Featured
Speakers
SHAHAB KAVAIANI
Shahab is a social entrepreneur with over a 15 years of experience starting, scaling, and exiting companies.
Most recently he co-founded Breezio, a community engagement platform, where he now serves as an adviser and board member. Prior to Breezio, Shahab was co-founder and CEO of CoFoundersLab, acquired in 2018 by LA based Business Rockstars. CoFoundersLab has become one of the largest communities of entrepreneurs in the world with more than 400,000 members worldwide. Prior to CoFoundersLab, Shahab co-founded HyperOffice, where he led product and marketing; he operated the startup for over 7 years serving more than 500,000 customers worldwide, prior to its successful exit to Tokyo based IP Dream. Shahab's passion is in helping to build and foster the innovation economy, having founded a youth entrepreneurship program for Montgomery County, serving as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Maryland teaching International Entrepreneurship & Innovation, and previously serving as Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Startup Maryland.
Shahab speaks around the world on the subjects of entrepreneurship, building startup teams, and fundraising. He earned his BA in Economics from University of Maryland, College Park.
Twitter: @kavianis
CAROLE IRGANG
As the Founder of Red Shoes Marketing, Carole’s mission is to help her clients unlock and accelerate growth by creating disruptive ideas that stand out in today’s cluttered and chaotic marketplace. She has successfully created new brands for Godiva Chocolatier, LG Electronics and SertaSimmons Bedding to rival legacy brands with disruptive new positionings and brand stories. She has led global agency consolidations, branding and innovation forums, strategic planning and marketing teams, while also consulting for several digital technology enterprises. Her clients include PepsiCo, Estee Lauder, Avon, Godiva, J&J, Colgate, LG Electronics, Serta Simmons Bedding, Fidelity Investments.
Carole has also held senior leadership roles at several global organizations including GoDaddy and Kraft Foods. At GoDaddy, Carole was tasked with reinventing the brand and creating a consumer-focused marketing organization. In addition to creating one of their most successful business driving Super Bowl campaigns in less than 10 weeks, Carole was responsible for identifying nearly $100Million in new revenue from smarter customer segmentation.
Carole is a unique leader who has the ability to balance the need for breakthrough thinking with disciplined strategy and compelling insight in service of creating actionable ideas with positive ROI.
TAKUDZWA CAITANO
Takudzwa is the CEO of YesAfricaYes, a video and podcast sharing platform for African creatives, Senior Editor at the TheDiaspora - a storytelling platform on a mission to tell the African story to the world and Project Manager at Shasha Network, an education consulting startup in Africa on a mission to educate 1 million Africans in marginalised areas by 2023. Takudzwa also sits on the board of Innova Youth- a global education a non-profit that strengthens research, collaboration and communication skills through workshops and conferences to empower students to become a community of changemakers. He is passionate about entrepreneurship, technology and Africa. He is on a mission to create a tech revolution in Africa. He works with entrepreneurs and companies developing solutions for Africa. He is a Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Foundation 2019 cohort, NextGen Community Fellow, Harvard Village To Raise A Child 2017 Finalist and a Yale Young Global Scholar. He works with various startups CEOs in strategy, marketing and growth. He is currently, a student at Stanford University pursuing various interests such as entrepreneurship, artificial intelligence, economics and ethics.
Website: https://takudzwacaitano.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/takudzwacaitano
LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/takudzwa-caitano-3b3509120/
BRANDON C BALLARD
Brandon is a photographer + creative entrepreneur opening doors and perspectives for others. His story is a reflection of what it means to commit yourself to your purpose beyond all odds. His mission is simple, help others find theirs.
Linkedln : https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncballard/
MATTHEW LOPEZ
As a general counsel Matthew Lopez specializes in working and advising startups. He helps founders solve a wide range of unique legal, tax, and regulatory problems that require creative and innovative solutions. He helped set up the legal infrastructure that a high growth startup needs by establishing flexible corporate structure, adventitious vesting agreements for key hires, and creating a robust contacts management system. Once the foundation is set and the company starts to grow he works on expanding the legal department to handle growth which includes setting up relationships with outside counsel so he can move on to the next adventure while still being available to advise the founders and the new general counsel.
Linkedln : https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewtlopez/
AROOJ SHEIKH
Arooj Sheikh is a former startup founder turned VC. Previously, she founded a real estate tech startup based in Austin, TX. Having worked with every major player in the startup ecosystem ranging from venture studios to startup accelerators - she aims to empower world-changing ideas. Arooj is the author of “The Fundraising Strategy Playbook”, an entrepreneur’s guide to pitching, raising venture capital, and financing a startup. Connect with her on LinkedIn.
Website: https://arooj.me/
Linkedln : https://www.linkedin.com/in/arooj-sheikh/