The Summit for Underrepresented Founders

RSVP for the Upcoming Summit

The Region's Largest Gathering of Underrepresented Founders

The Summit is always an uncommon opportunity to meet inspiring entrepreneurs and investors in our local community, whether Female, Black, Latino, Veteran, LGBT, Asian, Indigenous, etc., who all together still represent a minority of venture capital investments in the USA. Help us, help them, to change the status quo by participating in this event.

Join us for compelling panels focused on the challenges and the solutions developed by diverse founders. Join the collaborative movement and enrich your professional network. There are an ever-increasing number of diversity "Founder & Funder" groups based at Venture Mechanics (see the list here); the Summits are the quarterly "jamboree" of all of these groups.

Doors open at 5pm. Stage portion formally begins at 5:30pm. Diverse-founder startup pitch presentations usually begin around 8pm, and each startup team has their own demo tables in the mixer area. Guests are welcome to stay for the afterparty mixer, meet the founders personally, and meet all the other guests. Light snacks and beverages are served. Parking is always free and easy.

Join Us For the Next Summit
October 28th, 2024

Keynote Speaker: Earl Valencia

Earl Martin S. Valencia is a venture-backed startup founder, investor and corporate innovation executive that has worked in Silicon Valley, New York and Southeast Asia. In 2023, he was appointed by the President of the Philippines as an Executive Member of the National Innovation Council representing the Business Sector. He is the co-author of Startup Mindsets: A Blueprint to an Innovation-Driven and Globally Connected World that will be published by Penguin Random House in November 2024.

summit for underrepresented founder groups

Startup Mindsets by Earl Valencia @ venture mechanics

Earl spent his time in Wall Street in the data team of Bridgewater Associates, the world’s largest hedge fund, and a Managing Director of Digital at Charles Schwab. He also spent several years in enterprise tech working at the Emerging Technology and Innovation teams at Cisco, VMWare and Dell EMC. He was the VP of Corporate Development and Innovation at Smart-PLDT at 29, and became one of the youngest executives in the entire Philippines during his time. He also co-founded IdeaSpace, the leading incubator and accelerator based in Manila and QBO, the public-private innovation center of the Philippines, both with a combined 100+ incubated companies.

For his contributions to emerging market innovation, he was honored by the World Economic Forum as a Young Global Leader, and awarded by the President of the Philippines as one of the Ten Outstanding Young Men and Women of the country. He was also featured in the NASDAQ Times Square Billboard for being selected in NASDAQ Centers Milestone Makers program.

Earl started at the University of the Philippines and completed his degree in Electrical Engineering, Summa Cum Laude, from Boston University. He also has a Masters in Systems Engineering from Cornell University, and an M.B.A. from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He is currently an adjunct faculty for global leadership at the Jack Welch College of Business and Technology at Sacred Heart University in Connecticut and the Asian Institute of Management.

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Earl's keynote will be followed by two discussion panels:

Panel 1: Empowering Women in Entrepreneurship

This panel moderated by Dana Sather Robinson.

Dana is a fervent supporter of all startup entrepreneurs, but has a particular passion for inspiring women to enter into the field and succeed beyond their dreams. In her "day job," Dana helps founders to give pitches with impact, clarity, and authenticity. She works with founders raising their seed or Series A and up rounds, to give great pitches to the right investors. A diversity of life and work experience gives Dana unique perspectives. She has lived in several different countries and worked with people and teams in companies from a broad spectrum of sectors – from large financial companies to cleantech entrepreneurs. This breadth and depth gives Dana the ability to help you craft messages that resonate and to teach you to communicate them with impact and authenticity.

Panelists:

Kate Isler - With over 20 years of experience championing gender equality and empowering women entrepreneurs, Kate is the CEO and co-founder of WMarketplace, an ecommerce-focused accelerator that uplifts women-owned and micro businesses. She also co-founded Be Bold for Change, a nonprofit dedicated to bridging the gender gap. Her career includes executive roles in Fortune 100 companies and startups, including global leadership positions at Microsoft, where she opened offices worldwide and led integrated marketing for Microsoft Windows. Kate am a lifelong learner, mother of three, and author of Breaking Borders (HarperCollins Leadership, 2021), which shares her personal journey and lessons on challenging norms and creating a more inclusive world.

Daphne de Jong - Daphne de Jong is the CEO and co-founder of Ven, an electric vehicle (EV) software company focused on increasing global EV adoption. With a background in engineering, she has held positions at top companies like NASA, SpaceX, Waymo, and Rivian. De Jong is committed to developing technology-driven solutions that promote sustainability and EV infrastructure. Ven aims to streamline EV charging for commercial real estate, using advanced data and algorithmic insights to optimize usage and revenue while simplifying charger management and scheduling. Her extensive technical expertise and leadership drive Ven’s mission to support a more sustainable future in the EV space.

Richa Rai - Richa Rai is the CEO and founder of Koshay, Inc., a company dedicated to promoting holistic wellness through natural, science-backed products. With over 20 years of experience in leadership roles across various Fortune 500 companies, Rai has combined her engineering and MBA background with her passion for natural wellness to create Koshay. Inspired by her family and personal commitment to chemical-free products, she aims to deliver quality, eco-friendly products that draw on traditional wellness practices. Koshay’s offerings, such as herbal teas, emphasize simplicity, sustainability, and natural ingredients, aligning with Rai's vision of a balanced, health-centered lifestyle

Jolene Anderson - Managing Director for VectorPoint Ventures, LLC; Skilled advisor for seed and early stage companies in: life science, consumer wellness, clean tech, energy, material science and digital health; diverse experience as entrepreneur/founder of global wellness company, corporate wellness media and business development; investor relations for public company, senior real estate executive, public speaker at industry trade shows and guest editor for trade journals. Mentor/advisor for impact, veteran led, minority led companies, student entrepreneurs. Board member for charitable orgs.

Panel 2: Empowering People of Color in Entrepreneurship

This panel moderated by Alex Ray ("AR") Bell.

AR Bell is a visionary leader, passionate developer, and the driving force behind Gametime Hero. With a relentless commitment to growth and innovation, AR has built a reputation for seamlessly blending leadership with technical expertise. Their career includes a standout role at Google, where they honed their skills in cutting-edge technology and software development. AR holds an MBA in Computer Information Systems from DeSales University and a Bachelor's degree in Media Business. Their expertise spans from initial project conception to successful delivery, bringing analytical acumen and structured solutions to every endeavor. Outside of the tech world, AR's love for sports fuels their personal growth and passion, balancing a fast-paced professional life with the joys of recreational activities.

Panelists:

Gerome Seeney - Gerome is the CEO of Madd Kitchen, a hospitality company that merges quick-service dining with entertainment to create vibrant community-centric spaces. With over 18 years of experience in the hospitality and entertainment industries, Seeney has held various leadership roles, including executive positions at Chuck E. Cheese, Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen, and GameWorks. He brings expertise in operations and a servant leadership style aimed at empowering teams and enhancing customer experiences. Madd Kitchen is known for its focus on quality food, immersive entertainment, and AI-driven technology, designed to foster local connections and provide an interactive dining experience.

Alan Gonzalez - Alan is the CTO of Propio, an AI company in the accounting software sector. He is also the founder of DevMatch, an online platform designed to help developers practice coding challenges that simulate real-world scenarios. With over a decade of experience in both startups and large tech firms, including Microsoft, Alan has a background in computer systems engineering and an MBA with a focus on leadership from the University of Washington. He has previously held leadership roles in multiple organizations, such as omegaUp, which focuses on software engineering education for Latin America.

Agenda

5:00 Doors open (please register up to 48 hrs in advance for Early Bird discount)
5:30 Session begins with introduction of Keynote Speaker, Earl Valencia
6:15 Gender Panel led by Dana Sather Robinson
7:00 Break for light dinner and beverages
7:20 Race and Ethnicity Panel led by AR Bell
8:05 Pitches by six diverse startup founders
- Tuvache Betton, Founder and CEO of Kadogo
- Brittany Bell, Co-founder and CEO of Gametime Hero
- Joshua Ahmed, Founder and CEO of RealEngineers
- Kathy Green, Founder and CEO of CargoCheck
- Josh Green, Co-founder of Deadlift Studios
- Divya Agarwal, Founder and CEO of Zesty
8:50 Identity group introductions (BFF, FFF, VFF, LGBTQFF) and upcoming events
9:00 Afterparty begins at the demo tables