Techstars Startup Week Columbus 2019: Full Schedule

9:00am EDT

Welcome to Startupweek 2019

Inspirational opening poetry by Caroline Bennett, To kick week the week off!

Speakers

Caroline Bennett

Inspirational Speaker, Poet, Entrepreneur, Storyteller, Singer and #FreeBlackGirlRising

Unapologetic Deviant. Unscripted Provocateur. Mind Stimulator. Soul Liberator. Eclectic. Caroline Bennett is making her dreams come true as an Inspirational Speaker, Poet, Entrepreneur, Storyteller, Singer and #FreeBlackGirlRising. A native of North Tulsa, Oklahoma, Caroline was raised... Read More →

Monday September 9, 2019 9:00am - 9:15am EDT
Lincoln Theater - Ambition Stage 769 E Long St, Columbus, OH 43203

Entrepreneurship

9:00am EDT

Headshots by 301 Original

https://301original.com/

Monday September 9, 2019 9:00am - 5:00pm EDT
Lincoln Theater 769 E Long St, Columbus, OH 43203

9:15am EDT

Keynote: Achieving Founder, Product & Startup Flow

Flow is a high-performance state most often associated with athletes “being in the zone.” I became fascinated with the concept of Flow and how it could relate to starting a company, being a founder, and creating products. I’ve had the privilege of being part of starting seven companies and building countless products over time and now as Principal at the software product and data consulting firm, AWH. I’ve identified the key attributes, timing, and mixture to give yourself, your company, and your product a better chance of succeeding by achieving Flow to make the process easier and more efficient.

Speakers

Ryan Frederick

Principal, AWH

Ryan Frederick has had the privilege of being part of several startups and growth companies. He has helped companies grow from inception, to viability, through to sustainability. During the evolution of these companies, Ryan as served on company boards and been instrumental in capitalization... Read More →

Monday September 9, 2019 9:15am - 10:00am EDT
Lincoln Theater - Ambition Stage 769 E Long St, Columbus, OH 43203

Entrepreneurship

10:00am EDT

Upstart's unique opportunity in Columbus

Paul Gu (Co-founder and Head of Product) and Grant Schneider (Data Scientist and Head of Columbus) will discuss building a startup to unlock opportunity for everyday Americans, how advances in ML/AI drive down the cost of credit, and the unique opportunity for scaling that Columbus provides.

Speakers

Paul Gu

Co-Founder, Upstart

Paul is a co-founder of Upstart. He built Upstart's original predictive models, and now leads the company's product and data science efforts. Paul dropped out of the economics and computer science program at Yale University after being selected for Peter Thiel's 20 under 20 fellowship... Read More →

Grant Schneider

Head of Upstart Columbus/Data Scientist, Upstart

Grant Schneider leads the brand new HQ2 in Columbus for Upstart, the leading AI lending platform. Grant has been interested in disrupting the consumer credit market since his father and his wife were both declined for credit cards based on their lack of credit history. He spent the... Read More →

Monday September 9, 2019 10:00am - 11:00am EDT
Lincoln Theater - Ambition Stage 769 E Long St, Columbus, OH 43203

Entrepreneurship

10:00am EDT

Funding Options: How I Got Money

Panel: Hoa McManus (SHARE), Steve Werman (Homage), Matt Barbee (Rockmill)

Moderator: Dan Rockwell (Big Kitty Labs)

Early funding decisions depend heavily on the type of company you plan to start. This panel of entrepreneurs from different industries (tech, retail, and brewery) will discuss the early funding decisions their businesses faced, the reasons they chose certain options over others, and the ways in which early funding decisions impacted their companies. Moderated by a staple of the Columbus tech scene, this panel will tell their stories and help you determine the early funding options that are right for you.

Speakers

Steve Werman

CFO, HOMAGE

Steve Werman, CFO, has been with HOMAGE since May 2013. Prior to joining the team, he was a Director at KPMG in the Chicago office in the Transaction Services group, where he performed due diligence on potential investment opportunities on behalf of Private Equity firms. At HOMAGE... Read More →

Hoa McManus

Co-Founder and Chief of Culture, SHARE

Hoa is the Co-Founder and Chief of Culture at SHARE. Hoa is driven by the force to help people. Starting out in the healthcare industry and taking the compassion and communication skills Hoa gained, she helped start ContentVia. A full-service marketing business, with a focus on helping... Read More →

Matthew Barbee

Owner, Rockmill Brewery

Matthew Barbee is the owner and brewer of Rockmill Brewery in Lancaster, Ohio and Rockmill Tavern in the Columbus’ Brewery District. His grandfather started a winery in Ohio when Matthew was a young boy, giving him his first glimpse at the fermentation process. Matthew later studied... Read More →

Dan Rockwell

CEO, Co-Founder, Big Kitty Labs

Dan Rockwell, CEO, Co-Founder of Big Kitty Labs, a digital software agency in Columbus, Ohio.

Monday September 9, 2019 10:00am - 11:00am EDT
Lincoln Theatre - Grit Stage 769 E Long St, Columbus, OH 43203, USA

Funding

11:00am EDT

The Five Driver System

The challenge that confronts every business is: How do you build and lead an organization that consistently performs at the upper levels of its potential? The answer lies in recognizing that a business is an organizational system of specific drivers that must work together to consistently produce superior performance.The Five Driver System focuses on the fundamental drivers that shape the effectiveness of a business. The system shows how your company performs not just as a collection of individual parts, but how it performs as a business system.

Speakers

Tim Kight

Founder, Focus 3

Tim Kight Founder of Focus 3, a firm whose mission is to help companies around the world align the power of leadership, culture, and behavior to achieve next-level results. A dynamic communicator, Tim focuses on the critical factors that distinguish great organizations from average... Read More →

Monday September 9, 2019 11:00am - 12:00pm EDT
Lincoln Theater - Ambition Stage 769 E Long St, Columbus, OH 43203

Entrepreneurship

11:00am EDT

Corporate Venture: Opportunities for Startups and Corporations

Panel: Amelia Gandara (Nationwide), Mike Logozzo (L Marks), Haley Smith (State Auto Labs), Judd Freitag (Smuckers)
Moderator: Zach Ellis (OSU)

This panel will feature experts leading the charge in corporate innovation. Hear from representatives from Nationwide, State Auto Labs, Smuckers, and L Marks about the entrance points for early-stage companies looking to do business with and solve problems for established corporations. You may be surprised to learn about the opportunities for innovation in mature business environments. With a moderator who spent many years in corporate venture on the East Coast, this panel is for entrepreneurial enthusiasts both inside and outside the corporate scene.

Speakers

Haley Smith

Director, State Auto Labs

Haley Smith is the Director of State Auto Labs, the innovation arm of State Auto Insurance, which was designed to help State Auto navigate the rapid and dramatic change of the insurance industry. Haley works side-by-side with the core business teams to help grow innovation using both... Read More →

Judd Freitag

Director, Corporate Strategy and M&A, The J.M. Smucker Company

Judd is a member of Smucker’s Corporate Strategy practice, providing thought and execution leadership to the C-suite in pursuit of organic and inorganic growth. He also leads the full transaction lifecycle of M&A opportunities, from target identification through integration. He... Read More →

Amelia Gandara

Head of Platform and Operations, Nationwide Ventures

Amelia joined Nationwide’s ventures team having been an early member of two corporate innovations teams within GE where she contributed to product development efforts ranging from novel home appliances to industrial inspection technologies. She also managed an evergreen startup... Read More →

Mike Logozzo

Managing Director, Americas, L Marks

Mike is the head of the Americas Region for L Marks, covering US, Canada, and Latin America. He is a former strategic and transformation leader at BMW Financial Services. During his 18-year tenure, Mike was responsible for business operations, innovation, and best practices integration... Read More →

Zach Ellis

Director of New Ventures, The Ohio State University

Zach Ellis is Director of New Ventures at The Ohio State University. Zach has over 15 years of corporate management experience and has been commercializing early-stage technologies via startups and other vehicles for the past eight years. Before joining Ohio State, Zach worked at... Read More →

Monday September 9, 2019 11:00am - 12:00pm EDT
Lincoln Theatre - Grit Stage 769 E Long St, Columbus, OH 43203, USA

Funding

1:00pm EDT

Fireside Chat with Mick Batyske

Mick Batyske moderated by Ryan Frederick

Did you know that this well-known entertainer and influencer -- who has deejayed for Jay Z, Michelle Obama, and Steph Curry, to name a few -- is also a tech investor and advisor, having worked with many startup success stories across the country? You do not want to miss this fireside chat with one of the most dynamic individuals in the business, led by one of the most recognized builders in the local startup scene.

Speakers

Ryan Frederick

Principal, AWH

Mick Batyske

DJ, Style Influencer, Tech Investor, Music Curator and Brand Consultant

Monday September 9, 2019 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT
Lincoln Theater - Ambition Stage 769 E Long St, Columbus, OH 43203

Entrepreneurship

1:00pm EDT

From Bootstrapping to Big Checks: A Quick Primer on Funding Options

Our session is excited to go through many of the traditional and non-traditional methods of funding a business.

Our panel will discuss a set of diverse organizations which are united by the goal of helping startups grow and succeed.

Speakers

Sasha Saberi

Managing Partner, Atlas Partners

Sasha Saberi is an Innovation specialist, entrepreneur, and connector with an expertise in strategic alliances, startup ecosystems, and community relations. He has worked with high growth enterprises and fortune 500 companies in various areas including digital transformation, sales... Read More →

Timothy Wolf Starr

Managing Partner, Atlas Partners

After years of pursuing a diverse set of entrepreneurial ventures, Wolf is now focused on connecting resources to meet needs within the entrepreneurial community. Wolf's goal is to create opportunities and relationships for organizations our community feel passionate about. Wolf's... Read More →

Monday September 9, 2019 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT
Lincoln Theatre - Grit Stage 769 E Long St, Columbus, OH 43203, USA

Funding

2:00pm EDT

Fireside Chat with Kelly James

Kelly James fireside chat w/ Kevin Lloyd

Speakers

Kelly James

President & Founder, ROAM Bikes, Inc.

Charged by his passion for bikes, technology and innovation, Kelly James brings over three decades of profitable, solution-driven experience. This Columbus, Ohio native understands the power of cutting-edge mobility and continues to break new ground providing fun, fuel-free ways for... Read More →

Kevin Lloyd

Co-Founder, MYLE (Make Your Life Entertaining)

Kevin Lloyd is known for his exemplary leadership career as a highly successful Retail Executive with more than 20 years of Operational and Customer Service experience in his prior career. His experience consists of high levels of operational excellence resulting in sales exceeding... Read More →

Monday September 9, 2019 2:00pm - 3:00pm EDT
Lincoln Theatre - Grit Stage 769 E Long St, Columbus, OH 43203, USA

Entrepreneurship

2:00pm EDT

Is Your Business Fundable?

Panel: Matt Orr (Stonehenge), John Choi (WillowWorks), Mark Shary (Tamarind Hill)

Moderator: Elio Harmon (614startups)

Description: Not all businesses are the right fit for outside capital. This panel of seasoned investors will discuss the types of companies they seek for funding opportunities, the qualities that make a company ripe for funding, and the steps founders and early employees can take to make their companies more attractive to investors. These panelists are experts in their field -- having invested in companies across industries and geographic regions -- and will give advice through a moderator who brings the 614startup community together.

Speakers

Mark Shary

Co-Founder, Tamarind Hill

Prior to co-founding Tamarind Hill, Mark has been a prolific founder, seed investor, advisor, board member and executive for more than a dozen technology start-ups. He chairs the boards of two portfolio companies, Updox and Vantage Point Logistics, and serves on the board of two others... Read More →

John Choi

General Manager, WillowWorks

John Choi manages WillowWorks, a venture fund investing in early-stage business to business technology companies. John's start-up career began in the mid-'90s in roles evolving from project management to systems architecture to CIO. John currently serves on WillowWorks portfolio... Read More →

Matt Orr

Vice President, Stonehenge Capital

Mr. Orr is responsible for the underwriting and administration of equity and debt investments to growth oriented operating companies located in strategic economic development zones with an emphasis on financings in the states of FL, OR, IL, UT, NE, and OH. Mr. Orr is a product expert... Read More →

Elio Harmon

Founder, 614Startups

Elio Harmon is the Founder of 614Startups and Entrepreneur's Brew. Born in Liberia, Elio and his family immigrated to the U.S. seeking refuge due to a brutal civil war that ravaged the small West African country. Spurred on by a love of Columbus, Ohio, it’s burgeoning startup ecosystem... Read More →

Monday September 9, 2019 2:00pm - 3:00pm EDT
Lincoln Theater - Ambition Stage 769 E Long St, Columbus, OH 43203

Funding

3:00pm EDT

Confession of an Appaholic

Jacqueline Rinehardt had a different notion of what it meant to “build an app” but quickly learned the realities and challenges of creating not just a technology product but a scalable business. In this presentation, she will share her personal experiences of how she got involved in mobile apps and built a tech company with a non-technical background. Jacqueline will also describe her experiences validating an idea, determining what should be included in a minimum viable product, finding early partners, and learning from all of the challenges and pivots along her journey.

If you are an entrepreneur, intrapreneur, or “someone that may just have an idea”, this presentation will leave you with knowing how to define the value of an idea, the definition of success in multiple stages of product development, and how to anticipate challenges before they occur.

Above all, Jacqueline is hoping to inspire you with a realistic view of the challenges ahead.

Speakers

Jacqueline Rinehardt

Founder, Shuffle

Jacqueline Rinehardt has been exploring the world of entrepreneurship for over 5 years now with a focus on consumer facing products. She has worked on various projects spanning from the floral industry, to loyalty, to travel. Currently she is the founder of the Shuffle App, which... Read More →

Monday September 9, 2019 3:00pm - 4:00pm EDT
Lincoln Theatre - Grit Stage 769 E Long St, Columbus, OH 43203, USA

Entrepreneurship

3:00pm EDT

Friends & Family Round: How to Meet Investors When You Don’t Have a Rich Aunt

Panel: David Hunegnaw (LOUD), Jim Baich (MAD Capital), Arnab Nandi (Mobikit), Calvin Cooper (Rhove), Bethany George (Rev1)

Moderator: Zach Ellis

Keep hearing stories about founders who secured sizeable angel investments, but not sure how they did it? Wondering how to seek friends and family investment without rich friends and family? This panel brings unique insight into this issue, including the perspective of an angel investor, an early-stage institutional investor, and two founders with recent experience securing early capital. Moderated by the senior director of investment funds at Rev1, this panel will discuss how to meet and ask for capital from individuals, angels and seed-stage investors, as well as the big-picture implications of a system that encourages friends and family investment.

Speakers

Jim Baich

Chairman of the Board, Tri-W Group

Jim Baich is the founder and owner of MAD Capital, a private investment company. Prior to MAD, Jim was Chief Operating Officer (COO) at both Advanced Drainage Systems (ADS) and IGS Energy (IGS). In 2010, Jim joined IGS as COO and immediately helped lead a wholesale transformation... Read More →

Arnab Nandi

Founder and CEO, Mobikit

Arnab Nandi is founder and CEO of Mobikit, a startup that is helping solve data challenges in mobility. Arnab’s expertise is in data infrastructure, with a focus on human-in-the-loop data analytics and next-generation query interfaces. Arnab is also an Associate Professor of Computer... Read More →

Calvin Cooper

Co-Founder and CEO, Rhove

Calvin Cooper is the Co-Founder and CEO of Rhove, a financial technology company that is closing the gap between renting and homeownership. Rhove partner properties offer loyalty rewards to renters that enable them to save and earn a return from where they live. Prior to founding... Read More →

Bethany George

Senior Director, Investment Funds, Rev1 Ventures

Bethany’s responsibilities include managing Rev1’s investment, portfolio, and fund processes. As a member of the investment team, she contributes to due diligence and closing processes. Bethany has worked with startups and venture development organizations for more than a decade... Read More →

Zach Ellis

Director of New Ventures, The Ohio State University

Monday September 9, 2019 3:00pm - 4:00pm EDT
Lincoln Theater - Ambition Stage 769 E Long St, Columbus, OH 43203

Funding

4:00pm EDT

Staying Sane while starting a Startup

We all know that business owners, especially those who work in startups, don't always take the best care of themselves because they are busy taking care of their business. This panel discussion will cover real-world experience in starting a business, juggling business responsibilities while taking care of your health, both mental and physical.

Speakers

Achea Redd

Founder and Owner, Real Girls F.A.R.T.

Achea Redd is a mental health advocate, author of “Be Free. Be You.” and founder of Real Girls F.A.R.T. In early 2016, Achea Redd was diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder. As a form of self-expression and healing, Achea Redd created her own blog, sharing her feelings about... Read More →

Adiya Dixon Wiggins

Founder and President, YUBI Beauty

Adiya Dixon Wiggins is the founder and President of YUBI Beauty. YUBI is a patented cosmetic tool invented by Adiya and named to TIME Magazine’s Best Inventions of 2018. Japanese for “finger,” YUBI was partially inspired by Adiya’s experience in Japan in her twenties... Read More →

Dr. Shari Hicks-Graham

Owner, Downtown Dermatology

Board-certified Columbus dermatologist Dr. Shari Hicks-Graham is the owner of Downtown Dermatology, a private practice in Columbus that provides comprehensive medical and cosmetic dermatology services. She helps her patients manage chronic and acute skin conditions, as well as the... Read More →

Monday September 9, 2019 4:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
Lincoln Theatre - Grit Stage 769 E Long St, Columbus, OH 43203, USA

Entrepreneurship

4:00pm EDT

VC Decoded: How to run a proper fundraising process

Considering raising venture capital?
This talk decodes fundraising by providing you the structure for running a proper institutional fundraising process including:

Current state of VC
Round characteristics
Qualifying Investors
Finding the best introductions
Translating a “pass” and reading signals

Speakers

Jake Mendel

VP, Early Stage, Silicon Valley Bank

Jake Mendel is the Vice President of Silicon Valley Bank's Early-Stage Practice in New York City. Jake works hands-on with the east coast's fastest growing startups – guiding founders through the process of starting & growing a business and finding ways to improve their likelihood... Read More →

Monday September 9, 2019 4:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
Lincoln Theater - Ambition Stage 769 E Long St, Columbus, OH 43203

Funding

5:30pm EDT

Opening Kick Off Party

Limited Capacity seats available

Monday September 9, 2019 5:30pm - 8:30pm EDT
Topgolf 2000 Ikea Way, Columbus, OH 43240, USA

Networking

9:00am EDT

Fireside Chat with Alex Frommeyer

Hear from Alex "Fro" about the growth of Beam Dental right here in Columbus.

Moderated by Steve Flaherty

Speakers

Alex Frommeyer

Co-founder and CEO, Beam Dental

Alex Frommeyer is the Co-founder and CEO of Beam Dental, a dental benefits company that offers employers a fundamentally unique approach to dental coverage by incorporating hygiene behavior into policy pricing. Fro is a Forbes 30 Under 30, was inducted into the Kentucky Entrepreneur... Read More →

Steve Flaherty

Founder & CEO, necoPlastics

Steve Flaherty is the Founder & CEO of necoPlastics, a mission driven startup plastic recycling company out of Delaware, Ohio. He is also the founder of Yumii Kettle Corn Co which he and his wife, Rachel, have grown from a pop-up tent into one of the largest popcorn providers in Ohio... Read More →

Tuesday September 10, 2019 9:00am - 10:00am EDT
Lincoln Theatre - Grit Stage 769 E Long St, Columbus, OH 43203, USA

Entrepreneurship

9:00am EDT

Avoiding These Common Funding Mistakes

Panel: Ray Jones (Expert in Residence; Ohio State) Jill Raderstorf (Ohio Innovation Fund), Owen Pohl (Chase)

Moderator: Josh Borean (Gillespie Law Group)

Hear from a panel of seasoned investors about the most common mistakes they see entrepreneurs make. These panelists have seen it all and are sharing the information they wish you knew. Moderated by a startup attorney who has also witnessed his share of mistakes that can derail a deal, this panel of experts will help you avoid distractions and get investors to focus on what's important: you and your company.

Speakers

Jerome Jones

Small Business Consultant, U. S. Small Business Administration

Jerome W. Jones is a Lender Relations Specialist with The U. S. Small Business Administration. Prior to joining the SBA Jones was a Certified Business Advisor with The Ohio Small Business Development Center at Columbus State Community College and Managing Member of The Danash Group... Read More →

Owen Pohl

Area Manager for Greater Columbus Business Banking, JPMorgan Chase

Owen Pohl joined JPMorgan Chase Bank in 2006. He brings 25 years of Business Banking experience.Born in San Diego and raised in Centerville, Ohio, Owen earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Bowling Green State University. He lives in Powell, Ohio where he enjoys coaching lacrosse... Read More →

Ray Jones

Expert-in-Residence, The Ohio State University

Ray Jones, currently an Expert-in-Residence at The Ohio State University, has worked in technology business development and venture capital for 13 years including as an early Partner at Andreessen Horowitz (a16z). Jones was a leader in market development and sourcing deals for a16z... Read More →

Josh Borean

Partner, The Gillespie Law Group

Josh has a broad technology and business law background. He’s worked as chief in-house counsel at a successful medical-software start-up and worked at as a corporate associate at large regional firm, representing clients in industries ranging from real estate development, restaurant... Read More →

Jill Raderstorf

Partner, Ohio Innovation Fund

As a partner at the Ohio Innovation Fund, Jill Raderstorf manages due diligence and the Student Experience Program, which has introduced more than 50 students to venture capital since its inception in 2018. She formerly worked as a risk management examiner at the FDIC and as a senior... Read More →

Tuesday September 10, 2019 9:00am - 10:00am EDT
Lincoln Theater - Ambition Stage 769 E Long St, Columbus, OH 43203

Funding

9:00am EDT

Headshots by 301 Original

https://301original.com/

Tuesday September 10, 2019 9:00am - 5:00pm EDT

10:00am EDT

How to Keep The Customers You’ve Already Attracted Through Better Email

There’s more to your email-related KPIs than open and click rates. Email has a major impact on converting trial users into paid accounts and turning one time buyers into subscribers. And that’s just the starting point. Email campaigns, when done correctly, can also keep those converted customers as customers for life. Learn the what, why, when, and how of crafting email campaigns that address the needs of your customers at the exact right time.

Speakers

Val Geisler

Founder and CEO, Fix My Churn

Val Geisler is the founder and CEO (that's Chief Email Officer) of Fix My Churn. With an obsession for customer communication, Val spent over a decade inside companies from non-profits to 7-figure businesses to tech startups. She brings her background in customer experience, digital... Read More →

Tuesday September 10, 2019 10:00am - 11:00am EDT
Lincoln Theatre - Grit Stage 769 E Long St, Columbus, OH 43203, USA

Entrepreneurship

10:00am EDT

Money, Power, Respect are the Key to Term Sheets

To quote the moderately talented rapper, the Lox (in conjunction with Lil’ Kim and DMX), “Money, Power, Respect are the key to [Deals]”. This accessible and memorable discussion on term sheet basics will cover almost everything an entrepreneur needs to think about to be prepared to take on their next term sheet negotiation.

In 60 minutes or less, we will cover the economics (money) of a deal, where we discuss what needs to be present in your term sheet to ensure that you are negotiating the investment deal that you anticipate. Then, we will cover the control (power) terms of a deal, like voting rights and board structure, which can acutely shift the power structure of a company to investors if not appropriately handled and negotiated. Then, we discuss how mutual respect and avoidance of deal fatigue can ensure the best possible set up for this next phase of your business with new investors at the decision making table.

There’s rapping (very poor rapping, but rapping nonetheless), knowledge dropping, and plenty of time allotted for Q&A, so bring your thinking caps and let’s get our knowledge on!

Speakers

Lindsay Karas Stencel

Partner, Chief Legal Counsel & Fund Manager, NCT Ventures

Lindsay Karas Stencel has been in venture capital for nearly 15 years. As a licensed attorney in multiple states, Lindsay began her venture career on the pure deal side working in big law in New York. After she obtained her MBA from THE Ohio State University, she shifted to a true... Read More →

Tuesday September 10, 2019 10:00am - 11:00am EDT
Lincoln Theater - Ambition Stage 769 E Long St, Columbus, OH 43203

Funding

11:00am EDT

Why Ambition is More Important Than Talent

Many aspiring and current entrepreneurs often wonder what the most important asset is they and their team members must have in their journey. This leads to a lot of conversations about talent development and acquisition. This is because the assumption made is that talent is this most important asset. But is this assumption correct?

Ron Stubblefield, a serial entrepreneur, business advisor, and the Assistant Director of the ETC (Emerging Technology Centers)-a venture of the Baltimore Development Corporation, is here to tell you that the answer is no. Through his experience in coaching entrepreneurs, providing legal counsel to companies and economic development agencies, and watching other entrepreneurs in his journey, he recognizes that while talent matters, ambition is more important. Please join him as he explains why.

Speakers

Ronald Stubblefield

Assistant Director, ETC (Emerging Technology Centers)

Ronald Stubblefield (Ron) is currently the Assistant Director for the ETC (Emerging Technology Centers)-a venture of the Baltimore Development Corporation focused on the incubation and acceleration for early stage technology-based startups. He is a proud alum of Morehouse College... Read More →

Tuesday September 10, 2019 11:00am - 12:00pm EDT
Lincoln Theater - Ambition Stage 769 E Long St, Columbus, OH 43203

Entrepreneurship

11:00am EDT

The Ultimate Guide to Market Research

Panel: Leah McDougald (McDougald Research), Jeff Wilcoxon (Nationwide)

Moderator: Kevin Lloyd to moderate (info received)

Understanding your market and customer is critical to startup success. Learn when and how you should collect this critical information, and how can you take advantage of the data and insights you gather. This presentation – featuring a panel of research experts – will explore this topic from many angles, helping you refine your product, secure investments, and successfully grow your business.

Speakers

Chris Konya

MD and Principal, Sylvain Labs

Chris Konya is Managing Director and Principal of Sylvain Labs, a strategy and design consultancy that helps companies seize the reality and potential of their business, products and brands. Clients include Google, American Express, Airbnb, Spotify, BlackRock, Samsung, Pepsico, AB... Read More →

Rodolfo Bellesi

Principal and Founder, Ikove Capital

Rodolfo Bellesi is Principal and Founder of Ikove Capital. Prior to Ikove, Rodolfo was Senior VP of Technology at MB Capital Group, a Private Equity and Real Estate Group focused on proprietary deals in Northern Brazil. He was also Founder and President of BR Trading Consultoria LTDA... Read More →

Kevin Lloyd

Co-Founder, MYLE (Make Your Life Entertaining)

Leah McDougald

Owner, McDougald Research

Leah's 15 years of design research experience and B.A. in Sociology provide her with a unique combination of breadth and depth. She has a knack for building rapport while conducting research and is able to translate the data in a way that builds empathy and inspires collaboration... Read More →

Jeff Wilcoxon

Vice President of Strategy for Emerging Businesses and Innovation, Nationwide

Jeff Wilcoxon is the Vice President of Strategy for Emerging Businesses and Innovation at Nationwide. He and his team drive the evolution of emerging businesses strategy, planning, competitive intelligence, and strategic initiatives and provide strategic insights and analysis for... Read More →

Tuesday September 10, 2019 11:00am - 12:00pm EDT
Lincoln Theatre - Grit Stage 769 E Long St, Columbus, OH 43203, USA

Funding

1:00pm EDT

Dissecting Your Business: Find growth in 60 minutes

Partha Unnava, CEO & Founder of emerging B2C health and sports brand Lasso, talks through all of the different verticals of a business, and exactly what metrics you should focus on to make your business investable. You will walk away from this talk with a checklist that you need before raising your first institutional round.

Speakers

Partha Unnava

Founder and CEO, Lasso

Partha Unnava is the Founder and CEO of Lasso, a fast-growing sports brand that brings medical science to sports innovation. After studying biomedical engineering at Georgia Tech, he left to start his business. Along the way, he has won numerous entrepreneurship awards for his work... Read More →

Tuesday September 10, 2019 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT
Lincoln Theatre - Grit Stage 769 E Long St, Columbus, OH 43203, USA

Entrepreneurship

1:00pm EDT

The Startup Fairytale: Doing Business with a Large Enterprise

Should you target grassroots users first, or go straight to the enterprise? This presentation will explore the realities of doing business with different types of customers – from b2c, b2b, and b2e – and the ways in which your customer will impact your business decisions. From your “sticker price,” to your customer’s reaction time, to compliance issues, this presentation will allow you to anticipate and exceed your customer’s expectations.

Speakers

Vindo Veladanda

VP, Software Engineering, JP Morgan Chase

Vinod Veladanda is VP, Software Engineering at JP Morgan Chase. Vinod holds a Master’s Degree in Computer Science and a Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering and has been in technology industry for last 20 years. He began his career at a Columbus based startup in which he was a... Read More →

Angela Lopez

VP, Innovation Strategy, JPMorgan Chase

Angela Lopez is VP, Innovation Strategy at JPMorgan Chase. Angela has served the local Columbus tech community since 2009 when she transformed the Xtreme Programmers user group to the agileLUNCHBOX. In 2016 she co-founded getWITit.org (Columbus Women, a grassroots non-profit that serves to advance women in technology, and has led the organization in >105% year to year growth and expansion to include podcasts, events, and conferences in multiple cities serving thousands of women and girls).Her success was founded... Read More →

Tuesday September 10, 2019 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT
Lincoln Theater - Ambition Stage 769 E Long St, Columbus, OH 43203

Funding

2:00pm EDT

Value Stream Discovery

One key aspect of Lean Innovation is exposing assumptions underlying product lifecycles and rapid experimenting to validate or invalidate those assumptions. But how do you expose those assumptions? How do you know what test, what to measure and where to focus your energy?

Your Value Stream is comprised of all the activities your business must do to create and deliver value. Value Stream Discovery a framework for systematically searching, discovering, and adapting throughout a business model, to find growth. It helps you understand where to focus to have the biggest impact and establishes a dashboard to measure your progress.

In this talk, Brant Cooper, NYT Best Seller and CEO of Moves The Needle, will walk you through how to supercharge your growth strategy, reduce waste, and drive bigger impact.

Speakers

Brant Cooper

CEO, Moves the Needle

Brant Cooper is the author of the New York Times bestseller "The Lean Entrepreneur” and CEO of Moves the Needle. With over two decades of expertise helping companies bring innovative products to market, he blends design thinking and lean methodology to ignite entrepreneurial action... Read More →

Tuesday September 10, 2019 2:00pm - 3:00pm EDT
Lincoln Theater - Ambition Stage 769 E Long St, Columbus, OH 43203

Entrepreneurship

2:00pm EDT

Accelerators: what to expect

Panel: Matt Armstead (Horizon Two Labs), Drew Knight (Bybe), Candice Matthews-Brackeen (Lighthouse), Neal Sales-Griffin (Techstars)

Moderator: Dann Bruno (Ice Miller)

Is an accelerator right for your company? If so, how will you choose the best one, how can you make your application stand out, and what can you expect once you are accepted? These panelists will answer these questions and more. Hear from experts from Horizon Two Labs, Hillman Accelerator, a Techstars '19 graduate, and an attorney with a background in venture acceleration.

Speakers

Neal Sáles-Griffin

Managing Director, Techstars Chicago

Neal Sáles-Griffin is an entrepreneur, teacher, and nonprofit leader. He co-founded the first beginner-focused in-person coding bootcamp, and most recently ran for mayor of Chicago. He's currently the Managing Director of Techstars Chicago, serves as co-chair of the School of the... Read More →

Drew Knight

Founder/CEO, BYBE

Drew is the Founder/CEO of BYBE, an offer distribution and remittance platform for beer, wine and spirits promotions. BYBE went through Techstars+Target Retail Accelerator in 2017. Partners include Target, Speedway, AB-Inbev, Diageo, and Constellation Brands. Prior to founding BYBE... Read More →

Matt Armstead

Partner, Horizon Two Labs

As an entrepreneur, senior executive, strategic investor and advisor, Matt Armstead’s talents combine vision, business development and the ability to nurture a seedling of an idea into something tangible… a scalable business! A passion for startups, early stage companies, data... Read More →

Candice Matthews-Brackeen

Founder and CEO, Lighthouse

Candice Matthews-Brackeen is the Founder and CEO of Lighthouse, the Cincinnati based portfolio service firm whose family of companies include startup education programs Hillman and NewMe— and WMBE focussed venture capital fund Lightship, where she serves as Managing Partner. Lighthouse... Read More →

Dann Bruno

Attorney, Ice Miller

Dann Bruno is an associate at Ice Miller, where he focuses on private equity and venture capital, mergers and acquisitions and intellectual property. Dann applies his scientific, business and legal background to assist high-growth companies (and investors) on issues ranging from day-to-day... Read More →

Tuesday September 10, 2019 2:00pm - 3:00pm EDT
Lincoln Theatre - Grit Stage 769 E Long St, Columbus, OH 43203, USA

Funding

3:00pm EDT

Finding Your Voice As An Entrepreneur

Panel: Ashley Lambrix & Lindsey Michaelides (Speedwell & Yarrow)

Moderator: Regan Walsh (Executive & Life Coach)

This founder conversation will get personal, with lessons learned in the entrepreneurial process about finding your voice, trusting your intuition, and leading with confidence in your vision. Led by an executive and life coach who excels at helping individuals lead purposeful lives, these founders will discuss their decisions to leave high-level positions in corporate America, start a company, complete the highly-competitive Techstars Anywhere program, and grow their business on their own terms.

Speakers

Lindsey Michaelides

Co-founder & CEO, Speedwell & Yarrow

Prior to founding Speedwell & Yarrow, Lindsey was a business strategist and management consultant with McKinsey & Company. Lindsey has more than 10 years of experience in business strategy with experience across the healthcare, retail, and media industries. Both as a consultant and... Read More →

Ashley Lambrix

Co-Founder, Speedwell & Yarrow

Ashley is a former management consultant with The Boston Consulting Group and Senior Strategy Advisor for OhioHealth. She has over 10 years of strategy experience and content expertise in growth and partnership opportunities in B2B and B2C spaces. She has experience in recruitment... Read More →

Regan Walsh

Executive Coach & Life Coach

Regan Walsh is an NYU-certified Executive and Life Coach who helps seasoned and emerging leaders thrive in work and life. She spent 15 years in Fortune 500, non-profit and startup environments, excelling in sales, marketing, human resources and culture development. In each role, Regan... Read More →

Tuesday September 10, 2019 3:00pm - 4:00pm EDT
Lincoln Theatre - Grit Stage 769 E Long St, Columbus, OH 43203, USA

Entrepreneurship

3:00pm EDT

Opportunities in the Midwest

Panel: Aly Lovett (Radian Capital, NYC) (confirmed), Falon Donohue (VentureOhio, Sadie), Max Brickman (Heartland Ventures)

Moderator: Paige Wilson (Professor, OSU Entrepreneurial Law Clinic)

You've heard it before: the midwest is the place to be for the next wave of innovation. Are you taking full advantage of the opportunities here? Are you looking to get involved in one of the fastest-growing startup ecosystems in the country? These panelists will share their experiences about what drew them to seek Midwest investments and the ways in which Midwest companies can continue to secure funding both locally and from the coasts. Moderated by an attorney who practiced startup law for many years in NYC, this panel will leave you excited about the many opportunities for innovators in the Midwest.

Speakers

Aly Lovett

Partner, Radian Capital

Aly is a Partner at Radian Capital, a growth equity firm investing in B2B software and technology-enabled services businesses. Prior to Radian, she focused on enterprise technology and services investments at FTV Capital and healthcare and retail investments at TA Associates. Selected... Read More →

Max Brickman

Founder and Managing Director, Heartland Ventures

Max is Founder and Managing Director of Heartland Ventures. While pursuing his BS from the Indiana University Kelley School of Business, Max served as CEO/Founder of both CleanSlate and Peloton Investors, from which he gained valuable domain and entrepreneurial experience, as well... Read More →

Scott Barnes

Entrepreneur In Residence, Ikove Capital

Paige Wilson

Assistant Clinical Professor of Law and Director, Entrepreneurial Business Law Clinic at The Ohio State University

Paige Wilson is an Assistant Clinical Professor of Law and Director of the Entrepreneurial Business Law Clinic at The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law. Prior to joining the faculty in 2018, she practiced law at Gunderson Dettmer in New York City, where she represented high-growth... Read More →

Tuesday September 10, 2019 3:00pm - 4:00pm EDT
Lincoln Theater - Ambition Stage 769 E Long St, Columbus, OH 43203

Funding

4:00pm EDT

Fireside Chat - BOLD PENGUIN

Tuesday September 10, 2019 4:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
Lincoln Theater - Ambition Stage 769 E Long St, Columbus, OH 43203

Entrepreneurship

4:00pm EDT

Dilution 101

Want to raise money to grow your business? Learn how much of your company you might REALLY give away in the long run and how to maintain control of your startup. These presenters -- a seasoned startup attorney and an investment funds executive -- will work directly with a capitalization table in Google Sheets to demonstrate how equity events dilute the founders.

Speakers

Ryan Helon

Executive Vice President, Investment Funds, Rev1 Ventures

As EVP of Investment Funds for Rev1 Ventures, Helon manages Rev1’s proof of concept, seed, and early-stage investment funds. He has served as part of CEO Tom Walker’s leadership team at Rev1 Ventures since 2012. As a leader on the Rev1 Ventures Advisory team, Helon works closely... Read More →

Dave Gillespie

Corporate and Technology Attorney, The Gillespie Law Group

Dave serves as transaction counsel in a variety of mergers, acquisitions and private equity deals, represents start-up clients through formation, capital raising and operation, and serves as outside general counsel offering practical advice on the multitude of legal issues business... Read More →

Tuesday September 10, 2019 4:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
Lincoln Theatre - Grit Stage 769 E Long St, Columbus, OH 43203, USA

Funding

5:30pm EDT

SUW Kick Back

Tuesday September 10, 2019 5:30pm - 8:30pm EDT
Parsons North Brewing Company 685 Parsons Ave, Columbus, OH 43206, USA

Networking

9:00am EDT

Brand on a Budget

Speakers

Keisha Mabry

Author

National author and speaker on a mission to change the world one connection at a time—seen and heard on NPR, TED, HuffPost, Essence, The Business Journal, Blavity, Success, The 9 Network, Fox 2, Ellevate, Watch The Yard and many more. Her clients include top Fortune 100 and 500... Read More →

Wednesday September 11, 2019 9:00am - 10:00am EDT
Lincoln Theater - Ambition Stage 769 E Long St, Columbus, OH 43203

Workshop

9:00am EDT

How to get more client referrals

Sales are the lifeblood of your business. So don't you love when clients are referred directly to you? In this workshop, we'll talk about the small changes you can make to start generating more referrals.

Speakers

Jay Clouse

Founder, Unreal Collective

Jay Clouse is the founder of Unreal Collective, creator of Freelancing School, and freelancing instructor for Linkedin Learning / Lynda.com.He's been both a founder and a freelancer. Previously, Jay was the Chief Operating Officer of Tixers, which was acquired in 2015. Then he spent time as a product manager at CrossChx, and left that to freelance.Through Unreal, Jay has worked with over 100 individuals who have had... Read More →

Wednesday September 11, 2019 9:00am - 10:00am EDT
Lincoln Theatre - Grit Stage 769 E Long St, Columbus, OH 43203, USA

Workshop

10:00am EDT

Connecting with Economic Development Offices (and doing it earlier)

Sean Hughes - City of Delaware
Mandy Mallott - Columbus
Jim Lenner - Johnstown
Jason Bechtold - Westerville

Moderated by Steve Flaherty

Speakers

Mandy Mallott

Business Development Specialist, City of Columbus

Mandy Mallott is a Business Development Specialist for the City of Columbus Department of Development focused on job creation activities for the City, partnering to grow the Columbus economy through property development, and business expansion. These partnerships have led to job... Read More →

Sean Hughes

Economic Development Director, City of Delaware

Sean Hughes is the Economic Development Director for the City of Delaware. In this role, he has ledprojects that created or retained over 2,128 jobs in the City. Hughes is lead the creation of the City ofDelaware’s Entrepreneur Center and crafted the city’s two economic development... Read More →

Jason Bechtold

Economic Development Director, City of Westerville

Jason Bechtold is the economic development director for the City of Westerville, a position he’s held since December of 2009. Bechtold has built a program in Westerville that actively fosters relationships to attract, retain and create business opportunities in the community and... Read More →

Jim Lenner

Village Manager, Village of Johnstown

Since 2010, Jim has been the Village Manager for the Village of Johnstown overseeing all economic development activities. Prior to his position in Johnstown, he worked for the Licking County Planning Commission for five years. Jim currently is the board chair for the Licking County... Read More →

Steve Flaherty

Founder & CEO, necoPlastics

Wednesday September 11, 2019 10:00am - 11:00am EDT
Lincoln Theater - Ambition Stage 769 E Long St, Columbus, OH 43203

Workshop

10:00am EDT

Lessons from a Failed Entrepreneur

Speakers

Derek DeHart

Product Manager, Root Insurance

Derek is a Product Manager at Root Insurance, a company using technology to reinvent the car insurance industry. As a Product professional with over 15 years of leadership experience, he serves teams by helping them to discover the next most valuable thing to deliver to their customers.Derek... Read More →

Wednesday September 11, 2019 10:00am - 11:00am EDT
Lincoln Theatre - Grit Stage 769 E Long St, Columbus, OH 43203, USA

Workshop

11:00am EDT

How to Become a #CashFlowPro

Speakers

Mr. Biz, aka Ken Wentworth

Ken “Mr. Biz” Wentworth developed his expertise during 20+ years in leadership positions while rising to the top 3% at a Fortune 15 company. He has authored two bestselling business books - "Pathway to Profits" (this title made it to #1) & "How to Be a Cash Flow Pro" - that have... Read More →

Wednesday September 11, 2019 11:00am - 12:00pm EDT
Lincoln Theatre - Grit Stage 769 E Long St, Columbus, OH 43203, USA

Workshop

11:00am EDT

Navigating the Human Side of Business

Building a Culture of Grit, Gratitude & Great People are essential to your company's growth & success. You will face many obstacles along your entrepreneurial journey. Having the "human" tools to see you and your team through these times is often overlooked and could be the very key to your venture's success.

Speakers

Jim Shields

Executive Coach, Possibility University

After 8 years in the U.S. Navy and U.S. Army Jim Shields built & sold his first company to a Fortune 500. Jim credits his time in service and the leadership principles while serving as the key to his success in multiple companies and not-for-profit start-ups since. Mr. Shields... Read More →

Wednesday September 11, 2019 11:00am - 12:00pm EDT
Lincoln Theater - Ambition Stage 769 E Long St, Columbus, OH 43203

Workshop

1:00pm EDT

Digital Marketing, leveraging social media

Speakers

Nick Francis

Owner, SkySprout

Nick Francis is an entrepreneur and marketing expert originally from Toledo, Ohio. He first cultivated his passion for business in his parents’ backyard, constructing a haunted house from curated Halloween decor at the age of 6 years old. Through hosting parties for his classmates... Read More →

Alex Rogers

Founder, Alex Is Social

Alex Rogers has spent the last 8 years speaking globally with over 60 organizations about how to strategically grow their brand through proper digital marketing. With clients such as Keller Williams International, Ohio State University, Facebook, The Columbus Dispatch, and Beaumont... Read More →

Wednesday September 11, 2019 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT
Lincoln Theatre - Grit Stage 769 E Long St, Columbus, OH 43203, USA

Workshop

1:00pm EDT

Finding Confidence in Conflict: How to use the art of negotiation to propel your business and strengthen relationships

Speakers

Kwame Christian, Esq., M.A.

Director, American Negotiation Institute

Kwame Christian, Esq., M.A. is the Director of the American Negotiation Institute where he conducts negotiation and conflict management workshops around the country. As an attorney and mediator with a bachelors of arts in Psychology, a Master of Public Policy, and a law degree, Kwame... Read More →

Wednesday September 11, 2019 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT
Lincoln Theater - Ambition Stage 769 E Long St, Columbus, OH 43203

Workshop

2:00pm EDT

Power of the Crowd

Speakers

Dr. Richard Swart

Dr. Richard Swart is recognized as a global thought leader in the FinTech industry. He was recently appointed the Filene Fellow in Emerging Technology and Visiting Professor at the University of California, Irvine where we will focus on FinTech and its impact as part of the Institute... Read More →

Wednesday September 11, 2019 2:00pm - 3:00pm EDT
Lincoln Theater - Ambition Stage 769 E Long St, Columbus, OH 43203

Workshop

2:00pm EDT

Why Unclear Positioning is Limiting Your Startup's Growth

Speakers

Nafis Azad

Principal, Waker

Nafis Azad is a passionate tech entrepreneur and product strategist dedicated to using innovation and design to help build great companies. Nafis has led product development and UX for numerous startups and mobile apps over the past 5+ years. Currently, Nafis leads the digital product... Read More →

Wednesday September 11, 2019 2:00pm - 3:00pm EDT
Lincoln Theatre - Grit Stage 769 E Long St, Columbus, OH 43203, USA

Workshop

3:00pm EDT

Entrepreneurial Toolkit

Speakers

Kevin Hammond

Business Advisor, Ohio Small Business Development Center

Kevin Hammond has been a business management consultant for 13 years, mostly focused on small businesses and start-ups. Kevin has been on the SBDC team for almost ten years as a consultant. Prior to consulting Kevin was in financial services at Chase Manhattan. Kevin has an undergraduate... Read More →

Wednesday September 11, 2019 3:00pm - 4:00pm EDT
Lincoln Theatre - Grit Stage 769 E Long St, Columbus, OH 43203, USA

Workshop

3:00pm EDT

Why the education scene needs to match startup culture

This conversation topic is rooted in the idea that as Columbus grows, we need to ensure that we’re investing in the next generation of entrepreneurs and engineers for the city’s thriving startup scene. A recent study indicates that today’s K-12 students are lacking the entrepreneurial mindset needed to adapt, disrupt and influence the world around them. If we want to continue to compete with Silicon Valley, we need progressive schools and universities that better prepare the next generation of 21-first century business owners and develop the top tech talent the Midwest startup scene craves.

Join Startups.com CEO/Founder Wil Schroter and Wellington Head of School Dr. Jeff Terwin for an engaging conversation about how to foster tomorrow’s entrepreneurs starting in kindergarten all the way to college and why it’s important to prepare and retain the next generation of entrepreneurs.

Moderated by Rhonda Talford Knight

Speakers

Rhonda Talford Knight

Founder and CEO, The Knight Consulting Group, LLC (KCG)

Rhonda Talford Knight is the founder and CEO of The Knight Consulting Group, LLC (KCG). KCG is a consulting firm that offers Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) services and Inclusive Leadership Coaching, where clients range from Fortune 500s to startups, public, private and nonprofit... Read More →

Erin Bender

Executive Director of The Point, Office of the President, Otterbein University

Wil Schroter

CEO/Founder, Startups.com

Wil Schroter is a serial entrepreneur who is ridiculously passionate about startups.He is the Founder & CEO of Startups.com, the world's largest startup launch platform. Startups.com helps over 1 million startup companies through the entire startup journey to build a business p... Read More →

Dr Jeff Terwin

Head of School, Wellington

Dr. Jeff Terwin is the head of school at Wellington, an independent, coeducational, preschool-through-grade 12, college-preparatory day school. From his first job helping his grandfather refinish the floors of school gymnasiums to now leading an education revolution focused on student... Read More →

Wednesday September 11, 2019 3:00pm - 4:00pm EDT
Lincoln Theater - Ambition Stage 769 E Long St, Columbus, OH 43203

Workshop

4:00pm EDT

Building Personal Brand

Morgan Owens

Speakers

Morgan Owens

Owner, Morgan A. Owens

Morgan Angelique Owens is an entrepreneurial firebrand that has immersed herself in the art of helping women reach their highest levels of growth, profit, and success. The Cincinnati, Ohio native and graduate of Miami University in Oxford has masterfully integrated her savvy as a... Read More →

Wednesday September 11, 2019 4:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
Lincoln Theater - Ambition Stage 769 E Long St, Columbus, OH 43203

Workshop

4:00pm EDT

Using video as a business strategy

Matt Vojacek

Speakers

Matt Vojacek

Made By Things

Matt has traveled the country to learn from the best in several industries including science, technology, film and advertising. He now takes those skills and uses them to help others grow their companies creatively. Matt is the Founder and Creative Director of a video + animation... Read More →

Wednesday September 11, 2019 4:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
Lincoln Theatre - Grit Stage 769 E Long St, Columbus, OH 43203, USA

Workshop

4:30pm EDT

Sea Change Demo Day

Come celebrate the end of the SEA Change 2019 Signature Cohort! 14 Social Enterprises have been moving forward at a crazy pace and can't wait to share their progress with you!

Vote for Crowd Favorite and watch as we give away over $100,000 in cash and prizes!

It's free to attend AND we'll have some light hors d' ouerves and beverages for you to enjoy as you support our piece of the amazing social enterprise ecosystem!

Wednesday September 11, 2019 4:30pm - 9:00pm EDT
Columbus Metropolitan Library 96 S. Grant Ave., Columbus, Ohio 43215

Networking

11:30am EDT

Mentor Madness

Have the opportunity to meet first-hand with leaders in the Columbus Startup Community. We will have Mentors available for you to meet and ask your questions directly to them. Scheduling for mentors is “first come, first serve basis” – Come early to guarantee alignment with the mentors that you want to meet. Scheduling starts at 11am on Thursday, September 12th and Mentor Hours are from 11:30am-2pm. Versa 1201 Dublin rd.

Kevin Mack: 11:30-2pm
Rachyl Kershaw: 11:30-2pm
Sean Doran: 11:30-2pm
Warner Moore: 11:30-2pm
Chris Peabody: 11:30-2pm
Alex Bell: 11:30-2pm
Reed Walters: 11:30-2pm
Sasha Saberi: 12pm-2pm
Timothy Wolf Starr:12pm-2pm
Jay Clouse: 11:30-1pm
Suzy Bureau: 11:30-2pm
Kyle Asperger: 11:30-2pm
Michelle Murcia: 11:30-2pm
Scott Sumi: 11:30-2pm
Jacqueline Rinehardt: 12pm-2pm
Vitaliy Dakhnovets: 11:30-2pm
Ryan Schick
Matt Golis 11:30-2pm

Speakers

Sasha Saberi

Managing Partner, Atlas Partners

Sasha is an Innovation specialist, entrepreneur, and connector with an expertise in strategic alliances, startup ecosystems, and community relations. He has worked with high growth enterprises and fortune 500 companies in various areas including digital transformation, sales and marketing... Read More →

Kevin Mack

Chief Experience Officer (CXO), BYBE

With over 20 years of digital experience, Kevin Mack has worked along other industry leaders to make creative and innovative experiences that scale and meet customer demands, needs, and visions. His background includes designing and developing user experiences for large-scaling websites... Read More →

Rachyl Kershaw

Founder, Greater Columbus Consulting LLC

With over 20 years of business experience in central Ohio, Rachyl has assisted executive teams in securing over $65M in funding, as well as helping businesses of all sizes create strategic goals that are realistic based on their past performance. Rachyl is the founder of Greater Columbus... Read More →

Sean Doran

UX Product Engineer, Aware

Designer turned developer, Sean has been around both the marketing and product blocks. At Aware, Sean designs and develops high-quality digital consumer experiences in the enterprise space as a UX Product Engineer. Book a slot with Sean if you're interested in UX, product design... Read More →

Warner Moore

Entrepreneur in Residence, Ikove

Warner Moore is a strategic technology leader and manager with a background in technology and information security. He has focused his career in working with entrepreneurial growth organizations where technology is their business and product. Within these organizations, Warner has... Read More →

Chris Peabody

Director of Sales, Bold Penguin

Chris Peabody has spent his career on the cutting edge of technological innovation and its impact on business. Currently the Director of Sales at Bold Penguin, the rapidly-growing insurtech startup based out of Columbus, Ohio, Chris has been crisscrossing the country, building relationships... Read More →

Alex Bell

Content Marketing Consultant, Alex Bell

I decided to not go to college in order to become the next Mark Zuckerberg. Half a decade and a handful of restaurant jobs later, I finally dove into entrepreneurship by becoming a content marketing consultant. Over the last few years, I've worked with dozens of clients on hundreds... Read More →

Reed Walters

Founder & CEO, Rise Mental Fitness Studio

Reed has a diverse set of entrepreneurial experiences over the last 8 years. He spent the last three years leading technology development at a biotech startup called ProteoSense creating a food borne pathogen detector. In March he started Rise Mental Fitness Studio to connect members... Read More →

Timothy Wolf Starr

Managing Partner, Atlas Community Partners

Jay Clouse

Founder, Unreal Collective

Jay Clouse is the founder of Unreal Collective, creator of Freelancing School, and cohost of the upside podcast. He was the Chief Operating Officer of Tixers, which was acquired in 2015. Then he spent time as a product manager at CrossChx (now Olive... Read More →

Suzy Bureau

Founder, GiveBackHack

The ebullient Suzy Bureau (as she was referred to in TechCrunch) is dedicated to building impactful communities & products. As the Founder of GiveBackHack, Suzy has worked with a national network of 50+ volunteers across the country to empower community members to create prototypes of >100 social impact... Read More →

Kyle Asperger

Founder, 301 Original

Kyle Asperger, founder of 301 Original, is a visual strategist that aligns a brands' value proposition with their messaging. As a connector of dots (people, ideas, concepts), Kyle loves helping the startup community hit the ground running in style. He's the ginger bearded fella that looks like every whiskey bartender...don... Read More →

Michelle Murcia

Founder + CEO, Book+Street

Michelle Murcia is Founder + CEO of Book+Street, a professional services firm that provides CFO and Controllership services to startups. She’s a former VC and a CPA who has worked with more than 30 startups to help them start off right, right from the start!

Scott Sumi

Co-Founder, CTO, Rhove

Scott helped co-found Rhove (rhove.com) in 2018 and is focused on expanding the concept of home ownership. He is currently building the engineering team in Columbus to provide fast, secure and beautiful financial applications for renters. With over 20 years of experience in software... Read More →

Jacqueline Rinehardt

Founder, Shuffle

Vitaliy Dakhnovets

Full Stack Developer, BYBE

Vitaliy is a senior developer at BYBE. He has a wide range of interests including programming, music production, and many others. He enjoys working with JavaScript, React, node, and ruby on rails. Aside from tech, he enjoys running, biking, ultimate frisbee, and bowling.

Ryan Schick

Business Development and Government Relations Attorney, Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP

Ryan focuses his practice on clients seeking counsel for business development, government relations and finance. He assists first generation entrepreneurs and emerging businesses with critical legal and capital acquisition strategies and, when necessary, by securing essential governm... Read More →

Matt Golis

Founder and CEO, GiveGame

Matt Golis is the founder and CEO of GiveGame, a new venture he began last year in Columbus after 20 years of growing startups in California. Matt originally relocated from Ohio to the Bay Area in the mid-nineties. There he founded RentPayment.com, the original online rent payment... Read More →

Thursday September 12, 2019 11:30am - 2:30pm EDT
Versa 1201 Dublin Rd, Columbus, OH 43215, USA

5:00pm EDT

'Test City, USA' film premiere at the Film Festival of Columbus (FFOCAL)

Purchase Tickets

5:00pm: Meet & Greet in The FFOCOL at the Gateway Film Center
6:00pm: Film Screening at the Gateway Film Center
7:30pm: Q&A with the filmmakers

There is undeniable energy and momentum in the growing startup ecosystem of Columbus, Ohio. ‘Test City, USA’ explores this moment in time for the city, how the ecosystem evolved, and the challenges of what comes next.

Click here for trailer: https://youtu.be/y3ZQBVCaauI

Thursday September 12, 2019 5:00pm - 8:00pm EDT
Gateway Film Center 1550 N High St, Columbus, OH 43201

5:00pm EDT

Linkedin Local Networking Event

Thursday September 12, 2019 5:00pm - 9:00pm EDT
CoHatch The Overlook 1733 W Lane Ave, Upper Arlington, OH 43221, USA

Networking

9:00am EDT

TCC and Startup Week Breakfast

Limited Capacity seats available

Tech Community Coalition (TCC) and Startup Week are collaborating on a
breakfast on September 13 from 9AM-12PM.

As a community leader, we're inviting you and your group to participate.
Sign up here: https://forms.gle/GYuGJsLfcKycZfGq5

We'll give you and your members free tickets as well as an opportunity
to showcase your event.

See you there!

Friday September 13, 2019 9:00am - 12:00pm EDT
The Wells Barn 1777 E Broad St, Columbus, OH 43203, USA

Networking

5:30pm EDT

Dinner with Friends

Friday September 13, 2019 5:30pm - 9:00pm EDT
WillowWorks 528 Maier Pl, Columbus, OH 43215, USA

Networking