Event category: Breakouts
Events
November 15, 2023
02:25 PM - 03:00 PM EDT
Dominating an Industry with AI
The future of many industries will be influenced by AI, but in industries with legacy tech, outdated systems and archaic processes, the opportunity to pioneer and dominate an entire industry with the advancements of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning will enable innovation to surpass all previous growth trajectories.
In this breakout session, Solon will explore how AI can be a catalyst that enables a startup to dominate distributing innovative technologies to market faster than ever before, as well as the challenges that come with it.
November 16, 2023
11:20 AM - 11:55 AM EDT
From Startup to Scale-up: Expert Advice on Efficiently Scaling a Tech Company
Jacob will explore how he has built and led teams as an internal operator and now as an external recruiter. He has successfully hired over 2000 employees for various startups and continues to recruit hundreds more as a "consultative recruiter for tech".
The journey of scaling up from 5 to 25, 25 to 50, and beyond all have their own unique challenges and triumphs. In this session, you'll learn when to bring on your first HR professional, how to effectively leverage your network, what to look for in your key hires and how to minimize churn as you scale up.

11:20 AM - 11:50 AM EDT
Life After Raising $25 Million in Series A
Join Co-Founder & CEO of Knak, Pierce Ujjainwalla, for an exclusive session on what to expect after successfully securing $25 million in Series A funding. Gain insights into the challenges, triumphs, and pivotal decisions that shape a company’s path post-Series A. You'll hear about strategies, pivots, and lessons learned along the way, providing a roadmap for entrepreneurs and leaders navigating similar milestones.
11:20 AM - 12:00 PM EDT
Navigating Secondary Transactions
While primary investments are the bread and butter of venture capital, they are by no means the only way that investors buy shares. Indeed, for companies that have reached stable profitability, secondaries are sometimes the only way to get involved. They can also be a crucial tool for re-aligning cap table ownership, winning competitive rounds and supporting founders to go big. Naturally, these benefits come with challenges, especially in terms of aligning interests across the transaction. Speaking from both the investor and founder side, our panelists will unpack some of these challenges while sharing their insights from past secondary transactions.

November 15, 2023
03:10 PM - 03:50 PM EDT
Lightning Sessions: Master the Art of Measuring Your Biz
Join our trio of metric maestros as they dissect the puzzle of performance metrics, the gospel that data-centric teams reign supreme, and the not-so-sunny side of Business Intelligence. Gain insights into which metrics are your secret sauce for 2024, how you stack up against the competition, and arm yourself with the knowledge to sidestep the pitfalls that have been the death knell for many a BI initiative.
03:10 PM - 03:50 PM EDT
Current State of M&A
Join us as we untangle the twists and turns of the tech M&A rollercoaster, from its 2022 nosedive to the promising signs of a triumphant comeback in 2024 and learn why 2024 is predicted to be the year of recovery.
03:10 PM - 03:50 PM EDT
From Ideation to Impact: Zapier’s Playbook for Building AI Products
An in-depth look into how Zapier navigates the complexities of AI development. Reid Robinson, Lead Product Manager of AI at Zapier, will cover Zapier’s end-to-end approach to creating AI-driven features and products, offering actionable insights on effectively integrating AI into your SaaS product roadmap. You’ll also learn how to identify and prioritize the data crucial for building impactful AI features and products. Additionally, we’ll explore practical ways to weave AI into your existing product development process.
11:05 AM - 11:40 AM EDT
Build or Buy: Deciding Between Organic Growth and Acquisition for Product Expansion
Build or Buy? A company is sitting on new investment funds with a mandate to build out their product. Is the best choice to build out the engineering team organically or look to acquire a company with technology already at least partially built and a team in place? This panel will discuss the risks and benefits of organic growth or growth through acquisition, as well as current market trends.
11:05 AM - 11:40 AM EDT
Evolving to SaaS: Bridging TradFi and DeFi Frontiers
Join Vince Kadar, the leader behind Polymath's evolution from a blockchain-focused company to a cutting-edge Software as a Service (SaaS) company, as he explores his learnings from the forefront of disruptive technology solutions. With over 25 years of experience in scaling startups and innovating in the realms of financial software, telecom, and fintech, Vince will share his insights on the strategic shift that led Polymath to reimagine its role in capital markets, bridging the gap between traditional finance (TradFi) and decentralized finance (DeFi).
You'll gain valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities encountered during this transformative journey, being at the edge of the alternative investing industries, and learn how the company is successfully adapting to the ever-changing landscape of finance and technology.