DiverseCity Ventures Inc. is partnering with the Greater Sacramento Urban League Young Professionals (GSULYP) and the Founder Institute to hold the inaugural DiverseCity Summit in Sacramento at the Greater Sacramento Urban League’s North Sacramento site. This event brings together members of the community to explore how creativity, technology, and entrepreneurship can intersect to create positive impact. As part of the City of Sacramento’s Creative Economy Pilot Project, the DiverseCity Summit casts a wider net for startups and lucrative S.T.E.A.M. careers: science, technology, engineering, arts, and math.

TOPICS INCLUDE:

Startup Case Studies

  • Keynote Speaker -Adeo Ressi, CEO the Founder Institute
  • Startup Ecosystem – Jeff Bennet, StartupSac
  • Pleshette Robertson – Sac Cultural Hub
  • Monique Brown – HaneyBiz

 

Startup Funding 101

  • Kristopher Francisco, CEO, Evolute (Founder Institute graduate recently funded by Lightspeed)
  • Kyle Kaneshiro – Consultant & Advisor, SBDC / Metro Chamber
  • Cheryl Beninga – COO, Fantag, Co-Founder, FourthWave Accelerator

 

Founder Showcase

  • Juan Juan – CEO, Fanalyze
  • Carolyn Ulander Peer – CEO, Humaxa
  • Brenda Tello Horton – CEO, ProPlanr
  • Nathalie Mvondo – CEO, MultiCultural Press
  • Venita Sivamani – CEO, Dermveda

 

Veterans Entrepreneurs 

  • Marcus Haney – President, Haney Industrial Supply
  • Lesa Hammond – CEO, ProfHire
  • Rich Foreman – CEO, Apptology / Director, StartupGrind Sacramento

 

The Creative Economy

  • Maya Wallace – Board Member, Sacramento Art Commission
  • Jade Nicole – Manager, Magnus Opus / Talent Magazine
  • Sonny Walebowa – Author, Vangoland

 

Digital Storytelling

  • Maurice James – CEO, Mojo Pictures / NBCUniversal Digital Content Lab
  • Remound Wright – AR/VR Product Engineer, AT&T Foundry
  • Steve Young – CEO, AppMasters
  • Tresla Gilbreath, CEO, Multi Facet Inc.

 

The DiverseCity Summit s part of the region’s celebration of Global Entrepreneurship Week. According to GSULYP’s President, Jetaun Stevens, the DiverseCity Summit also aligns with the National Day of Empowerment. “The focus is on generational wealth,” Stevens says. The Young Professionals are launching a speaker series to tackle the issue. Leading up to the DiverseCity Summit, Mariah Lichtenstern, Executive Producer of the Summit and the Founding Partner of DiverseCity Ventures, will be their first speaker. “The hegemony in this country has led to the greatest wealth gap since the Gilded Age,” says Lichtenstern. “Entrepreneurship affords opportunity to solve problems and create wealth. However, we need to close the funding gap, provide access to mentors, and help founders develop 21st century leadership skills.”

This is where the Founder Institute comes in. The 14 week accelerator has helped to launch thousands of companies all over the world with an extraordinary success ratio. Lichtenstern graduated from the Silicon Valley chapter with her motion picture development platform, CINESHARES before launching the Sacramento chapter. Founder Institute CEO, Adeo Ressi believes the Sacramento chapter has a critical role to play in the government seat of the nation’s fifth largest economy. As part of the leadership team, Lichtenstern, along with Co-Directors Mike Knittel of Lagunitas Asset Management, Sonny Walebowa of Vangoland Enterprises, and Craig Pritsky of SacAngels, agree.

Founder Institute will sponsor three of its signature events during the DiverseCity Summit: Startup Case Studies, Startup Funding 101, and Veterans in Tech. Other topics include the Creative Economy, Digital Storytelling, and the Startup Ecosystem with Jeff Bennet of Startup Sac. Lichtenstern insists that the DiverseCity Summit is not just about women, people of color, or underrepresented founders. “DiverseCity includes you,” she proclaims. “While it’s still important to talk about the business case for diversity, there comes a time to exemplify what capitalizing on diversity looks like. That means stepping out of comfort zones and gaining exposure to excellence from different walks of life.”

Date:  Friday, November 16, 2018

Time:  10:00 am – 4:00 pm

Location: Greater Sacramento Urban League, 3725 Marysville Blvd Sacramento, CA 95838

Cost:  $0 – $47

75% off tickets for those who register by Sunday, Nov 11 with the code: Founder101Bonus1111

Register:  Eventbrite