Battlefield Cup and $100,000. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Jomayra is a Partner at Reach Capital, an early-stage venture firm focused on investing in education technology and the future of work. She started her career as an operator at an ed tech startup called BloomBoard and eventually started a career in venture capital first at Emerson Collective, Laurene Powell Jobs’ family office. Before Reach Capital, she was at Cowboy Ventures, where spent a lot of her time working with consumer internet and marketplace companies. At Cowboy and Emerson Collective, Jomayra championed investments in Contra, Career Karma, Handshake, Guild Education, and other companies.
Jomayra's Sessions
How Founders Should Approach the TAM Question When Venture Capital Is Scarce
Writing a good market slide is an art. You don’t want to oversell your total addressable market (TAM) and look silly, or post a number that’s too small to be exciting. Nailing TAM for both external pitching and internal planning is no small feat. Let’s dig into the matter with today’s more picky venture market in mind. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Aaron Holiday is co-founder of 645 Ventures and managing entrepreneurial officer at Cornell Tech.
Aaron's Sessions
How to Establish Series A Milestones @ Roundtable 3
Early-stage founders and VCs are operating in a new long-term adjusted market and the best companies will need to tweak performance expectations to successfully navigate upcoming headwinds to reach competitive Series A and growth rounds. During this session, we will walk through how the market will impact early-stage fundraising, share what growth-stage investors are looking for to lead your next round, and review valuation expectations in this new market reality. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session) 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
How to Establish Series A Milestones @ Roundtable 4
Early-stage founders and VCs are operating in a new long-term adjusted market and the best companies will need to tweak performance expectations to successfully navigate upcoming headwinds to reach competitive Series A and growth rounds. During this session, we will walk through how the market will impact early-stage fundraising, share what growth-stage investors are looking for to lead your next round, and review valuation expectations in this new market reality. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session) 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Katelin Holloway is Founding Partner at Alexis Ohanian’s early-stage venture capital firm, 776. A seasoned investor with over 20 years of operational experience at companies like Pixar and Reddit, Katelin backs transformative startups across diverse sectors. She invests in solutions that push the boundaries of human potential and resilience—advancing health, exploring new frontiers, driving sustainability, fostering creativity, and enriching the human condition. At 776, Katelin combines her operational expertise with a deep commitment to supporting founders as they navigate early-stage challenges and scale their visions. Katelin is dedicated to reshaping venture capital by empowering generational entrepreneurs to tackle humanity’s biggest challenges while driving exceptional returns.
Katelin's Sessions
When to Follow the Hype and When to Ignore it?
Chasing the next big thing is often a pretty good idea for founders and investors alike. But when folks are chasing the wrong trend, the hype can be more siren song than victory march. When should founders follow the hype? When should they ignore it? Let’s talk about it. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Small Group Session: When to Follow the Hype and When to Ignore it?
Join us for this small group Q&A session to continue the conversation with other TC+ members. (✴️ Open to TC+ Annual/2-Year Subscribers Only) (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Katie Haun is Founder and CEO of Haun Ventures, a global venture capital firm headquartered in Silicon Valley that manages billions in investments in digital assets and frontier tech. The firm’s institutional investors include prominent sovereign wealth funds, endowments, foundations, pensions, financial institutions, and other global organizations.
Katie is a sought after board member and personal investor. As Coinbase’s first and longest-serving independent director, she was an early architect of the company’s global regulatory strategy, serving through its IPO and subsequent growth as a publicly traded company. She also served as Chair of the Nomination and Governance and the Audit and Risk Committees. Katie is a personal investor in companies like Anduril, Anthropic, Cerebras (IPO), Coinbase, Cognition, Databricks, Deel, Edison, Figma (IPO), Groq (acquired by NVIDIA), Neko, OpenAI, Physical Intelligence, Replit, Revolut, and SpaceX.
Prior to her venture career, Katie spent over a decade as a federal prosecutor with the U.S. Department of Justice. She secured successful jury verdicts in every case she tried and led high-profile prosecutions related to the Silk Road task force, the 2012 Hells Angels murder trial, and the Nuestra Familia prison gang RICO takedown. She also led cyber, corporate, and violent crime investigations in partnership with the FBI, Homeland Security, SEC, and Treasury, and established the DOJ’s first digital currency task force. At headquarters, she held senior positions in the National Security Division and the Attorney General’s office where her portfolio covered antitrust, tax, and national security. Katie represented the DOJ on CFIUS and the FBI Committee that approved all significant national security undercover operations.
She was later recruited as a General Partner to Andreessen Horowitz, where she co-led their blockchain franchise, investing out of three funds with billions under management.
She has testified as an expert on the intersection of technology and regulation before both houses of Congress, and taught at Stanford Business School and Stanford Law School. An honors graduate of Stanford Law School, she clerked for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy and is a lifetime member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
Katie's Sessions
From Go-go to So Slow, a Look at Crypto’s Roller-coaster Year
Katie Haun, the onetime prosecutor turned Coinbase board member and General Parter at Andreessen Horowitz set off to (successfully) raise a $1.5 billion venture fund of her own last year. Then, sparked by FTX’s implosion and its cascading effects, the landscape abruptly changed. Nearly one year later, Haun is sitting down to talk with us about how she and her team have navigated this past year — and where they expect the crypto industry to head next. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Sonya Huang is a partner at Sequoia Capital where she works with companies across a range of industries, including AI, enterprise software, data infrastructure, and fintech. Sonya is on the board of Gong, Glean, and Apollo, and previously served on the board of Streamlit, which was acquired by Snowflake. She has co-led investments in companies such as Hugging Face, dbt, and Tecton. Since 2019 she has worked with a number of AI companies, and in September 2022 she published a seminal piece on generative AI. She also co-hosted Sequoia’s AI Ascent event in March, which brought together 100 of the leading minds in AI.
Sonya's Sessions
Big Fish, Little Pond: Can Investors Make 10-Figure AI Valuations Pay Off in Markets No One Is Sure Exist? @ Industry Stage 1
Everyone seems to have agreed that AI will revolutionize tech, but so far the kind of revenue and deals that would justify billion-dollar valuations are scarce. How do venture capitalists and institutional investors envision the next few years playing out — and paying out? (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Charles Hudson is the Managing Partner and Founder of Precursor Ventures, an early stage venture capital firm focused on investing in the first institutional round of investment for the most promising software and hardware companies. He invests in people over product at the earliest stage of their entrepreneurial journey. Under his leadership, Precursor has raised four funds and has $250+ million under management. He has invested in 400+ companies and has supported 450+ founders, including the teams behind Bobbie Baby, Carrot, Incredible Health, Juniper Square, Modern Health, Pair Eyewear, Rad AI, and The Athletic (sold to the NY Times for $525 million in 2022). Prior to founding Precursor, Charles was a Partner at Uncork Capital where he focused on identifying investment opportunities in mobile infrastructure, applications, and marketplaces and supported their portfolio companies on business and corporate development matters. He was also the Co-founder and CEO of Bionic Panda Games, an Android-focused mobile games startup. Charles is an active member of the VC community. He was the 2023-2024 Chair of the NVCA Board of Directors, a board member at Venture Forward, on the investment committee for Screendoor, and is on the Path Ahead Ventures Advisory Board. He is also an advisor and mentor to a number of emerging managers. Charles holds an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and a B.A. in Economics and Spanish from Stanford. He maintains close connections with his alma mater and was awarded the 2021-22 Governors’ Award in honor of his volunteer service to the university as a board member and volunteer. Charles is also a co-instructor for the Entrepreneurship from Diverse Perspectives course in the Stanford Graduate School of Business.
Charles's Sessions
Startup Battlefield Final
TechCrunch’s iconic startup competition is back, as entrepreneurs from around the world pitch expert judges and vie for the Battlefield Cup and $100,000.TechCrunch’s iconic startup competition is back, as entrepreneurs from around the world pitch expert judges and vie for the Battlefield Cup and $100,000. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Chris Irving is a Navy Veteran, writer, and SaaS founder helping 12K+ families access better after-school enrichment opportunities with School Twist. As a founding member of the Bunker Labs Chapter in Boston, Chris is committed to helping veterans and military spouses start and grow their businesses. He and his partner, Jenn, reside in Boston and have two children, Ryan, a senior in high school, and Alice, a sophomore at The University of South Carolina.
Chris's Sessions
Lessons from Service: Military Inspired Startup Strategies for Doing More with Less. No Push Ups Required @ Roundtable 2
In the startup world, resource constraints are a constant challenge. The same holds true for the military, where failure isn’t an option. Join us for a compelling session with Chris Irving, a Navy veteran, co-founder of School Twist and respected Bunker Labs leader. Drawing on his unique experiences, Chris will provide invaluable insights for achieving positive outcomes when resources are scarce, and he’ll highlight areas where cutting corners is not an option. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Jessy Irwin is a security advocate and communications professional specializing in information security, privacy and trust.
Jessy's Sessions
Why is Web3 Such a Trash Fire of Cybersecurity? @ Industry Stage 2
In the last couple of years, hackers have stolen more than $4 billion in cryptocurrency from a seemingly endless list of web3 and blockchain projects. Is the crypto world inherently insecure? Or is it still in its early years? In this panel we will delve into what makes web3 more vulnerable to attacks than other tech sectors, and how it can be improved. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Jared Isaacman is a visionary entrepreneur, successful business leader, and accomplished pilot and astronaut. With a remarkable blend of business acumen and a passion for exceeding expectations, Isaacman has made significant contributions to the financial technology, defense, and aerospace industries. As the founder of both Shift4 (NYSE: FOUR) and Draken International, he has spearheaded numerous advancements in commerce technology and national defense strategies. Isaacman founded Shift4 in 1999 at sixteen years old in the basement of his parents’ home. Under his leadership, Shift4 has consistently pushed boundaries, developing cutting-edge payment technologies and solutions that empower businesses across various sectors. In 2022, Shift4 employed over 2,500 people and processed over $200 billion in payments for more than 200,000 customers across the U.S. and Europe. In 2020, Shift4 went public on the New York Stock Exchange. In 2021, Isaacman was named EY Entrepreneur of the Year in recognition of his leadership at Shift4 and demonstrated long- term value through entrepreneurial spirit, purpose, and growth. In addition to running Shift4, Isaacman co-founded Draken International in 2012, a provider of tactical aviation services for all branches of the U.S. Military, Department of Defense, and global allied militaries. With a fleet of 150 tactical fighter aircraft, Draken owned and operated the world’s largest commercial fleet of ex-military aircraft to support military training objectives around the globe. Isaacman sold the company in 2019 to Blackstone. Isaacman’s ambitions have always extended far beyond the corporate realm. He is an accomplished pilot with over 7,500 hours in aircraft ranging from commercial to fighter jets. In 2021, he made history by commanding Inspiration4, the world’s first all-civilian mission to orbit. The SpaceX mission was named Inspiration4 to reflect the crew’s goal to inspire support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital® and send a humanitarian message of possibility. Inspiration4 represented a new era for human spaceflight and raised over $250 million for St. Jude. Isaacman also holds several world records, including one for a Speed-Around-The-World flight. He used that endeavor to raise money and awareness for the Make-a-Wish Foundation®. He has also flown in over 100 airshows as part of the Black Diamond Jet Team, dedicating every performance to a charitable cause. A passionate supporter of children’s health and science education initiatives, Isaacman also worked to raise awareness for such organizations, including The U.S. Space & Rocket Center’s Space Camp and the DaVinci Science Center. Jared Isaacman’s remarkable journey as an entrepreneur, CEO, and astronaut showcases his relentless pursuit of excellence and his unwavering belief in the power of innovation. Through his leadership at Shift4 and his groundbreaking exploits in aviation and space, Isaacman seeks to inspire individuals worldwide to dream big and reach for the stars. Isaacman resides in Pennsylvania with his wife, Monica, and their two children.
Jared's Sessions
The Future of Sending Human Beings Into Space @ Industry Stage 2
With commercial organizations playing a more prominent role in sending humans into space, governments, regulators, and even companies themselves are not quite sure what this heralds for the new space age. This panel will help us understand the future of sending humans into space and the respective roles of governments and companies. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Steve Isakowitz is a recognized leader across the government, commercial, space and technology sectors, who has worked tirelessly throughout his career on behalf of the public good in space. He currently serves as the President and CEO of The Aerospace Corporation, a leading architect for the nation’s space programs, where he heads up efforts to outpace threats to the country’s national security while nurturing the innovative technologies needed to further a new era of space commercialization and exploration. With his guidance, Aerospace’s national workforce of more than 4,600 employees provides objective technical expertise and thought leadership to solve the hardest problems in space and assure mission success for space systems and space vehicles. He is also a driving force behind Space Workforce 2030, a collaborative effort launched in 2022 bringing together nearly 30 companies to advance diversity and representation across the space industry. Over the course of his more than 30-year career, Isakowitz has made impactful contributions across a number of prominent roles, including at Virgin Galactic, NASA, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the White House Office of Management and Budget.
Steve's Sessions
The Most Exciting Time in Space: How We Got Here and What Comes Next @ Industry Stage 2
This unprecedented time in space offers untold possibilities to transform humankind’s relationship with the cosmos and benefit the prosperity and security of all those here on Earth. Join leading experts as they explore what’s new and what’s next in space, from the mega-trends and cutting-edge technologies that will define the next decade to the critical role commercial companies will play in making the most of this exciting time. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
The Space Domain Awareness Challenge Finals Winner Announcement
Sara Ittelson joined Accel in 2022 and focuses on early-stage consumer, enterprise, and AI companies. At Accel, Sara serves on the boards of AssemblyAI, Cinder, Minoan, Syrup and others. Prior to joining Accel, Sara spent several years as Head of Strategic Partnerships at Faire, supporting its growth from $535M to its recent mark of $12.4B. Sara also worked in Global Business Development at Uber, in the ride-share business, and then at Uber Eats. Originally from Chico, California, Sara graduated from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and Northwestern University.
Sara's Sessions
TechCrunch Startup Battlefield – Session 1
TechCrunch’s iconic startup competition is back, as entrepreneurs from around the world pitch expert judges and vie for the Startup Battlefield Cup and $100,000. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Lisa's Sessions
Making Sustainability a Core Value at Apple
How do you make a nearly $3 trillion company green? Lisa Jackson Apple’s vice president of environmental, policy and social initiatives, has spent the last decade making sustainability a core focus for the world’s most valuable company. We’ll hear from the former EPA administrator about Apple’s efforts in recycling and energy efficiency and about how the company plans to make its products carbon neutral by the end of the decade.
Erica Jain is the Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder of Healthie, where she builds healthcare infrastructure to power virtual-first healthcare delivery. She works closely with digital health organizations to design solutions that deliver comprehensive and effective modern healthcare solutions. Previously, she was a Healthcare Consultant at The Boston Consulting Group and an Analyst at the Clinton Health Access Initiative. She is a graduate of Duke University with an BA in International Health Disparities and Infectious Diseases and finished her first year at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, as part of the Health Care Management Program.
Erica's Sessions
Why Bootstrapping Is No Longer a Dirty Word in 2023
It’s possible to build huge companies without venture money. So long as your startup brings in more cash than it burns, you’re in business. But bootstrapping in tech circles often carries negative connotations — phrases like “lifestyle business” are sometimes thrown around. But with many startups realizing that they aren’t going to be able to raise more money, perhaps it’s time to give bootstrapping another look? (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Small Group Session: Why Bootstrapping Is No Longer a Dirty Word in 2023:
Join us for this small group Q&A session to continue the conversation with other TC+ members (✴️ Open to TC+ Annual/2-Year Subscribers Only) (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Sundeep Jain is Chief Product Officer and SVP Engineering, responsible for the company’s global Mobility and Delivery products, including engineering, product management, design, applied/data science, and product operations. Before joining Uber, Sundeep was Vice President of Product Management at Google within the Search Ads group, where he worked on connecting users’ commercial intent with advertisers, including quality, pricing, and user experience. Sundeep also worked on enabling local commerce by connecting users with local advertisers across both maps and search. Earlier in his career, Sundeep was Vice President at Zynga, and a founder of a tech startup that was acquired by FIS, a public company with $100 billion enterprise value. Sundeep earned a Bachelors of Science in computer engineering from UC Berkeley with highest honors and a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School, where he was a Baker Scholar.
Sundeep's Sessions
Clearing the Air on Tech and Cities @ Industry Stage 2
Fast-moving tech, slow-moving government. Or so the story goes. In the era of climate change, city leaders are more eager than ever to embrace new technologies to promote sustainability. But that doesn’t mean everything is always rosy. We’ll hear from city leaders on the highs and lows of bringing sustainable tech to urban spaces. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Steve Jang, Founder and Managing Partner, Kindred Ventures: Steve is a Midas List investor whose investments include Uber, where he was an early advisor and angel investor since the company’s founding, Coinbase, Perplexity, Fal, and PlayAI. More recently, Steve has invested in startups in theme areas of AI, decentralized systems, consumer internet, infrastructure/tools, and frontier technologies.
Steve's Sessions
TechCrunch Startup Battlefield – Session 1
TechCrunch’s iconic startup competition is back, as entrepreneurs from around the world pitch expert judges and vie for the Startup Battlefield Cup and $100,000. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Rehan Jalil is currently the CEO of Securiti. He was the SVP and GM for Cloud Security at Symantec, leading research and development for Cloud Security Products. Rehan came into Symantec with $4.7B acquisition of Bluecoat, where he ran cloud security. He came into BlueCoat via the $280M acquisition of Elastica, that he founded and ran as CEO. Elastica innovated CASB and drove it to become an important security category. Prior to that, he was the founder and chief executive officer of WiChours, an innovator in deep packet inspection centered packet core, which was used to deploy some of the earliest 4G networks. WiChorus was acquired by Tellabs for $180M. Previously, he was Chief Architect at Aperto and helped innovate multicore processors at Sun Microsystems. He was named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur finalist in 2010 and Top 25 Disruptor in 2015. He holds an AMP from Harvard Business School, an MSEE from Purdue University and a BS from NED University.
Ash Jhaveri is Vice President of Partnerships, at Meta. In this role, Ash is responsible for developing the ecosystems for Artificial Intelligence and Reality Labs as well as leading strategic partnerships for the company. Ash joined Meta in 2012 and has led the creation of several communities and partnerships in such areas as telco, music, gaming, and messaging. Prior to Meta, Ash led partnerships for Chrome at Google, first based in London and later in Mountain View. He also spent several years at Microsoft in product management Windows and .NET platform as well as enterprise startups MicroStrategy and SnapLogic. A native of Baltimore, Ash now lives in NYC with his wife and two children. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Cornell and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Ash's Sessions
The Next AI Evolution Moves into Your Hands @ Industry Stage 1
Thousands of generative AI applications have bloomed over the past year, with large language models (LLMs) gaining the most buzz. In the next year, many of those applications will start to run on phones and PCs rather than in the public cloud. Join Qualcomm’s Alex Katouzian and partners to find out when and how generative AI will shift to devices in your hands, and what applications are likely to make the first move. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Reed and his team launched Yosemite in August 2023 to make cancer nonlethal in our lifetime. Yosemite works in late-stage academic research and for-profit company creation to invest in the most promising science from across the world to achieve this mission. Prior to starting Yosemite, Reed was the Managing Director of Health at Emerson Collective for eight years. Reed holds a B.A. in history and international security and an M.A. in history, both from Stanford University.
Reed's Sessions
How Reed Jobs is Coming for Cancer Through VC
Reed Jobs initially set out on a path to become a doctor after losing his father, Apple founder and Silicon Valley luminary Steve Jobs, to cancer. That journey took some unexpected turms, which resulted in Reed becoming something he never thought he would: A venture capitalist. We’ll hear from Reed about why he ended up in VC, and how it serves his goal of battling cancer in ways a medical career never could. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Peggy Johnson is the Chief Executive Officer of Magic Leap, an immersive augmented reality (AR) technology company. Since joining Magic Leap in 2020, Johnson accelerated the company’s focus on enterprise applications for AR, including overseeing the launch of the Magic Leap 2, its latest AR device targeted toward commercial applications across industries including healthcare, manufacturing and the public sector. Prior to joining Magic Leap, Johnson was Executive Vice President of Business Development at Microsoft where she was responsible for driving strategic partnerships and transactions to accelerate growth for the company and its customers. Previously, Johnson spent 24 years at Qualcomm, where she served as a member of Qualcomm’s Executive Committee. During her time at Qualcomm, Johnson held various leadership positions across engineering, sales, marketing and business development, and ran the Qualcomm Internet Services business unit. She also worked as an engineer for General Electric’s Military Electronics Division early in her career. Johnson earned her bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from San Diego State University. She currently serves as a board member for BlackRock.
Peggy's Sessions
Augmented Reality Finds Its Focus @ Industry Stage 1
Even the most impressive technology can struggle to find its market. One of hardware’s most well funded startups, Magic Leap didn’t take the consumer world by storm. CEO Peggy Johnson has led the company’s pivot to focus on enterprise applications, launching a second-generation device and forging partnerships with enterprise players along the way. With Meta, HTC and now Apple vying for a piece of the market, has augmented reality’s moment finally arrived? (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Rebecca is the CEO and Co-Founder of DealMaker, winner of Lexpert’s Top 40 Under 40, named one of North America’s most innovative lawyers by the Financial Times, a finalist for 2022’s EY Entrepreneur of the Year and one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women. After a decade of practicing securities law, she took an ambitious leap from her partnership at the world’s largest law firm and founded DealMaker to build a system that would combat the costly inefficiencies that plague the traditional capital raise process. She is the force behind building DealMaker into Canada’s 3rd Fastest Growing Company and Fast Company’s 2nd Place Best Workplaces for Innovators. With her vision and drive, Rebecca has become a leader and trailblazer in the intersection of the capital markets and tech, who is committed to driving change and doing business the right way. In only 5 years, DealMaker has powered over $1.84 Billion USD in capital raised, more than double any leading US counterpart in less than half the operating history. Rebecca currently serves as a Board Member for the Crowdfunding Professionals Association (CfPA) to help shape the future of this new and emerging segment of the capital markets.
Rebecca's Sessions
The Path to Your Next Funding Round: Equity Crowdfunding @ Breakout Room 1
Crowdfunding, an incredibly powerful alternative to institutional lending, lets founders raise capital by leveraging Regulation Crowdfunding exemptions. In this presentation, we’ll explain the exemptions and discuss next steps to determine whether crowdfunding’s a viable option for your startup. You’ll walk away with a foundational understanding of timelines, parameters and minimum requirements for raising funds by offering equity to the general public. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Ritika Kalia is an engineering manager at Runway, an applied AI research company that’s building the next creative suite. Prior to that, she led the experimentation team and the metrics platform team at Twitter. At Apple, she built and led the power and performance data infrastructure team as part of Core OS.
Ritika's Sessions
Lights, Camera, Algorithm! Where AI Fits into Movies, Games and Creativity @ Industry Stage 1
The Hollywood writers’ strike provides a timely background for this panel on how AI tools and platforms can be integrated into the creative process in filmmaking, game development, and other media. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Susan Karlin, based in Los Angeles, is a regular contributor to Fast Company, where she covers space science, the future of aviation, autonomous vehicles, and tech design. She has also reported for The New York Times, NPR, Air & Space, Scientific American, IEEE Spectrum, and Wired, among others, from such locations as the Arctic and Antarctica, Israel/West Bank, and Southeast Asia. Additionally, she contributed to the bestseller, “The Human Face of Big Data.”
Susan's Sessions
The Most Exciting Time in Space: How We Got Here and What Comes Next @ Industry Stage 2
This unprecedented time in space offers untold possibilities to transform humankind’s relationship with the cosmos and benefit the prosperity and security of all those here on Earth. Join leading experts as they explore what’s new and what’s next in space, from the mega-trends and cutting-edge technologies that will define the next decade to the critical role commercial companies will play in making the most of this exciting time. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Alex Katouzian currently serves as Group General Manager of the Mobile, Compute and XR (MCX) Business Unit, including Voice & Music and Wearable businesses of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. In this role, Katouzian is responsible for the business unit strategy, chipset and software portfolios, P&L, customer relationships, ecosystem business development, and oversight of all program management and execution for the Snapdragon platforms. His responsibilities include a focused expansion into creating premium, end-to-end experiences across handsets, earbuds and headsets, wearables, tablets, PCs, XR, gaming and security.
Alex's Sessions
The Next AI Evolution Moves into Your Hands @ Industry Stage 1
Thousands of generative AI applications have bloomed over the past year, with large language models (LLMs) gaining the most buzz. In the next year, many of those applications will start to run on phones and PCs rather than in the public cloud. Join Qualcomm’s Alex Katouzian and partners to find out when and how generative AI will shift to devices in your hands, and what applications are likely to make the first move. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Simon leads the brand strategy team at Koto’s New York studio, bringing an insight-led approach to every partnership and project. With a background in research and innovation, Simon ensures that we build brands from a place of deep understanding and empathy for both the customer and client. Over his 15 years of experience, he has defined strategy for businesses including Coinbase, Google, DailyPay, Meta, and Samsung.
Simon's Sessions
Why Brand is Your Most Valuable Asset Class @Breakout Room 1
In an age where technology allows for rapid duplication of product features, brand stands as a company’s prime defendable asset. While lasting differentiation seems unthinkable when rivals rapidly mimic functionality, a distinctive brand remains impossible to replicate. Sharing examples from the last decade’s most disruptive and category-defining brands, hear from brand and digital agency Koto on why brand is the most under-leveraged asset class in tech and learn how to utilize it for building a competitive differentiation and a lasting business advantage. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Amy Keller Laird is the founder of Mental, a digital platform that empowers women to better manage their mental health through early-intervention lifestyle solutions. Amy is an award-winning journalist and brand strategist, the former editor-in-chief of Women’s Health, and a thought leader in mental health and wellness. She has appeared as an expert on Today, Good Morning America, CNN, and Entertainment Tonight.
Brendon oversees Samsung Next’s investments made in early stage founders building in the technology areas of AI, blockchain, fintech, healthtech, infrastructure, and mediatech. He has over 20 years experience investing in early stage technology companies and previously served as a founding general partner of Altos Ventures where he was an early investor in Roblox and Coupang. Prior to Altos Ventures, he was a strategy and management consultant in the media, consumer and technology industries.
Brendon's Sessions
Navigating the AI Frontier in 2023: Lessons, Pivots and Triumphs from Two Early-stage Founders
In the dynamic world of AI entrepreneurship, cautionary tales and strategic advice go hand-in-hand. Join two pioneering early-stage founders and a seasoned investor as they discuss and explore what it takes to build in today’s frenzied AI environment. In this session, panelists will discuss how to discern signals from noise, how to find elusive product-market fit, and how to manage investor and team expectations along the way. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Ralph Koker is Vice President and Head of Market Expansion Globally for Visa Direct. Ralph leads all got to market and solutioning efforts to scale the Visa Money Movement business throughout the world based in Miami, Florida.
Ralph's Sessions
Visa Everywhere Initiative: The Ultimate Fintech Pitch Competition @ Industry Stage 1
Fintechs startups inspire — Visa enables. Join the Visa Everywhere Initiative, where we welcome the next generation of fintechs. Visa has selected five visionary startups from across the globe, and they’re ready to pitch their game-changing solutions to a panel of fintech industry leaders. It’s your chance to witness the future of payments unfold and learn how you can join us in the fintech revolution. #EverywhereInitiative (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Korsmeyer earned his bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from Pennsylvania State University in State College, Pennsylvania, and both his master’s and doctorate in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Texas in Austin. He is a Sloan Fellow with a master’s degree in Management from the Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business and is active in the International Astronautical Federation, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers.
Dave's Sessions
The Future of Sending Human Beings Into Space @ Industry Stage 2
With commercial organizations playing a more prominent role in sending humans into space, governments, regulators, and even companies themselves are not quite sure what this heralds for the new space age. This panel will help us understand the future of sending humans into space and the respective roles of governments and companies. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Ofir Krakowski is the co-founder and CEO of Deepdub. He has 30 years of experience in computer science and machine learning, including founding the Israeli Air Force’s machine learning and innovation department which he led for 25 years. During this time, he was awarded the Ministry of Defense’s Medal for Tech Excellence. Ofir has a B.Sc in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA from the Technion Israel Institute of Technology. He previously served as the chairman of the board of the Technion Student Association and Chairman of the Board of the IDF Ofek unit’s alumni association.
Ofir's Sessions
AI Can Write Words — But Can It Understand Them? @ Industry Stage 1
Text-generating AI is the hot new thing in tech. But while it’s proven to be a major productivity boost for some, it’s far from perfect. Generative text AI has biases and, depending on the model, a tendency to generate toxic content — or even confidently make up facts. Our panelists will discuss these limitations and more as investments in generative AI pick up steam. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Christie H. Kristensen is an experienced API marketing and growth leader and has a track record of how to successfully do more business through APIs. She is passionate about data intelligence, behavioural analysis and performance marketing which drives impact. Christie was the former CMO at one of the leading European open banking aggregators, aiia, which got acquired by Mastercard in late 2021 and in September 2022 recruited to lead global DevRel. In the very short time, her DevRel team has increased website traffic by 40% and impacted API adoption.
Christie's Sessions
What Will it Take to Fuel the Next Economy? @Breakout Room 1
Sustained innovation requires more than having the right technology. It’s about being part of an ecosystem that provides access to a diverse suite of APIs, products, programs, services and partners – an environment that helps you build, grow and thrive. Mastercard has a long history of supporting fintech partners of any size to co-innovate and scale solutions. In this session, you’ll learn how to make 1+1=3 through strong partnerships, access to low-code solutions and frictionless API integration that will make it easier to deliver greater impact for your customers. You’ll come away knowing how you can get to market faster and take your business to the next level. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Cyber Security expert and problem solver, Enterprise Security veteran with a strong orientation to Application & Cloud Security. After an extensive service in 8200, held multiple position in the AppSec domain spanning across offensive, defensive and consulting positions. After having led Application Security and Cloud Security with Israeli IR firm Sygnia for four years, working with 100+ enterprises on optimizing Cyber resilience, Daniel co-founded Cider Security as the company’s CTO, leading the company’s product and technology all the way from inception to acquisition by Palo Alto Networks. Today, Daniel serves as AppSec CTO for Palo Alto Networks.
Daniel's Sessions
Securing the modern engineering ecosystem: Allowing the engineering train to continue to accelerate, without making compromises on security @ Breakout Room 1
Software engineering has transformed into a highly-dynamic, high-velocity vehicle, with the benefits of minimizing friction for this vehicle clear to all functions in the business. This transformation has had a massive impact on Application Security – the security umbrella over the engineering ecosystem: The engineering paradigm shift has introduced numerous new opportunities and attack paths for attackers, and a whole new set of challenges for security teams. Defenders not only have to keep up with this evolving risk landscape, but also be able to do so with zero friction and disruption to the rapid engineering train. In this session, Daniel will cover the challenges of securing the modern engineering ecosystem, the ways today’s attackers are taking advantage of this transformed attack surface, and the approaches defenders and security product builders must adopt to effectively adapt to the new reality.🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Abdulahad Kuchkarov has an extensive background in business, with over 4 years of experience as the Executive Director and COO at IT Park Uzbekistan. He is responsible for the overall management and direction of the company, including strategic planning and partnerships, financial management, and staff supervision. Under his management, IT Park has launched a startup incubator and accelerator, and IT-Centers all over the Republic of Uzbekistan, and established successful partnerships with many international organizations. Before his current position, he was the CEO of Groundzero, where he built a system, wrote regulations and quality standards, and scaled up the coworking network. Abdulahad holds a Master of Business Administration in IT management from IUBH Internationale Hochschule and a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from the National University of Uzbekistan.
Abdulahad's Sessions
The Digital Silk Road: From Central Eurasia to Silicon Valley @ Breakout Room 2
For centuries, tradesmen from the Far East traversed the Great Silk Road transporting valuable goods and ideas to the Middle East, Central Asia and Europe. Now, a digital version — the Silkroad Innovation Hub — fosters connection and opportunity for entrepreneurs, founders and startups in Central Eurasia’s booming IT and tech ecosystem. Join them for a discussion on the burgeoning startup ecosystem, rapidly growing venture capital market, strategic government partnerships and cross-border investment opportunities featuring key players from Azerbaijan, Mongolia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Sarah's Sessions
When to Follow the Hype and When to Ignore it?
Chasing the next big thing is often a pretty good idea for founders and investors alike. But when folks are chasing the wrong trend, the hype can be more siren song than victory march. When should founders follow the hype? When should they ignore it? Let’s talk about it. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Small Group Session: When to Follow the Hype and When to Ignore it?
Join us for this small group Q&A session to continue the conversation with other TC+ members. (✴️ Open to TC+ Annual/2-Year Subscribers Only) (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Kotryna Kurt is the founder and CEO of a consulting/SaaS company Linkedist, that helps other businesses grow with the power of LinkedIn marketing, advertising, and sales. She is also an active contributor and a thought leader on LinkedIn, where she talks about entrepreneurship, leadership, sales, and marketing. For the last 7 years, Kotryna has delivered +400 company and public workshops and helped different European accelerators (including Startup Wise Guys, Swiss EP, F10, and more) educate their startups about marketing, sales, and personal branding. Within the last few years, she has shared her knowledge at events like TechBBQ, TechChill, Login, Growth Marketing Conference San Francisco, Sales Formula, and worked with brands like LEGO, Accenture, Danske Bank, and more.
Kotryna's Sessions
The Power of Personal Branding for Founders @ Roundtable 1
In today’s digital age, building a strong personal brand is more important than ever, especially for founders. During this session, we’ll explore why personal branding matters and how it can help founders establish credibility, build relationships, and attract investors and customers. We’ll discuss the best practices for creating a compelling personal brand, including identifying your target audience, crafting a strong narrative, and leveraging social media (mainly LinkedIn) and other online platforms. You’ll hear more about the various cases of industry founders who have successfully built their personal brands and leveraged that to get investments, new clients, or simply take their startups to the next level. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to take your personal brand to the next level, this session will provide you with actionable strategies and inspiration to help you stand out in the crowded startup world. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
The Power of Personal Branding for Founders @ Roundtable 2
In today’s digital age, building a strong personal brand is more important than ever, especially for founders. During this session, we’ll explore why personal branding matters and how it can help founders establish credibility, build relationships, and attract investors and customers. We’ll discuss the best practices for creating a compelling personal brand, including identifying your target audience, crafting a strong narrative, and leveraging social media (mainly LinkedIn) and other online platforms. You’ll hear more about the various cases of industry founders who have successfully built their personal brands and leveraged that to get investments, new clients, or simply take their startups to the next level. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to take your personal brand to the next level, this session will provide you with actionable strategies and inspiration to help you stand out in the crowded startup world. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Thomas joined Google in November 2018 as the CEO of Google Cloud. Prior to Google, Thomas spent 22 years at Oracle, where most recently he was President of Product Development. Before that, Thomas worked at McKinsey as a business analyst and engagement manager. His nearly 30 years of experience have given him a deep knowledge of engineering, enterprise relationships, and leadership of large organizations. Thomas’ degrees include, an MBA in Administration and Management from Stanford University as an Arjay Miller Scholar and a BSEE in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from Princeton University where he graduated Summa Cum Laude. Thomas serves as a member of the Stanford Graduate School of Business Advisory Council and Princeton University School of Engineering Advisory Council.
Thomas's Sessions
AI in the Cloud @ Industry Stage 1
Thomas Kurian became Google Cloud’s CEO in 2019 and early in his tenure, he made a major bet on AI. Today, Google Cloud offers numerous foundation models for developers, AI-enabled tools in Google Workspace and wants to build an open ecosystem of AI partners. We’ll talk to Kurian about all of this, as well what’s next for Google Cloud and AI in general. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Sandy K. Lacey is an executive leader who’s all about building things that matter. As the Director of Innovation at the Perkins School for the Blind, Sandy is catalyzing and convening key players to drive innovation in accessible products and services for the blind, visually impaired, and multi-disability communities. She is also a lecturer at MIT Sloan’s School of Management, where she teaches Building an Entrepreneurial Venture. As an executive dedicated to making a difference, Sandy has extensive innovation experience in corporate, government, and academic settings, and excels in startup environments. Sandy is a 3x early startup employee, working at Emerging Energy Research (acquired: IHS), CB Insights, and Drafted (acquired: Instawork). Serving the Commonwealth of Massachusetts under Governor Deval Patrick, she wrote state policies, programs, and drove infrastructure investments to grow the state’s emerging climatetech innovation cluster. As a corporate executive, Sandy built and led the engineering, design, and product management teams at the Innovation Lab for a Global 500 financial services company. In this role, she also spearheaded the company’s advanced technology practice including blockchain and voice-activated devices. She loves studying how technology and design can be leveraged to improve the human experience. Sandy has a Master’s from the Fletcher School at Tufts University and a B.A. cum laude from Georgetown University.
Sandy's Sessions
Defining Disability Tech: Innovations for the World’s Largest Minority @ Breakout Room 2
Fifteen percent of the global population has a disability. Together, these 1.85 billion people and their allies control $13 trillion worth of disposable income, yet the disability tech market remains fragmented and full of friction points. Hurdles in the hunt for investors and challenges testing products slow the process down. But determined entrepreneurs are pushing forth: a robotic arm that communicates to the deafblind and a pair of glasses that transcribe conversation for the Deaf demonstrate how cutting edge technologies can make education, work, and daily living more accessible for the world’s largest minority. The Howe Innovation Center at Perkins School for the Blind and McKinsey & Company have joined forces to debut our market research findings at TechCrunch Disrupt, with an overview of product and investment trends across 750+ disability tech companies. The audience will leave understanding why now is the opportune time to get involved with disability innovation. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Chris Lattner is a co-founder and the CEO of Modular, which is building an innovative new developer platform for AI and heterogenous compute. Modular provides an AI engine that accelerates PyTorch and TensorFlow inference, as well as the Mojo🔥 language, which extends Python into systems and accelerator programming domains. He has also co-founded the LLVM Compiler infrastructure project, the Clang C++ compiler, the Swift programming language, the MLIR compiler infrastructure, the CIRCT project, and has contributed to many other commercial and open source projects at Apple, Tesla, Google and SiFive.
Chris's Sessions
From Inception to Iconic: A Candid Conversation about What it Takes to Succeed in AI @ Breakout Room 2
Join a candid and audience interactive conversation with a leading AI seed investor and two breakout founders. They’ll touch on a variety of essential topics including defining your breakout value proposition, accessing success in the face of incumbents, how company vision, culture and values drive theri mission, GTM strategies, barriers to enterprise AI adoption and more. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻 With Chris Lattner, co-founder Modular.ai, Rodrigo Liang, co-founder, SambaNova Systems, and Vijay Reddy, partner, Mayfield.
Considered one of the most influential women in robotics, Dr. Tessa Lau is an award-winning CEO and roboticist whose most recent venture, Dusty Robotics, is revolutionizing the construction industry. Dusty automates the BIM-to-field layout process through a robotic FieldPrinter, eliminating costly errors and speeding up construction schedules. Prior to Dusty Robotics, Dr. Lau was co-founder, CTO, and Chief Robot Whisperer at Savioke (Relay) Robotics, where she automated hotel delivery and orchestrated the global distribution and management of consumer-facing robots. Dr. Lau was also an early member of Willow Garage, the legendary research lab and technology incubator known as one of the most influential forces in modern robotics.
Tessa's Sessions
What's Next for Robotics @ Industry Stage 1
After conquering warehouses during the pandemic, what comes next for automation? Agriculture, construction and health care are all safe bets. Farm-ng’s Claire Delaunay, Dusty Robotics’ Tessa Lau and Dilligent’s Andrea Thomaz will discuss where robots from here. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Elizabeth Lawler is the founder and CEO of AppMap. A serial entrepreneur, she previously was Vice President, DevOps Security at CyberArk (CYBR) responsible for CyberArk strategy and execution. She founded Conjur (acq. CyberArk), which was the first product in the market to address Privileged Account Security gaps for DevOps, cloud and container native software. Elizabeth was also Chief Data Officer at Generation Health (acq. CVS Caremark) and held national leadership positions in research at the Department of Veterans Affairs. She is a data scientist and programmer by training and holds a doctorate and a masters from Boston University.
Elizabeth's Sessions
How to stand out amongst the noise when building a SaaS tool @ Roundtable 3
Learn how to stand out amongst the noise when building a SaaS tool (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session) 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Startup Battlefield Alumni Update
Battlefield startups from the past return to the stage to tell us what they’ve been up to since they competed for the Disrupt Cup. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Danielle Lay is a Partner at NEA. She joined the firm in New York in 2017. Danielle invests in companies at all stages and is focused on consumer social and commerce infrastructure businesses. Her investments include Fizz, Patreon, Goody, Pair Eyewear, and Prime Financial Technologies. In addition, she was involved with NEA’s investments in Desktop Metal (NYSE: DM), Framebridge (acquired), Block, Burrow, Enigma, Formlabs and Wizard. Danielle is also a member of NEA’s Asia investing team and was involved with NEA’s investments in Gravel, Super and Zuoyebang, among others. Prior to joining NEA, she was an investment banker at Goldman Sachs advising clients in the financial technology and payments sectors on M&A and IPO transactions. Earlier in her career, she was the founder of a web development agency called DesignWorks. Danielle earned her Bachelor’s at Northwestern University in Economics, Business Institutions and Chinese.
Danielle's Sessions
TechCrunch Startup Battlefield – Session 4
TechCrunch’s iconic startup competition is back, as entrepreneurs from around the world pitch expert judges and vie for the Startup Battlefield Cup and $100,000. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Former founder turned coach + investor in ambitious teams and novel technologies which make the world more awesome + help more humans realize fully lived lives. Coach to leaders/founding teams/aspiring leaders at seed-to-pre IPO companies, across industries. Scout for Fika Ventures.
S. Ko-yung's Sessions
Strategic Partnerships: Unlocking Growth Opportunities for Startups
This discussion will focus on how strategic partnerships can boost startup growth opportunities. The panellists will outline how to choose the best partners to create beneficial relationships for all parties involved while encouraging the development of innovative solutions and services that can improve society as a whole, especially in the early childhood development (ECD) sector. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Wendy Cai-Lee is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Piermont Bank, a full-service commercial bank that provides an unprecedent banking experience blending the best of banking and technology. As a successful entrepreneur and banking executive, Wendy has over 28 years of management and business-building experience in commercial and consumer banking, mergers & acquisitions, and cross-border investment advisory services at Fortune 500 financial organizations as well as start-up companies. Prior to building Piermont Bank, she was an Executive Vice President at East West Bank, responsible for its Commercial and Consumer Businesses in the U.S. Prior to East West, Wendy was a Managing Director at Deloitte LLP, where she managed its U.S./China cross-border M&A business. She started her banking career with JP Morgan Chase and held various management positions at both Chase and Citi. Wendy is named Digital Banker of the Year in 2022 and an honoree of The Most Powerful Women in Banking to Watch by the American Banker. Wendy is a member of New York State Department of Financial Services’ Charter Advisory Board and CDFI/MDI Council. In addition, Wendy is an Emeritus member of the Board of Friends of UNFPA. She also serves on the Dean’s Advisory Board at Douglass College. Wendy received a bachelor’s degree in economics from Rutgers University.
Wendy's Sessions
Startup Banking in a Post-SVB World @ Industry Stage 1
The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank left a hole in the world of startup banking that numerous startups and big banks alike are trying to fill. Hear from some of the players that have stepped in to help fill that gap about what they are doing to offer startups and investors meaningful alternatives in this post-SVB world. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Chris is the Chief Strategy Officer of Haun Ventures. He is also a member of Coinbase’s Global Advisory Council. Prior to joining Haun Ventures, Chris served on the executive management team of Airbnb and led the company’s policy and communications work from 2015 to 2021. Previously, Chris co-founded Fabiani & Lehane, a strategic consultancy that advised political, corporate, technology, entertainment, and professional sports clients. In the 1990s, he served in various positions in the administration of President Bill Clinton, including as Press Secretary to Vice President Al Gore and Special Assistant Counsel to President Clinton. Chris has also served as a Lecturer in Management at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Chris holds a B.A. from Amherst College an
Chris's Sessions
Live on Stage: TechCrunch's Chain Reaction Podcast
Join us for a live podcast recording of Chain Reaction as we unpack and explain the latest crypto news, drama, and trends, breaking it down block-by-block for the crypto-curious. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
With an innate sense of humor and unparalleled unflappability, Chrissy handles client/creative concerns, project management, and everyday resource needs. His experience spans agencies such as Saatchi & Saatchi, Frank Collective, and 72andSunny, leading relationships with clients such as Google, Activision, and Toyota. First to crack a joke and brighten the room, he channels this energy into every relationship, creating an atmosphere of friendly professionalism, and a collected sense of calmness
Chris's Sessions
Why Brand is Your Most Valuable Asset Class @Breakout Room 1
In an age where technology allows for rapid duplication of product features, brand stands as a company’s prime defendable asset. While lasting differentiation seems unthinkable when rivals rapidly mimic functionality, a distinctive brand remains impossible to replicate. Sharing examples from the last decade’s most disruptive and category-defining brands, hear from brand and digital agency Koto on why brand is the most under-leveraged asset class in tech and learn how to utilize it for building a competitive differentiation and a lasting business advantage. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Qi Li Physician Executive, InterSystems Qi Li, M.D. is physician executive at InterSystems and lead several innovation efforts for product development and business strategy. Dr. Li has held various product leadership roles at Harris Healthcare, Partners Healthcare, and several startup companies in healthcare IT.
Qi's Sessions
Breaking Into the Healthcare Monolith: Strategies for working with Payors and Providers @ Roundtable 1
How do you build a health-tech startup that can achieve high growth? What can startups do to make their technologies more compelling to healthcare’s biggest players: payors and providers? In this session, we’ll discuss the pain points of entering healthcare, as well as strategies to open doors for pilots and sustainable revenue. You’ll leave this roundtable discussion with a list of InterSystems’ best practices — gleaned from more than 40 years in the healthcare industry. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Breaking Into the Healthcare Monolith: Strategies for working with Payors and Providers @ Roundtable 1
How do you build a health-tech startup that can achieve high growth? What can startups do to make their technologies more compelling to healthcare’s biggest players: payors and providers? In this session, we’ll discuss the pain points of entering healthcare, as well as strategies to open doors for pilots and sustainable revenue. You’ll leave this roundtable discussion with a list of InterSystems’ best practices — gleaned from more than 40 years in the healthcare industry. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Rodrigo Liang is SambaNova’s Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer leading the company’s vision for a new era of pervasive AI built on full-stack purpose-built AI platforms. Prior to SambaNova, Rodrigo led the hardware engineering team at Oracle where he was responsible for the design and development of state-of-the-art processors and ASICs for its enterprise servers.
Rodrigo's Sessions
Pervasive AI: Where We’re Going and How You Compete
We’re entering an era of pervasive AI; it’s transforming every aspect of how we do business, for every employee, in every department, and across every industry. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)But AI is complex – the right path isn’t obvious. Where do you start? Buy or build? Large models or small? And what about the chip shortage? In this high-stakes battle for a competitive edge, the right AI strategy could decide the winners.
From Inception to Iconic: A Candid Conversation about What it Takes to Succeed in AI @ Breakout Room 2
Join a candid and audience interactive conversation with a leading AI seed investor and two breakout founders. They’ll touch on a variety of essential topics including defining your breakout value proposition, accessing success in the face of incumbents, how company vision, culture and values drive theri mission, GTM strategies, barriers to enterprise AI adoption and more. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻 With Chris Lattner, co-founder Modular.ai, Rodrigo Liang, co-founder, SambaNova Systems, and Vijay Reddy, partner, Mayfield.
Herbert Lin is senior research scholar and Hank J. Holland Fellow at Stanford University. His research interests focus on the policy-related dimensions of security in cyberspace, including offensive operations in cyberspace as instruments of national policy, information warfare and influence operations, and emerging technologies. He is also Chief Scientist, Emeritus for the Computer Science and Telecommunications Board, National Research Council (NRC) of the National Academies and a member of the Science and Security Board of the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists. In 2016, he served on President Obama’s Commission on Enhancing National Cybersecurity. In 2019, he was elected a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. In 2020, he was a commissioner on the Aspen Commission on Information Disorder. Prior to his NRC service, he was a professional staff member and staff scientist for the House Armed Services Committee (1986-1990). He received his doctorate in physics from MIT.
Herbert's Sessions
Quantum and a New Age of Espionage @ Industry Stage 2
From busting open sensitive encryption to creating new unbreakable codes, quantum technologies have the potential to transform the world of espionage and cryptography. A government official and physicist, former CIA officer now in industry, Stanford professor and CTO of the only space FFRDC join forces to explain why, and how some of these technologies are related to things in orbit. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Robin Liu is CEO of North America for OnePlus. He joined OnePlus in 2018, initially leading OnePlus’ India sales prior to being appointed CEO of North America. Liu has more than a decade of Go-To-Market experience and a proven track record of leading sales and marketing teams across a diversity of consumer electronics products. As CEO of North America, Liu oversees OnePlus’ North American business, including marketing and branding, sales and channel strategy and product. As Sales Head of OnePlus India from 2019-2021, Robin helped grow sales to become the second most-selling premium smartphone brand in the country. Additionally, Liu built and expanded the OnePlus ecosystem in India, successfully launching audio, wearable, TV and IoT products within the country. In 2021, he oversaw the OnePlus Nord series launch, achieving 80% YoY sales growth the same year. Other India accomplishments include setting sales records on Amazon.in while also overseeing the development of OnePlus’ global flagship retail store. Prior to OnePlus, Liu worked in the TV and display industry for more than 10 years, honing his skills in market strategy and supply chain management. Liu was instrumental in the founding of OnePlus’ TV business in India, overseeing global marketing, sales, supply chain and go to market strategies in 2018. Under Liu’s leadership, OnePlus’ first-gen TV was launched in 2019, becoming the third most-selling TV brand in India by 2022.
Robin's Sessions
How to Sustain a Tech Company in a Competitive World
Building a successful company is never easy, especially in highly competitive consumer tech markets. Founders need the drive and know-how to challenge established players and keep their products competitive. At OnePlus, a group of passionate people —supported by a vibrant community who shared the same values — challenged the entire tech industry with meaningful innovation. In this session, we will share strategies to help you stay on track during difficult times, remain open to possibilities and expand from a niche brand for tech enthusiasts to serve a larger market — and more. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
The Smartphone's Next Act @ Industry Stage 1
It’s been a rough couple of years for the smartphone industry, but throughout it all, OnePlus has been a breath of fresh air. The company’s CEO of North America, Robin Liu, will discuss the challenges in the mobile space and how the brand managed to plant its flag in the U.S. market. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Zhenni Liu is a Partner at MaC Venture Capital, a seed-stage fund that invests in startups leveraging shifts in cultural trends and behavior, While the fund invests in all industries and founders, Zhenni always strives to promote diversity and investing in women, BIPOC, and Gen Z founders. Zhenni was born in China and immigrated to the Bay Area when she was five. After graduating from the University of Southern California with a double major in Business and Accounting, she returned to San Francisco to work as a private equity management consultant at Bain & Company. Zhenni started her career driving significant strategic and operational value for Fortune 500 companies in tech and retail. As an operator, she worked on Sephora’s transition into an omnichannel org focused on delivering experiential retail, and developed huge consumer empathy and insights while working evenings and weekends on the sales floor at Outdoor Voices and Athleta. Prior to MaC, Zhenni was an early-stage investor at Commerce Ventures and Peterson Ventures, where she focused on consumer and enterprise SaaS investments including unicorns Allbirds, Lucid, Ethos, and SmartAsset. Outside of work, Zhenni launched the Utah Female Founder Office Hours, and also the Salt Lake City chapter of SoGal, the largest global platform for diverse entrepreneurs and investors. She went from knowing no one in Utah to being named one of Utah’s 30 Women to Watch in 2019 for her contributions to the Utah startup ecosystem.
Zhenni's Sessions
Retail Tech Innovation: Emerging trends and technology for Retail's next decade @ Roundtable 3
With more than ten years of experience working at companies like Sephora as Chief of Staff for Omni-Retail, Outdoor Voices and more and investing in retail tech startups, Zhenni Liu can tell you a thing or two about the changing landscape of retail. She’s built strategies and solutions for the best of the best across the industry and now extends her insights to startups looking to take over the e-commerce space by storm. As a partner at MaC Venture Capital, Zhenni can offer first-hand experience and insights on emerging tech trends and innovation in retail, successfully tackling the industry and standing out in a heavily competitive and saturated market. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session) 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Rebecca Liu-Doyle is managing director at Insight Partners, a global private equity and venture capital firm. Her focus areas include high-growth software, marketplaces, and consumer internet.
Rebecca's Sessions
TechCrunch Startup Battlefield – Session 4
TechCrunch’s iconic startup competition is back, as entrepreneurs from around the world pitch expert judges and vie for the Startup Battlefield Cup and $100,000. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Allan's Sessions
Ransom-where? The U.S. Cities Fighting Back Against Hackers @ Industry Stage 2
Local governments are under siege by ransomware: more than 200 local governments, schools and hospitals were targeted by ransomware in 2022, causing the U.S. public sector hundreds of millions of dollars in downtime and damages. We’ll discuss how local governments and startups alike can fight back against the growing ransomware threat. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Sal Lo, Co-Founder and CEO of Jorie Healthcare Partners, is a seasoned entrepreneur with a strong background in healthcare. With a Series 7 broker license, Sal has consistently demonstrated his ability to grow businesses and innovate in the healthcare industry. He co-founded Voice & Data Group, a telecommunications powerhouse, and later established Signature Healthcare, the parent company of Diamond Dialysis. After founding and selling Victory Specialty Surgical Hospital, Sal now leads Jorie Healthcare Partners, specializing in revenue cycle management, robotic process automation, and practice and change management services. Sal’s passion for excellence and innovation leaves a lasting impression on healthcare executives and inspires curiosity about his future endeavors.
Sal's Sessions
The Use of Advanced AI as a Strategy to Impact the Finances of a Health System @ Breakout Room 2
Embrace the future of healthcare and discover how Jorie Healthcare Partners is revolutionizing health systems by deploying AI automation for financial optimization. Understand the strategic implementation of AI to navigate financial challenges, streamline operations and enhance revenue cycle management. Learn from real-world case studies and gain insights into the transformative potential of AI in healthcare financials. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain a competitive edge and envision a financially robust future for health systems. Reserve your seat and be at the forefront of healthcare innovation! 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Bob Lord is SVP of Worldwide Ecosystems and Blockchain at IBM. He is responsible for infusing emerging and open technologies across the business, overseeing IBM’s blockchain business and drives the company’s key ecosystems across developers, global systems integrators and independent software vendors.
Bob's Sessions
Secure-by-Design: Don’t leave product security as an afterthought @ Breakout Room 2
Startup founders often aren’t thinking about security when they design products – instead, they are laser focused on getting their products to market as fast as possible. But, security is important not only to protect your intellectual property, customer data, and operations, but it can also be required to sell to large companies and government. The National Cybersecurity Strategy, released in March 2023, calls for the commercial sector to think about security during the design phase, not as an afterthought. What does this mean in practice, and how can founders develop products that are Secure by Design? In this session, you will learn why Secure by Design is important and take away strategies to bake in security from your first lines of code and quickly achieve widely-recognized security certifications such as SOC2 and ISO 27001. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Rebecca Lynn is co-founder and general partner of Canvas Ventures.
Rebecca's Sessions
TechCrunch Startup Battlefield – Session 3
TechCrunch’s iconic startup competition is back, as entrepreneurs from around the world pitch expert judges and vie for the Startup Battlefield Cup and $100,000. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Ran Ma is the CEO and co-founder of Siren. She is a biomedical engineer from Johns Hopkins, and at Northwestern she worked at the department of plastic surgery on a project to create a biomask to regenerate the human face for burn victims and war veterans. She founded Siren, where they embed small electronics directly into fabric to make machine-washable fabric. Their first product is Siren Socks, which help people with diabetes and neuropathy avoid foot ulcers and amputations. Over 100,000 legs are lost to diabetes each year in the US and this costs the healthcare system over $80bn/year. Their latest study shows a 68% reduction in ulcers and 82% fewer amputations. Leveraging the success of this study, they have an expanded follow-up study with 350+ patients in progress, the largest study of its kind to date. Siren Socks are covered by Medicare and Siren is now working on a partnership with the VA and is launching a pilot soon with one of the largest IDNs in the country. They are also partnering with multiple large regional and national payers and are in talks with strategic partners that are looking to expand their product lines beyond traditional episodic care.
Ran's Sessions
Building a successful startup in highly regulated spaces (healthtech/medtech) @ roundtable 3
(⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session) 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Emily is a Partner at Primary, leading early-stage investments in fintech and enterprise software companies. She loves going deep into unsexy industries and partnering with determined founders who are challenging the status quo. Before Primary, Emily was at Redpoint Ventures investing across early and growth stage companies. She started her career as a hedge fund analyst at Point72 before helping build Point72 Ventures, the early-stage venture practice. Emily earned her BA from Columbia University where she graduated summa cum laude.
Emily's Sessions
Visa Everywhere Initiative: The Ultimate Fintech Pitch Competition @ Industry Stage 1
Fintechs startups inspire — Visa enables. Join the Visa Everywhere Initiative, where we welcome the next generation of fintechs. Visa has selected five visionary startups from across the globe, and they’re ready to pitch their game-changing solutions to a panel of fintech industry leaders. It’s your chance to witness the future of payments unfold and learn how you can join us in the fintech revolution. #EverywhereInitiative (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Gary Marcus is a leading voice in artificial intelligence. He is a scientist, best-selling author, and serial entrepreneur (Founder of Robust.AI and Geometric.AI, acquired by Uber). He is well-known for his challenges to contemporary AI, anticipating many of the current limitations decades in advance, and for his research in human language development and cognitive neuroscience. An Emeritus Professor of Psychology and Neural Science at NYU, he is the author of five books, including, The Algebraic Mind, Kluge, The Birth of the Mind, and the New York Times Bestseller Guitar Zero. He has often contributed to The New Yorker, Wired, and The New York Times. His most recent book, Rebooting AI, with Ernest Davis, is one of Forbes’s 7 Must Read Books in AI. (edited)
Gary's Sessions
Between Hype and a Hard Place
Balancing skepticism with a healthy respect for the havoc AI could create, Gary Marcus has been a rational voice in a hype-filled world. But with the technology entering the mainstream, we need to do more than warn — we need action, regulation, and cooperation. How do we get it? Marcus has some ideas. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Bill Marczak is a Senior Researcher at the University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab. Bill’s work focuses on documenting and attributing novel technological threats to Internet freedom, including new censorship and surveillance tools. Bill’s expertise is in Internet scanning, digital forensics, and open source research. Coverage of Bill’s work has been featured in Vanity Fair, the New York Times, the Washington Post, on CNN, and on Larry King and 60 Minutes.
Bill's Sessions
The Spyware Industry is Out of Control. Now What? @ Industry Stage 2
For more than ten years, researchers at organizations like the Citizen Lab and Amnesty International have exposed countless examples of governments all over the world using spyware made by Western companies to hack activists, journalists, and dissidents. First there was Hacking Team and FinFisher, now it’s NSO Group, and a handful more. Can this industry operate legally and ethically? If not, what can we do to counter these abuses? (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Dr. Craig Martell is the inaugural Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer (CDAO) in the US Department of Defense and reports directly to Deputy Secretary of Defense, Dr. Kathleen Hicks. He previously held the roles of Head of Machine Learning at Lyft and Head of Machine Intelligence at Dropbox. At LinkedIn, Dr. Martell led a number of machine-learning teams, as well as the development of the LinkedIn AI Academy. Dr. Martell was a computer science professor and Director of the NPS Natural Language Processing Lab at the Naval Postgraduate School. He has a PhD in computer science from the University of Pennsylvania.
Craig's Sessions
AI and Warfare @ Industry Stage 2
The lightning fast adoption of ChatGPT supercharged conversations about how AI promises to transform warfare. But will it? Is the technology ready or overhyped? Are military institutions ready? Are the right companies ready to work with the military? This panel – representing industry, the academy, and the Defense Department – will unpack these questions and more. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
World Economic Forum 2020 Delegate; Founder @LSA Global; 4X Startup Founder, Founder @Latinx_startups; Founding Partner @Resolved Ventures; Venture Partner @VamosVentures; Founder @Aggies in Tech Global
Jesse's Sessions
The State of the U.S. Latino Tech Ecosystem @ Roundtable 1
Latino business owners, 40 percent of whom are women, received less than 2% of all venture capital in 2021. What, if anything has changed? Join us for an important conversation about the current state of the U.S. Latino tech ecosystem.We’ll identify investors who are funding Latino founders, along with accelerators and companies that champion and support Latino founders. Founders can share the challenges they face today, and we’ll discusswhat we can do, collectively, to ensure more Latino founders get the funding and resources they need. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Hilary Mason is the co-founder and CEO of Hidden Door. Prior to Hidden Door she was General Manager of the Machine Learning business unit at Cloudera. She previously founded Fast Forward Labs, an applied machine learning research and consulting startup which Cloudera acquired in 2017. Additionally, she was Data Scientist in Residence at Accel Partners, co-founded HackNY, and was Chief Scientist at bitly. Hilary has received numerous awards, is a regular keynote speaker, and has advised startups, corporations, and governments.
Hilary's Sessions
Game-Changing Insights: Lessons from an AI Game Technology Startup @ Breakout Room 1
Explore transformative lessons from the AI game technology startup realm. Hilary Mason, co-founder & CEO of Hidden Door, distills universal wisdom about incorporating AI into your business including hiring, LLM research and ethics, and merging machine learning with other disciplines in your organization. This dynamic conversation promises to empower tech enthusiasts and entrepreneurs with real-world strategies to implement AI effectively in their projects. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Ashley Mayer is the co-founder and GP of Coalition Operators, an early stage venture fund that has pioneered a new model to bring top women operators onto cap tables at scale. Ashley’s first startup job was at enterprise software company Box, where she led communications for six years, from 50-person team through IPO. She then joined venture capital firm Social Capital, where she led comms and marketing, launching new capital products and helping founders tell their stories. Before starting Coalition with her three co-founders, she was VP of comms at Glossier, a NY-based beauty startup. She’s also on the board of Climate Draft, a coalition of climate tech startups and VCs, along with Mixing Board, a community of comms and marketing leaders. She lives in Brooklyn and tweets too much.
Ashley's Sessions
How to Construct an Equitable Cap Table
Venture investors are no longer all located on the same road at the same time in the same city in the same state of the same country. They are all over the world, and are increasingly — if slowly — diverse across a host of metrics. How can founders construct an investor pool that reflects their values? In this discussion we’ll dig into the brass tacks of building a truly equitable cap table. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Co-Founder at Sunshine. Board of Director at Walmart.
Marissa's Sessions
Startup Battlefield Final
TechCrunch’s iconic startup competition is back, as entrepreneurs from around the world pitch expert judges and vie for the Battlefield Cup and $100,000.TechCrunch’s iconic startup competition is back, as entrepreneurs from around the world pitch expert judges and vie for the Battlefield Cup and $100,000. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Cameron is the Co-founder CEO of Nominal, a software company that builds tools and data infrastructure for complex hardware development and testing. Prior to Nominal, Cameron was Head of Defense at Saildrone, a maritime data company and commercial provider of uncrewed surface vehicles (USVs) and an Investor at Lux Capital where he focused on the intersections of emerging technology, venture capital, and national security. Prior to Lux, Cameron was a product manager and growth lead at Anduril where he led a team of software engineers to develop cutting edge defense technology. Before Anduril, Cameron served as a Congressional Liaison for the Navy and contributed to the 2020 Future of Defense Task Force report. Cameron served in the US Navy as a fast attack submarine officer with 450+ days underwater. He holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and an SB and SM in Physics and Nuclear Engineering from MIT.
Cameron's Sessions
Opening Remarks
A Systems Engineer with expertise in remote sensing and in situ instrumentation for atmospheric and Earth sciences, specializing in small satellite technology and missions. Directed numerous complex airborne field campaigns to understand the dynamic Earth System. As Program Manager and Lead Mentor for JPL’s New Space Accelerator and Venture Capital Program, I work with start-up companies to commercialize Space Economy and Earth observing technologies. I have also been a Partner in the Techstars Space Accelerator for the past six years.
Ian's Sessions
The Space Domain Awareness Challenge Pitch-off and Winner Announcement @ Industry Stage 2
Five finalists will get the rare opportunity to pitch in front of our judges on the Space Stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2023 and exhibit their AI/ML startup at Disrupt 2023 this September. One Winner will get the opportunity for a customer roadshow and expert-led concept feedback.(⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
With over 30 years of industry experience, Jim McCullen is Chief Information Officer at Century Supply Chain Solutions, a tech-focused global logistics service provider trusted by Fortune 100 companies, North American retailers, wholesalers, distributors, and manufacturers for its comprehensive supply chain visibility technology combined with expert partnership. With rich experience in Origin Cargo Management and PO Management supply chain technology development, Jim and his team curated the groundbreaking supply chain optimization and real-time transportation visibility platform, VIZIV, which launched this year at TPM23. Combining the latest technology capabilities including predictive AI and decades of industry experience, VIZIV powers Century’s customers’ supply chains to ensure they are a step ahead of the competition. Jim is a Certified Information Security Manager and is a committee member of the Freight Logistics Optimization Works (FLOW) initiative.
Jim's Sessions
Winning with Generative AI: Real-world Case Studies beyond RPA for Business Automation @ Industry Stage 1
Artificial Intelligence is reshaping the way we think about how we leverage Automation and RPA to influence customer and employee experiences. Discover winning AI strategies that tackle complex operational challenges and drive competitive advantage. The future belongs to those who harness AI’s transformative potential. This session provides the roadmap you need to be an industry trailblazer. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Shrav Mehta is the founder and CEO of Secureframe, which empowers thousands of businesses to build trust with customers by automating security and compliance. Secureframe has raised over $80m and is backed by investors including Kleiner Perkins, Accomplice Ventures, and Gradient Ventures.
Shrav's Sessions
Secure-by-Design: Don’t leave product security as an afterthought @ Breakout Room 2
Startup founders often aren’t thinking about security when they design products – instead, they are laser focused on getting their products to market as fast as possible. But, security is important not only to protect your intellectual property, customer data, and operations, but it can also be required to sell to large companies and government. The National Cybersecurity Strategy, released in March 2023, calls for the commercial sector to think about security during the design phase, not as an afterthought. What does this mean in practice, and how can founders develop products that are Secure by Design? In this session, you will learn why Secure by Design is important and take away strategies to bake in security from your first lines of code and quickly achieve widely-recognized security certifications such as SOC2 and ISO 27001. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Lindsey S. Mignano represents emerging technology companies and industry-adjacent firms and SMEs as their outside general counsel. Her team’s practice includes SAFE note or priced round raises for early-stage (seed through Series B) startups, including bridge/extension rounds; buy-side or sell-side acquisitions, including asset sales plus acquihires or entity acquisitions, including due diligence and any novations of existing customer contracts; flips from abroad entity structures to a DE C Corp structure for the purposes of procuring American venture capital and the related priced round; corporate restructuring in order to achieve tax optimization for raises, sales, or co-founder exits/business divorces; corporate due diligence and cleanup in preparation for a raise or sale, including due diligence and cleanup related to stock grants, IP assignments, commercial contracts, etc.; IP spinouts, particularly transferring IP out of consulting businesses into a C Corp structure for QSBS or venture capital fundraising purposes; and outside general counsel services. Most of her clients are venture-capital funded at the seed ($1M to 5M+ range), Series A ($10M+ range), and Series B ($20M+ range). In terms of verticals, her most popular vertical includes enterprise SaaS/PaaS companies, many of which are AI technology companies. Her other clients include venture capital firms deploying capital to startups and other adjacent businesses that sell to or otherwise do business with technology companies.
Lindsey's Sessions
The State of VC Financing: What Startups Need to Know & Negotiate @ Roundtable 2
In 2022, Crunchbase reported that global venture funding totaled $445 billion, a 35% year-over-year decline from the $681 billion startups raised in 2021. This represented an even steeper pullback than was experienced after the 2008 financial crisis or dot-com bubble, per Preqin data reported by Bloomberg. Yet, early stage startups at the Angel/Pre-Seed, Seed, Series Seed and Series A levels have remained relatively insulated from market volatility to date. How does that affect early stage startups’ negotiating power? What terms should a startup founder look out for in negotiating their raise? 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
The State of VC Financing: What Startups Need to Know & Negotiate @ Roundtable 1
In 2022, Crunchbase reported that global venture funding totaled $445 billion, a 35% year-over-year decline from the $681 billion startups raised in 2021. This represented an even steeper pullback than was experienced after the 2008 financial crisis or dot-com bubble, per Preqin data reported by Bloomberg. Yet, early stage startups at the Angel/Pre-Seed, Seed, Series Seed and Series A levels have remained relatively insulated from market volatility to date. How does that affect early stage startups’ negotiating power? What terms should a startup founder look out for in negotiating their raise? 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Nik Milanovic has spent 13 years in fintech. He is the Founder of This Week in Fintech and General Partner of The Fintech Fund.
Nik's Sessions
How to raise your first round as a fintech founder @Breakout Room 1
Fireside talk-style conversation between two early-stage fintech VCs, detailing the major changes over the last year in the early-stage fintech market, the different business / revenue types, how to craft a pitch, and what VCs look for. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Helen Min is the Managing Partner of Phenomenal Ventures, a venture capital firm she co-founded with Meena Harris in 2022. The firm invests in top early-stage technology companies building the future of enterprise software, fintech, and commerce. Before Phenomenal Ventures, Helen spent 14 years leading marketing teams at AngelList, Plaid, Quora, Dropbox, and Facebook. She is an angel investor and advisor to over 35 startups. Helen started her career in the advertising industry in San Francisco, managing automotive and technology clients for Venables Bell & Partners and Young & Rubicam. Helen holds an MBA from UC Berkeley and an MS and BS in Communications from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She has been an adjunct professor at Northwestern Medill School of Journalism for the past five years. Helen lives in San Francisco with her family.
Helen's Sessions
How Founders Should Approach the TAM Question When Venture Capital Is Scarce
Writing a good market slide is an art. You don’t want to oversell your total addressable market (TAM) and look silly, or post a number that’s too small to be exciting. Nailing TAM for both external pitching and internal planning is no small feat. Let’s dig into the matter with today’s more picky venture market in mind. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Small Group Session: How Founders Should Approach the TAM Question When Venture Capital Is Scrce:
Join us for this small group Q&A session to continue the conversation with other TC+ members (✴️ Open to TC+ Annual/2-Year Subscribers Only) (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Nicholai Mitchko Manager, Solution Partner Sales Engineer, InterSystems Nicholai Mitchko is the manager of OEM sales engineering at InterSystems supporting pre and post commercial data initiatives and software solutions. Nicholai’s background is in machine learning and marketing.
Nicholai's Sessions
Breaking Into the Healthcare Monolith: Strategies for working with Payors and Providers @ Roundtable 1
How do you build a health-tech startup that can achieve high growth? What can startups do to make their technologies more compelling to healthcare’s biggest players: payors and providers? In this session, we’ll discuss the pain points of entering healthcare, as well as strategies to open doors for pilots and sustainable revenue. You’ll leave this roundtable discussion with a list of InterSystems’ best practices — gleaned from more than 40 years in the healthcare industry. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Breaking Into the Healthcare Monolith: Strategies for working with Payors and Providers @ Roundtable 1
How do you build a health-tech startup that can achieve high growth? What can startups do to make their technologies more compelling to healthcare’s biggest players: payors and providers? In this session, we’ll discuss the pain points of entering healthcare, as well as strategies to open doors for pilots and sustainable revenue. You’ll leave this roundtable discussion with a list of InterSystems’ best practices — gleaned from more than 40 years in the healthcare industry. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Jon Moeller is chief operations officer at BlocPower. Previously, Jon was CEO and board member at MACH Energy, a sustainability SaaS provider that served more than half a billion square feet in commercial buildings. Jon has spent a decade in investment banking and corporate finance at Banc of America Securities, Cowen and StorageTek, completing more than $20B in transactions. He is currently on the development committee for an affordable housing project in San Francisco. Jon is also a member of ULI’s National Sustainable Development Council. Jon has an MBA from NYU and a BSc from University of Northern Colorado.
Jon's Sessions
Decentralized, Decarbonized, and Fully Electrified – Tomorrow's Grid @ Industry Stage 2
Electrify everything: it’s one of the leading solutions to the climate problem. But doing that isn’t as easy as simply swapping smoke stacks for solar and wind power. It’ll require an entirely new electrical grid that’s ready for new ways of generating and using power. Join us to hear how innovative startups are working to remake the grid from the bottom up. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Alex is the Managing Director of the brand strategy and design studio, Koto New York. Alex has over fifteen years of experience in brand and advertising in both London and New York. He has led rebranding efforts for some of the biggest and most complex companies in the world, including American Express, Delta Air Lines, Grubhub / Seamless and Wells Fargo. Alex partners closely with all of Koto New York’s clients to ensure that they get the very best of the studio at every turn.
Alex's Sessions
Why Brand is Your Most Valuable Asset Class @Breakout Room 1
In an age where technology allows for rapid duplication of product features, brand stands as a company’s prime defendable asset. While lasting differentiation seems unthinkable when rivals rapidly mimic functionality, a distinctive brand remains impossible to replicate. Sharing examples from the last decade’s most disruptive and category-defining brands, hear from brand and digital agency Koto on why brand is the most under-leveraged asset class in tech and learn how to utilize it for building a competitive differentiation and a lasting business advantage. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Rachel Morford is a principal director at The Aerospace Corporation, where she has made significant contributions to both the aerospace industry and critical national security space programs over the last 15 years in a variety of roles from launch systems to international partnerships to satellite production programs. Currently, she manages a team responsible for looking across the space enterprise to ensure that warfighter needs are met, exploring how existing purpose built and commercial systems can contribute to closure of kill chains and identifying critical technology needs. She previously led the Aerospace team supporting the integration of multiple space and ground programs supporting missile warning systems. In prior roles, Morford led the Aerospace team supporting the production, launch, and on-orbit testing communication satellites; provided technical leadership and supported strategic development of international agreements between the U.S. Air Force and other nations; and spent several years as a systems engineer working on national security launches. Morford has led the Aerospace Women’s Committee, served on the Aerospace Diversity Action Committee, and has been recognized with the Aerospace Commitment to Our People Diversity and Inclusion award. Morford is a past President and senior life member of the Society of Women Engineers. She is a senior life member of AIAA, serving on the AIAA Space Systems Technical Committee. She is a member on the USC Viterbi Emerging Leaders Board and on the USC Alumni Association Board of Governors. In 2021, she was recognized with the USC Alumni Association Young Alumni Merit Award.
Rachel's Sessions
So, You Want to Work in Space? @Breakout Room 2
We have an opportunity to shape humankind’s presence in space in ways that stand to forever benefit the quality of life and security of every human on Earth. To fully realize that exciting future, we must have a bold, vibrant workforce – one that leverages diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences to drive innovation and tackle the hard problems the space industry faces. Join us for a conversation with some of the companies building the next generation’s space industry workforce. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Saam is a General Partner at Greylock Partners where he partners with entrepreneurs at the seed and early stages who are focused on building companies in AI, cybersecurity, and SaaS. Since joining Greylock in 2016, Saam has built a promising portfolio spanning enterprise software, serving on the boards of security companies such as Abnormal Security, Apiiro Security and Opal Security, AI companies like Adept AI, Cresta, Predibase, Snorkel, and others still in stealth. Prior to joining Greylock, Saam founded Guru Labs, a machine learning driven startup, and previously worked in product management at RelateIQ, one of the first applied AI software companies. He holds a B.S. in Computer Science from Stanford University where he was a Mayfield Fellow.
Saam's Sessions
Big Fish, Little Pond: Can Investors Make 10-Figure AI Valuations Pay Off in Markets No One Is Sure Exist? @ Industry Stage 1
Everyone seems to have agreed that AI will revolutionize tech, but so far the kind of revenue and deals that would justify billion-dollar valuations are scarce. How do venture capitalists and institutional investors envision the next few years playing out — and paying out? (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Vaikkunth is the CEO and Co-Founder of DynamoFL. He spearheads the AI/ML research team at DynamoFL and is an expert in privacy-preserving machine learning. Vaikkunth received his SM and Ph.D. in Computer Science from MIT.
Vaikkunth's Sessions
Navigating the AI Frontier in 2023: Lessons, Pivots and Triumphs from Two Early-stage Founders
In the dynamic world of AI entrepreneurship, cautionary tales and strategic advice go hand-in-hand. Join two pioneering early-stage founders and a seasoned investor as they discuss and explore what it takes to build in today’s frenzied AI environment. In this session, panelists will discuss how to discern signals from noise, how to find elusive product-market fit, and how to manage investor and team expectations along the way. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
GV General Partner Dave Munichiello leads the firm’s digital investing team, spanning its consumer, enterprise, and frontier practice areas. He prioritizes time spent building long-term relationships with technologists who peak in curiosity, drive, and vision. Dave is himself deeply curious about data platforms, data science, developer tools, infrastructure, and enterprise software. His investments include Bugsnag (sold to SmartBear), Cockroach, CoreOS (sold to RedHat), DeterminedAI (sold to HPE), GitLab (IPO Nasdaq: GTLB), Jet.com (sold to Walmart), Lattice.io (sold to Apple), Modular, Pixie (sold to NewRelic), Plaid, RedPanda, SambaNova, Segment (sold to Twilio), Slack (IPO, then sold to Salesforce), Snorkel, Upbound, and Wonder. Before GV, Dave built and led enterprise software product, sales, and operations teams for highly-technical products under pressure in rapidly-changing markets. As an early executive at Kiva Systems, he helped grow its enterprise-enabling robotics and software platform from pre-PMF to $120 million in annual revenue before it was purchased by Amazon and became Amazon Robotics. Dave is a combat veteran and former paratrooper who served as a Captain in the U.S. military’s most elite units before his startup career. Dave’s military leadership roles ranged from running an Air Force technology organization; to serving as an Aide de Camp to the Four Star General running U.S. and NATO Air Forces; to deploying with elite special operations teams worldwide, ensuring they were enabled by the world’s most advanced technologies. Dave holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a B.S. from Emory University in mathematics and computer science.
Dave's Sessions
Pervasive AI: Where We’re Going and How You Compete
We’re entering an era of pervasive AI; it’s transforming every aspect of how we do business, for every employee, in every department, and across every industry. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)But AI is complex – the right path isn’t obvious. Where do you start? Buy or build? Large models or small? And what about the chip shortage? In this high-stakes battle for a competitive edge, the right AI strategy could decide the winners.
Tara Murphy Dougherty is the CEO of Govini. Prior to this, she served as Govini’s President, where she led strategy and growth and oversaw Govini’s work with all federal clients. She has held leadership positions in technology across industry, government, and nonprofit sectors, including at Palantir Technologies, and she served as chief of staff for Global Strategic Affairs in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, among other senior roles. She holds a bachelor’s from Georgia Tech and a master’s from Georgetown University. She serves on the Board of Directors for the National Defense University Foundation, the Board of Advisors for the Center for Government Contracting at George Mason University, and the Board of Directors of AFCEA DC.
Tara's Sessions
AI and Warfare @ Industry Stage 2
The lightning fast adoption of ChatGPT supercharged conversations about how AI promises to transform warfare. But will it? Is the technology ready or overhyped? Are military institutions ready? Are the right companies ready to work with the military? This panel – representing industry, the academy, and the Defense Department – will unpack these questions and more. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Ms. Aine Nakai is the Deputy Director of Atlas Corps, Space Systems Command, providing critical mission support functions across all mission areas including Command resourcing and talent management, contracting, financial management, innovation, and logistics. Prior to this role, Ms. Nakai was the Director of Guardian Generation overseeing recruiting, hiring, outreach, and interservice transfers for the United States Space Force. Previously, she was the Director of Talent Management for Space Systems Command, formerly the Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California. She established the Talent Management Organization to oversee the career development, training, recruitment, hiring, retention, and engagement for SMC and geographically separated units in Peterson AFB and Kirtland AFB. In her role, she was responsible for monitoring the career of nearly 5,000 military and civilian personnel in the Contracting, Finance, Program Management, Engineering, Cyber, Security, Human Resources, and Logistic career fields. Ms. Nakai entered the Air Force as a commissioned officer when she graduated from Officer Training School in 2000. She earned her contracting warrant and was stationed at Langley AFB, Air Combat Command prior to being stationed at Yokota AB, Japan where she served as a Flight Commander for the 374th Contracting Squadron. Her final assignment as an Active Duty officer was at LA AFB where she managed the EELV Launch Capability contract, procured the $3 billion Spacelift Range modernization, and deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan. Ms. Nakai worked as an Acquisition Manager in the Space Superiority Systems Directorate at LA AFB where she served as a business advisor on various classified programs with a portfolio of over $30 million. Prior to moving to Enterprise Talent Management, she served as the Contracting Directorate Division Chief for Resource Management & Force Development. In that role, she was responsible for recruiting, retention, personnel & career development of more than 250 contracting professionals.
Aine's Sessions
So, You Want to Work in Space? @Breakout Room 2
We have an opportunity to shape humankind’s presence in space in ways that stand to forever benefit the quality of life and security of every human on Earth. To fully realize that exciting future, we must have a bold, vibrant workforce – one that leverages diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences to drive innovation and tackle the hard problems the space industry faces. Join us for a conversation with some of the companies building the next generation’s space industry workforce. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Ritu Narayan is the founder and CEO of Zum, a technology company modernizing student transportation. An accomplished entrepreneur with 20+ years of experience as a tech industry leader, Narayan has been named one of Inc.’s Top 100 Female Entrepreneurs, recognized as one of Entrepreneur’s 100 Women of Influence, and received the 2023 Power of Women Award from Global Silicon Valley and Arizona State University. Prior to Zum, Narayan led teams at Oracle, Yahoo, IBM and eBay. A Sloan Fellow and graduate of the Stanford University Graduate School of Business, Narayan earned her undergraduate degree in computer science at the Delhi Institute of Technology. She lives in San Carlos, California, with her husband and two children.
Ritu's Sessions
How to Found Your First Startup
People around the world are building exciting companies targeting big markets. Given the quick pace of technology innovation and the potential for startups to build something truly special, many people want to know how to become a founder. To help answer that question, TechCrunch has assembled a brilliant panel of founders who will provide actionable advice and insight for individuals looking to build something while navigating the ever-evolving startup ecosystem. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Small Group Session: How to Found your First Startup
Join us for this small group Q&A session to continue the conversation with other TC+ members. (✴️ Open to TC+ Annual/2-Year Subscribers Only) (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Nat (Rajesh) Natarajan is G-P’s chief product and strategy officer. An accomplished business leader with a proven track record of developing highly innovative products and spearheading growth and transformational change, Nat brings more than 25 years of experience disrupting sectors including SaaS, collaboration, consumer tech and fintech. At G-P, Nat is responsible for leading the company’s strategy and product vision, with a focus on delivering innovative SaaS solutions on our industry-leading platform and innovating and leading G-P’s global team of world-class technologists. Nat has extensive experience delivering growth at scale and leading multi-billion-dollar portfolios. Prior to joining G-P, he served as executive vice president and general manager of product and technology at RingCentral where he led product strategy and a global team of more than 3,500 people. Nat also held senior leadership roles at innovative technology companies including Travelocity.com, TurboTax, Ancestry, Intuit and PayPal.
Nat (Rajesh)'s Sessions
The HR Tech Hype: Disrupting the Disruption
Radical change to business as usual has spurred disruptive innovation in HR tech that has accelerated the future of work. In this session, G-P Founder and CEO Nicole Sahin, and Chief Product and Strategy Officer Nat Natarajan will discuss G-P’s journey from creating the employer of record (EOR) industry to quadricorn to now reinventing the industry with a new HR Tech sector: global growth technology. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Jaclyn Rice Nelson is the CEO & Co-founder of Tribe AI, a network of the world’s top technologists that builds advanced AI solutions for companies of all sizes. In addition to Tribe, she co-founded Coalition Operators, an early-stage venture fund and top women’s operator network. Prior to starting Tribe and Coalition, Jaclyn spent the majority of her career at Google partnering with enterprise companies and incubating new businesses. She was an early employee at CapitalG, Alphabet’s growth equity arm, where she built a 50K-person expert network to advise growth-stage tech companies like Airbnb and Stripe.
Deon Nicholas is the CEO and Co-Founder of Forethought, the Generative AI for Customer Support company. Forethought has raised $90M+ in venture capital, was recognized as one of G2’s Best Software Products for 2023, was named to CNBC’s 25 Top Startups for the Enterprise in 2022, and won TechCrunch Disrupt in 2018. Before starting Forethought, Deon built products and infrastructure at Facebook, Palantir, Dropbox, and Pure Storage.
Deon's Sessions
Startup Battlefield Alumni Update
Battlefield startups from the past return to the stage to tell us what they’ve been up to since they competed for the Disrupt Cup. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Dr. Marily Nika is a Silicon Valley–based AI product leader, educator, and author. She spent more than 12 years building AI products at Google and Meta and holds a PhD in machine learning. She is a TED AI speaker, Executive Fellow at Harvard Business School, and founder of AI Product Academy that certifies individuals and teams in AI Product Management with her AI Builder Fellowship. She writes about AI at marily.substack.com.
Marily's Sessions
AI Product Bootcamp: Bring AI Products to Life @ Breakout Room 2
Join Marily Nika for a mini, hands-on AI Product Bootcamp. Get a practical understanding of AI’s role in product development and innovation. This session will offer a sneak peek into Marily’s 12-week program, aiming to equip participants with the core skills to create and manage AI products effectively. Ideal for startup founders and VCs, this workshop is a straightforward guide to navigating the AI landscape and ensuring your products stand out with AI-enhanced features. Don’t miss out on this chance to upskill and build impactful 0 to 1 AI products with zero coding skills needed. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Turner is the founder of Banana Capital.
Turner's Sessions
How to Build a New Venture Firm in Public
Venture funds aren’t new, and neither are solo GPs. What is a fresh innovation in venture land, however, is building a new fund or firm in public. Some newer investors are as well-known for their online presence as for their investments. And that’s no diss: Raising capital is tough, and building a brand is no sin. Still, we want to know both the pros and cons of building something as complicated as a venture fund without a filter. Founders, there will be learnings for you as well, even if you are a few exits away from hanging up your spurs and taking the other side of the deal-making table. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Nwachinemere Emeka is a passionate entrepreneur committed to transforming Africa’s food system. He is a graduate of Mechanical Engineering from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and has received specialized training in Business and Entrepreneurship from the Enterprise Development Center, Pan African University, Lagos, as well as Financial Innovation for Economic Development at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He is the founder of Kitovu Technology Company, a start-up that focuses on building climate-smart farming and post-harvest infrastructure for African agriculture. In addition to his entrepreneurial endeavors, the proud husband to Miracle, and dedicated father to Salvation, Blossom, and Wealth, is also a writer and public speaker with an interest in governance and advocacy and has a dream of eradicating extreme poverty and hunger in Africa and the world.
Emeka's Sessions
Impactpreneurship and Coopetition; how to run your business without ruining you @ Roundtable 2
The “”go big or go home approach”” to entrepreneurship works when it does, and is a total disaster when it doesn’t. But what doesn’t get talked about more is the enormous human toll and the hit that founders’ mental health takes. But I believe that there is another way, an approach that takes all stakeholders into consideration, including the founders. And the other way is “”impactpreneurship”” and “”coopetition””. Impactpreneurship is an approach that utilizes a stakeholders decision tree model to ask and answer the question; who would this affect and how, with the objective to maximize positive impact for everyone including the founder, while minimizing negative impacts. It doesn’t just focus on how to impact users and the environment; the impact has to be 360 degrees and inclusive. “”Coopetition”” is embracing collaboration even while competing as a way to cut off toxic competition. In practice, how can we apply this to our businesses, and how could it transform the way we work and the quality of life of founders and reduce the mental stress to founders? What are the steps we can take so that we can embrace “”impactpreneurship”” and coopetition in the way we do business? These and more are the answers we would go away with at the end of this interactive soul-searching. See you there! 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Impactpreneurship and Coopetition; how to run your business without ruining you @ Roundtable 1
The “”go big or go home approach”” to entrepreneurship works when it does, and is a total disaster when it doesn’t. But what doesn’t get talked about more is the enormous human toll and the hit that founders’ mental health takes. But I believe that there is another way, an approach that takes all stakeholders into consideration, including the founders. And the other way is “”impactpreneurship”” and “”coopetition””. Impactpreneurship is an approach that utilizes a stakeholders decision tree model to ask and answer the question; who would this affect and how, with the objective to maximize positive impact for everyone including the founder, while minimizing negative impacts. It doesn’t just focus on how to impact users and the environment; the impact has to be 360 degrees and inclusive. “”Coopetition”” is embracing collaboration even while competing as a way to cut off toxic competition. In practice, how can we apply this to our businesses, and how could it transform the way we work and the quality of life of founders and reduce the mental stress to founders? What are the steps we can take so that we can embrace “”impactpreneurship”” and coopetition in the way we do business? These and more are the answers we would go away with at the end of this interactive soul-searching. See you there! 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
NBA superstar, philanthropist, and renowned successful business entrepreneur Shaquille O’Neal — known around the world as Shaq — is a true cultural icon who brings his inspiring story and unbeatable lessons in leadership and business to life at every smash-hit event. After spending nearly two decades racking up accolades in the NBA (15x NBA All-Star, 4x NBA Champion, and a 3x NBA Finals MVP), Shaq is heralded for his tremendous business savvy — he got his MBA back in 2005 — and his insights and advice on business success and diversification have been featured in Forbes, Inc., Entrepreneur, Money, and more. O’Neal has become a bona fide mogul, investing in companies like Google, Apple, and Ring, and becoming the second-largest individual shareholder of Authentic Brands Group, as well as franchising storefronts like Big Chicken, Papa Johns, and Krispy Kreme, among a myriad of notable entrepreneurial ventures.
Shaquille's Sessions
Shaq-nology: Slam-Dunking Education's Future with AI & Edsoma
Hear from basketball icon Shaquille O’Neal and Edsoma’s CEO, Kyle Wallgren. Discover the intriguing world of AI investments as Shaq shares his winning approach and what drives his passion for innovation. In this session, Shaq and CEO Kyle Wallgren will discuss their recent collaboration, with Shaq as an investor in Edsoma, a startup leveraging AI to revolutionize reading and education. Get insights into the limitless possibilities of AI-driven technology and learn from the man who continues to redefine success both on and off the court. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Jillian Ochs is a native Californian and has been working in FDI space for over 15 years. She was awarded DCI’s 40 under 40 in International Economic Development in in 2017 and completed the International Economic Development Certification Courses. Jillian leads the San Francisco office for Advise Global currently leading the Abu Dhabi Investment Office US team. She has extensive experience representing European and Middle Eastern countries as well as several American States in addition to supporting private companies expand abroad. Jillian holds a Masters degree in Global Business Management from University of Antwerp Management School (UAMS) and Bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
Jillian's Sessions
Strategic Partnerships: Unlocking Growth Opportunities for Startups
This discussion will focus on how strategic partnerships can boost startup growth opportunities. The panellists will outline how to choose the best partners to create beneficial relationships for all parties involved while encouraging the development of innovative solutions and services that can improve society as a whole, especially in the early childhood development (ECD) sector. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
VC Investor at Blitzscaling Ventures leading early-stage AI investments. Founder of the Llama Lounge AI startup event series.
Jeremiah's Sessions
Rapidly Grow your AI Startup @ Roundtable 1
Join Llama Lounge for this must-attend roundtable designed for AI startups ready to accelerate their growth. With more than 6,000 AI projects in existence (and counting), startups must be prepared to stand out and expand. We’ll explore powerful scaling strategies, including leveraging network effects, creating viral impacts, optimizing data strategy and executing effective marketing. Learn how to navigate the rapid growth trajectory unique to AI startups. Get ready to scale and capture the lion’s share of your market. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
MK Palmore currently serves as Director, Office of the CISO, for Google Cloud. His responsibilities include support of strategic customers engaged in a digital transformation journey. Prior to joining Google Cloud, MK served as the Field Chief Security Officer (Americas) for Palo Alto Networks. MK spent an extensive career in the U.S. Federal Government prior to entering the private sector. In a 22-year career in the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), MK provided leadership and conducted investigations in a number of areas including Cybersecurity, Crisis Response/Management, Risk Management Advisory, and Counter-Terrorism. MK’s cybersecurity certifications include the CISM, CISSP, GCCC and the Carnegie Mellon University CISO Certification. He earned a B.S. from the United States Naval Academy and an MBA from Pepperdine University. MK began his professional career as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Marine Corps.
MK's Sessions
Ransom-where? The U.S. Cities Fighting Back Against Hackers @ Industry Stage 2
Local governments are under siege by ransomware: more than 200 local governments, schools and hospitals were targeted by ransomware in 2022, causing the U.S. public sector hundreds of millions of dollars in downtime and damages. We’ll discuss how local governments and startups alike can fight back against the growing ransomware threat. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Kaustubh Pandya, P.E. is a Partner at Brick & Mortar Ventures, a global early stage investor in solutions for the built world. Prior to Brick & Mortar Ventures, Kaustubh was with McKinsey & Company advising engineering & construction firms, investors, construction technology providers, and owners. He also contributed to and co-authored research in construction technology at McKinsey. Before joining McKinsey & Co, he worked as a forensic structural engineer assessing catastrophic failures and improving building resilience. Kaustubh holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from U.C. Berkeley, a M.S. in Design Construction Integration from Stanford, and an MBA from MIT Sloan School of Management.
Kaustubh's Sessions
The Built World: How to Navigate the Sector with the Biggest Potential Impact on Sustainability @ Roundtable 4
The built environment generates about 40% of annual global CO2 emissions (link: https://architecture2030.org/why-the-built-environment/). This has led to many sustainability focused founders and investors flocking to the built world – which we are thrilled to see! Unfortunately, the sector is nuanced with many stakeholders with competing interests, intricate regulations, and high fragmentation. This roundtable will discuss insights and lessons learned from investing in the sector over the past decade at Brick & Mortar Ventures. Topics will range from iterating on product-market fit in a project-based industry, GTM (we internally joke there is B2B, B2C, and B2Construction), unique business models, etc. to help accelerate our journey to impact.
Andy Parsons is the Senior Director of the Content Authenticity Initiative (CAI) at Adobe, which is creating the open technologies for a future of verifiably authentic content of all kinds. With collaborators across hardware, software, publishing and social platforms the CAI is empowering creators with secure provenance. For information consumers, this important work restores trust and transparency to the media they experience. Throughout his career, Andy has worked to empower creative professionals with innovative technologies. Prior to joining Adobe, Andy founded Workframe (acquired in 2019), the pioneering visual project management platform for commercial architecture. Andy previously served as CTO at McKinsey Academy, McKinsey’s groundbreaking educational platform and he co-founded Happify, the world’s leading mobile platform for digital therapeutics and behavioral health.
Andy's Sessions
How AI Can Both Accelerate and Slow Down the Disinformation Economy @ Industry Stage 1
The threat of AI-generated disinformation, or just plain spam, is on everyone’s minds. We know language models can dish it out, but can they also hold it back? This panel will explore the risks and potential solutions as an election year looms. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Nikki Pechet is the Co-Founder and CEO of Homebound, a Series C stage technology-enabled home builder backed by Khosla, Atomic, Thrive, Google Ventures and more, with over $150M in venture capital and hundreds of millions in debt raised to date. She started her career in real estate in New York City, spent almost a decade at Bain & Company, and was an early executive at Thumbtack before founding Homebound. Nikki also serves on the Board of Directors for Thrivent Financial, a Fortune 500 financial services company, and is an investor in a range of early-stage technology companies. She makes her home in the Bay Area with her husband and three small kids.
Nikki's Sessions
How to Build a Capital-intensive Startup in a Tough Venture Market
Every VC wants you to think that they’re bravely funding expensive hardware that will revolutionize the future. You know, space launches that use twigs, and satellites that can also zap aliens. That sort of thing. And then you read about new NFT fundraising. The good news is that even in a more conservative venture environment, it’s possible for founders to tackle big, hard and capital-intensive projects. Let’s talk about how it’s done. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Small Group Discussion: How to Build a Capital-Intensive Startup in a Tough Venture Market:
Join us for this small group Q&A session to continue the conversation with other TC+ members. (✴️ Open to TC+ Annual/2-Year Subscribers Only) (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Alessandra Pecoraro is a Brazilian-born digital marketing strategist with an MBA in Market Intelligence. With over 10 years of experience developing and managing social media strategies for B2C and B2B companies. Currently, she’s heading up the Paid Social media execution team for Vericast, managing over $25M YoY in media buyy for social platforms.
Alessandra's Sessions
Hate, Spam, Bots and Other Four-letter Words: Tech-driven Social Media Moderation Drives Brand-reputation Management @ Roundtable 2
Why are brands leaving social media? It’s the best way to manage brand reputation and experience in the toxic social media landscape. Or, is it? We don’t think fleeing is the answer — not with $250M in global social media spend in 2023. Join Respondology Co-founder and CEO, Erik Swain and Alessandra Pecoraro of Vericast, as they discuss the power of tech-driven social media moderation. Learn how brands like Coca-Cola, GoPro, and sports teams, including the Stanley Cup-winning Vegas Golden Knights, mitigate risk and protect their brands with solutions, like Respondology, to remove brand-damaging comments, spam and bots.🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Hate, Spam, Bots and Other Four-letter Words: Tech-driven Social Media Moderation Drives Brand-reputation Management @ Roundtable 1
Why are brands leaving social media? It’s the best way to manage brand reputation and experience in the toxic social media landscape. Or, is it? We don’t think fleeing is the answer — not with $250M in global social media spend in 2023. Join Respondology Co-founder and CEO, Erik Swain and Alessandra Pecoraro of Vericast, as they discuss the power of tech-driven social media moderation. Learn how brands like Coca-Cola, GoPro, and sports teams, including the Stanley Cup-winning Vegas Golden Knights, mitigate risk and protect their brands with solutions, like Respondology, to remove brand-damaging comments, spam and bots.🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Tanya Pemberton is senior vice president of the National Systems Group at The Aerospace Corporation. Pemberton is responsible for the company’s support to the national security space and intelligence community in the acquisition, launch, and orbital operation of advanced technology space systems and their supporting ground systems. She assumed this position in September 2019. Prior to joining Aerospace, Pemberton was the chief information officer and director of Information Technology (IT) Services for the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA). There, she led and directed NGA’s mission and enterprise IT development and operations, transforming NGA’s technical infrastructure into a modern, cloud-based, data-centric architecture to better serve the geospatial intelligence needs of the nation. As CIO, she also oversaw strategy, policy, implementation, and governance of NGA’s IT investments. Pemberton has more than 30 years of experience in both industry and the federal government, delivering large-scale technical systems and working problems across multiple business sectors to include space systems, mission ground systems, information technology, and analytic organizations. Over the past decade, Pemberton served in a number of senior executive assignments to include chief of staff, associate deputy director for Science and Technology, and director of the intelligence community’s Open Source Center. Earlier in her government career, she served at the National Reconnaissance Office leading and managing the acquisition and development for a variety of technical initiatives and programs in the Geospatial and Signals Intelligence Directorates. Most notably, she served as program director for a next-generation, multibillion-dollar imaging satellite system, managing acquisition, development, and delivery.
Tanya's Sessions
The Hardest Problems in Space @Breakout Room 2
Space is big, and working in space is difficult. From the daunting task of achieving interstellar travel, to the pressing concerns about space debris and its potential threat to spacecraft and satellites in orbit, we will delve into the complexities and uncertainties that define the vast expanse beyond our planet. Together let’s explore the immense challenges that await humanity as we venture into the cosmos, contemplate the critical issues that we face today, and discuss the cutting-edge research and visionary ideas that pave the way for solving the hardest problems in space. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Zach Perret is CEO and co-founder of Plaid, the technology platform powering the future of money. After realizing how difficult it was to build a personal finance application, Zach and his co-founder William Hockey started Plaid in 2013 to give developers easy and secure access to a financial data network capable of powering any digital financial service. Today, 1 in 3 people with a US bank account have used Plaid to connect to a financial application. Prior to founding Plaid, Zach was a consultant for Bain and graduated with degrees in Physics and Chemistry from Duke University.
Zach's Sessions
Plaid’s Zach Perret Opens up on Open Banking @ Industry Stage 1
Plaid has had a thousand lives. After a $5 billion acquisition deal with Visa that fell through due to regulatory concerns, the company didn’t hit the pause button. Instead, it has been relentlessly rolling out features and raising money to make the dream of open banking a reality. What if you could connect to your bank account from anywhere? What if sending money was as easy as sending a text message? (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Dr. John F. Plumb was confirmed in March 2022 as the first Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy. In this role he is responsible for the overall supervision of policy for the Department of Defense for space warfighting. His policy portfolio encompasses the Department’s strategic capabilities for integrated deterrence: space, nuclear weapons, cyber, missile defense, electromagnetic warfare, and countering weapons of mass destruction. He also serves as the Principal Cyber Advisor to the Secretary of Defense. Dr. Plumb has served in various national security roles both in and out of uniform for nearly three decades. As an active duty US Navy submarine officer, he served on a fast attack Los Angeles-class submarine and as an instructor at the Navy’s nuclear power school. He then transitioned to the Navy reserves, commanding eight different reserve units over 20 years. As a civilian he held previous roles in the Senate, the Pentagon, and on the National Security Council staff at the White House. Prior to his confirmation he spent several years working for Federally Funded Research and Development Centers, first as a Senior Engineer at the Rand Corporation, and then as Principal Director, Chief of Government Relations for the Aerospace Corporation.
John's Sessions
Commercial Spacepower and the Next Space Age @ Industry Stage 2
In the United States, private industry plays perhaps the most important role in keeping America’s space aspirations aloft. This has created both opportunities and challenges as the U.S. government and the private sector try to chart a path forward together into the heavens. This panel unpacks the technologies the American public and private sectors are sending into space and the incentives that bring them together and drive them apart. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
William Pomerantz is an aerospace executive with two decades of experience in the entrepreneurial and non-profit sectors. He has served as Vice President for Special Projects and Employee #001 at Virgin Orbit; as Vice President for Special Projects at Virgin Orbit; and as Senior Director of Space Prizes at the XPRIZE Foundation, among other roles. He is passionate about ensuring that talented people from all walks of life have the ability to participate in and contribute to the eaxploration of space. Pomerantz is a Co-Founder of both the Brooke Owens Fellowship and the Patti Grace Smith Fellowship, two award-winning mentorship and work experience programs focused on enabling more female, non-binary, and Black undergraduates to pursue successful aerospace careers. For many years, he served as the Chair of the Board of Advisors of SEDS-USA, the world’s largest student space organization. Currently, Pomerantz is an Executive Consultant for the Space Workforce 2030 program, helping chart the future of the nation’s largest and most comprehensive effort to inspire, prepare, and employ the aerospace workforce of tomorrow. Pomerantz holds a bachelors degree in Earth and Planetary Sciences from Harvard and a masters degree in Space Studies from the International Space University. He is also a graduate of the NASA Academy, NASA’s premiere leadership training program for undergraduate and graduate students. Pomerantz has served on two US Federal Advisory Committees: the Federal Aviation Administration’s Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee and the National Academies of Science and Engineering’s Committee on Building a Better NASA Workforce.
Will's Sessions
So, You Want to Work in Space? @Breakout Room 2
We have an opportunity to shape humankind’s presence in space in ways that stand to forever benefit the quality of life and security of every human on Earth. To fully realize that exciting future, we must have a bold, vibrant workforce – one that leverages diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences to drive innovation and tackle the hard problems the space industry faces. Join us for a conversation with some of the companies building the next generation’s space industry workforce. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Andy is the Chief Business Officer of OAK’S LAB, where he currently oversees the product teams of 10 different pre-seed to Series A venture-backed startups. OAK’S LAB is a technology partner for startups and over the past 6 years has built products for 35 startups with a total valuation of $1.5B. Andy specializes in product strategy and go-to-market for early-stage startups. Prior to joining OAK’S LAB, Andy was leading Sales as part of the founding team of an event-technology startup as it grew from pre-seed to Series B. Andy is passionate about helping non-technical founders build successful companies and is also an angel investor and advisor in multiple pre-seed startups.
Andy's Sessions
Building Early-Stage Products as a Non-Technical Founder: What to and not to do @Breakout Room 2
Building startups is hard. The facts: 90% of startups fail. 50% never reach product-market fit. And the average seed-stage runway is 15 months. As an early-stage founder, you have limited time and resources to build an awesome product that your users will love and your customers will pay for. We are here to help.From our experience building 35 startups collectively valued at $1.5B, we’ve witnessed the wins and fails of early-stage startup founders, especially those who are non-technical. In this breakout session, our CBO, Andy Powell, will share invaluable product development insights based on real-world scenarios we’ve encountered with startups that we’ve built. He will discuss starting lean, focusing on outcomes over outputs, and giving your product time to breathe. Learn about what to do and not to do as an early-stage, non-technical founder in order to build a better product and maximize your chances for success. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Chris Power is Founder and CEO of Hadrian, a manufacturing technology company focused on building the most efficient precision component factories in America. Chris believes deeply in enabling Space & Defense manufacturers to iterate faster at a fraction of the cost, creating meaningful employment in manufacturing and ensuring democracy prevails by combining the best of Silicon Valley technology with the country’s manufacturing experts to rebuild and automate the defense industrial base.
Chris's Sessions
How to Build a Capital-intensive Startup in a Tough Venture Market
Every VC wants you to think that they’re bravely funding expensive hardware that will revolutionize the future. You know, space launches that use twigs, and satellites that can also zap aliens. That sort of thing. And then you read about new NFT fundraising. The good news is that even in a more conservative venture environment, it’s possible for founders to tackle big, hard and capital-intensive projects. Let’s talk about how it’s done. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Dr. Gill Pratt believes that technology should enhance our quality of life — not diminish it. As the Chief Scientist and Executive Fellow for Research, Dr. Pratt guides research strategy for the Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC). Dr. Pratt also serves as the CEO of Toyota Research Institute (TRI), where he directs research to advance robotics, energy and materials, machine learning, and human-centered artificial intelligence. Previously, Dr. Pratt led a number of robotics research programs for the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), where he served for five years as a program manager in the Defense Sciences and Tactical Technology Offices.
Gill's Sessions
Empowering the Future @ Industry Stage 1
Marc Raibert and Gill Pratt go way back. Raibert founded MIT’s highly influential Leg Lab, while Pratt served as director. In recent years, the pair’s work has converged in fascinating ways. Pratt currently heads up the Toyota Research Institute, while Raibert runs the newly formed Boston Dynamics AI Institute. Both organizations are devoted to pure research in fields including robotics, AI and automotive. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Matthew Prince is co-founder and CEO of Cloudflare. Cloudflare’s mission is to help build a better Internet. Today the company runs one of the world’s largest networks, which spans more than 275 cities in over 100 countries. Matthew is a World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, winner of the 2011 Tech Fellow Award, and serves on the Board of Advisors for the Center for Information Technology and Privacy Law. Matthew holds an MBA from Harvard Business School where he was a George F. Baker Scholar and awarded the Dubilier Prize for Entrepreneurship. He is a member of the Illinois Bar, and earned his J.D. from the University of Chicago and B.A. in English Literature and Computer Science from Trinity College. He’s also the co-creator of Project Honey Pot, the largest community of webmasters tracking online fraud and abuse.
Matthew's Sessions
Cloudflare’s Journey from TechCrunch Disrupt Battlefield to Public Company @ Industry Stage 2
Cloudflare launched on stage at TechCrunch Disrupt in 2010. Today it’s a public company. We will chat with the co-founders about their journey and the challenges they face in today’s investment climate. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Michel Protti leads product and engineering teams focused on Meta’s privacy efforts. Previously, he led product marketing for Meta’s Partnerships businesses and product groups including Media, Games, Workplace and Connectivity teams. Prior to that, he led emerging business strategy and planning across Meta’s Global Marketing Solutions organization. Prior to joining Meta, Michel was SVP Strategy and Operations at Guggenheim Digital Media and spent 4 years at Yahoo in several leadership positions including Country Manager of Yahoo Canada and Chief of Staff to the CEO. Michel began his career in the Tech, Media and Telecom practice at McKinsey and Company. He is a graduate of Queen’s University in Canada and holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management.
Michel's Sessions
Navigating the Privacy Paradox with Meta's Chief Privacy Officer @ Industry Stage 2
Platforms like Facebook and Instagram were born out of the idea that our lives could be bigger and richer by sharing photos, life updates, opinions and funny memes with friends, family and new acquaintances. More recent regulations and consumer preferences have created a new set of challenges when it comes to how that actually works. Join us to hear how this is playing out for the mother of all social media companies, Meta. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Marc Raibert is the executive director of The AI Institute, a new Hyundai-owned research lab devoted to advancing both the intelligence of robots and their physical skills. He is also the chairman of Boston Dynamics, which he founded in 1992. Prior to Boston Dynamics, Raibert was a professor of computer science at CMU and MIT, where he created the Leg Laboratory, a lab that helped establish the scientific basis for highly dynamic robots. Raibert is a Founding Fellow of AAAI, a member of the National Academy of Engineering, was named Pioneer in Robotics in 2022 by IEEE and received the Engelberger Award in Technology. Two of Raibert’s robots, the One-legged Hopper and BigDog, were inducted into the Robot Hall of Fame.
Marc's Sessions
Empowering the Future @ Industry Stage 1
Marc Raibert and Gill Pratt go way back. Raibert founded MIT’s highly influential Leg Lab, while Pratt served as director. In recent years, the pair’s work has converged in fascinating ways. Pratt currently heads up the Toyota Research Institute, while Raibert runs the newly formed Boston Dynamics AI Institute. Both organizations are devoted to pure research in fields including robotics, AI and automotive. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
John Scott-Railton is a Senior Researcher at the Citizen Lab, a research group based at the University of Toronto’s Munk School School of Global Affairs & Public Policy. John leads investigations into targeted threats against civil society, including mercenary spyware and disinformation. This has included collaborative investigations of operations attributed to Russia, Iran, Syria, China, and ISIS, among many others, as well as investigations into the abuse of commercial “mercenary” spyware around the globe. These collaborations, conducted in close partnership with at-risk dissidents, journalists, and human rights defenders, have resulted in the discovery of hundreds of targets of sophisticated hacking, and to the uncovering of zero day exploits against Apple and Microsoft products, among others, resulting in patches to billions of devices worldwide. John has testified to the The House Permanent Select Committee On Intelligence, the European Parliament’s Committee of Inquiry to investigate the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware (PEGA), and the Parliament of Poland’s inquiry into Pegasus spyware. He has been a fellow at Google Ideas and Jigsaw at Alphabet. Previously he founded The Voices Projects, collaborative information feeds that bypassed internet shutdowns in Libya and Egypt.
Rajeev Rajan is the Chief Technology Officer at Atlassian where he oversees Atlassian Engineering, IT, Security and Trust, and the Technical Program Management teams. As CTO, he is focused on cloud transformation and continuing to grow Atlassian into a world-class engineering organization. Rajeev previously acted as the Vice President and Head of Engineering for Meta and spent over two decades at Microsoft, where he held a number of roles, including building and leading the team responsible for Office 365’s cloud infrastructure.
Rajeev's Sessions
What's Next for Atlassian? @ Industry Stage 2
In many ways, Atlassian pioneered the modern approach to SaaS marketing and monetization. After careers at Microsoft and Meta, Rajan joined Atlassian as its CTO last year. The company spent the last few years evolving its tech stack and evolving its overall technical strategy. We’ll talk to him about the current state of modernizing Atlassian’s infrastructure, what the challenges are of a modern SaaS tech giant, what it takes to take the reins as CTO of an organization this size, and what the job entails. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Prashanthi Raman has nearly 15 years of experience navigating challenging, highly charged, and complex political environments. As the Vice President of Global Government affairs for Cruise, an all-electric, autonomous vehicle company, she oversees public policy and regulatory issues for the company worldwide. Prior to Cruise, Prashanthi served as Head of State and Local Government Relations at Lyft, where she played a pivotal role in creating and expanding the ridesharing industry across North America. She is a graduate of Northwestern University and Chicago-Kent College of Law and received her Masters in Public Health from the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Prashanthi's Sessions
Clearing the Air on Tech and Cities @ Industry Stage 2
Fast-moving tech, slow-moving government. Or so the story goes. In the era of climate change, city leaders are more eager than ever to embrace new technologies to promote sustainability. But that doesn’t mean everything is always rosy. We’ll hear from city leaders on the highs and lows of bringing sustainable tech to urban spaces. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Guillermo Rauch is the founder and CEO of Vercel where he leads the company’s mission to enable developers to create at the moment of inspiration. Prior to founding Vercel, Guillermo co-founded LearnBoost and Cloudup where he served the company as CTO through its acquisition by Automattic in 2013. Originally from Argentina, Guillermo has been a developer since the age of ten and is passionate about contributing to the open source community. He has created a number of JavaScript projects including socket.io, Mongoose.js, Now, and Next.js.
Guillermo's Sessions
Scale at all Cost? @ Industry Stage 2
What are the best ways to scale a SaaS startup in 2023? With the markets changing and potential SaaS buyers reevaluating how they allocate their spend, it’s clear that we’re not in 2021 anymore. We’ll talk to VCs and experienced founders about the tactics that they think SaaS startups should use today to keep growing – and the ones they should avoid. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Robert is an Investment Parter at Maven Ventures, a Seed venture fund specializing in consumer software and emerging consumer trends best known for its early investments in companies like Zoom, Embark Trucks, and Cruise Automation. Robert joined Maven as its first Associate in 2015 and has spent nearly a decade investing in and supporting bold consumer founders bringing their visions to the world. He works closely with the passionate founders of Daybreak Health, CoPilot, House Numbers, and Validity. His current areas of investment interest are consumer AI, fintech, proptech, and longevity. Robert graduated from Duke University where he studied Economics and Finance, and currently teaches a Capstone course in the Masters of Financial Technology program.
Robert's Sessions
Navigating the Consumer AI Gold Rush: Moats, GTM, and Positioning @ Roundtable 3
With VC capital pouring into AI startups, a gold rush of entrepreneurs building products leveraging these novel technologies has emerged. At Maven, we’ve been investing in consumer AI for nearly a decade and continue to see world-changing opportunities in the space. Join me to discuss how to build moats, develop GTM, and master positioning of an AI startup. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session) 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Vijay is a Partner at Mayfield and focuses on investments in AI. He brings over a decade of inception and early-stage investing experience in from Clear Ventures and Intel Capital. Vijay has invested across the AI stack from silicon, systems, infrastructure software, data, middleware & tools and applications. Some of his past investments include Avaamo, AEye (Nasdaq: LIDR), BabbleLabs (Acquired by Cisco), Common Sense Machines, DataRobot, Hypersonix, Joby (NYSE: Joby), Landing.ai, Lilt, Opaque, and SambaNova. A Kauffman Fellow, Vijay received his MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and has a BS & MS in Electrical and Computer Engineering with top honors from University of California, Irvine.
Vijay's Sessions
From Inception to Iconic: A Candid Conversation about What it Takes to Succeed in AI @ Breakout Room 2
Join a candid and audience interactive conversation with a leading AI seed investor and two breakout founders. They’ll touch on a variety of essential topics including defining your breakout value proposition, accessing success in the face of incumbents, how company vision, culture and values drive theri mission, GTM strategies, barriers to enterprise AI adoption and more. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻 With Chris Lattner, co-founder Modular.ai, Rodrigo Liang, co-founder, SambaNova Systems, and Vijay Reddy, partner, Mayfield.
Yuval Refua has over 15 years of experience managing and scaling product organizations and developing products that excite users. Yuval joined Navan in 2019 to launch and direct the Navan Expense and Payment products. Prior to Navan, Yuval ran digital payments at American Express, was the SVP of product at NAM, CPO at Syp and Aris Genuine Solutions, and held several product leadership roles at Thomson Reuters and Noise. Yuval earned his MBA from Columbia Business School.
Yuval's Sessions
What Will it Take to Fuel the Next Economy? @Breakout Room 1
Sustained innovation requires more than having the right technology. It’s about being part of an ecosystem that provides access to a diverse suite of APIs, products, programs, services and partners – an environment that helps you build, grow and thrive. Mastercard has a long history of supporting fintech partners of any size to co-innovate and scale solutions. In this session, you’ll learn how to make 1+1=3 through strong partnerships, access to low-code solutions and frictionless API integration that will make it easier to deliver greater impact for your customers. You’ll come away knowing how you can get to market faster and take your business to the next level. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Torsten Reil is Co-founder and Co-CEO of Helsing, a new type of security and defence company focused on AI and software capabilities. Originally a biologist, Torsten previously founded NaturalMotion, an Oxford University spin-off and one of the UK’s most successful games and technology start-ups. In 2014, NaturalMotion was acquired by Zynga for $527m. He is an active technology and biotech investor and has spoken at TED, TED Global, Google Zeitgeist and the Apple iPhone 5 keynote. Torsten was included in MIT’s Top 100 Innovators and is a member of the Munich Security Conference Innovation Board.
Torsten's Sessions
AI and Warfare @ Industry Stage 2
The lightning fast adoption of ChatGPT supercharged conversations about how AI promises to transform warfare. But will it? Is the technology ready or overhyped? Are military institutions ready? Are the right companies ready to work with the military? This panel – representing industry, the academy, and the Defense Department – will unpack these questions and more. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Megan is an investor with Vertex Ventures US, an SF-based fund specializing in enterprise software. Megan joined the fund this year to set up their office in NYC and to continue investing in early-stage B2B SaaS, devtools and infrastructure software companies. She’s been investing for the last 5 years, previously with Crane Venture Partners and Entrepreneur First in London. Before her career in Venture Capital, Megan was a GTM operator at an early-stage FinTech start-up in London and started her career investing in public market tech companies in Hong Kong with Aberdeen Asset Management.
Megan's Sessions
Selling your SaaS startup: The VC view @ Industry Stage 2
There are many reasons to sell your SaaS startup, but what is the investor perspective? This panel looks at why VCs might support your move to sell, and when they might encourage you to keep going. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Robby is a seed investor at Cowboy Ventures focused on software infrastructure investments. She works with companies such as Drata, Elementary Data, SVT Robotics, Mobile.dev, Mutiny, and Byteboard. She also co-hosts the Open Source Startup Podcast where she’s conducted 70+ interviews with open source founders from companies like HashiCorp, Vercel, MongoDB, Kong, Chronosphere, and Starburst Data. She’s also an active member of All Raise and founded the Modern Angels community of 250+ female & non-binary angel investors.
Amanda's Sessions
How to Construct an Equitable Cap Table
Venture investors are no longer all located on the same road at the same time in the same city in the same state of the same country. They are all over the world, and are increasingly — if slowly — diverse across a host of metrics. How can founders construct an investor pool that reflects their values? In this discussion we’ll dig into the brass tacks of building a truly equitable cap table. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Small Group Discussion: How to Construct an Equitable Cap Table
Join us for this small group Q&A session to continue the conversation with other TC+ members. (✴️ Open to TC+ Annual/2-Year Subscribers Only) (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Dan Roesbery is Vice President, Fintech Business Development, leading new strategic and commercial partnerships with North America and Global Fintechs, eCommerce, Social, and Crypto companies. Dan’s team helps emerging and growing platforms across these important segments navigate business opportunities with Visa in order to launch new payments solutions. Dan brings 15 years’ experience in payments and Fintech, where he has held sales, partnerships, operations, product, and strategy leadership positions with Blackhawk Network, Kash, and Visa for the last 5 years. He brings a pedigree of problem solving and unlocking growth areas to help fintech and digital commerce players continue to push boundaries and innovate within Visa’s ecosystem. Dan holds a Bachelor’s from Boston College, an executive MBA from Quantic Business School, and serves as Growth Advisor to the Financial Club.
Dan's Sessions
Visa Everywhere Initiative: The Ultimate Fintech Pitch Competition @ Industry Stage 1
Fintechs startups inspire — Visa enables. Join the Visa Everywhere Initiative, where we welcome the next generation of fintechs. Visa has selected five visionary startups from across the globe, and they’re ready to pitch their game-changing solutions to a panel of fintech industry leaders. It’s your chance to witness the future of payments unfold and learn how you can join us in the fintech revolution. #EverywhereInitiative (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Emily Rogers leads the First Gigaton Captured program at Third Derivative, RMI’s global climate tech accelerator. First Gigaton Captured is a cohort of startups focused on carbon dioxide removal. Emily coordinates with industry experts, startups, and funders to address hurdles for startups to scale. Previously at BCG and Ebb Carbon, an ocean carbon removal startup, Emily combines her technical and business skillsets to support the carbon removal ecosystem. Emily holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Environmental Engineering from Dartmouth and an MBA and Master of Science in Environment & Resources from Stanford.
Emily's Sessions
Why Climate Tech Needs an Ecosystem Approach @ Roundtable 2
Many climate startups face unique challenges because they require buy-in from each member in a complicated stakeholder web. For example, a carbon-removal startup must consider government agencies (for permitting and grants), project finance partners, VCs, corporate or government partners for carbon offtake, additional partners for site co-location and co-product offtake, universities for academic research and more. How do startups navigate this complexity? We’ll discuss the basics of how an ecosystem approach can help and cover actionable steps that climate tech startups can take. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Paul Rosen serves as the Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Investment Security. Nominated by the President and confirmed with bipartisan support by the United States Senate on May 23, 2022, Mr. Rosen leads all operations and activities of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), the interagency Committee authorized by Congress to review certain foreign investment into U.S. businesses for national security risks. He oversees the review of hundreds of transaction filings each year often amounting to hundreds of billions of dollars in investment activity and is responsible for managing the Committee’s recommendations to the President to suspend or prohibit transactions that threaten to impair the national security of the United States. He also guides the Committee’s policy and international relations activities as well as the monitoring, compliance and enforcement of national security agreements executed to mitigate national security risk. Mr. Rosen has more than 15 years of experience in national and homeland security and law enforcement matters. Prior to joining Treasury, Mr. Rosen served as a partner at an international law firm where he led the firm’s national security practice and counseled on cybersecurity, privacy, and government investigations matters. Before joining private practice, Mr. Rosen served in public service for over a decade in senior roles in the federal government, including as Chief of Staff at the Department of Homeland Security and in various roles at the Department of Justice, including as a federal prosecutor in the Criminal Fraud Section, where he investigated and prosecuted financial crimes. For this work, Mr. Rosen was recognized by the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency with the Investigative Award of Excellence. Rosen started his legal career as Counsel on the Senate Judiciary Committee after clerking in the Central District of California for United States District Judge Gary Allen Feess (Ret.). Rosen received his J.D. from the University of Southern California where he graduated Order of the Coif, and his bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, from the University of Colorado.
Paul's Sessions
Dept. of Treasury Dives into Foreign Investments, Security and Capital Flowing into the U.S.
As startup investments grow domestically and internationally, there’s a need to monitor foreign inflows to U.S. businesses, while still promoting innovation and allowing for cross-border cooperation. Paul Rosen, assistant secretary of the treasury for investment security, oversees all operations and activities regarding hundreds of billions of dollars in investment activity to mitigate national security risks. We’re diving into his perspective on investments, security and risks that fall into the U.S. as well as how nascent sectors like AI and crypto fit into the equation. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Nicole Sahin is the founder and chief executive officer of G-P, the leading employer of record company that created and defined the category with its industry-leading SaaS-based Global Growth Platform™. Nicole founded G-P in 2012 and changed the rules of international business by enabling organizations to unlock their full business potential and making it possible to hire anyone, anywhere in the world within minutes. As the author of The Wall Street Journal Bestseller, Global Talent Unleashed: An Executive’s Guide to Conquering the World, Nicole credits her success and that of G-P to an exceptional team with global expansion in their DNA, and to her philosophy of the triple bottom line –building a business in a way that is good for customers, employees and shareholders. Nicole and G-P are regularly recognized with industry, leadership and product awards. Among them, she was named one of Goldman Sachs’ most intriguing entrepreneurs of the year, and Inc. Magazine named her a Top 100 Female Founder. The Financial Times ranked G-P as one of the fastest-growing companies in America, while industry analyst firms NelsonHall and Everest Group named the company Employer of Record Industry leader in 2022. G-P was also selected as a Member of the World Economic Forum, Global Innovators Community in 2023.
Nicole's Sessions
The HR Tech Hype: Disrupting the Disruption
Radical change to business as usual has spurred disruptive innovation in HR tech that has accelerated the future of work. In this session, G-P Founder and CEO Nicole Sahin, and Chief Product and Strategy Officer Nat Natarajan will discuss G-P’s journey from creating the employer of record (EOR) industry to quadricorn to now reinventing the industry with a new HR Tech sector: global growth technology. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Rex Salisbury is the founding partner of Cambrian Ventures, a $20M fund to back early-stage fintech founders. Founded in 2016 as a passion project outside of Salisbury’s day job as a software engineer at a fintech startup, the Cambrian community has grown to over 15,000 subscribers, 4,000 meetup attendees, and a Slack community with over 1,500 fintech founders. In 2019, Rex joined Andreessen Horowitz as a founding member of its fintech practice, where he co-led the fintech vertical and made early investments in Deel and Tally, companies he had previously encountered through his work with Cambrian.
Rex's Sessions
Off-the-Record Chat with VC Rex Salisbury @ Roundtable 3
Attend an unfiltered conversation on all things venture and fundraising with Rex Salisbury, founding partner of Cambrian Ventures, to ask your questions and to hear what he looks for when he writes that first check, as well as the key company building steps that come next. You’ll hear his thoughts on fundraising during a down market, inspiring and influencing VCs to believe in your vision, and how and when to build your executive team and board. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session) 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Surbhi Sarna is a Group Partner at YC. She was the founder and former CEO of nVision Medical, which developed a first-in-kind microcatheter for the detection of ovarian cancer. After raising $17M in venture funding, completing three clinical trials, and obtaining two first-in-class FDA approvals, nVision was acquired by Boston Scientific (NYSE: BSX) for $275M, more than 15X money-in. Surbhi stayed at Boston Scientific for two years, running the 150+ person commercial organization in preparation for launch. She sits on both private and public company boards.
Surbhi's Sessions
TechCrunch Startup Battlefield – Session 3
TechCrunch’s iconic startup competition is back, as entrepreneurs from around the world pitch expert judges and vie for the Startup Battlefield Cup and $100,000. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Marietje Schaake is the International Policy Director at Stanford’s Cyber Policy Center and a Fellow at the Institute for Human-Centered AI. She is a columnist for Financial Times and serves on a number of not-for-profit Boards. Between 2009-2019 she served as a Member of European Parliament where she worked on trade-, foreign- and tech policy.
Marietje's Sessions
The Spyware Industry is Out of Control. Now What? @ Industry Stage 2
For more than ten years, researchers at organizations like the Citizen Lab and Amnesty International have exposed countless examples of governments all over the world using spyware made by Western companies to hack activists, journalists, and dissidents. First there was Hacking Team and FinFisher, now it’s NSO Group, and a handful more. Can this industry operate legally and ethically? If not, what can we do to counter these abuses? (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Jim Scheinman is the founding managing partner of Maven Ventures.
Jim's Sessions
Building a Billion Dollar AI Startup @ Roundtable 3
What does it take to create a business that will defy the odds and achieve unicorn status in Consumer AI? As a seasoned investor, I love discussing what impresses me when it comes to founder vision and drive. Join me to discuss the future of Consumer AI and what it would take to be part of it. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session) 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Sascha Segan is a Sr. Manager of Public Relations at Qualcomm. For almost 20 years, he was the head of mobile at PCMag.com, covering the mobile industry from 2G to 5G and reviewing more than 1,500 products. He is also an award-winning travel writer. Sascha lives in Queens, NY.
Sascha's Sessions
The Next AI Evolution Moves into Your Hands @ Industry Stage 1
Thousands of generative AI applications have bloomed over the past year, with large language models (LLMs) gaining the most buzz. In the next year, many of those applications will start to run on phones and PCs rather than in the public cloud. Join Qualcomm’s Alex Katouzian and partners to find out when and how generative AI will shift to devices in your hands, and what applications are likely to make the first move. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Neil Sequeira is Founder and Partner at defy.vc, where he partners with exceptional entrepreneurs building category-defining companies. With more than 25 years of experience in venture capital and technology, Neil has backed companies across AI, fintech, cybersecurity, healthcare, enterprise software, and consumer technology. Before founding defy, Neil spent 12 years as a Managing Director at General Catalyst, where he led investments in companies including The Honest Company, Vitrue (Oracle), Elemental Technologies (Amazon/AWS), HotPotato (Facebook), and ThisTech (Comcast). Earlier in his career, he held roles at Accenture, Goldman Sachs, CMGI, AOL Ventures, and TimeWarner Investments. Over the course of his career, Neil has served on more than 80 boards and overseen more than 30 exits, including IPOs and significant M&A. At defy, his current investments include ArenaClub, Airspace, HonorLock, Reveal, and Perplexity, as well as acquired companies and IPOs including Nautilus Biotechnology, Securly, and Apploi. Neil holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a degree in Business Economics from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Neil's Sessions
Raising Capital Even if You Aren't an AI Start-up (or even if you are!). Tips, Tricks and Creative Ideas to Raise Capital in a Challenging Venture Market @ Roundtable 3
Hear from a 23-year venture capital industry veteran who worked briefly in corporate VC, then as a partner at General Catalyst for 12 years and seven years ago founded defy.vc. Discuss creative and thoughtful ideas about how to raise capital when VC purse strings are tighter than ever. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session) 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Raising Capital Even if You Aren't an AI start-up (or even if you are!). Tips, Tricks and Creative Ideas to Raise Capital in a Challenging Venture Market. @ Roundtable 4
Hear from a 23-year venture capital industry veteran who worked briefly in corporate VC, then as a partner at General Catalyst for 12 years and seven years ago founded defy.vc. Discuss creative and thoughtful ideas about how to raise capital when VC purse strings are tighter than ever. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session) 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Richie Serna is the Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of Finix. Finix is on a mission to create the most accessible financial services ecosystem in history by building the global operating system for fintech, starting with payments. Before Finix, Richie was an engineer at Balanced, the first developer-friendly payment API for online marketplaces and other P2P services, and a consultant at Booz & Company. He earned his B.A. in government at Harvard University.
Richie's Sessions
How to Construct an Equitable Cap Table
Venture investors are no longer all located on the same road at the same time in the same city in the same state of the same country. They are all over the world, and are increasingly — if slowly — diverse across a host of metrics. How can founders construct an investor pool that reflects their values? In this discussion we’ll dig into the brass tacks of building a truly equitable cap table. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Small Group Discussion: How to Construct an Equitable Cap Table
Join us for this small group Q&A session to continue the conversation with other TC+ members. (✴️ Open to TC+ Annual/2-Year Subscribers Only) (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Amit Serper is a seasoned cybersecurity professional currently serving as the Director of Security Research at Sternum, an Internet of Things (IoT) security firm. His role at Sternum involves leading a team of experts in research aimed at transforming the IoT defense paradigm by conducting cutting edge vulnerability and security research. Prior to his work at Sternum, Amit led research roles in Akamai, Guardicore, and Cybereason and the Israeli government. Throughout his career Amit published numerous research papers about malware, vulnerability research and exploitation, and security flaws in Windows, Linux, macOS and IoT platforms. Amit is a frequent speaker at cybersecurity conferences and his work was covered numerous times by the media.
Amit's Sessions
The Insecurity of Things @ Industry Stage 2
Smart home tech and internet-connected devices are all the rage, but security flaws plague the hardware space. Amit Serper, director of security research at Sternum IoT, is a skilled hacker with a track record of finding vulnerabilities and understanding what causes them. Join us for a crash course on what can — and does — go wrong, and how to do security right. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Dana Settle is a Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Greycroft. As a member of Greycroft’s management committee, she is responsible for the firm’s operations, investment strategy, and vision. Dana is on the investment committee for all Greycroft funds and has been involved in all phases of Greycroft’s growth. Dana’s active investments include Acorns, Anine Bing, Avaline, Bird, Citizen, Cloud Paper, data.ai, Goop, HamsaPay, Happiest Baby, Merit Beauty, Mountain Digital, Pacaso, Seed Health, Tapcart, Thrive Market and Versed. Her notable exits include Bumble (IPO), Maker Studios (acquired by Disney), Pulse (acquired by LinkedIn), The RealReal (IPO), Trunk Club (acquired by Nordstrom), and WideOrbit (interest sold to company management). Dana is a Board Director to IMAX Corporation and the National Venture Capital Association. She is a founding member of the non-profit Baby2Baby and the female mentorship collective, All Raise. She is also a member of the Fast Company Impact Council. Prior to Greycroft, Dana spent several years as a venture capitalist and advisor to startups in the Bay Area, including six years at Mayfield, and investment banking at Lehman Brothers. Dana holds a BA in Finance and International Studies from the University of Washington and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Dana's Sessions
Startup Battlefield Final
TechCrunch’s iconic startup competition is back, as entrepreneurs from around the world pitch expert judges and vie for the Battlefield Cup and $100,000.TechCrunch’s iconic startup competition is back, as entrepreneurs from around the world pitch expert judges and vie for the Battlefield Cup and $100,000. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Mo is the CEO and Co-founder of Aptos, the safe and scalable layer 1 blockchain. He is a 3x founder with over a decade of multinational financial services and blockchain/crypto experience. In the past, Mo has led blockchain Strategic Partnerships for Novi, Facebook’s wallet. As a first-generation immigrant, raised by a taxi driver and housewife on Welfare in Brooklyn, creating an accessible financial system for all is personal to Mo. Blockchain is essential to this path. Mo was the Founder and CEO of Meridio, a ConsenSys-backed, blockchain-based company that issued the world’s first fractional share of real estate. Mo also led ConsenSys strategy as an early employee and founded the ConsenSys’ Middle East Office. He has consulted the World Economic Forum on their global blockchain strategy including Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDCs). Prior to Meridio, Mo also consulted Sovereign Wealth Funds, energy, and telecom companies with BCG’s Private Equity practice.
Mo's Sessions
Building Up Blockchains for Mass Adoption @ Industry Stage 1
As the crypto ecosystem gains more traction from developers, traditional institutions and big brands, it needs mainstream adoption to grow as well. In order to do that, blockchains need to be able to support greater — and faster — transactions per second, while keeping fees low. But what will it take to get to that next level? And what are major blockchains and crypto projects alike doing to help accelerate that mission? (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Nikita is a Partner at Khosla Ventures. He is passionate about deep tech, data infrastructure, and system software. Prior to Khosla Ventures, Nikita co-founded SingleStore, a unicorn data and analytics company valued over $1.3 billion. He served as a founding CTO and then CEO, successfully scaling the company to over 40 million in ARR and near profitability. For the first nine months, Nikita lived in the office coding next to the servers. Prior to founding SingleStore, Nikita worked as a senior engineer at Facebook, and before that at Microsoft on the SQL Server product. At KV, Nikita is incubating Neon – a new database company building serverless Postgres – that raised $108 million in its Series B rounds. Nikita has a Ph.D. in computer science from St. Petersburg. During college years Nikita received a bronze medal in ACM ICPC, and international student programming competition.
Nikita's Sessions
TechCrunch Startup Battlefield – Session 3
TechCrunch’s iconic startup competition is back, as entrepreneurs from around the world pitch expert judges and vie for the Startup Battlefield Cup and $100,000. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Emmalyn is a co-founder and managing partner of Flourish Ventures, an early-stage global venture capital firm that invests in mission-driven entrepreneurs and industry influencers working towards a fair financial system. Emm leads the firm’s US investment team. Her current portfolio of disruptive fintech companies includes Brigit, Chime, Clerkie, Cushion.ai, EarnUp, Jetty, Kin, Mantl, Propel, Skipify, Steady, TrueBiz and Unit. Emm is an industry thought leader and advocate for transforming the US financial system to help create better financial health. She is a believer in working with marginalized communities and leads her firm’s DEIJ+ efforts. Emm has 23 years of tech investing experience from her roles as a Partner at Omidyar Network and a Venture Partner with Oak Investment Partners. She started her career as a tech investment banker with Morgan Stanley. Emm holds an MBA degree from Wharton and a BA degree from UC-Berkeley where she graduated summa cum laude.
Emmalyn's Sessions
Fintech Investing Is Not for the Faint of Heart @ Industry Stage 1
Venture capitalists have poured billions into fintech companies in recent years, making it one of the most invested categories in the startup world. While the pace of funding has slowed, there are plenty of investors who are still bullish on the potential of financial technology. What sectors within fintech show the most promise? Which have seen too much hype? Which have proven to be resilient? (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Damion Shelton is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Agility Robotics, makers of Digit, the first commercially available bipedal robot made for real-world logistics work. Damion is a multifaceted roboticist focused on building automation solutions that solve real world challenges, starting with improving logistics and warehouse operations. Prior to Agility, Damion co-founded threeRivers 3D, where he served as CTO and designer of a low-cost, high-volume laser scanner for novice users in the healthcare space. Damion holds a Ph.D. in Robotics from Carnegie Mellon University.
Damion's Sessions
Getting a Leg Up @ Industry Stage 1
Agility cracked the code on bipedal robots with its Digit system. Now it’s looking to push its technology to work. CEO Damion Shelton and CTO Melonee Wise will discuss why the company is taking a different approach to the wheel-dominated world of warehouse robotics. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Actor / Producer, Tye Sheridan has emerged as one of Hollywood’s most exciting leading men, making his on-screen film debut in Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life, which won the Palme d’Or at the 2011 Cannes Film festival. Since then, Sheridan has amassed an impressive resume of intense, nuanced, and thoughtful characters, alongside some of the most creative filmmakers of our time, including Steven Spielberg, Paul Schrader, George Clooney, Jeff Nichols and David Gordon Green. Holding three patents, Sheridan is as creative and innovative off-camera as he is on. In 2017, alongside Nikola Todorovic, he co-founded Wonder Dynamics, whose mission is to revolutionize the production and post-production process by leveraging state-of-the-art AI. They are striving to democratize the use of high-end CGI and VFX which will pave the way for the next generation of filmmakers. That mission attracted some of the most influential individuals in both the film and tech industry. The startup is backed by Epic Games, Horizons Ventures, Founders Fund, Samsung Next and has a heavyweight advisory board that includes Joshua Baer, Rhea Films’ Terry Dougas, UC Berkeley assistant professor Angjoo Kanazawa, Avengers: Endgame co-director Joe Russo, director, producer, and screenwriter Steven Spielberg, Head of AI at MIT, Antonio Torralba and Film Finances president Gregory Trattner.
Tye's Sessions
Lights, Camera, Algorithm! Where AI Fits into Movies, Games and Creativity @ Industry Stage 1
The Hollywood writers’ strike provides a timely background for this panel on how AI tools and platforms can be integrated into the creative process in filmmaking, game development, and other media. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Gary is the Firm’s National Automotive Industry Leader, as well as the Global Lead Partner for Ford Motor Company. Gary has 25+ years of business experience, including over 17 years in the automotive industry. For the past eight years he has focused on the intersection of technology and the automotive industry with groundbreaking research on Self-Driving Cars, connectivity and mobility demand services. He has also worked on some of the most iconic, complex and strategic transactions in the industry. In particular, Gary has worked as an advisor to Ford Motor Company on its three most recent divestitures: Aston Martin, Jaguar/Land Rover, and Volvo and it’s recent multibillion AV Joint Venture with Volkswagen. Mr. Silberg has also advised Chrysler Corporation as part of its transaction with Fiat and now is working on the Peugeot/Fiat Chrysler transaction. He also has extensive knowledge and experience working with tier 1 automotive suppliers.
Gary's Sessions
Navigating the Evolving Landscape of Robotics, AI and Self-Driving Cars @ Industry Stage 1
What’s happening in robotics, artificial intelligence and autonomous navigation? Experts provide context and insights on a variety of fronts, including pure-play L4 and ADAS-first approaches for self-driving cars. Plus, they’ll discuss the proliferation of AI-driven development beyond the automotive field, including mining, drones and the path toward robotics automation at large. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Arianna Simpson is a General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz where she invests in crypto. Prior to joining Andreessen Horowitz, Arianna founded Autonomous Partners, an investment fund focused on cryptocurrencies and digital assets. She also helped launch Crystal Towers Capital, an early-stage fund investing primarily in YC companies, in 2015. Arianna previously spent time working in sales and product roles at Facebook and BitGo, an enterprise security company for bitcoin and other digital currencies. Arianna earned dual degrees in International Politics and Spanish from the Schreyer Honors College at Penn State University. She grew up in Milan, Italy.
Arianna's Sessions
a16z’s Arianna Simpson on the Promise of Web3 Investments @ Industry Stage 1
Yes, there are still crypto-focused investors out there doubling down their web3 strategies as other VCs look to other horizons (ahem, AI). Arianna Simpson is a general partner deploying capital for a16z’s multi-billion-dollar crypto fund(s). While other investors move away from the crypto industry amid the market downturn, we want to learn about why and how a16z is holding on, their strategy, how they view the investing landscape and more. We’ll also dive into what the regulatory landscape means for VCs and the projects they invest in. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Michael Sindicich is the EVP and general manager of expense at Navan, an all-in-one travel and expense management solution.
Michael's Sessions
The Power of Partnerships: Accelerating Innovation Through Strategic Partnerships
Join us for an engaging panel session that dives into the power of strategic partnerships and collaborative innovation. This session brings together industry leaders from Navan, Visa and Zip to explore the art of forging meaningful partnerships that drive growth, innovation and transformative change. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Navrina Singh is the Founder and CEO of Credo AI, an AI governance platform that empowers organizations to deliver and embed artificial intelligence responsibly by proactively measuring, monitoring and managing AI risks. Before founding Credo AI, Navrina spent nearly two decades building products in mobile, SaaS and AI at companies like Microsoft and Qualcomm. She is a member of the U.S. Department of Commerce National Artificial Intelligence Advisory Committee (NAIAC), which advises the President and the National AI Initiative Office, is also a young global leader with the World Economic Forum and served as an executive board member of Mozilla, supporting its trustworthy AI charter. She lives in Palo Alto with her family.
Navrina's Sessions
AI for SaaS @ Industry Stage 2
The use cases for generative AI are endless, so it’s no surprise that virtually every new and existing SaaS startup now wants to make it part of their core product. In this session, we’ll talk about how to best do that, no matter whether you have an established product or just starting out – all while doing so responsibly. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Sukh leads the demonstration and independent evaluation of cutting-edge technologies, wether they are developed here in the US or abroad, and manages Innovation Challenges – opportunities for students to tackle technology gaps identified by first responders with mentorship from industry partners. He supports researchers and students take their first steps into entrepreneurship as they spin the results of their hard work into an innovations. Sukh is also a key member of the development team for FIRE Foundry, a revolutionary workforce development program built in collaboration with Marin County and Marin Fire Department, aimed at bringing underrepresented groups into fire service careers. Through FIRE Foundry and the UC Berkeley Disaster Lab, he has had the opportunity to work hand-in-hand with leadership from fire service, community organizations, and innovative leaders across the Department of Defense.
Sukh's Sessions
Driving Practical Global Collaboration in Disaster Tech @ Roundtable 1
Join us for a practical exploration of cross-border partnerships in disaster technology. Learn how international collaboration is solving real-world challenges and discover companies from around the world that are making a footprint in the U.S. market. We’ll showcase success stories, including how Flame Security International and Plumis have navigated practical aspects like market entry, partnership building and research collaboration. The UC Berkeley Disaster Lab and The Sutardja Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology are committed to helping more U.S. startups engage with international customers, partners and researchers. Walk away with actionable insights to expand your startup’s global reach in the disaster tech landscape. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Melissa Smith is the Co-Head of Innovation Economy (IE) and Head of Specialized Industries (SI) for the Middle Market Banking & Specialized Industries (MMBSI) business within J.P. Morgan Commercial Banking. She leads a team of national bankers with deep industry expertise who support startups, high-growth companies and venture capital firms in the Innovation Economy across Technology, Disruptive Commerce, Life Sciences, ClimateTech and Healthcare IT, as well as clients in specialized industries such as Healthcare Services, Not-For-Profit Healthcare, Higher Education, Agribusiness, Apparel, Beverage, Franchise, Media & Entertainment and Multinational Companies. Starting her career at the firm in 1998 in Public Finance, Melissa spent much of her career in the Corporate & Investment Bank (CIB), including as the Head of EMEA Investment Grade Finance in London. Prior to her move to London, she spent 14 years in the Debt Capital Markets group in New York as the Head of the Consumer, Retail, Healthcare and Chemicals team. Melissa is a member of the Commercial Banking Executive Committee and Operating Committee and helps lead Commercial Banking’s DE&I strategy. She serves as an advocate and mentor, and is passionate about elevating female and diverse talent within the firm. Melissa received a B.A. in Political Science from American University and a master’s degree in Public Policy from the University of Chicago. She is a Fellow of the Aspen Institute’s Finance Leaders Fellowship program and has served as a member of the American Ballet Theatre’s Board of Trustees since 2009.
Melissa's Sessions
Startup Banking in a Post-SVB World @ Industry Stage 1
The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank left a hole in the world of startup banking that numerous startups and big banks alike are trying to fill. Hear from some of the players that have stepped in to help fill that gap about what they are doing to offer startups and investors meaningful alternatives in this post-SVB world. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Window Snyder is pioneer and longtime leader in the security industry. She is the founder and CEO of Thistle Technologies, a builder of security tools, libraries, and services for device developers. Previously Ms. Snyder was the CISO/CSO/CSSO at Intel, Fastly, Square, and Mozilla and also held security leadership roles at Apple and Microsoft.
Window's Sessions
Live on Stage: TechCrunch's Found Podcast @ Industry Stage 2
Join us for a live recording of Found, the TechCrunch podcast where we bring you the stories behind the startups. In this episode, we’ll talk to a founder about how they built their company, run their team, raise money, and the highs and lows of entrepreneurship. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Laura Spiekerman is the co-founder and chief revenue officer of Alloy, an identity-decisioning platform for banks and fintech companies.
Laura's Sessions
Making Money Move with Embedded Finance @ Industry Stage 1
Creating a bank account, storing money, receiving a payment card and lending money should be as easy as opening an account on a social network. Or at least, that’s the promise of embedded finance. That’s why a new wave of finance infrastructure companies are reinventing banking — and they could potentially turn any company into a fintech company. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
As vice president of developer and performance technology at NVIDIA, John Spitzer directs the group which helps game developers make the most out of NVIDIA AI and graphics technology. Previously, he led development of NVIDIA’s gaming platform, GeForce Experience. John holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in computer science from Rice University, and has been at NVIDIA since 1999.
John's Sessions
Lights, Camera, Algorithm! Where AI Fits into Movies, Games and Creativity @ Industry Stage 1
The Hollywood writers’ strike provides a timely background for this panel on how AI tools and platforms can be integrated into the creative process in filmmaking, game development, and other media. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Loren is a General Partner at Bowery Capital, based in San Francisco. She focuses on supply chain, B2B marketplaces, and generally enterprise resource planning. Prior to joining Bowery Capital, Loren was at Goldman Sachs in the Investment Banking Division where she participated in a number of equity, debt and M&A transactions, predominantly in the enterprise software and internet sectors. Prior to Goldman Sachs, Loren worked at Groupon in the Corporate Finance Division where she built and led the initial Investor Relations department and subsequently ran Financial Planning & Analysis for the company’s 12 countries in APAC. Loren started her career at Activision Blizzard in the Investor Relations department. Loren has a B.S. in Communication from Boston University.
Loren's Sessions
What Do You Need to Raise a Series A Today?
Gone are the days when you simply needed $1 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR) to raise a Series A. Some startups have raised a Series A with a lot more, and we’ve seen many manage the same feat with far less in recent quarters. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)So before raising a Series A, how can a founder ensure their business has the right metrics and that their pitch is tuned for the current venture climate? Jennifer Neundorfer of January Ventures and Loren Straub of Bowery Capital are coming to Disrupt’s Builders Stage to help us answer those questions, and more. If you’ve raised pre-Seed or Seed capital, this is a conversation you shouldn’t miss.
Small Group Session: What do you need to raise a Series A today?
Join us for this small group Q&A session to continue the conversation with other TC+ members (✴️ Open to TC+ Annual/2-Year Subscribers Only) (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Prior to founding Redwood, JB Co-founded Tesla and spent fifteen years as Chief Technology Officer where he built one of the best engineering teams in the world and, among many topics, led cell design, supply chain and the first Gigafactory concept through the production ramp of the Model 3. JB had a direct role in both R&D, team building and operational expansion from prototype cars through to mass production and GWh-scale.
JB's Sessions
Charging Forward with JB Straubel
Tesla co-founder and former CTO JB Straubel, who went on to launch buzzy climate tech startup Redwood Materials, will join us on the main stage at Disrupt. Hear his thoughts about returning to Tesla as a board member, if automakers can reach their EV goals, what is really required to reduce emissions and the ups and downs of building a startup. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Aaron Stein is the Chief Content Officer at War on the Rocks
Aaron's Sessions
The Future of Sending Human Beings Into Space @ Industry Stage 2
With commercial organizations playing a more prominent role in sending humans into space, governments, regulators, and even companies themselves are not quite sure what this heralds for the new space age. This panel will help us understand the future of sending humans into space and the respective roles of governments and companies. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
An experienced digital media professional, Erik has more than 25 years of experience building digital media and ad tech companies, with three successful exits — spanning the early days of AOL to DataLogix to SpotX and now Respondology. As co-founder and CEO of Respondology, Erik is passionate about removing hate, abuse and spam from social media and making the online world a safer place, and in creating a collaborative environment for his team members. Outside of his work life, Erik enjoys playing and watching both US and European football, surfing, and spending time with his wife, children and dogs.
Erik's Sessions
Hate, Spam, Bots and Other Four-letter Words: Tech-driven Social Media Moderation Drives Brand-reputation Management @ Roundtable 2
Why are brands leaving social media? It’s the best way to manage brand reputation and experience in the toxic social media landscape. Or, is it? We don’t think fleeing is the answer — not with $250M in global social media spend in 2023. Join Respondology Co-founder and CEO, Erik Swain and Alessandra Pecoraro of Vericast, as they discuss the power of tech-driven social media moderation. Learn how brands like Coca-Cola, GoPro, and sports teams, including the Stanley Cup-winning Vegas Golden Knights, mitigate risk and protect their brands with solutions, like Respondology, to remove brand-damaging comments, spam and bots.🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Hate, Spam, Bots and Other Four-letter Words: Tech-driven Social Media Moderation Drives Brand-reputation Management @ Roundtable 1
Why are brands leaving social media? It’s the best way to manage brand reputation and experience in the toxic social media landscape. Or, is it? We don’t think fleeing is the answer — not with $250M in global social media spend in 2023. Join Respondology Co-founder and CEO, Erik Swain and Alessandra Pecoraro of Vericast, as they discuss the power of tech-driven social media moderation. Learn how brands like Coca-Cola, GoPro, and sports teams, including the Stanley Cup-winning Vegas Golden Knights, mitigate risk and protect their brands with solutions, like Respondology, to remove brand-damaging comments, spam and bots.🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Amanda has built her career at the intersection of risk, compliance, and innovative financial service solutions. She brings with her over 20 years of experience as a bank examiner, consultant, BSA officer, and compliance officer. Prior to joining Unit, Amanda led a team of compliance and risk professionals at Sunrise Bank where she served as the Chief Risk Officer. During her time at Sunrise Bank, Amanda helped transform the organization into a highly regarded sponsor bank, serving clients like Remitly, Gusto, and Self Lender. Amanda is a regular speaker at fintech conferences, including LendIt and FINEXT.
Amanda's Sessions
Making Money Move with Embedded Finance @ Industry Stage 1
Creating a bank account, storing money, receiving a payment card and lending money should be as easy as opening an account on a social network. Or at least, that’s the promise of embedded finance. That’s why a new wave of finance infrastructure companies are reinventing banking — and they could potentially turn any company into a fintech company. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Kevin Systrom is an American entrepreneur who co-founded Instagram, the photo and video sharing social networking platform. Born in Holliston, Massachusetts, Systrom graduated from Stanford University with a degree in Management Science and Engineering. He started his career as an intern at Odeo, which later became Twitter. He would then work on various consumer teams at Google and in quantitative marketing. In 2010, Systrom co-founded Instagram with Mike Krieger, and within a few years, the app had hundreds of millions users. Facebook acquired Instagram in 2012 for $1 billion, and Systrom continued to lead the company until 2018, when he resigned to pursue research for his next company. In January of this year, Systrom launched Artifact, a personalized news and content reading application driven by the latest advances in machine learning. He is passionate about the next chapter of social media being driven by artificial intelligence and has dedicated the last few years to building this company.
Kevin's Sessions
Art, Artifact and Artificial Intelligence in News with Kevin Systrom
Kevin Systrom’s follow-up act to Instagram is Artifact, an app that launched at the beginning of 2023 with a mission to reimagine how audiences interact with news and the people who report it. The app has been updated consistently at a rapid clip all year long, and it has already adopted some generative AI features to help with its mission. We’ll talk about the future of news, writers as creators, the impact of AI and more. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Parisa Tabriz is a technology leader and cybersecurity expert, currently responsible for engineering, product, and design of Google Chrome. Tabriz has worked on product development and information security at Google for over a decade, starting as a “hired hacker” software engineer for Google’s security team. Outside of Google, Parisa worked with the White House U.S. Digital Service to enhance security of government technology and consults with entertainment writers to help them understand the world of technology so they can create and depict more accurate, diverse stories.
Parisa's Sessions
What it Takes to Keep Billions of Internet Users Safe @ Industry Stage 2
Parisa Tabriz started as a hacker, now she’s known as Google’s “security princess,” tasked with protecting the data of billions of users around the world. Tabriz, who oversees Chrome browser security and Google’s security research team Project Zero, knows all there is to know about the complex world of web security. We’ll discuss what goes into keeping billions of users safe, and how startups can be better prepared for the threats of tomorrow. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Al Tadros is the Chief Technology Officer of Redwire. In this role, he is focused on making strategic investments that support Redwire’s customers, advancing technology development and commercialization, and maintaining a nimble and collaborative technical culture. With nearly three decades of experience as an aerospace executive, Al is a thought leader in in-space servicing, assembly and manufacturing with a proven track record in maturing satellite and space systems programs for exploration, national security, and commercial innovation. Previously, Al was Chief Growth Officer and Executive Vice President of Space Infrastructure at Redwire. In this role, he oversaw the company’s long-term growth strategy and business development activities, and was responsible for advancing development, increasing adoption, and building momentum for Redwire’s mission-enabling capabilities within the civil, defense, and commercial space sectors. Prior to Redwire, he served as Vice President of Space Infrastructure and Civil Space at Maxar Technologies, where he led significant innovation in next-generation spacecraft design and space infrastructure, integrating robotics and in-space satellite manufacturing, servicing, and assembly capabilities. Over the course of his career at Maxar, Al contributed to 13 missions and launch campaigns, many of which deployed cutting-edge communications and remote sensing systems. Al has worked with both commercial enterprises and government agencies to develop space systems for communications, satellite servicing, remote sensing, and exploration. An authority in in-space servicing, assembly, and manufacturing, Al holds patents in the field of attitude control systems and was responsible for early telerobotics research for the International Space Station. He holds a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering and a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Al's Sessions
The Hardest Problems in Space @Breakout Room 2
Space is big, and working in space is difficult. From the daunting task of achieving interstellar travel, to the pressing concerns about space debris and its potential threat to spacecraft and satellites in orbit, we will delve into the complexities and uncertainties that define the vast expanse beyond our planet. Together let’s explore the immense challenges that await humanity as we venture into the cosmos, contemplate the critical issues that we face today, and discuss the cutting-edge research and visionary ideas that pave the way for solving the hardest problems in space. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Everette Taylor is CEO of Kickstarter, the premier crowdfunding platform for bringing creative projects to life. Everette is a creative entrepreneur who is passionate about art, supporting creators, and making creativity accessible to all. He is deeply experienced in building and growing successful businesses as a founder, CEO, and chief marketing officer. Before joining Kickstarter, Everette most recently served as the CMO of Artsy, the world’s leading marketplace for buying and selling fine art. During his time at Artsy, he was recognized on The Forbes Entrepreneurial CMO List and named by Forbes as one of the World’s Most Influential CMOs. Previously, Everette founded ET Enterprises in 2013, overseeing a diverse portfolio of companies that includes ArtX and GrowthHackers and serving as CEO of MilliSense and PopSocial where he was recognized as Forbes 30 Under 30 in 2018. As a marketing executive, Everette has helped several companies reach new levels. He led on-demand rental car startup Skurt as CMO to a successful acquisition and led marketing at the business software company Qualaroo which also saw a successful exit. He also helped e-commerce company Sticker Mule see its largest growth as a company as their youngest CMO ever at 25 and oversaw growth strategy for new social products for a division of Microsoft China. Outside of the world of business, Everette also serves on the Chisenhale Council for Chisenhale Gallery, a nonprofit that supports artists in making innovative and highly ambitious work. Additionally, he sits on the advisory board for Art at a Time Like This, which works with artists and curators to create art that responds to current social and political events, and presents it in public spaces. In 2019, Everette received an honorary doctorate degree from Shaw University upon recognition of his “meritorious contributions to human society and welfare for humanity.”
Everette's Sessions
Crowdfunding the Future @ Industry Stage 1
For more than a decade, Kickstarter’s name has been synonymous with crowdfunding, but the last few years have brought their share of challenges for the platform. Everette Taylor, who stepped into the CEO at the end of 2022 will discuss how the company is adapting to face the future. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Vlad Tenev is a Co-Founder of Robinhood and, since November 2020, has served as Chief Executive Officer and President of Robinhood. Tenev is also Chair of the board of directors. In 2013, Tenev co-founded Robinhood with Baiju Bhatt to democratize finance. From 2013 to November 2020, Tenev served alongside Bhatt as Co-CEO and Co-President. Prior to his role at Robinhood, Tenev started two finance companies in New York City. Tenev holds a degree in Mathematics from Stanford University and an M.S. in Mathematics from UCLA.
Vlad's Sessions
What’s Robinhood’s next chapter? @ Industry Stage 1
Robinhood was founded 10 years ago with a mission to give more people, not just the wealthy, access to the financial markets. It has since grown to offer more than just stock trading. People can now also use Robinhood to trade crypto, save for retirement and manage their cash. The company found itself the subject of controversy in early 2021 when it decided to freeze trades for GameStop. It has since recovered but other challenges, such as a declining user base, remain. What’s next for the popular trading app? (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Delores Terry serves on Visa’s North American and Global Digital Partnerships team, heading Business Development for Consumer Fintech platforms. Beyond her engagement with early-stage fintechs, she spearheads initiatives to support diverse founders in fintech through Visa’s Inclusive Client Partnerships. Her team is committed to forging and developing partnerships with mission-driven fintech companies striving for a more equitable financial system. They dedicate efforts to dismantling barriers within the payments ecosystem that minority founders frequently encounter, such as funding challenges and limited community access. Prior to her current role, Delores held various positions at Visa, including issuer sales, product management, and business strategy and planning. Delores is a proud graduate of Howard University and currently resides in Washington, D.C
Delores's Sessions
Visa Everywhere Initiative: The Ultimate Fintech Pitch Competition @ Industry Stage 1
Fintechs startups inspire — Visa enables. Join the Visa Everywhere Initiative, where we welcome the next generation of fintechs. Visa has selected five visionary startups from across the globe, and they’re ready to pitch their game-changing solutions to a panel of fintech industry leaders. It’s your chance to witness the future of payments unfold and learn how you can join us in the fintech revolution. #EverywhereInitiative (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Sabrina is a senior vice president of global fintech programs at Mastercard. She leads the award-winning global startup engagement program, Start Path, which works with select later-stage startups and helps them to scale, leveraging a customized combination of Mastercard’s technology, expertise and channels. These companies cover a diverse set of areas including payments, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, wearables, logistics and financial inclusion. Prior to Start Path, Sabrina worked in Mastercard’s digital payments organization, where she helped build and commercialize several new payment technologies such as Mastercard’s tokenization platform and Mastercard Send. Sabrina received a B.A. in Economics from the University of Michigan and an MBA from Cornell University with concentrations in technology and entrepreneurship. She has been a volunteer with The Resolution Project since 2014.
Sabrina's Sessions
What Will it Take to Fuel the Next Economy? @Breakout Room 1
Sustained innovation requires more than having the right technology. It’s about being part of an ecosystem that provides access to a diverse suite of APIs, products, programs, services and partners – an environment that helps you build, grow and thrive. Mastercard has a long history of supporting fintech partners of any size to co-innovate and scale solutions. In this session, you’ll learn how to make 1+1=3 through strong partnerships, access to low-code solutions and frictionless API integration that will make it easier to deliver greater impact for your customers. You’ll come away knowing how you can get to market faster and take your business to the next level. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Laura Thomas is the Chief of Staff at global quantum technology and manufacturing company, Infleqtion. She is a key advisor to the CEO and is responsible for the alignment and execution of the company’s strategic priorities. Laura is a former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) case officer and Chief of Base who built and led sensitive programs at CIA Headquarters and abroad in multiple international assignments, to include high-risk and high-ambiguity environments. She has served over 18 years in national security and leadership roles, working extensively across industry, the U.S. intelligence community, National Security Council, U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Congress, and with foreign partners. After leaving U.S. Government service in spring 2021, Laura began addressing university, industry, and other government audiences on leadership, national security, and emerging technology issues. This includes lectures at MIT, Harvard, Purdue, George Washington University, and various think tanks and U.S. Government seminars. Laura is a Visiting Fellow at the National Security Institute at George Mason University, an alumna of the Aspen Institute’s Aspen Tech Policy Hub, an advisor to the Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue, and an advocate for LGBTQ+ issues in both government and industry. She currently writes at https://www.lauraethomas.com.
Laura's Sessions
Quantum and a New Age of Espionage @ Industry Stage 2
From busting open sensitive encryption to creating new unbreakable codes, quantum technologies have the potential to transform the world of espionage and cryptography. A government official and physicist, former CIA officer now in industry, Stanford professor and CTO of the only space FFRDC join forces to explain why, and how some of these technologies are related to things in orbit. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Andrea Thomaz is the CEO and Co-Founder of Diligent Robotics and a renowned social robotics expert. Her accolades include being recognized by the National Academy of Science as a Kavli Fellow, the US President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Tech, MIT Technology Review on its Next Generation of 35 Innovators Under 35 list, Popular Science on its Brilliant 10 list, TEDx as a featured keynote speaker on social robotics and Texas Monthly on its Most Powerful Texans of 2018 list. Andrea’s robots have been featured in the New York Times and on the covers of MIT Technology Review and Popular Science. Her passion for social robotics began during her work at the MIT Media Lab, where she focused on using AI to develop machines that address everyday human needs. Andrea co-founded Diligent Robotics to pursue her vision of creating socially intelligent robot assistants that collaborate with humans by doing their chores so humans can have more time for the work they care most about. She earned her Ph.D. from MIT and B.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from UT Austin and is a Robotics Professor at UT Austin and the PI of the Socially Intelligent Machines Lab.
Andrea's Sessions
What's Next for Robotics @ Industry Stage 1
After conquering warehouses during the pandemic, what comes next for automation? Agriculture, construction and health care are all safe bets. Farm-ng’s Claire Delaunay, Dusty Robotics’ Tessa Lau and Dilligent’s Andrea Thomaz will discuss where robots from here. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Rachel is a hacker and the CEO of SocialProof Security where she helps people and companies keep their data safe by training and pentesting them on social engineering risks. Rachel was also 2nd place winner of DEF CON’s wild spectator sport, the Social Engineering Capture the Flag contest, 3 years in a row. Rachel has shared her real life social engineering stories with NPR, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, The New York Times, CNN, NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt, and many more. In her remaining spare time, Rachel sits on the CISA Technical Advisory Council and is the Chair of the Board for the nonprofit Women in Security and Privacy (WISP) where she works to advance women to lead in the fields.
Rachel's Sessions
What We Can Learn from Cybersecurity Trashfires @ Industry Stage 2
Hacks happen every day, and they can be highly embarrassing. But it’s the response, handling and aftermath that few ever forget and what can make a cyber incident into a cyber disaster. You’ll hear from three of the sharpest hackers and security researchers in their fields about cybersecurity horror stories, with advice and guidance on how founders and startups can avoid making the same mistakes. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Atul Todi, founder of 10Times, drives global innovation in event tech. With 40M+ users, 10Times connects professionals at the right time and place. On a mission to create a billion opportunities by connecting humans in the real-world.
Atul's Sessions
How to Leverage Events to Reach and Engage Business Audiences @ Roundtable 2
In a world where digital distractions grow exponentially, reaching your business audience can be daunting. Here’s a tip: Business events cut a powerful path through the noise. In this session, you’ll discover how to find the right event for your product and learn specific techniques and strategies — like researching events intelligently, identifying hidden opportunities and more. Plus, we’ll share actionable tips on how to use events to cut through digital noise, amplify your brand, generate leads and foster meaningful connections. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Stephen is the co-founder and CEO of Zellic, a blockchain security and auditing firm. Zellic secures over $3B+ of on-chain TVL for clients including LayerZero, Aptos Labs, Mysten Labs, and the Solana Foundation. Stephen was inspired to start Zellic after hearing countless reports of subpar audits from founders and builders. Before Zellic, Stephen hacked iPhones as a vulnerability researcher at Dataflow Security. He is an expert in low-level systems engineering and security. Separately, he also worked at the trading firm Two Sigma. His aim is to provide the best blockchain security services in the world to Web3 builders, investors, and users.
Stephen's Sessions
Why is Web3 Such a Trash Fire of Cybersecurity? @ Industry Stage 2
In the last couple of years, hackers have stolen more than $4 billion in cryptocurrency from a seemingly endless list of web3 and blockchain projects. Is the crypto world inherently insecure? Or is it still in its early years? In this panel we will delve into what makes web3 more vulnerable to attacks than other tech sectors, and how it can be improved. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Top 100 Digital Shaper Swiss Bilanz, Web3 Technology Advocate, and Shaper. She initiated her Web3 exploration in 2015 by co-founding Giveth, the first donation-tracking platform on Ethereum. With a continued passion for purpose-driven projects, she co-founded Blockchain for Humanity, a foundation that supports projects applying cutting-edge Web3 tech to enable a positive impact. She has supported and worked closely with multiple projects in the web3 space, and most recently, she joined the Polygon Labs team, where she leads the zkEVM product. Executive MBA from EPFL, Business Management Specialist focusing on Market, Partnerships, and Product Development. Passionate about Purpose-Driven Brands and Community building. Grace lives in Switzerland and enjoys hiking.
Grace's Sessions
Building Up Blockchains for Mass Adoption @ Industry Stage 1
As the crypto ecosystem gains more traction from developers, traditional institutions and big brands, it needs mainstream adoption to grow as well. In order to do that, blockchains need to be able to support greater — and faster — transactions per second, while keeping fees low. But what will it take to get to that next level? And what are major blockchains and crypto projects alike doing to help accelerate that mission? (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Jorge Torres is CEO and co-founder of MindsDB, an open source AI layer for existing databases.
Jorge's Sessions
Solving the Challenges in Deploying Enterprise AI Systems @ Roundtable 2
The transition from AI prototyping to full-fledged production is complex and fraught with challenges. This session will address key strategies for handling issues around data governance, scalability and deployment consistency to help you deliver AI-powered applications safely and efficiently in the enterprise environment. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Dave Tremper is currently serving as the DASD for Acquisition Integration and Interoperability (AI2), a position he has held since October 2022. In this position, he is responsible for deriving cross-service strategies for the development, acquisition and fielding of joint force system-of-systems capabilities in support of the Combatant Commanders’ joint operational needs. Dave was appointed to the Senior Executive Service (SES) in June 2020 as the Director for Electronic Warfare (EW) in OUSD (A&S). In this prior role, he was the U.S. Department of Defense’s senior leader providing guidance and advocacy for U.S. development and acquisition of EW capabilities and systems. Prior to coming to the Pentagon, Mr. Tremper served as a program manager at the Defense Applied Research Project Agency (DARPA) from 2017-2020 and at the Office of Naval Research (ONR) from 2008-2017. Within both organizations he created and managed applied research programs in the areas of Electronic Warfare, Counter-Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C-ISR) and Positioning, Navigation and Timekeeping (PNT) for both stand-alone and networked systems applications. He led the development and successful transition of new capabilities into ships, submarines, aircraft and ground vehicles for anti-ship missile defense (ASMD), C-ISR, suppression of enemy air defense (SEAD), counter-improvised explosive device (C-IED), and platform protection, including both manned and unmanned platforms.
Dave's Sessions
Why is Venture Capital So Uneasy with the World’s Largest Customer? @ Industry Stage 2
The U.S. Defense Department is the world’s biggest customer and is eager to work with innovative companies backed by venture capital. Unfortunately, most of the largest venture capital firms in the United States are gun shy when it comes to backing companies looking to tackle federal markets. Why is this? Are they being foolish and leaving money on the table? Or do they understand something important? (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Tomasz Tunguz is the founder of Theory Ventures, investing in early-stage AI, data, and blockchain companies. Previously, Tomasz was an MD at Redpoint and a product manager at Google, managing a billion-dollar business unit on the AdSense team. As an investor, he’s worked with nine unicorns, predominantly in data and data infrastructure, including Looker, Monte Carlo, Dremio, Hex, Omni, and Mother Duck. He writes a blog at tomtunguz.com that drives millions of page visits per month, featuring his analyses of GTM strategies, earnings, and trends across private and public technology companies.
Tomasz's Sessions
Building Applications with AI @ Breakout Room 1
Join us for a roundtable discussion with top data leaders as we explore the future of AI-powered applications. In this session, Harrison Chase CEO of Langchain & Henry Scott-Green, CEO of Context, discuss the best-practices for building applications with AI. Discussion topics include: The types of applications are best suited for using LLMsThe infrastructure & tooling required to achieve successMaximizing the user experience If building applications in a modern way is on your roadmap – or even just a curiosity – you don’t want to miss this exciting panel discussion. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Colonel Wallace “Rhet” Turnbull III is Deputy Director, Space Systems Integration Office, Space Systems Command, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California. The Space Systems Integration Office defines and manages an integrated, threat-based, system-of-systems space enterprise to deliver warfighting capabilities. Colonel Turnbull entered the Air Force in 1995 as a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy. He has led at the Materiel Leader and Senior Materiel Leader levels and has served in a variety of operations and acquisitions positions, including spacecraft engineer, program manager and chief engineer. Colonel Turnbull has deployed in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM as Ministerial Engagement Officer at International Security Assistance Force Afghanistan Joint Command, Kabul, Afghanistan. Colonel Turnbull has served in staff assignments at the Joint Functional Component Command for Global Strike and at Headquarters, U.S. Strategic Command. Prior to his current assignment, the colonel served as the Director, Cross-Mission Ground & Communications Enterprise, Los Angeles AFB, California. He transferred to the United States Space Force in 2021.
Colonel Wallace's Sessions
The Hardest Problems in Space @Breakout Room 2
Space is big, and working in space is difficult. From the daunting task of achieving interstellar travel, to the pressing concerns about space debris and its potential threat to spacecraft and satellites in orbit, we will delve into the complexities and uncertainties that define the vast expanse beyond our planet. Together let’s explore the immense challenges that await humanity as we venture into the cosmos, contemplate the critical issues that we face today, and discuss the cutting-edge research and visionary ideas that pave the way for solving the hardest problems in space. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Dr. Uma Valeti is the CEO and Founder of UPSIDE Foods, the world’s leading cultivated meat company. UPSIDE Foods was the first company focused on growing meat directly from animal cells and has led the industry ever since. Since 2015, UPSIDE Foods has achieved numerous industry-defining milestones, including being the first company to produce multiple species of cultivated meat (beef, chicken and duck), to partner with the existing meat industry, and to receive the world’s first green light from the U.S. FDA for a cultivated meat, poultry, or seafood product. UPSIDE Foods has raised over $600 million from a diverse coalition of investors including Richard Branson, John Mackey, Bill Gates, Temasek, ADG, Softbank, Threshold, Baillie Gifford, Norwest, Cargill, Tyson Foods and Whole Foods. Uma’s vision is to enable people around the world to eat the meat they love, while transforming the food system to become more sustainable and humane. Uma has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, the Aspen Ideas Festival and SXSW. In 2019 he was named a “Global Thinker of the Decade” by Foreign Policy magazine. Uma is a Mayo Clinic-trained cardiologist and an adjunct professor in Cardiovascular Medicine at Stanford University.
Uma's Sessions
The Upside (and Downside) of Cultivated Meat @ Industry Stage 2
In the fight to reduce our carbon footprint there is perhaps no bigger challenge than food, or more specifically meat. Raising, processing and distributing cattle, chicken and pork products are among the largest contributors to greenhouse gasses. So what if we grew it in the lab? Uma Valeti, founder and CEO of UPSIDE Foods, aiming to do just that. Come to the sustainability stage to learn the obstacles that stand in Valeti’s way — including getting consumers to literally take a bite — and if this nascent industry stands a chance. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Inara Valiyeva serves as the Head of Innovation and Digital Development Agency for less than a year. She previously worked for local G-Cloud provider Azintelecom as Deputy Director, Ders Evi – local education provider as Deputy CEO and huge MNC – Procter & Gamble as Marketing Director. She is an exceptional business leader, coach, mentor, and is driving innovation ecosystem development and digital transformation of Azerbaijan by applying her expertise in organization building, change and people management. Her passion for capacity building and coaching has inspired countless professionals to achieve their full potential.
Inara's Sessions
The Digital Silk Road: From Central Eurasia to Silicon Valley @ Breakout Room 2
For centuries, tradesmen from the Far East traversed the Great Silk Road transporting valuable goods and ideas to the Middle East, Central Asia and Europe. Now, a digital version — the Silkroad Innovation Hub — fosters connection and opportunity for entrepreneurs, founders and startups in Central Eurasia’s booming IT and tech ecosystem. Join them for a discussion on the burgeoning startup ecosystem, rapidly growing venture capital market, strategic government partnerships and cross-border investment opportunities featuring key players from Azerbaijan, Mongolia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Monica Varman is a Partner at G2 Venture Partners, a venture and growth equity firm investing in transformative technology companies at their inflection points to build a sustainable future. She focuses in particular on companies digitizing and decarbonizing the power, agriculture, and retail sectors. Monica previously worked at Tesla, McKinsey, and Zola Electric, an off grid solar company in Tanzania and Rwanda. She has an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA from Columbia University.
Monica's Sessions
Beer, Lab Meat and Climate Chaos @ Industry Stage 2
As climate awareness and anxiety grows, so too has the proliferation of loosely defined terms like regenerative and sustainable agriculture. Yet, what matters most is relatively straightforward; We know business-as-usual isn’t working in virtually any industry as far as the climate goes, and that includes agriculture. Enter startups such as Berkeley Yeast and S2G Ventures-backed Future Meat; these and other emerging tech firms are developing new ways to deliver the same (or even better) foods and drinks we love, ideally without wrecking havoc on the planet that makes such foods possible. Join us as key figures in agriculture-tech dish on the greatest obstacles and opportunities they see in the sector, from the future of beer and lab-grown meat to the ways supply chains can evolve to meet environmentally-conscious consumers’ demands. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
CEO & Founder GXO Inc., Operating Partner, Embedded Ventures Mandy is one of the most innovative and influential leaders in the US space industry. She founded GXO in 2021 to drive innovation, unlock new opportunities, and address emerging threats in space. Prior to founding GXO, at Virgin Orbit, Mandy worked on the LauncherOne program for government and commercial customers—including NASA, USSF and OneWeb. She served as president and CEO of VOX Space (a Virgin Orbit subsidiary) with a specific focus on the national security launch market. Additionally, Mandy has worked within General Dynamics Mission Systems, the Air Force as an active-duty officer, and Kinsey Technical Services to advance next-generation innovations in GPS, satellite communications, defense, and security. At GXO, Mandy leads the company in supporting new commercial space ventures quickly navigate the start-up environment to start delivering capabilities and missions that matter for commercial and government customers. Mandy holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering and an MS in Aeronautics and Astronautics, both from MIT.
Mandy's Sessions
Commercial Spacepower and the Next Space Age @ Industry Stage 2
In the United States, private industry plays perhaps the most important role in keeping America’s space aspirations aloft. This has created both opportunities and challenges as the U.S. government and the private sector try to chart a path forward together into the heavens. This panel unpacks the technologies the American public and private sectors are sending into space and the incentives that bring them together and drive them apart. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
My name is Emilia, and I’m an HR Analyst & IT Recruiter with a background in Clinical Psychology. I have over 8 years of experience in end-to-end recruitment processes. For the past 2 years, I’ve been leading Kadre’s talent acquisition efforts to help startups identify, attract, and hire top talent. Throughout my career, I’ve worked with software factories and IT companies, gaining insight into their needs and getting used to working in fast-growing environments. Collaborating with senior management roles and clients on their hiring requests has helped me anticipate upcoming needs, understand the importance of exchanging data-driven information and feedback, strategize pipelines, stay updated on the latest market trends, and track hiring metrics and blockers to design an action plan accordingly. I believe that building strong relationships with clients is key to helping them achieve their business goals. After conducting many HR interviews and getting to know the people behind roles and technologies, I strongly advocate for creating a positive candidate experience in each step of our recruiting process, from providing transparent information and feedback during the process to truly listening to each candidate’s career path intentions. I’m convinced that investing in a positive experience for both clients and candidates can build teams that will strive for success.
Emilia's Sessions
How to build a team for a growing startup @ Roundtable 1
When you’re forming a startup, one of the most important things you need to do is build a team. Having the right team behind you can make the difference between a successful venture and one that fails. Join this workshop and get the keys to ensuring that you are building a successful team. Learn about strategies for finding quality applicants, and how to develop a comprehensive understanding of what experience or skills each role requires can help propel your organization forward faster with measurable results. With these tips and tools at hand, create a winning team that sets your brand apart from competitors through expert hiring advice tailored specifically towards startups. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
How to build a team for a growing startup @ Roundtable 2
When you’re forming a startup, one of the most important things you need to do is build a team. Having the right team behind you can make the difference between a successful venture and one that fails. Join this workshop and get the keys to ensuring that you are building a successful team. Learn about strategies for finding quality applicants, and how to develop a comprehensive understanding of what experience or skills each role requires can help propel your organization forward faster with measurable results. With these tips and tools at hand, create a winning team that sets your brand apart from competitors through expert hiring advice tailored specifically towards startups. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Kyle Vogt is the CEO, CTO, president, and co-founder of Cruise, which he has scaled to over 3,000 employees (and counting!) with heavy-hitting backers like GM, Honda, Microsoft, and Walmart. An engineer at heart, Kyle has more than a decade of experience designing and deploying large-scale distributed systems, infrastructure, and complex robots that serve hundreds of millions of users. Before Cruise, he co-founded Twitch, which Amazon acquired for over $1B.
Kyle's Sessions
The Robotaxi Revolution
Explore the future of transportation and startup investing with Kyle Vogt, co-founder of Twitch and Cruise. Hear his unique insights on how self-driving vehicles are blending robotics, AI, and urban mobility in unprecedented ways, and learn how Vogt’s two successful exits has shaped his outlook as a startup investor. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Dmitry Volkov is a serial entrepreneur, AI investor, and founder of EVA AI and Social Discovery Group, one of the largest social discovery companies in the world. Dmitry has worked with more than 20 venture capital firms. He has served on the boards of several startups and continues to contribute to the development of Social Discovery Group while advising and nurturing other ventures. Dmitry has completed Executive Education programs at Harvard Business School and the University of California, Berkeley. He also holds a Ph.D. in philosophy and is the author of two books on consciousness and free will in analytical philosophy. He is a co-founder of the International Center for Consciousness Studies (ICCS), a nonprofit cultural association dedicated to promoting international philosophical and interdisciplinary research on the mind and consciousness.
Dmitry's Sessions
Social Life 3.0: AI and the Future of Digital Connection @ Industry Stage 1
Social media has taken a toll on people’s social skills, played on their insecurities and overwhelmed them with endless choice. How can technology, and AI specifically, help people move beyond superficial relationships to build authentic connections — romantic or platonic — in the digital world? (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Vlad Voroninski is the co-founder and CEO of Helm.ai, a software company building the next generation of AI technology for autonomous driving. BEfore founding Helm.ai, Vlad’s proficiency in mathematics and research earned him a prestigious academic career. After receiving his B.S. and M.A. degrees at UCLA, Vlad earned his Ph.D. in Mathematics at UC Berkeley. Throughout his tenure in academia Vlad published over 20 research articles in applied mathematics/machine learning and received multiple awards for his research, including the SIAM Outstanding Paper Prize and the NeurIPS Oral Presentation (top 30 out of 5000 papers). His research interests in computer vision, phase retrieval and deep learning later secured Vlad a faculty position at MIT in the Math Department, where he served for three years. In 2014, Vlad got his first taste of technology ventures as the founding Chief Scientist at Sift Security, a machine learning cybersecurity startup later acquired by the software company Netskope. In 2016, Vlad co-founded and became the CEO of Helm.ai. Under Vlad’s stewardship, Helm.ai has seen numerous successes, including growing to over 70 employees, raising more than $80M in venture capital and leading the vanguard of scalable deep learning technology for autonomous driving and robotics. Helm.ai has since attracted the attention of the likes of Honda Motor Company and other global companies in the automotive space, as well as earned its place at the forefront of machine learning technology.
Vlad's Sessions
Navigating the Evolving Landscape of Robotics, AI and Self-Driving Cars @ Industry Stage 1
What’s happening in robotics, artificial intelligence and autonomous navigation? Experts provide context and insights on a variety of fronts, including pure-play L4 and ADAS-first approaches for self-driving cars. Plus, they’ll discuss the proliferation of AI-driven development beyond the automotive field, including mining, drones and the path toward robotics automation at large. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Job is the CEO and co-founder of Remote. Job previously worked as a neuroscientist before leaving academia to become the VP of Product at GitLab, the world’s largest all-remote company, where he hired talent in 67 different countries. Job is a sought-after presenter, speaking on topics related to scaling a remote-first startup, remote culture, and the future of work. Job has two kids and five hundred hobbies.
Job's Sessions
How to Build Intelligent Startup Ops that Will Scale with Your Business
Ignore topics like trust, safety and privacy at your own peril: For startup customers, these are much more than nice-to-haves. But as a young startup, it can be hard to build ops in a way that makes sense both in your early days and as you scale. From this panel, expect operational notes and tips that you can put to work to avoid known pitfalls and build the right operational foundations from day 1. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Certified SaaS @ Industry Stage 2
To sell your SaaS product to regulated industries, you will need to get certified. At a minimum, most enterprises now expects you to have a SOC 2 certification, but there are also the ever-present GDPR, ISO 27001 and HIPPA, among many others. In this session, we’ll talk to Vanta, which helps startups gain these certifications and HR SaaS solution Remote, which due to its global nature needs to comply with a plethora of local rules. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Amir is a recognized payment thought leader and serial entrepreneur. His entrepreneurial journey began when he founded Innovative Private Limited (Avanceon) in 1987. In 2001, he founded i2c to modernize financial technology. As CEO, Amir sets the strategic direction to realize his vision of a global, unified banking and payment platform that delivers unparalleled flexibility and agility while providing security and reliability.
Amir's Sessions
What Will it Take to Fuel the Next Economy? @Breakout Room 1
Sustained innovation requires more than having the right technology. It’s about being part of an ecosystem that provides access to a diverse suite of APIs, products, programs, services and partners – an environment that helps you build, grow and thrive. Mastercard has a long history of supporting fintech partners of any size to co-innovate and scale solutions. In this session, you’ll learn how to make 1+1=3 through strong partnerships, access to low-code solutions and frictionless API integration that will make it easier to deliver greater impact for your customers. You’ll come away knowing how you can get to market faster and take your business to the next level. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Kyle Wallgren is a successful entrepreneur with a proven track record of building and selling multiple small businesses, having started 13 companies and sold 10 of them. He recently focused on Edsoma, which he founded after experiencing the challenges of Covid-related school closures and wanting to address the literacy issues faced by millions of Americans. With a mission to stamp out illiteracy around the world, Kyle is a visionary leader who is committed to making a positive impact through his work.
Kyle's Sessions
Shaq-nology: Slam-Dunking Education's Future with AI & Edsoma
Hear from basketball icon Shaquille O’Neal and Edsoma’s CEO, Kyle Wallgren. Discover the intriguing world of AI investments as Shaq shares his winning approach and what drives his passion for innovation. In this session, Shaq and CEO Kyle Wallgren will discuss their recent collaboration, with Shaq as an investor in Edsoma, a startup leveraging AI to revolutionize reading and education. Get insights into the limitless possibilities of AI-driven technology and learn from the man who continues to redefine success both on and off the court. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Matthew Walker is a Managing Director at S2G Ventures. He has over 10 years of experience in venture capital, investment banking and securities law. As Managing Director, Matthew’s efforts are focused on making investments, managing portfolio companies, and serving on various portfolio company boards. Before joining S2G Ventures, Matt was an investment banking Associate at Perella Weinberg Partners in New York focused on M&A and restructuring transactions across a range of industries. Prior to that role, he was a securities attorney in the Funds, Regulation, and Equity Derivatives practice at Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, LLP in New York. Matthew has an MBA from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, a J.D. from New York University School of Law, and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan. Matthew is a member of the Illinois Board of Trustees of The Nature Conservancy.
Matthew's Sessions
Beer, Lab Meat and Climate Chaos @ Industry Stage 2
As climate awareness and anxiety grows, so too has the proliferation of loosely defined terms like regenerative and sustainable agriculture. Yet, what matters most is relatively straightforward; We know business-as-usual isn’t working in virtually any industry as far as the climate goes, and that includes agriculture. Enter startups such as Berkeley Yeast and S2G Ventures-backed Future Meat; these and other emerging tech firms are developing new ways to deliver the same (or even better) foods and drinks we love, ideally without wrecking havoc on the planet that makes such foods possible. Join us as key figures in agriculture-tech dish on the greatest obstacles and opportunities they see in the sector, from the future of beer and lab-grown meat to the ways supply chains can evolve to meet environmentally-conscious consumers’ demands. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Casber Wang is a partner at Sapphire Ventures, where he focuses primarily on security, enterprise infrastructure, and data and analytics.
Casber's Sessions
Securing the Future: AI and its role in Advancing Cybersecurity @ Roundtable 4
AI is and will continue to be an important tool in advancing cybersecurity and protecting individuals and enterprises against the emerging threat landscape. At the same time, advancements in AI are also helping bad actors generate higher-quality, unexpected attacks. Join Casber Wang, Partner at Sapphire Ventures, for a discussion exploring the cutting-edge innovations, critical considerations, and promising developments that are shaping the future of AI in cybersecurity. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session) 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Richard Ward is the Chief Design Officer at Otter.ai, where he heads design for world’s leading tool for meeting transcription, summarization, and collaboration tool. Before Otter, Richard was the CEO of Meta Lab.
Richard's Sessions
AI in Your Meetings and Beyond @ Roundtable 1
Otter’s mission is to make conversations more valuable. Having transcribed over a billion meetings, the leading AI transcription and collaboration company is looking to unlock the collective knowledge within an enterprise with AI meeting assistants smart enough to answer questions and participate on behalf of professionals. Join us to learn more about how we’re innovating with AI by adding new ways to chat, share, summarize and generate new content. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Faye Wattleton co-founded quantum computing company EeroQ in 2017 after a decades-long career as a non-profit CEO and a leader in multi-sector board governance and public policy. She leads EeroQ’s advocacy and engagement for multi-disciplinary consensus on ethical principles, standards, and practices for the quantum industry. Faye has served on over 30 corporate, academic, and foundation boards of directors, including Columbia University, Estée Lauder, and Empire Blue Cross & Blue Shield. She holds 14 honorary degrees and was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in 1993. Prior to EeroQ, she was a Managing Director at Alvarez & Marsal, and earlier served as the first African American, youngest, and longest tenured President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America.
Faye's Sessions
The State of Quantum @ Industry Stage 2
Quantum computing is quickly moving from a science fiction concept to a technology that has the potential to change the state of computing. In this session we’ll talk about the state of the industry, the challenges ahead and the potential risks involved. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Libby is a business and technology leader with experience research, product development, entrepreneurship, corporate strategy, and venture capital. Libby served as the Global Director of Innovation for GE’s Ecomagination strategy, in which GE invested over $20B in clean innovation and generated over $300B in revenue. In this role, Libby led the development of physical and digital products, new business models, and global partnerships to address challenges in water, energy, and transportation. Libby also led strategy development for GE in the energy sector, and commercial development for the GE Ventures energy portfolio. Prior to GE, Libby served as the Director for the U.S. Department of Energy, Clean Energy Manufacturing Initiative, where she worked with the White House and across the Department to establish a portfolio of new advanced manufacturing research and Manufacturing Innovation Institutes. Earlier in her career, Libby developed solar energy technologies at SunPower and Alion Energy, and co-founded a company focused on energy and cold-chain infrastructure in Africa and India. Libby has served as an ex-officio member of the Secretary of Commerce Manufacturing Council, co-founded the MIT Energy Club, and serves on the founding board of the Boston Chapter of the Women’s Energy Network. Libby holds a BS & MS from MIT.
Libby's Sessions
TechCrunch Startup Battlefield – Session 1
TechCrunch’s iconic startup competition is back, as entrepreneurs from around the world pitch expert judges and vie for the Startup Battlefield Cup and $100,000. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Raising in a New Climate @ Industry Stage 2
Hear from investors about the current headwinds facing climate tech, where they’re finding new opportunities and areas they wish more startups would enter. Where opportunities might be found, overlooked areas and more. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Dr. Brian Weeden is the Director of Program Planning for Secure World Foundation and has more than 20 years of professional experience in space operations and policy. Dr. Weeden directs strategic planning for future-year projects to meet the Foundation’s goals and objectives, and conducts research on space sustainability issues. He is a member and former Chair of the World Economic Forum’s Council on the Future of Space Technologies, a former member of the Advisory Committee on Commercial Remote Sensing (ACCRES) to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the former Executive Director of the Consortium for Execution of Rendezvous and Servicing Operations (CONFERS). Prior to joining SWF, Dr. Weeden served nine years on active duty as an officer in the United States Air Force working in space and intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) operations.
Brian's Sessions
The Most Exciting Time in Space: How We Got Here and What Comes Next @ Industry Stage 2
This unprecedented time in space offers untold possibilities to transform humankind’s relationship with the cosmos and benefit the prosperity and security of all those here on Earth. Join leading experts as they explore what’s new and what’s next in space, from the mega-trends and cutting-edge technologies that will define the next decade to the critical role commercial companies will play in making the most of this exciting time. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Yana is CEO and Founder of Kraftful – an AI assistant that helps product teams build better products by listening to users at scale. Before starting Kraftful, she led product teams at multiple tech companies and personally experienced the challenge of trying to involve millions of users in the product development process. At Kraftful, she built a team of Meta, Slack, and IFTTT alumni, backed by Y Combinator, Google, Samsung, and other exceptional investors and entrepreneurs. Yana is also a Stanford fellow and has been invited to give talks at the White House, the UN Internet Governance Forum, Yale, NYU, and many product events and podcasts over the years.
Yana's Sessions
Navigating the AI Frontier in 2023: Lessons, Pivots and Triumphs from Two Early-stage Founders
In the dynamic world of AI entrepreneurship, cautionary tales and strategic advice go hand-in-hand. Join two pioneering early-stage founders and a seasoned investor as they discuss and explore what it takes to build in today’s frenzied AI environment. In this session, panelists will discuss how to discern signals from noise, how to find elusive product-market fit, and how to manage investor and team expectations along the way. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Erica Wenger is a serial entrepreneur with an exit under her belt and a passion to help founders doing it for the first time. Her angel investing track record, founding/operating experience, and community building experience (TEDx, national podcast) has sparked a differentiated access point amongst entrepreneurs looking for a true partner at the earliest stages. At Park Rangers Capital, we invest in pre-seed/seed stage software startups that turn their customers into members and their companies into communities or as we like to call them: elephant companies.
Erica's Sessions
The Future of Community-led Growth and Why Elephants are Greater than Unicorns @ Roundtable 4
Join Erica Wenger (founding GP of Park Rangers Capital) for an off-the-record conversation on her thesis backing software startups that turn their customers into members and their companies into communities or as we like to call them: elephant companies. See here for her foundational essay diving deeper into the topic (https://prc.beehiiv.com/p/elephantsnotunicorns). You’ll have a chance to ask her any questions about what she looks for when making an investment and what she’s seeing these days in the early stage investing market. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session) 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Wendy Tan White is the chief executive officer of Intrinsic, a robotics software and AI company at Alphabet. Intrinsic aims to unlock the creative and economic potential of industrial robotics for businesses, entrepreneurs and developers by making industrial robots easier to use and train. Intrinsic became an Alphabet “Other Bet” in July 2021. Prior to becoming CEO at Intrinsic, Wendy was a vice president at X, the moonshot factory, where she coached a variety of teams and leaders on how to chart their path to the moon, including sustainability projects Mineral and Tidal. Before joining X, she was a partner at BGF Ventures, a £2.5bn growth capital fund, and general partner at Entrepreneur First, a global technology talent investor in AI, robotics and biotech. Early in her career, Wendy was CEO and co-founder of Moonfruit, the world’s first Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) website builder platform. She also helped launch Zopa.com, the first European peer-to-peer lending site, and Egg.com, the UK’s first internet bank. Wendy holds a bachelor of engineering in computer science from Imperial College, a masters in material futures design from Central Saint Martins, and an honorary doctorate from Salford University. In 2016, Queen Elizabeth II awarded Wendy an MBE for her services to technology and business. Wendy currently lives in California with her husband and two children.
Wendy's Sessions
Automation Education @ Industry Stage 1
Alphabet X graduate Intrinsic was founded with a loft goal: making programming robots accessible. The company is far from the first to tackle the problem, but it has a lot going for it, including Google’s immense resources. CEO Wendy Tan White joins us, along with Brian Gerkey, who joined the team when Intrinsic acquired Open Robotics in December. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Meredith Whittaker is Signal’s President. She has over 17 years of experience in tech, spanning industry, academia, and government. Before joining Signal as President, she was the Minderoo Research Professor at NYU, and served as the Faculty Director of the AI Now Institute which she co-founded. Her research and scholarly work helped shape global AI policy and shift the public narrative on AI to better recognize the surveillance business practices and concentration of industrial resources that modern AI requires. Prior to NYU, she worked at Google for over a decade, where she led product and engineering teams, founded Google’s Open Research Group, and co-founded M-Lab, a globally distributed network measurement platform that now provides the world’s largest source of open data on internet performance. She also helped lead organizing at Google. She was one of the core organizers pushing back against the company’s insufficient response to concerns about AI and its harms, and was a central organizer of the Google Walkout. She has advised the White House, the FCC, the City of New York, the European Parliament, and many other governments and civil society organizations on privacy, security, artificial intelligence, internet policy, and measurement. And she recently completed a term as Senior Advisor on AI to the Chair at the US Federal Trade Commission.
Meredith's Sessions
Signal and the Future of Encrypted Messaging @ Industry Stage 2
Signal is one of the most popular end-to-end encrypted messaging apps today. We’ll chat with Meredith Whittaker, Signal president and esteemed AI expert, to talk about the work that goes into sustaining a security startup, the dangers of data collection, and Signal’s efforts to resist governments working to weaken encryption; plus, an AI reality check. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
How AI Is Being 'Openwashed' and How to Fight Back
AI is dominated by a handful of companies making misleading and contradictory claims of “openness.” If the technology is to grow and mature outside of their control, it needs to embrace true open source and empower bottom-up innovation. Meredith Whittaker, President of Signal, co-founder of the AI Now Institute at NYU, and early Google employee takes on this and other existential tech questions. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Chris Wallace is an early-stage operator & investor. He founded a global microfund (Pre-Seed/Seed) backed by leading VC funds (Bain Capital, Greycroft, Quiet Capital) and FinTech CEOs (Public, Alloy, Tagomi, Provide, and MANTL). He invests in FinTech, B2B Software, Vertical SaaS, Marketplaces, and Commerce Enablement across the US and EMEA. To date the fund has made 20 core investments including b2b infra (Caliza), fee-free smb payments (Hopscotch), ecomm payments infra (Kasheesh), and alternative investing (Poolit). Check sizes range from $50-100K. Chris previously spent 3.5 years at Greycroft ($2B AUM) focused on early-stage FinTech & Crypto (Seed/Series A) and worked in Product Strategy at Orum ($86mm raised), a B2B real-time money movement & payment orchestration API. He started his career in Product at Bank of America. He graduated from Columbia University (BA, Economics) and took an LOI from Harvard Business School to focus on entrepreneurial pursuits.
Chris's Sessions
How to raise your first round as a fintech founder @Breakout Room 1
Fireside talk-style conversation between two early-stage fintech VCs, detailing the major changes over the last year in the early-stage fintech market, the different business / revenue types, how to craft a pitch, and what VCs look for. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Dr. Peter Wegner is chief technology officer at BlackSky, where he implements BlackSky’s vision for technology across all aspects of the company’s capabilities and systems. He leads BlackSky’s efforts to develop a world-class multi-sensor geospatial intelligence engine. Peter oversees the company’s engagements with strategic stakeholders, ensuring customer needs are aligned with BlackSky’s business imperatives and investments. Prior to BlackSky, Peter was the director of advanced concepts at Utah State University’s Space Dynamics Laboratory, where he directed investments in new technologies. He also served as director of the U.S. Department of Defense’s Operationally Responsive Space Office at Kirtland Air Force Base, where he directed the creation of a national strategy to develop new and innovative techniques to design, build, test, and operate space systems. Peter also served as the technical advisor to the Air Force Space Command Directorate of Requirements and a research engineer with the Air Force Research Laboratory Space Vehicles Directorate, where he developed key innovations such as the ESPA ring. Peter holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wyoming. He also holds a Master of Science Degree in Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from Stanford University and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical/Space Engineering from the University of Arizona.
Peter's Sessions
The Most Exciting Time in Space: How We Got Here and What Comes Next @ Industry Stage 2
This unprecedented time in space offers untold possibilities to transform humankind’s relationship with the cosmos and benefit the prosperity and security of all those here on Earth. Join leading experts as they explore what’s new and what’s next in space, from the mega-trends and cutting-edge technologies that will define the next decade to the critical role commercial companies will play in making the most of this exciting time. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Sam Wiener co-founded Techsetters podcast with Jenny Wang and Karlie Kloss with the aim of inspiring the next generation of leaders in tech. She was Head of Product Engineering at Saturn, a social calendar for high school, and prior to that, she led engineering for Reels at Instagram. She works with early stage startups and helps them scale and build their engineering teams.
Sam's Sessions
Gen Z Founders You Should Know @ Breakout Room 1
What does it take to build a startup in the current landscape? How is Gen Z going to transform the industry? Join us for a double-header session where we interview two early-stage founders who are making waves. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Jillian Williams is a partner at Cowboy Ventures focused on investing in Seed stage founders with a specialized focus on fintech and vertical SaaS. Prior to joining Cowboy, Jillian was an investor at Anthemis, an early-stage fintech focused venture firm, focused across North America and Europe. She also serves as the head of BLCK VC NYC, the NY arm of BLCK VC. She received her BA from Yale.
Jillian's Sessions
Fintech Investing Is Not for the Faint of Heart @ Industry Stage 1
Venture capitalists have poured billions into fintech companies in recent years, making it one of the most invested categories in the startup world. While the pace of funding has slowed, there are plenty of investors who are still bullish on the potential of financial technology. What sectors within fintech show the most promise? Which have seen too much hype? Which have proven to be resilient? (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Julie pioneers innovation at Circ, driving the company toward partnerships with like-minded brands and strengthening Circ’s position as it develops a truly circular solution to fashion waste. Before joining Circ in November of 2019, Julie used her talents to help drive innovation at Nike Headquarters in Oregon. She began working with the apparel giant’s Explore team, where she was responsible for shaping major initiatives centered on transitioning groundbreaking material science into product, hiring scientists, and developing a state-of-the-art polymer synthesis laboratory. From there, Julie moved on to work in the Coatings Department for the Manufacturing Innovation team, helping map out the technology and business model for the brand’s footwear manufacturing, all while keeping an eye on sustainability. Prior to Nike, Julie led new barrier coating developments for a leading packaging company, MeadWestvaco (now WestRock). Julie has also been a faculty member at the prestigious Wilson College of Textiles at her alma mater, North Carolina State University. While there, she delved into fibrous materials that took her to Africa and beyond as a recipient of a Bill & Melinda Gates Grand Challenge Exploration’s award for a novel cellulosic material designed to protect crops from infestation (now in a commercialization phase in Kenya and Nigeria). Prior to her time at NC State, Julie cut her teeth as a young engineer scaling chemical technologies, running manufacturing operations, and commercializing products at Dow Corning Corporation.
Julie's Sessions
Is Sustainable Fast Fashion Possible? @ Industry Stage 2
Giants in fast fashion know the greenwashing game like the backs of their hands, yet the industry’s actions speak louder than words. As brands cash in on TikTok-fueled microtrends and embrace their products’ shrinking lifespans, their dependence on fossil fuel ingredients, toxic dyes and worker exploitation harms people and the planet. Can the industry address its toll while still attracting customers with the latest looks and ultra-low prices? Join us as three trailblazers weigh in on the future of circular fashion, sustainable materials, and the roles they believe emerging tech will play in decarbonizing the industry. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Dr. Wilson is the Chief of the Quantum Physics Division at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and is the technical lead of Quantum Information Science program, one of four critical emerging technology areas at NIST. The research program spans quantum computing, sensing, networking, enabling technologies, and fundamental science, and is a aligned with the U.S. National Quantum Initiative, a coordinated Federal program to accelerate quantum research and applications. Dr. Wilson engages in interagency activities that provide government support for the development of quantum technologies with transformative potential for the economy and quality of life. He is also the NIST Program Official for the Quantum Economic Development Consortium (QED-C), working to enable and grow the U.S. quantum industry, and represents NIST on its Steering Committee. Dr. Wilson is based at JILA, the joint institute of NIST and the University of Colorado Boulder, where he leads the NIST research program at the institute. Before his leadership roles at NIST, Dr. Wilson was a research physicist at NIST, working on trapped-ion quantum computing and related technologies.
Andrew's Sessions
Quantum and a New Age of Espionage @ Industry Stage 2
From busting open sensitive encryption to creating new unbreakable codes, quantum technologies have the potential to transform the world of espionage and cryptography. A government official and physicist, former CIA officer now in industry, Stanford professor and CTO of the only space FFRDC join forces to explain why, and how some of these technologies are related to things in orbit. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Melonee Wise is the CTO of Agility Robotics. Melonee has a deep history in developing autonomous robots and advancing the robotics industry as we know it today. Prior to joining Agility in 2023, Melonee was the Vice President of Robotics Automation at Zebra Technologies. She was CEO of Fetch Robotics until its acquisition by Zebra Technologies in 2021. Melonee was the second employee at Willow Garage where she led a team of engineers developing next-generation robot hardware and software, including ROS, the PR2, and TurtleBot. Melonee serves as the Chair of the IFR Service Robot Group, as a robotics board member for A3, and on the MHI Roundtable Advisory Committee. Melonee has received many accolades and awards including the MIT Technology Review TR35, Silicon Valley Business Journal’s Women of Influence and 40 Under 40, Supply & Demand Chain Executive’s 2021 Supply Chain Woman of the Year, the 2022 Engelberger award, and as one of eight CEOs changing the way we work by Business Insider. Melonee received a BS in Mechanical Engineering and Physics Engineering and a MS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois.
Melonee's Sessions
Getting a Leg Up @ Industry Stage 1
Agility cracked the code on bipedal robots with its Digit system. Now it’s looking to push its technology to work. CEO Damion Shelton and CTO Melonee Wise will discuss why the company is taking a different approach to the wheel-dominated world of warehouse robotics. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Sam is CEO of FundableStartups.com, a startup training academy that also provides idea validation and pitch development services to help entrepreneurs build healthy, fundable companies BEFORE they start fundraising. Sam served as CEO, CTO, or technical VP for five startups, resulting in three acquisitions and has also advised two other startups that were acquired. Sam is the author of 21 Secrets of Successful Startups, a book about startup execution. Sam has been featured in Fortune Magazine, served as a pitch judge dozens of times, and has spoken at conferences including TechCrunch Disrupt, The Lean Startup Conference, The Houston Tech Rodeo, and San Diego Startup Week.
Sam's Sessions
War Stories with Founder Equity and Cap Tables @ Roundtable 1
Many entrepreneurs leave stable jobs with steady pay to pursue their vision of building a vibrant venture. Founders may work for little to no salary in hopes that the future payout of a successful startup will more than make up for years of risk, uncertainty, and sacrifices.Sadly, it’s common for early stock decisions to metastasize into cancerous terms or unfair equity splits, creating founder conflicts that threaten to tear the company apart. Or rookie mistakes with cap table management result in excess dilution for all the founders and employees, dramatically reducing the equity payday for your hardest working contributors. After founding several startups and advising dozens more, we’ve seen hundreds of avoidable mistakes. Join us for a lively, interactive discussion of what often goes wrong with founder equity and how to get it right. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
War Stories with Founder Equity and Cap Tables @ Roundtable 2
Many entrepreneurs leave stable jobs with steady pay to pursue their vision of building a vibrant venture. Founders may work for little to no salary in hopes that the future payout of a successful startup will more than make up for years of risk, uncertainty, and sacrifices.Sadly, it’s common for early stock decisions to metastasize into cancerous terms or unfair equity splits, creating founder conflicts that threaten to tear the company apart. Or rookie mistakes with cap table management result in excess dilution for all the founders and employees, dramatically reducing the equity payday for your hardest working contributors. After founding several startups and advising dozens more, we’ve seen hundreds of avoidable mistakes. Join us for a lively, interactive discussion of what often goes wrong with founder equity and how to get it right. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Monique Woodard is the founder and managing director of Cake Ventures.
Monique's Sessions
How Founders Should Approach the TAM Question When Venture Capital Is Scarce
Writing a good market slide is an art. You don’t want to oversell your total addressable market (TAM) and look silly, or post a number that’s too small to be exciting. Nailing TAM for both external pitching and internal planning is no small feat. Let’s dig into the matter with today’s more picky venture market in mind. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Small Group Session: How Founders Should Approach the TAM Question When Venture Capital Is Scrce:
Join us for this small group Q&A session to continue the conversation with other TC+ members (✴️ Open to TC+ Annual/2-Year Subscribers Only) (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Rocio Wu is a principal at F-Prime Capital. She focuses on early-stage investments in fintech and enterprise software investments in the U.S. and LatAm.
Rocio's Sessions
How to leverage real time payments to expand product capability and accessibility @ Roundtable 1
FedNow is scheduled to launch in July, resulting in many questions: what are the incentives needed for banks to act, what is the role of regulators in driving real-time payments adoption, and what is the impact of the push-based payments model on fraud management and other implications on the broader financial ecosystem? This roundtable will explore factors such as network connectivity and bank adoption, regulatory power, consumer protection and fraud management, interoperability, and backend complexity. It will draw on successful examples of real-time payment systems in other countries, such as Brazil’s Pix, the UK’s Faster Payments Service, and India’s United Payments Interface, to identify gaps in the US system. Participants will gain valuable insights into the potential benefits of real-time payments and will learn how to address the challenges of implementing an effective real-time payment system in the US to increase product capability and accessibility. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Ellie leads the post-sales advisory for growth-stage companies at Insight Partners where she evaluates, builds, and unlocks the potential of commercial teams. Her experience across hyper-growth SaaS and global scaleups where she drove innovative engage-ments to connect customer insights with market trends and business opportunities. Ellie’s built custom-er lifecycle frameworks (implementation, enablement), operationalized analytic capabilities (customer success, support), and launched customer loyalty programs that became key contributors to company value. Prior to joining Insight, Ellie led Customer Experience at a cybersecurity startup, SAP Concur and TEDxSeattle. She is also a Certified Customer Experience Professional (CCXP), a graduate from Stan-ford Graduate School of Business’ LEAD program and serves on the Board of Advisors for Women in Cloud.
Ellie's Sessions
The New Power Duo in Capital-Efficient Growth: Marketing + Customer Success @ Breakout Room 2
In this talk, we’ll explore how the emerging partnership between Marketing and Customer Success (CS) can be a catalyst for your customer experience and your organization’s net revenue retention (NRR). CS’s expertise maximizing value and Marketer’s mastery of experience at-scale can amplify value realization. Learn how top-performing companies align goals and metrics, leverage data to create personalized experiences, and create ongoing communication and feedback loops as they onboard, renew, and expand customers. We’ll also discuss the impact of post-sale marketing on key metrics such as customer retention, acquisition, and advocacy. Attendees will gain practical insights to build a powerful partnership between Marketing and Customer Success and transform their business by boosting retention and expansion through personalized connection and community. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Hussein Yahfoufi is a seasoned technology executive and entrepreneur with a passion for revolutionizing personal finance. As the founder and former CEO of Money Minx, Hussein successfully bootstrapped the company, raising funds from angel investors and leading it to an acquisition by Arta Finance. He now serves as a Product Manager at Arta Finance, a digital family office, where he works on solutions to help more people access the financial superpowers of the ultra-wealthy across public and private investments. Before Arta Finance, Hussein was the CTO at eCapital, where he launched a mobile and web platform that expedited payments to truckers across America and Canada. Prior to that, he served as CTO at OneRoof Energy, where he developed one of the first online applications for designing and purchasing solar panels for residential homes. Hussein has been featured in TechCrunch multiple times for his work at Money Minx and previous endeavors. He is also the co-founder of GPT Hacks, a newsletter for tech-savvy professionals seeking to enhance their skills using ChatGPT and other Generative AI tools. Outside of his professional life, Hussein has recently discovered a love for tennis and enjoys sharing this passion with his family, (hopefully) turning them into a dedicated tennis clan.
Hussein's Sessions
Why Bootstrapping Is No Longer a Dirty Word in 2023
It’s possible to build huge companies without venture money. So long as your startup brings in more cash than it burns, you’re in business. But bootstrapping in tech circles often carries negative connotations — phrases like “lifestyle business” are sometimes thrown around. But with many startups realizing that they aren’t going to be able to raise more money, perhaps it’s time to give bootstrapping another look? (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Small Group Session: Why Bootstrapping Is No Longer a Dirty Word in 2023:
Join us for this small group Q&A session to continue the conversation with other TC+ members (✴️ Open to TC+ Annual/2-Year Subscribers Only) (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Anatoly Yakovenko is the CEO of Solana Labs and a co-founder of Solana, an open, interoperable and decentralized high performance blockchain network powering internet capital markets, payments, and crypto applications. Prior to founding Solana, he spent over a decade at Qualcomm. Anatoly has a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Anatoly's Sessions
Building Up Blockchains for Mass Adoption @ Industry Stage 1
As the crypto ecosystem gains more traction from developers, traditional institutions and big brands, it needs mainstream adoption to grow as well. In order to do that, blockchains need to be able to support greater — and faster — transactions per second, while keeping fees low. But what will it take to get to that next level? And what are major blockchains and crypto projects alike doing to help accelerate that mission? (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Rick joined NEA in 2007 and is the head of the firm’s consumer investing practice. His main focus is on fintech and consumer investments. Growing up as a nerdy gamer, he also has a particular interest in gaming and esports. Rick partners closely with founders, building a collaborative and trusted relationship at the earliest stages of a company. Some of his current investments include Bestow, Drop, Gen.G, Genies, MasterClass, Omio, Plaid, PlayVS, and Robinhood (NASDAQ:HOOD). Historically, he was involved with Braintree (acquired by PayPal), Gaikai (acquired by Sony), Opendoor (NASDAQ:OPEN), and Pure Energies (acquired by NRG). Rick also serves on the Board of Stanford Athletic Department’s investment fund and the Stanford Engineering Venture Fund. He is also an All Raise VC Champion and mentor for BLCK VC. Prior to joining NEA, Rick worked at Credit Suisse, where he advised on and executed a number of strategic financing initiatives for leading public and private tech companies as part of the Technology Group. Rick earned his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Stanford University, where he was also a varsity swimmer.
Rick's Sessions
How to Stretch Your Venture Dollars
Cash is worth more this year than last year, and certainly more than the tech industry got accustomed to during the last venture supercycle. With the dollar now more powerful than ever, how should startups ensure that their raised capital — equity, debt, whatever floats your burn — goes as far as possible? After all, the more you can do before you need more cash, the higher a price you can charge in your next round. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Sam Yen wanted to be an astronaut growing up. Although his first pair of glasses disqualified that possibility, he followed his passion and obtained aerospace degrees at Cornell and Stanford, before stints at NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. A lot has happened between then and now … Sam joined JP Morgan Chase & Co. in 2018 as Head of Digital Transformation for Commercial Real Estate, in Commercial Banking. In 2021 he expanded his responsibilities as the Head of Innovation for Commercial Banking. Elevated to Chief Innovation Officer in October 2022, Sam manages the process of innovation for the bank focused delivering delightful end to end digital experiences for clients. Prior to JPMC, Sam was the Managing Director for SAP Silicon Valley and was SAP’s first Chief Design Officer responsible for driving SAP’s Design and User Experience strategy and execution across the company. Sam holds a Ph.D. from Stanford’s Design program and continues to teach both at Stanford’s Institute for Design (the “d.school”) and Graduate School of Business as a Consulting Associate Professor on topics of creative cultures in organizations.
Sam's Sessions
Disrupting in a Digital World @Breakout Room 1
In today’s world truly disruptive technologies, like AI, quantum computing and frontier technologies are fundamentally changing the way we do business and live our lives. Startups stand at the forefront of these advancements as key agents for change. Being digital-first isn’t just a mindset; it’s a model that creates efficiencies, disrupts the status quo and enables innovation. This group of leaders share how they’re rethinking traditional business models and are harnessing the benefits of these technologies to digitize processes and deliver meaningful customer value. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Rujul is the cofounder & CEO of Zip, the world’s leading Intake-to-Procure solution. Zip has raised $181M in financing, most recently at a $1.5B valuation. Previously, he led the search product and platform teams at Airbnb.
Rujul's Sessions
The Power of Partnerships: Accelerating Innovation Through Strategic Partnerships
Join us for an engaging panel session that dives into the power of strategic partnerships and collaborative innovation. This session brings together industry leaders from Navan, Visa and Zip to explore the art of forging meaningful partnerships that drive growth, innovation and transformative change. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Celeste Ford is Managing Director at Stellar Ventures. She is also Board Chair and Founder of Stellar Solutions, Inc., a Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award-winning aerospace engineering company with the vision to satisfy customers’ critical needs while realizing employees’ dream jobs. Ford launched Stellar Ventures in 2020 to invest in the next generation of space technology companies. She also founded Stellar Solutions in 1995 and served as CEO until 2018 with the mission to deliver high-impact performance for defense, intelligence, commercial, civil and international clients. She established Stellar Solutions Foundation in 1998, QuakeFinder humanitarian R&D program in 2001, and expanded Stellar’s global presence with companies in the United Kingdom and France in 2003 and 2017, respectively. Ford’s numerous honors include Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Baldrige Foundation and the National Association of Women Business Owners, Silicon Valley Engineering Hall of Fame, Entrepreneur of the Year from Ernest & Young, and Small Business Executive of the Year from National Defense Industry Association. Under her leadership, Stellar Solutions has been named a Fortune Magazine Great Place to Work® since 2014. Ford is a member of numerous public, private and nonprofit Boards, including the Board of Trustees at the University of Notre Dame and the Council on Foreign Relations. She is an American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Associate Fellow. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Notre Dame and a Master of Science from Stanford University, both in Aerospace Engineering.
Celeste's Sessions
The Space Domain Awareness Challenge Pitch-off and Winner Announcement @ Industry Stage 2
Five finalists will get the rare opportunity to pitch in front of our judges on the Space Stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2023 and exhibit their AI/ML startup at Disrupt 2023 this September. One Winner will get the opportunity for a customer roadshow and expert-led concept feedback.(⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Hi, I’m Luciana, an HR trainer, Mentor, and Scrum Master with over 15 years of experience & specializing in the IT industry. For the past 11 years, I’ve been part of the HR development at ITX Corp, a remote company with a start-up heart that focuses on creating a people-oriented workplace with a strong culture and innovative environment. During my time at ITX Corp, I have contributed to expanding the team across 16 countries while ensuring that our company culture remains consistent across all locations. Currently, I’m focused on team development and managing HR projects to implement new initiatives. As the founder of JOBPONT, my goal is to train and develop strategic HR leaders who can help organizations create great places to work and generate value for both employees and businesses. I’m passionate about fostering healthy work environments that prioritize work/life balance for team members and positively contribute to society. With my extensive experience and expertise, I’m thrilled to help create the organizations we all aspire to be part of.
Luciana's Sessions
Building a Strong Company Culture for Virtual Teams: Best Practices for Remote Onboarding @ Roundtable 1
The transition to remote work has made it more challenging for startups to establish and maintain a strong company culture, particularly when onboarding new hires virtually. In this roundtable talk, we’ll discuss best practices for building a strong company culture for virtual teams through effective remote onboarding, with a focus on multicultural teams. We’ll explore strategies for creating a sense of belonging and fostering collaboration among team members from different cultural backgrounds.We’ll also discuss how to ensure that new hires understand and align with the company’s mission and values, and how to provide ongoing training and support to help them succeed in a high-performance team in a virtual environment. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Henry Scott-Green is co-founder and CEO of Context.ai, the evaluation and analytics platform for LLM applications.
Henry's Sessions
Building Applications with AI @ Breakout Room 1
Join us for a roundtable discussion with top data leaders as we explore the future of AI-powered applications. In this session, Harrison Chase CEO of Langchain & Henry Scott-Green, CEO of Context, discuss the best-practices for building applications with AI. Discussion topics include: The types of applications are best suited for using LLMsThe infrastructure & tooling required to achieve successMaximizing the user experience If building applications in a modern way is on your roadmap – or even just a curiosity – you don’t want to miss this exciting panel discussion. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Michelle Zatlyn is co-founder, President, and COO of Cloudflare, the Internet security, performance, and reliability company on a mission to help build a better Internet. Cloudflare is a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: NET). Prior to co-founding Cloudflare, Michelle held positions at Google and Toshiba and launched two successful startups. Michelle currently serves on the board of directors for Atlassian and the World Economic Forum Young Global Leaders Foundation. Michelle has been named to Fortune’s 40 Under 40 list and was part of Marie Claire’s 7th Annual New Guard. She holds a B.S. degree, with distinction, from McGill University, and an MBA from Harvard Business School, where she was awarded the Dubilier Prize for Entrepreneurship.
Michelle's Sessions
Cloudflare’s Journey from TechCrunch Disrupt Battlefield to Public Company @ Industry Stage 2
Cloudflare launched on stage at TechCrunch Disrupt in 2010. Today it’s a public company. We will chat with the co-founders about their journey and the challenges they face in today’s investment climate. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Xi Zeng is the Creative Director for Product at OnePlus, where he leads the creative direction and development of OnePlus products. With extensive experience in product design and a deep understanding of users, Dr. Zeng has led the development of OnePlus’s burdenless product design philosophy. Dr. Zeng previously served as the head of software UX design and product innovation at OnePlus, where he was responsible for developing the critically acclaimed OxygenOS. He also led the product design of the OnePlus Concept One and several other co-branded products. In addition to his work at OnePlus, Dr. Zeng has also been serving as the Director of Software Product at OPPO since 2021, where he is leading the design and planning of OPPO’s proprietary operating system, ColorOS. Dr. Zeng holds a PhD in Art from the University of Barcelona and is a guest professor at the European Design Institute and China Academy of Art. He has also been an active visiting scholar at the Royal Academy of Arts.
Xi's Sessions
How to Sustain a Tech Company in a Competitive World
Building a successful company is never easy, especially in highly competitive consumer tech markets. Founders need the drive and know-how to challenge established players and keep their products competitive. At OnePlus, a group of passionate people —supported by a vibrant community who shared the same values — challenged the entire tech industry with meaningful innovation. In this session, we will share strategies to help you stay on track during difficult times, remain open to possibilities and expand from a niche brand for tech enthusiasts to serve a larger market — and more. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Mr. Zhambakin was appointed as Vice Minister of Digital Development, Innovations and Aerospace Industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan in 2020. His responsibilities are digital development strategy; Government Digital Transformation; Data Management. Previously he has worked as an adviser to the Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan and worked in different roles and companies in Tech Industry. He holds Management and Information Systems MSc from the University of Manchester.
Askar's Sessions
The Digital Silk Road: From Central Eurasia to Silicon Valley @ Breakout Room 2
For centuries, tradesmen from the Far East traversed the Great Silk Road transporting valuable goods and ideas to the Middle East, Central Asia and Europe. Now, a digital version — the Silkroad Innovation Hub — fosters connection and opportunity for entrepreneurs, founders and startups in Central Eurasia’s booming IT and tech ecosystem. Join them for a discussion on the burgeoning startup ecosystem, rapidly growing venture capital market, strategic government partnerships and cross-border investment opportunities featuring key players from Azerbaijan, Mongolia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻
Tarin is a technologist and entrepreneur w/ 20+ years of experience in deep-tech applied R&D. Previously, Tarin led and developed autonomous vehicle (AV) technology for Apple, US Army Research Labs, and as CTO of Voyage (acquired by Cruise). Tarin’s previous DoD work included RADAR / SONAR simulation, imaging, and perception algorithms, along with jamming / anti-jamming adaptive systems for US Army and Naval Underwater Warfare Center (NUWC). Concurrently as CEO of Neurosys, he worked on developing neural spike-sorting algorithms for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to better understand the biological basis of the brain’s encoding of visual information. More recently, Tarin led the research engineering team at Meta’s Reality Labs designing neural interfaces, and was previously Director R&D at CTRL-Labs (acquired by Meta) where he and his team developed biophysics constrained neural interface decoding algorithms and systems. Tarin holds a BSEE from George Mason University (2004) and an MSEE from George Washington University (2007).
Tarin's Sessions
Navigating the Evolving Landscape of Robotics, AI and Self-Driving Cars @ Industry Stage 1
What’s happening in robotics, artificial intelligence and autonomous navigation? Experts provide context and insights on a variety of fronts, including pure-play L4 and ADAS-first approaches for self-driving cars. Plus, they’ll discuss the proliferation of AI-driven development beyond the automotive field, including mining, drones and the path toward robotics automation at large. (⛔ No Expo+ Pass Access For This Session)
Eugenio is an AI Leader working at CVS Health, a Fortune 500 company and the #1 healthcare company in the world. He is a Forbes Under 30, TEDx Speaker, WEF Global Shaper, and studied across MIT, Harvard, and Imperial College. Eugenio’s analyses helped develop policy recommendations for The White House, CEOs and leading research institutions to take action in key situations, such as the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. He is a regular contributor for several news outlets including HBR, Forbes, and Fortune as well as multiple journals, and is a Keynote Speaker and Guest Lecturer. Eugenio is the recipient of 15+ honors and awards, including the John McCarthy Award for contributions to AI, Nova Talent of the Year, and the ISPI / BCG Future Leaders Award. Featured in Forbes, Fortune, HBR, The Washington Post, Bloomberg, The Financial Times as well as several TV programs, radio shows, and podcasts.
Eugenio's Sessions
Revolutionizing Healthcare with AI: Real-Life Use Cases and Solutions @ Roundtable 1
In recent years, the healthcare industry has been revolutionized by using machine learning (ML) to improve patient outcomes, reduce costs, and streamline workflows. However, the successful implementation of ML in healthcare has its challenges. This talk will explore some real-life use-cases of ML in the healthcare sector and discuss how AI-optimized hardware can help overcome some of these challenges. We will also delve into how more interpretable models and a tight feedback loop can help gain the trust of key stakeholders, including clinicians, driving adoption and the success of ML solutions. 🔻Limited space: first-come, first served🔻