EVENT AGENDA

This year, we’re featuring dozens of all-new panel sessions, workshops, networking opportunities and discussions with industry experts. Whether you’re thinking of starting a new business, currently raising capital, looking for marketing help, seeking industry-specific business advice or just eager to connect with fellow attendees, there’s a session for you at Startup Scaleup.

7:30-8:15 am

WORKSHOPS

Cash Is King

Understanding Your Financials

Aloft Ballroom 2

Whether you’ve been in business for months or years, business accounting can be a daunting task. Get back to the basics in this workshop, where we’ll break down the fundamentals in an approachable way and show you how to use your financials to make solid business decisions.

Jack Mencini
Entrepreneur, Business Coach, Radio Host

Digital Marketing in the Morning

Aloft Ballroom 3

Grab a cup of coffee and join this morning workshop dedicated to all things digital marketing. From web and social best practices to content marketing strategy and customer persona development, it’s all fair game.

Patrick Zangardi
Owner and Marketing Strategist, The Zangardi Studio

RISE & GRIND

Aloft Hotel Veranda

Start your day with an early morning yoga session and workshop on personal wellness, featuring GrooveRyde’s Anjua Maximo and Flow Yoga’s Adam Tilocco.

Adam Tilocco
Owner & Instructor, Flow Yoga Studio

Anjua Maximo
Co-Founder, Groove•Ryde and Pure Mvmnt

8:30-9:30 am

OPENING SESSION

What’s Next After Dead Last?

Aloft Hotel Veranda

A year ago, a conversation at the City Club of Cleveland titled “Dead Last” pointed out our city is ranked at or near the bottom in many economic categories. The conversation ruffled some feathers, but it also kicked off some real economic soul-searching. Join JumpStart CEO Ray Leach as he assembles some of the voices involved in this conversation to revisit the topic one year later, and convenes some new voices from inside and outside the region to discuss what could and should be next for Greater Cleveland’s economy.

Ray Leach
CEO, JumpStart

10:00-11:00 am

SESSIONS

Be Bold, Stay Humble

A Conversation with Bobby George

Beerhead

Bobby George is one of our region’s busiest and most successful entrepreneurs. His TownHall restaurant is among the most popular in Ohio; he owns and manages a dozen other restaurants; and lately has added cannabis businesses to his extensive portfolio of real estate and other companies. ​In this session, George slows things down for a conversation with Adam Kaufman, host of the Up2 podcast and a long-time JumpStart advisor.

Adam Kaufman
Founder, Up2 Podcast

Bobby George
President and CEO, Corporate Management Group

#BeYourOwnBoss

With Yelitsa Jean-Charles

Dante’s Inferno

Making the leap into entrepreneurship can be an exhilarating, terrifying, frustrating and deeply satisfying experience—usually all at the same time. Join Yelitsa Jean-Charles, one of Essence Magazines 50 Founders to Watch, as she shares her journey from college to crowdfunding to the launch of her own company. If you’re a student or first-time founder, you won’t want to miss this inspiring session.

Yelitsa Jean-Charles
Founder & CEO, Healthy Roots Dolls

Building Your Talent Brand

Alley Cat (2nd Level)

Whether you are a catering company or a software startup, all businesses need quality employees to survive. But high-quality candidates are evaluating you as much as you are evaluating them. Join the JumpStart talent team for a conversation about utilizing basic marketing and branding principles to create an atmosphere that attracts and retains great employees.

Carli Calapa
Senior Recruiter, JumpStart

Chris Carmon
Founder & Managing Partner, Hiring Optics

Cortney Marchetti
Director of Talent Management, OverDrive

Julie Wiser
Manager, Human Resources and Talent Acquisition, BrandMuscle

Crazy Ideas with “Loonshots” Author Safi Bahcall

Aloft Ballroom 1-3

From cholesterol medicine to radar technology, many ideas we take for granted today were once written off as “crazy.” Join physicist, entrepreneur and author, Safi Bahcall and learn about creating environments that nurture rather than stifle innovation.

Kenneth Clarke
Director of Strategic Innovation Initiatives, JumpStart

Safi Bahcall
Author, Loonshots

The Double Bottom Line

Investing for impact & profit

Lago

All investors want to see a return on their investment, but those returns don’t always take the form of cash. In this session, you’ll hear from investors and philanthropists who have found interesting ways to balance their personal wealth-building goals with their desire to make a positive impact in the community.

Andrew Rainey
Co-founder & CEO, Randy’s Pickles

Dan Zelman
CEO, Paro Services

Jessica Green
Co-owner, Sidekicks Salsa LLC

Lorne Novick
Senior Partner, Services & Deal Flow Management, JumpStart

Michael Obi
Chairman, Spectrum Global Solutions, LLC

Flashstarts Startup Bootcamp

Thirsty Dog

Do you have an idea for a startup? During the Startup Bootcamp we will guide you through a rapid process to help turn that idea into a working business. You will leave with a business model and learn about validation tactics, key resources in our region, and much, much more.

Shannon Lyons, MSOD
Chief Operating Officer/Partner, Flashstarts

How Women Entrepreneurs Are Getting Found And Funded

Magnolia

Join us for a discussion about closing the funding gap for women entrepreneurs, celebrating the successes of female-founded companies and making the path easier for the next generation.

Anne Richie
Venture Partner, JumpStart

Lynn-Ann Gries
Managing Partner, First Check Fund

Renée DeLuca Dolan
President, Contempo Design + Communications

Married To The Job

Couples Share Their Tips For Entrepreneurial Success

TRUE

Being married to an entrepreneur can be challenging—especially when you’re an entrepreneur too! Join a conversation with two couples who are mixing family life and business life, with spectacular results.

Hoa Pyles McManus
Co-Founder and Chief of Culture, SHARE

Jonathan Klinger
Founder & President, Mbrio Technologies

John Opdycke
Venture Partner, JumpStart

Julianne (Leibsohn) Klinger
Founder & President, Mbrio Technologies

Ryan McManus
Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, SHARE

Mischief Managed

How to avoid common startup pitfalls

Margaritaville

Starting and growing your business isn’t easy and there are many issues that can arise along the way. Join a panel of startup and small business advisors as they share their stories from working with hundreds of different companies across various sectors. You will learn the most common pitfalls they have encountered and strategies to avoid/solve these in your own company.

Ace Epps
Program Manager, Community Works Akron

Heather Hall
Software Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Bounce/YBI/Glide/Jumpstart

Mike Haritakis
Biomedical Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Bounce Innovation Hub

Nick Glavan
Program Coordinator, The University of Akron Research Foundation

Women Talk Tech

A CONVERSATION WITH LAUREN WASHINGTON

Bold Food + Drink

Join Lauren Washington, co-founder of Black Women Talk Tech and JumpStart president, Cathy Belk for a conversation about how the entrepreneurial journey is different for women and how the next generation of women entrepreneurs are working to turn the challenges they face into advantages.

Cathy Belk
President, JumpStart

Lauren Washington
Co-Founder, Fundr and Black Women Talk Tech

11:15 am-12:30 pm

WORKSHOPS

A Mi Manera

Success with a Latinx twist

TRUE

Join the Young Latino Network to hear stories of success (and struggle) from a cross-section of Latinx entrepreneurs in the community. Come share your own experiences and connect with a network of people who want to help you turn your big ideas into a successful business.

Lalo Rodriguez
Owner, Café Social Latinoamericano

Selina Marie Pagán
Young Latino Network President
Northeast Ohio Education & Outreach Coordinator, International Partners in Mission (IPM)

Meet a Mentor

Thirsty Dog

JumpStart’s Burton D. Morgan Mentoring Program features some of Northeast Ohio’s most successful entrepreneurs. Wherever you are in your journey, trust us, one of them has been there before. In this session, you’ll have a chance to meet one-on-one with a Burton D. Morgan mentor to discuss your business.

Social Hour

How to Develop a Strong Social Media Presence for Your Business

Beerhead

Pro-level social media is no longer a luxury. For most businesses, it’s a necessity. Join this interactive conversation focused on upping your social media game and using it to help your business grow.

Lindsay Sims
CEO & Founder, Lauren Loft Social

11:30 am-12:30 pm

SESSIONS

BLK hack Cleveland Presents: The Bigger Picture!

Bold Food + Drink

Raising and deploying capital to an underrepresented group that gets less than 2% of all venture capital investment is hard work. Join Harlem Capital Venture Partner John Henry and Radio One Cleveland Marketing Director Rohnesha Horne for a fireside chat focused on creating change by developing strong processes and staying focused on the bigger picture.

John Henry
Partner, Harlem Capital

Rohnesha M. Horne
Marketing Director, Radio One

Being a Mother & an Entrepreneur

The Topic We Don’t Talk About

Aloft Ballroom 1&2

Think starting a company is hard? Try doing it while taking care of toddlers. Think pitch meetings with investors are brutal? Try fundraising while pregnant. Still, few women actually talk about these challenges and experiences. Join a panel of successful female founders for a real conversation about the ups and downs of being an entrepreneur while also being a mom.

Courtney Ottrix
Creator, Courtney Covers Cleveland

Karen Volzer
Founder & Owner, The Hair Shoppe and Spa

Kate Volzer
Co-founder & CEO, Wisr

Laura Bennett
Principal, Gosling’s Leap

Lindsay Watson
Founder, Augment Therapy

Brand the Land

Margaritaville

Cleveland is the city; but the images and emotions this city conveys have also made it a powerful marketing term. In this session, you’ll hear from the people who helped shape the modern image of the city, and local businesses who have weaved Cleveland into the branding of their products.

Freddie Coffey
Senior Manager of Digital Marketing, JumpStart
Founder & Chief Leisure Officer, BrewBoat CLE

Laura Kubinski
Director of Operations, CLEveland Clothing Co.

Mac Love
Designer & Chief Catalyst, Art x Love

Marie E. Scalia
Senior Director of Integrated Marketing, Destination Cleveland

Mike Kubinski
Founder, Owner & Designer, CLEveland Clothing Co.

Equity Matters

Exploring Non-Dilutive Funding Options

Lago

Join the SBA for a conversation about funding your growing business while preserving your ownership stake using debt-based, non-dilutive funding options.

Dale Lenzer
Senior SBA Product Specialist, Huntington National Bank

Gil Goldberg
District Director, U.S. Small Business Administration

Jerry Krieg
Senior SBA Lender, First Commonwealth Bank

Mike Radomsky, PhD
President, CMC Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Nancy Jager
Chief Financial Officer, Thermedx, LLC

Paul Carlin
SVP, Market Executive, Peoples Bank

Robert Scott
Regional Administrator, U.S. Small Business Administration

From Maker to Founder

Tips for turning a physical product into a scalable business

Dante’s Inferno

Building a business around a physical product comes with unique challenges. Join the experts at MAGNET for a session exploring the product development process through the experience of a local up-and-coming founder.

Brandon Cornuke
VP of Startup Consulting, MAGNET

Rahul Narain
Startup Associate, MAGNET

Russell Horner
Founder, Battle Toss

Funding + Rapid Value Creation = More Funding

Aloft Ballroom 3

This session focuses on the importance of using investment capital to create rapid value for your company. Hear from the experts how to use your current funding to put your startup in the ideal position for future fundraising rounds at a higher valuation.

Charu Ramanathan, PhD
Co-Founder & CEO, vitalxchange

Gerald Hetrick
CEO, EmployStream

Jerry Frantz
Senior Managing Partner, Entrepreneurial Services & Investing, JumpStart

Partnering to Build Better
with “Design Thinking”

Alley Cat (2nd Level)

Join 1848 Ventures, a subsidiary of Westfield, and IDEO, a global design firm, for a conversation about their partnership which uses the philosophy of “design thinking” to build better products, services and ventures. Explore tangible examples of this philosophy in action and learn how deep insights about human behavior—from customers to employees to partners—can be used by any business (from SaaS startups to manufacturing firms) to innovate and grow.

Ashley Reed
Venture Leader, Talent Strategy, 1848 Ventures

Brian Bemiller
Venture Leader, Concept Development, 1848 Ventures

Deirdre Gannon
Venture Leader, Partnership Development, 1848 Ventures

Justin Massa
Executive Portfolio Director, IDEO Chicago

Peter Jackson
Portfolio Director, IDEO San Francisco

Stuart Rosenberg
Chief Innovation and Strategy Officer, Westfield

The Many Faces of a Modern Food Business

Magnolia

Join a panel of Northeast Ohio food entrepreneurs whose businesses range from franchisees and food trucks to catering operations and fine dining establishments. Learn what they all have in common and how they turned their love of food into viable businesses.

Catheryn Greene
Owner, Cathy’s: Gourmet Ice Cream Sandwiches

Jose Melendez
Owner & Chef, Melendez Catering Services

Tiwanna Williams
Owner, PearlFlower Catering

Pick Your Panel 

Big Bang

Join this eclectic session, made up entirely of panelists who were voted on stage by their fellow Startup Scaleup attendees.

Adam Kaufman
Founder, Up2 Podcast

Andrea Walker
The Red Tomatoes

David Moss
Chief Creative Officer, Evergreen Podcasts

Denise Czack
President, Her BlueWear Uniforms

Rebecca Maurer
Owner and Founder, Maurer Law LLC

12:45-2:00 pm

WORKSHOP

How to Grow a Magnetic Brand and Easily Attract Dreamy Clients

Big Bang

Join Jennah Lear of Blue Loui Studio for a client attraction workshop for purpose-driven women entrepreneurs and business owners. If you’re ready to play bigger in your business and easily attract the exact person you want to work with and can make an impact for, this session is for you. Are you ready to grow your brand this year?

Jennah Lear
Owner and Chief Creative, Blue Loui

1:00-2:00 pm

SESSIONS | WORKSHOP

Diversity AND Inclusion

Why Every Organization Needs Both

Diversity is a thing you do. Inclusion is about how you leverage diversity to improve your organization. Hear from a panel of leaders who are leveraging both to build stronger cultures and gain competitive advantages in their industries.

Magnolia

Carmella Williams
Director of Diversity & Inclusion, YBI

Gloria Ware
Director, KeyBank Center for Technology, Innovation and Inclusive Growth

Lamont Mackley
Partner, Core City Services & Outreach, JumpStart

Magda Gómez
Director of Diversity & Inclusion, Cuyahoga Community College

Phyllis Harris
Executive Director, LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland

Ronald Stubblefield
Assistant Director, Emerging Technology Centers

The Endgame

Taking a Startup from funding to finish line

Aloft Ballroom 1&2

Startups have to overcome many obstacles to get to their first significant funding round. Those that do are well on their way, but there’s still a lot to handle on the way to a successful endgame. In this session, you’ll hear from a panel of legal experts, business advisors and entrepreneurs as they share their tips, stories and resources to help you get to the finish line.

Jonathon Vinocur
Partner, Thompson Hine LLP

Kevin von Keyserling
President & CEO, Keyfactor

Stephen McHale
Chairman Of The Board, RxRevu

Exploring Venture Debt

TRUE

Join a panel of funders and entrepreneurs for a discussion on funding a startup with non-dilutive venture debt. Explore the pros and cons of this fundraising tool and learn how it can work in tandem with venture capital.

Mike Rich
Chief Financial Officer, OnShift

Ross Mires
SVP, Venture Banking Group, Signature Bank

Todd Gardner
CEO, SaaS Capital

Todd Schwarzinger
Venture Partner, Refinery Ventures

The Family Hustle

TIPS FOR REINVENTING A LEGACY BUSINESS

Lago

Did you know family businesses account for more than 60% of U.S. employment, and nearly 65% of our total GDP? So, what happens when the next generation takes over? Join us for a conversation with some prominent Northeast Ohio business leaders who have helped modernize and grow their family businesses, without losing sight of what makes them unique and special.

Barbara Bradford
Manager, J.B. Grill

Brittani Bo Baker
Co-Inventor, Bubba’s Boneless Ribs

Chrissi Sanders
Founder, Next Play

Waverly Willis
Proprietor, Urban Kutz Barbershop

The Future of Energy

Dante’s Inferno

From the lowering cost of energy storage technology to the continued rise of renewable power, the energy landscape is on the verge of massive change. That’s why many of the major players are actively looking for new innovations to help them stay competitive. Join three industry heavyweights, First Energy, Dominion Energy and American Electric Power, to learn how startups are partnering with energy companies to prepare for the future.

Nick Pero
Innovation Accelerator, Dominion Energy

Randall Frame
Regional President, Ohio Edison

Subin Mathew
Innovation & Technology Manager, American Electric Power

William Whittenberger
CTO, Tech Belt Energy Innovation Center (TBEIC)

Hometown Luxury

Building a High-End Brand in Cleveland

Margaritaville

Old Cleveland was built on oil and steel, but a modern wave of local entrepreneurs are carving out a new niche with their creative style and high-end sensibilities. Learn how they are building globally relevant fashion, jewelry and body care brands from right here in Northeast Ohio.

Anne Harrill
Founder, Océanne

Jackie Wachter
Co-Founder & Creative Director, FOUNT

Mimi May
Founder, Maeve’s All Natural

Nicole Dzurko
Founder, Revival Body Care

Valerie Mayen
Head Designer, Yellowcake Clothing Company

Raising Angel Capital from the trenches

Alley Cat

Join this conversation with experienced founders who have raised capital from angel investors. Hear their stories and get insights on the ups, downs and in-betweens of the angel-fundraising process.

Ed Buchholz
Founder & Managing Director, Start in CLE

Jacob Sheridan
CEO, TPA Stream

Kate Volzer
Co-founder & CEO, Wisr

Kris Beck
Chief Executive Officer, Proformex

Todd Federman
Managing Director, North Coast Angel Fund

Making Time for Your Health as an Entrepreneur

Bold Food + Drink

Despite the glamorous image of the fearless founder, startup life is full of stress. That’s probably why founders are much more likely than the general population to suffer from depression, substance abuse and a host of other health issues. Join us for an honest conversation about balancing your entrepreneurial drive with your own health and wellness.

Archie Green
Community Engagement & Programs Manager, moCa Cleveland

Bill Nemeth
Director, Burton D. Morgan Mentoring Program, JumpStart

Gene Groys
Entrepreneur-in-Residence, YBI & JumpStart

Laura Bennett
Principal, Gosling’s Leap

Xyla Foxlin
Executive Director, Beauty and the Bolt

Sweaty Startups

Turning Service Jobs into Scalable Businesses

Software and high-tech ventures get the headlines, but there are thousands of entrepreneurs building successful businesses in traditional service-oriented industries. From catering to cleaning services, meet some of the people who are turning hard labor into big business with just a small dose of innovation.

Bold Food + Drink

Daryl Anderson
Owner, Mustard Seed Development

James Barnes
Founder & President, Immaculate Cleaning Co.

Patrick Kucharson
Entrepreneurial Consultant/Services Project Associate, JumpStart

The Core City: Cleveland Small Business Tune-up

Thirsty Dog

Take a look at the health of your business with the Core City: Cleveland team. Choose from several focus areas and get free advice from experts and fellow entrepreneurs to help you solve problems and take your business to the next level. All are welcome!

2:30-3:30 pm

SESSIONS

El Ecosistema Latinx

A Conversation About Access and Equitability

Alley Cat (2nd Level)

Join us for a conversation on cross-sectoral approaches to social change. Local Latinx leaders will share observations and engage the audience on what is happening at the intersection of the civic, community, political, and business sectors. Additionally, we‘ll look ahead to the coming 2020 Census and discuss the unique set of challenges this presents for the Latinx community.

Damarys Garcia
Family Engagement Specialist, Esperanza

Daniel Ortiz
Outreach Director, Policy Matters Ohio

Gil Torres Ruiz
Policy and Programming Coordinator, Hispanic Alliance, Inc.

Jose A. Colon
Financial Services Manager, Cleveland Neighborhood Progress

Jason Estremera
Director of Business Services, Northeast Ohio Hispanic Business Center

Luis Cabrera
Applications Systems Analyst, Brookfield Properties

Ricardo Leon
Managing Director, Metro West Community Organization

Finding the Front Door

Big Bang

There are many organizations working to help startups grow in Northeast Ohio. But which should you be working with, and how do you get started? In this session, you’ll meet several representatives of the Northeast Ohio Startup Network, a collaborative group of people and organizations who work together to help entrepreneurs. Hear more about each organization’s specialty and learn how they all work together to get entrepreneurs the help they need.

Brandon Cornuke
VP of Startup Consulting, MAGNET

Gianna Serra
Client Services Manager, Youngstown Business Incubator

Heather Hall
Software Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Bounce/YBI/Glide/Jumpstart

Jim Walborn
Co-Director, GLIDE

Michael Haritakis
Entrepreneur-in-Residence, BioEnterprise & Bounce

Hidden Gems

Community Orgs Ready to Help You Explore Your Great Idea

Lago

Northeast Ohio is full of organizations supporting entrepreneurs. But some of their amazing resources still fly under the radar. In this session you’ll meet several of these organizations and learn how they help entrepreneurs start and grow great businesses.

Christopher Smith
Senior Deal Flow Manager, JumpStart

Doug DeGirolamo
Sears think[box] Program Manager, Case Western Reserve University

Erica C. Penick
Executive Director, The Presidents’ Council

Jim Bettinger
Sr. Subject Librarian, Cleveland Public Library

Ted Theofrastous
Managing Director, Fusion Program at the Case Western Reserve University School of Law

Teleange Thomas
Director, Candid Midwest

How to Get Bank-ready

Preparing to fund your small business

Thirsty Dog

Learn what you need to know to be ‘bank ready’ and set your business on the road to success. Join the team from PNC as they examine the importance of cash flow management and protecting your identity when working in a virtual world, while also sharing ideas and helpful resources (including easy online tools) to help guide and protect your business.

Gary Albright
Merchant Services Account Executive, PNC

Greg Hurst
Branch Manager, PNC

Kelly Barabas
Branch & Business Center Manager, PNC

Lisa Rucker
SBA Business Development Officer, PNC

How to Nail Sales at a Startup

Tips for Hiring Your First Sales Employees

Bold Food + Drink

Startups need strong sales to survive, but “selling” at a startup requires a different perspective from selling at a growth stage company. In this session, you’ll learn more about the ideal skillset and get tips for building a lean, flexible startup sales team.

Rem Harris
Senior Partner, Investing, JumpStart

Bridget Gleason
VP of Sales, Logz.io

Making the Leap

How to Launch a Business While Holding A Day Job

TRUE

Many entrepreneurs are holding down a steady job when inspiration strikes. So how do you get your big idea off the ground while still meeting your 9-to-5 responsibilities? And how do you know when it’s time to make the full-time leap to your new business? In this session, a panel of experienced entrepreneurs explore their transition from employee to founder and share their tips for making the process as painless as possible.

Angel Washington
Owner & President, Consult 2 Code

Freddie Coffey
Senior Manager of Digital Marketing, JumpStart
Founder & Chief Leisure Officer, BrewBoat CLE

Jon Grimm
Senior Venture Partner, JumpStart

Ryan Edgerly
CEO, MedaSync

Meet the Investors

Tips for tech companies

Aloft Ballroom 3

Join a panel of investors as they discuss their investment criteria and approaches to investing in companies. Hear how stage, industry sector and other important factors inform not only how a company should raise capital, but who they should raise it from.

Jeffrey Marshall
Managing Director, Private Equity and Direct Investments, Halcyon Investments, Ltd.

Hardik Desai
Partner, Investing, JumpStart

Jill Raderstorf
Partner, Ohio Innovation Fund

Jonathon Vinocur
Partner, Thompson Hine LLP

The Paradox Prize

Investing in Big Ideas to Improve Worker Mobility

Bold Food + Drink

This session will provide background on The Paradox Prize. This $1 million, multi-year challenge from the Fund for Our Economic Future, the National Fund for Workforce Solutions, Greater Cleveland Partnership, and The Lozick Family Foundation is designed to discover big ideas in transportation that will result in a seamless array of mobility options for our region.

Bethia Burke
Vice President, Fund for Our Economic Future

Dominic Mathew
Director of Mobility Innovation, Fund for Our Economic Future

Pilots Wanted

Sharing Perspectives on Innovation with Healthcare Institutions

Aloft Ballroom 1&2

Join a panel of prominent healthcare leaders for a conversation about finding and fostering innovation. Hear how organizations like Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals and others are actively seeking pilot projects and co-development opportunities with a surprising array of startups. Learn what it takes to get new projects off the ground with these institutions and connect with resources who can help you get started.

Jennifer Thomas
Managing Director, Plug and Play Cleveland

Matthew Miller
Senior Venture Partner, Healthcare, JumpStart

Pete O’Neill
Executive Director of Cleveland Clinic Innovations

Sarah Mihalik
Managing Director, UH Ventures

Shannon Schur
Program Manager, Executive Administration at Cleveland Clinic

Tesla Talks

A Poolside Chat with Tiara Thurston

FWD

Join Tiara Thurston, Tesla’s General Manager for the Central US, and Rick Stockburger from the Tech Belt Energy Innovation Center (TBEIC) for a wide-ranging conversation about energy innovation. From electronic vehicles to home-based storage batteries and solar panels, get an insider view on the energy innovations that will shape the future.

Rick Stockburger
President and CEO, The Tech Belt Energy Innovation Center (TBEIC)

Tiara Thurston
Regional Manager, Tesla

Using Technology to Build a Lean HR Machine

Beerhead

Human Resources can be an abstract concept when you’re building a company by yourself. But growing companies eventually need a system to manage their workforce. Join HR expert Jeff Severson and the team from Vantage as they examine how technology can help growing companies create good processes and procedures, without sacrificing efficiency or ballooning their budgets.

Dana Dombrowski
Advisor, Vantage Financial Group

Jeff Severson
President, Trinity Advisors

Vision to Venture

Taking your creative idea to market

Dante’s Inferno

This workshop is ideal for individuals with a passion for creative expression who want to match this vision with a profit-oriented business model. Using stories from successful creative entrepreneurs, you will explore identifying the most creative aspects of your idea, finding new ways to be innovative with your company and connecting your creative passion with your customer’s needs.

Julia Youngs
Acceleration Program Manager, Creative Startups

3:30-5:00 pm

SESSIONS

Entrepreneur Resource Fair

Grab a drink and get connected with the many people and organizations focused on helping startups and small businesses succeed.

Big Bang

3:45-4:30 pm

SESSIONS

Cleveland 2.0

A Look into the Future of Northeast Ohio’s Economy

FWD

Join JumpStart CEO, Ray Leach for a conversation about what Northeast Ohio’s entrepreneurial economy could look like 10+ years from now depending on the decisions, actions and progress made in the next decade. Hear Ray’s perspective on how we can tackle important challenges and share your ideas for building a 21st-century economy in Greater Cleveland.

Ray Leach
CEO, JumpStart

4:30-6:00 pm

SESSIONS

Amplified

The Official SuSu Afterparty

It’s party time! Help us toast another great Startup Scaleup event at our official afterparty, with music, food, drinks and of course, more networking.

FWD

6:00-8:00 pm

SESSIONS

BLK hack Cleveland Startup Scaleup Afterparty

Magnolia

Join BLK hack Cleveland as they welcome investors, entrepreneurs, startups, professionals and others for an evening of conversation, networking, cocktails, food and music from DJ Red-I. All are welcome!