Schedule of Sessions

Monday, September 28

Tuesday, September 29

Wednesday, September 30

Monday, September 28 | Recovery & Reinvention

Opening Keynote

Monday, 8:30 A.M. – 9:30 A.M.

The Art of Perseverance
How to Survive a Pandemic

Chair

Keynote Address

Brad Barbeau
Institute for Innovation and Economic Development

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Guy Kawasaki
Chief Evangelist of Canva

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Session 2

Monday, 9:30 A.M. – 10:30 A.M.

How COVID-19 Is Impacting Venture Funding

Moderator

Toby Corey
Zentrepreneur.life

Panelists

Angie Mertens
ONE WORLD Training & Investments

 Ullas Naik
Streamlined Ventures

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Break – Virtual Cafe
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Session 3

Monday 10:45 A.M. – 11:45 A.M.

Community Capital Pitches

Moderator

Susan Szasz Harker
Slow Money Monterey Bay

Pitching Companies

We are a food-waste reduction company based in Santa Cruz, California providing shelf-stable products that would otherwise become compost or landfill.

Fenn Coffee is a Black-owned, small-batch ,wholesale coffee company. Fenn Coffee is known for its popular product, the Cold Brew Double Espresso Shot.

Our goal is to educate, drive action, and inspire hope in the future of our planet.

Terroir in a Jar

Fenn Coffee

Virtual Planet Technologies

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Session 4

Monday 11:45 A.M. – 1:00 P.M.

Venture Pitches

Moderator

Pitching Companies

Through powerful immersive digital experiences and inclusive community engagement, our goal is to educate, drive action, and inspire hope in the future of our planet.

Carnot has developed a patented process that is capable of compressing air in an isothermal manner.

Combines cybersecurity experience and AI expertise to safeguard confidential information and protect valuable assets.

SORCE is an energy management platform that monitors workforce readiness and increases performance.

Doug Erickson
Santa Cruz Works

Cruz Foam

Carnot Compression

Defenseforce

Sorce Technologies

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Tuesday, September 29, 2020 | Crowdfunding

Opening Keynote

Tuesday 8:30 A.M. – 9:30 A.M.

The Current Environment & The Economy

Shyam Kamath
Dean, College of Business CSUMB

Congressman Jimmy Panetta
California’s 20th congressional district

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Visit Keynote Session

Session 2

Tuesday 9:30 A.M. – 10:30 A.M.

Equity Crowdfunding

Moderator

Krishan Arora
Arora Project

Panelists

Christine Outram
Everydae

 

Jonny Price
WeFunder

Joshua Resnick
Parallel Flight Technologies

 Hillary Talbot
Sail Community Capital

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Break – Virtual Cafe
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Session 3

Tuesday 10:45 A.M. – 11:45 A.M.

Community Capital Pitches

Moderator

Pitching Companies

We are a technology and app platform that creates opportunites for altruism, leveraging recent research in neuroscience to amplify good feelings for helping others, and to connect to oneself.

New Way Homes creates affordable and below-market rate housing.

California FarmLink’s mission is to invest in the prosperity of farmers and ranchers through lending, education, and access to land.

Amy Stocker
Slow Money Northern California

Benevolently

New Way Homes

California Farmlink

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Session 4

Tuesday 11:45 A.M. – 12:45 P.M.

Venture Pitches

Moderator

Pitching Companies

Obatala Sciences is a biotechnology toolkit company that is addressing a critically unmet knowledge gap contributing to a $2 Trillion global economic burden annually within the fields of obesity, diabetes, and regenerative medicine.

Closing the achievement gap in elementary math with a flexible classroom and distance learning product.

Parallel Flight Technologies has created patent-pending technology that enables drone to carry heavy payloads for over two hours. This will make it ideal for use in fighting wildfires, search and rescue, and logistics missions.

Jennifer Kuan
CSUMB College of Business

Obatala Sciences

Levered Learning

Parallel Flight Technologies

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Session 5

Tuesday 12:45 P.M. – 1:45 P.M.

Inclusive Restart & Reinvention:
Creating Community Capital

Moderator

Luis Alvarez
Alvarez Technologies

Panelists

Rene Mendez
City of Gonzales

Julian Canete
CA Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

Carmen Herrera
El Pajaro CDC

Javier Zamora
JSM Organics

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Wednesday, September 30, 2020 | Inclusivity in Funding

Opening Keynote

Wednesday 8:30 A.M. – 9:30 A.M.

Inclusion & Diversity in Entrepreneurship

Chair

Keynote Address

Pamela Burns
Wild Plum Cafe

Ben Jealous
President of People for the American Way

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Visit Keynote Session

Session 2

Wednesday 9:30 A.M. – 10:30 A.M.

Inclusivity in Funding & Access to Capital

Moderator

Carrie Nikitin
Powerful Women International Connections

Panelists​

Namrata Banerjee
VentureBridge at Carnegie Mellon University

Amy Francetic
Buoyant Ventures

Paula Groves
 Impact X Capital

Dr. Veronica Hunnicutt
Powerful Women International Connections

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Break – Virtual Cafe
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Session 3

Wednesday 10:45 A.M. – 11:45 A.M.

Community Capital Pitches

Moderator

Pitching Companies

CoCo Noir Wine Shop is a woman and minority-owned wine shop and eatery located in Downtown Oakland in the Black Arts Movement Business District.

Nece's Gluten Free is dedicated to providing the best tasting gluten free products, as well as knowledge and understanding, to the Monterey Peninsula gluten free community as wll as the many gluten free visitors to the area.

Milk Bottle Supply is reimagining sustainable grocery shopping with wast-free, locally sourced bulk materials and produce combinded with the option of meal preparation.

Susan Szasz Harker
Slow Money Monterey Bay

CoCo Noir Wine Shop & Bar

Nece’s Gluten Free Baked Goods

Milk Bottle Supply

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Session 4

Wednesday 11:45 A.M. – 12:45 P.M.

Venture Pitches

Moderator

Pitching Companies

Pitching Companies

infiniRel brings together industry veterans to improve the reliability and affordability of renewable energi solutions.

A film studio in the Monterey Bay Area that provides much-needed industry infrastructure for itinerant productions (like Big Little Lies) and for a burgeoning community of homegrown talent.

From the volcanic soil of the mountain ranges of Vietnam, Omni Bev’s finest, high-altitude specialty bean blend has a rich and distictive flavor. A result in a cold brew that is deep in flavor with distinguished character.

Brooks McChesney
Advisory Council Member

infiniRel

 

Seventeen Mile Drive Entertainment

Omni Bev

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Break – Virtual Cafe
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Session 5

Wednesday, 1:00 P.M. – 2:00 P.M.

Inclusivity & Social Change

Moderator

Trevor Parham
Oakland Black Business Fund

Panelists​

Hope Lehman
The Runway Project 

Maija West
Law Office of Maija West

Tamme Shinshuri 
Oracles of Truth Academy

Julius Robinson
Union Bank MUFG

Visit Session 5