Loading…
Back To Schedule
Thursday, October 1 • 4:00pm - 6:15pm
San Diego Startup Month Kickoff!
Tweet Share
Video Stream


A must-attend immersive kickoff event! Join top ecosystem builders and tech CEOs as we talk the importance of community, bringing people together, and ensuring our ecosystem's resiliency. After the opening keynote, join us for a fireside chat with top tech leaders. Then, jump into our virtual cocktail party for speed networking with other SDSM guests. We'll wrap with a panel discussion, "Future of Work: The Work-From-Home Revolution" and end the night with a party in a state-of-the art virtual experience in VirBELA including a Startup Fair, beach party, and more.

  • Program Open
    • Alexa-Rae Navarro, Executive Director, Startup San Diego
    • Neal Bloom, Chairman of the Board, Startup San Diego & Founder, Fresh Brewed Tech
  • Opening Introduction 
    • Christina Bibler, Economic Development Director, City of San Diego
  • Keynote
    • Ian Hathaway, Co-Author, The Startup Community Way
  • Fireside Chat  
    • Lolita Taub, Co-Founder and General Partner at The Community Fund & acting interim Head of Sales at Catalyte
    • Caitlin Wege, Partner MooDoos Investments & Startup San Diego Board Member
  • "COX-tail" Party Speed Networking Sponsored by Cox Business
  • Panel | "Future of Work: The Work-From-Home Revolution"
    • Moderator: Ryan Kuder, Managing Director - Techstars Anywhere
    • Panelist: Zeb Evans, Founder & CEO ClickUp
    • Elizabeth Lyons, Assistant Professor, UCSD School of Global Policy & Strategy
    • Alex Howland, Founder & CEO, VirBELA
  • Virtual Opening Party & Startup Fair in VirBELA
Speakers
avatar for Ian Hathaway

Ian Hathaway

Co-Author, The Startup Community Way
Ian Hathaway is an analyst, strategic advisor, writer, and entrepreneur. He is co-author of The Startup Community Way, is a Senior Director on the Product team at Techstars, and is an active startup advisor, mentor, and investor, including at The Fund. He is also a senior fellow... Read More →
avatar for Alexa-Rae Navarro

Alexa-Rae Navarro

Executive Director, Startup San Diego
A UC San Diego alumni and second generation Latina, Alexa-Rae Navarro, is the Executive Director of Startup San Diego, the official non-profit supporting the San Diego startup ecosystem. Prior to running Startup San Diego, she spent the last eight years in Los Angeles working at the... Read More →
avatar for Neal Bloom

Neal Bloom

Founder, Fresh Brewed Tech
Neal Bloom is an entrepreneur, investor, community builder, and Chair of Startup San Diego. He previously co-founded education technology company Portfolium. He is CEO of Rising Tide Partners and leads media entities Fresh Brewed Tech and Fresh Squeezed to help bring awareness about... Read More →
avatar for Christina Bibler

Christina Bibler

Economic Development Director, City of San Diego
Award-winning and experienced public sector leader with demonstrated success building high performing teams, leading strategic change and developing innovative programs. Two decades of successful relationships with diverse stakeholders in economic development, non-profit, real estate... Read More →
avatar for Lolita Taub

Lolita Taub

Co-Founder & General Partner, The Community Fund
Lolita Taub is the Co-Founder and General Partner at The Community Fund and acting interim Head of Sales at Catalyte. She is a first-generation Latinx operator and investor pushing for diversity in tech. With 15 years working within the Silicon Valley ecosystem, she has accomplished... Read More →
avatar for Caitlin Wege

Caitlin Wege

Partner, MooDoos Investments
Caitlin is a partner at MooDoos Investments, a private family-owned investment fund that invests in early-stage companies throughout North America. MooDoos is industry agnostic and invests in several industries including life sciences, manufacturing and education technology. Caitlin... Read More →
avatar for Ryan Kuder

Ryan Kuder

Managing Director, Techstars Anywhere
Ryan is Managing Director at Techstars. As a 17-year tech veteran, including stints as founder of several startups, and an executive at many more, Ryan has spent the majority of his career building startups from the ground up and has experienced all stages of the entrepreneurship... Read More →
avatar for Zeb Evans

Zeb Evans

Founder & CEO, ClickUp
Zeb Evans is a serial entrepreneur and libertarian that's started several software companies with over $100 million in revenue.
avatar for Elizabeth Lyons

Elizabeth Lyons

Assistant Professor, UCSD School of Global Policy & Strategy
avatar for Alex Howland, Ph.D

Alex Howland, Ph.D

Co-Founder & President, VirBELA
Alex Howland, Ph.D., is president and co-founder of VirBELA – an immersive technology platform that’s redefining the future of business, events and education. Alex created VirBELA in 2012, before it was purchased and made public by eXp World Holdings in 2018. VirBELA builds virtual worlds that help organizations bring their business and... Read More →

Thursday October 1, 2020 4:00pm - 6:15pm PDT
Virtual