2024 Agenda

Tech Innovation Forum 2024 Agenda

EXPERIENCE

Registration Opens

WELCOME TO OC INNOVATION WEEK

Fast Pitch Presentations (Round 1)

Each company will have 5 minutes for their presentation and 2 minutes of Q&A.

Companies:
10:20 am – Veera
10:30 am – Niraxx
10:40 am – Whatrr
10:50 am – ChargeNet
11:00 am – Element6 Dynamics
11:10 am – Sapphire Technologies
11:20 am – Entropyc Energy

Judges:
Harry Beck, Partner, HLX
Neal Rickner, Managing Partner, Elevation Ventures
Arie Shen, Founder, Board Member, CxO, EASTM

EXPERIENCE

Networking & Lunch

FAST-PITCH

Fast Pitch Presentations (Round 2)

Each company will have 5 minutes for their presentation and 2 minutes of Q&A.

Companies:
12:40 pm – Kids Care Finder
12:50 pm – Irvinei
1:00 pm – Outset
1:10 pm – GITAI
1:20 pm – CISGAM
1:30 pm – Hollo.ai

Judges:
Ralf Brockhaus, CEO, Smilefish
Tatjana Mitchell, SVP and CFO, Experian North America Consumer Services
Steve Silver, Founder, SoCal Startup Day

FAST-PITCH

Fast Pitch Presentations (Round 3)

Each company will have 5 minutes for their presentation and 2 minutes of Q&A.

Companies:
1:50 pm – Cornovax
2:00 pm – GoDental.ai
2:10 pm – Auctus Surgical
2:20 pm – ThinkHealthy (BAX-U Inc.)
2:30 pm – Cellecho Biotech
2:40 pm – Deep Blue Medical
2:50 pm – GROWUP
3:00 pm – CDR3 Therapeutics

Judges:
Harry Beck, Partner, HLX
Ralf Brockhaus, CEO, Smilefish
Steve Silver, Founder, SoCal Startup Day

FAST-PITCH

Fast Pitch Presentations (Round 4)

Each company will have 5 minutes for their presentation and 2 minutes of Q&A.

Companies:
3:20 pm – InPipe Energy
3:30 pm – ZeptoMed
3:40 pm – 4th Dimension EMR
3:50 pm – Makani Sciences
4:00 pm – Vena Vitals

Judges:
Arie Shen, Founder, Board Member, CxO, EASTM
Steve Silver, Founder, SoCal Startup Day

EXPERIENCE

Winner Announcement 

EXPERIENCE

Reception Kick-Off – Hosted by Irvine Company @ The Commons at UCI Research Park

EXPERIENCE

Registration Opens

EXPERIENCE

Networking & Breakfast 

OPENING

Welcome Address

Bill Carpou, CEO, Octane

OPENING KEYNOTE

Unleashing Creativity: 5 Key Tenets For the Responsible Use of Generative AI

Generative AI is rapidly transforming every industry as we know it. Kathleen Peters will highlight how companies can harness the power of generative AI for creative innovation in a responsible and ethical way. She’ll explore how companies can look at generative AI from the inside out – empowering employees and customers to embrace the technology to drive efficiency and growth.

Kathleen Peters, Chief Innovation Officer, Experian Decision Analytics

PANEL

Innovation in Orange County – What organizations are driving the ecosystem forward in Orange County?

Errol Arkilic, PhD, Chief Innovation Officer, UCI

Jeff Ball, President, Orange County Business Council

Bill Carpou, CEO, Octane

EXPERIENCE

Networking Break

EXPERIENCE

Future of Work and Remote Collaboration Panel Introduction

Eric Morgan, Vice President, Community Affairs, Five Point

PANEL

Future of Work and Remote Collaboration

Discussing remote work technologies, digital collaboration tools, and the evolution of work culture in a post-pandemic world. How are companies in OC going back to work?

Brian Montes, Founder & CEO, Scaleocity Works (Moderator)

Paul Hager, Vice President of Sales, Ingram Micro

Kerin Van Andel, EVP, Workplace Strategy, JLL

FIRESIDE CHAT

Fireside Chat with Palmer Luckey, Founder, Anduril Industries

Moderated by: Errol Arkilic, PhD, Chief Innovation Officer, UCI

EXPERIENCE

Networking Lunch

PANEL

The Economics Behind Sustainability

By integrating sustainability into their business models, companies can reduce operational costs and foster environmental stewardship which enhances brand reputation, attracts socially responsible investors, and ultimately drives economic growth.

Lisa Northrup, Partner, Stradling (Moderator)

Kendra Jones, Chief Legal and Sustainability Officer, Epson America, Inc.
Matthew Stotts, General Partner, Cerulean Ventures

FIRESIDE CHAT

Empowering Innovation: Vizio – Orange County Success Story

Join us for a discussion on the success story of Vizio, a leading consumer electronics company based in Orange County. Founded in 2002, Vizio emerged as a powerhouse in the industry, revolutionizing the way consumers experience entertainment. Mr. Wang will tell us his entrepreneurial journey from start-up to the sale of his company to Wal-Mart.

Fireside Chat: William Wang, Chief Executive Officer, VIZIO

Moderator: Goran Matijasevic, Executive Director, UCI Executive Roundtable

PANEL

Space Technology: What’s Next for SoCal?

What opportunities exist in the space technology in Southern California? – Manufacturing, Research, Education, and services catering to the growing space industry.

Julian J. Rimoli, Henry Samueli Faculty Excellence Professor and Chair, UC Irvine (Moderator)

Eric Jensen, CEO, ICEYE US

Matt Kozlov, Managing Director, Tech Stars

Kate Lynch, CEO, NeoSpace

EXPERIENCE

Networking Break

PANEL 

Building a Company: You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know

Panel featuring some of the leaders of the fastest-growing start-ups in Orange County. They will describe what to look for as you build your company. The trials and tribulations of growing a company.

Sean Crafts, CEO, BLDG (Moderator)

Cleve Adams, Founder and Managing Partner, Trestles Group

Mark Czepiel, CFO, Menlo Microsystems

Donald McClymont, Chief Executive Officer, indie Semiconductor

Steven Litchfield, Chief Financial Officer & Chief Corporate Strategy Officer, MaxLinear

PANEL 

Exploring Frontiers in Generative AI: Innovations, Challenges, and Future
Directions

Join us for an engaging and informative panel discussion on the cutting-edge advancements in generative artificial intelligence. Our panelists will delve into the intricacies of generative AI, discussing its applications, challenges, and the transformative impact it has on diverse industries.

Stuart Mathews, Director Industry Alliances, Enterprise Collaborations Group, UC Irvine (Moderator)

Markus Bernhardt, AI Strategy Lead at the Learning Forum; Principal Consultant at Endeavor Intelligence

Anthony Chang, MD, MBA, MPH, MS, Founder of Ai-Med; Chief Intelligence and Innovation Officer, CHOC

Neil Sahota, Chief Executive Officer ACSILabs, Inc; United Nations Advisor; IBM Master Inventor

Shanji Xiong, Chief Scientist of Innovation Lab, Experian

Closing Remarks

EXPERIENCE

Reception

Join Octane staff and the attendees of the Tech Innovation Forum as we gather and celebrate the ecosystem in Orange County. This is an opportunity to network and reconnect with colleagues or meet new ones in the wonderful patio at AV Irvine.

EXPERIENCE

Registration Opens

EXPERIENCE

Networking & Breakfast

EXPERIENCE

Capital & Growth Breakfast Presented by Knobbe Martens

Private-Invite Only

PANEL

United States Macroeconomic Forecast and Investment Landscape

While building a business involves a multitude of company specific decisions, those decisions are also affected by the overall macro-economic landscape, not only locally. but nationally and globally. Whether you’re a business leader, policymaker, or investor, this overview offers an invaluable perspective on navigating the dynamic interplay between current the innovation landscape and factors such as GDP growth, Interest Rates, Monetary Policy, Labor Markets and Geopolitics exploring both risks and opportunities in the current macroeconomic environment.

Kevin Barlow, Founder and Managing Partner, Ocean Heights Advisors

PANEL

Raising Capital in 2024

In 2024, the landscape for raising capital is dynamic and ever-changing. This panel brings together experts from various industries to discuss the latest trends and best practices for securing funding. From traditional avenues to innovative approaches, attendees will gain valuable insights into navigating the complex world of fundraising in today’s economic climate. Whether you’re a startup founder or an investor, join us for practical advice and strategies to succeed in raising capital in 2024.

James Zarour, Director Transaction Advisory Services, RSM (Moderator)

La Keisha Landrum Pierre, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Emmeline Ventures

Alex Marquez, Head of Experian Ventures, Experian

Bruce Virga, CEO, Title3Funds

PANEL 

Capital & Growth Companies Showcase Presented by K&L Gates

These innovative companies have an opportunity to present their products and underlying business models to the entire Tech Innovation Forum audience. In recent years, Octane has added a competitive component to the presentations. A panel of investors will judge the presentations for quality and likelihood of success in attracting investment funding.

Yanet Cordero, Associate, Emerging Growth and Venture Capital Practice, K&L Gates

Companies:

1. Guac App
2. Zuno Medical
3. You Attest
4. Pretika MedTech
5. Dreams for Schools (Non-Profit Accelerator Graduate)

Presentation By: Sapphire Technologies (Fast Pitch Winner)

Judges:
Ruby Tudor, CEO and Founder, Mdisrupt

Pat Hwang, President, TCA Venture Group, Orange County

Alex Marquez, Head of Experian Ventures, Experian

EXPERIENCE

Announce Capital & Growth Winner

EXPERIENCE

Brunch with the Experts

Brunch with Experts is a unique opportunity for valuable networking that provides attendees with direct access to leaders and experts in the tech innovation community. Participants can engage in one-on-one conversations with C-level executives, entrepreneurs, and experts in their field, and gain insights into their experiences, strategies, and successes. Each expert will have two (2) 35-minute sessions, and registered guests can sign up for two sessions on a first-come, first-served basis! Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to connect with some of the most influential and knowledgeable experts in the industry.