Founders + Funders Summit brings business talent to Cincinnati
The Founders + Funders 2024 Summit is homegrown yet global in reach. Bearcat alumni broke down technological advances, the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and Greater Cincinnati’s place in the business world.
In a key moment for advancing UC’s innovation agenda and solidifying the 1819 Innovation Hub as the Center for the Silicon Heartland, attendees were treated to a keynote speech from GitHub co-founder and former UC Bearcat, Chris Wanstrath. Original “Shark Tank” panelist Kevin Harrington and other corporate giants also shared their expertise, underscoring Cincinnati’s pivotal role in entrepreneurship and innovation.
Chris Wanstrath and Ryan Hays during their fireside chat at Founders + Funders. Photo/Alex Dudash
Business acumen abounded at the Founders + Funders 2024 Summit, from its high-profile speakers to a bevy of talented entrepreneurs and investors.
The topics discussed provided invaluable insights to industry leaders, with issues such as AI and business leadership being broken down in multiple sessions.
Below are just a few speakers highlighted at UC’s Founders + Funders 2024 Summit:
- Chris Wanstrath, co-founder and former CEO of GitHub
- Peter Mulford, executive vice president and chief innovation officer of BTS
- Kevin Harrington, original panel member on “Shark Tank”
- Tim Spence, chairman, president and CEO of Fifth Third Bank
Ryan Hays, UC’s executive vice president and chief innovation and strategy officer, hosted a fireside chat with Wanstrath. They discussed his time at UC, his first forays into entrepreneurship and his evolving leadership style at GitHub.
[1819] would've been heaven for me when I was a student.
Chris Wanstrath Co-founder and former CEO, GitHub
Wanstrath was particularly impressed by the 1819 Innovation Hub’s role as a startup incubator and a link between UC students and Cincinnati’s corporate community.
“This would’ve been heaven for me when I was a student,” Wanstrath said. “It’s a reason to come to this school.”
After Wanstrath’s speech, attendees heard about the future of AI in business and joined breakout sessions on the following topics:
- Midwest Founders: Unicorn Building Behind the Scenes
- The Future of Health Tech
- Today’s Changing Venture Capital Environment
- Shark Tank: Masterclass from the Original Shark
- Strategies for Building a Trusted Brand
- Entrepreneurship and Sports
The Founders + Funders 2024 Summit wrapped up with a discussion about ways Fifth Third Bank is innovating and making an impact in Cincinnati. Afterward, guests enjoyed complimentary food and beverages while networking with other attendees.
UC taking the lead on innovation
Attendees networking at UC's Founders + Funders event. Photo/Alex Dudash
The Founders + Funders 2024 Summit emphasized UC’s outsized role in sustaining and developing Cincinnati’s innovation ecosystem. Its 53,000 students perform groundbreaking research, found innovative startups and advance the region’s arts, business and entertainment scenes.
Along with hosting acclaimed events such as the Founders + Funders 2024 Summit, UC supports over 125,000 jobs and has a $10.6 billion economic impact on Southwest Ohio. UC’s 1819 Innovation Hub, the event’s host, is part of the Cincinnati Innovation District (CID) and stands as the heartbeat of the nascent Silicon Heartland.
UC President Neville Pinto considers it an honor for the school to play a critical role in lifting Cincinnati’s national profile.
“We’re privileged to be able to shape the next generation of our society’s leaders, creators and innovators,” Pinto said, “and we want to remember every single day that the next generation lives on our campus today. That’s what ‘Next Lives Here’ means.”
Next steps for founders and funders
The Founders + Funders 2024 Summit was laser-focused on the future, and its attendees should be as well. Further actions for business leaders include year-round engagement with the 1819 Innovation Hub’s Ground Floor Makerspace, Venture Lab startup pre-accelerator, Esports Innovation Lab and Technology Transfer team.
Another next step: preparing for UC’s Founders + Funders 2025 Summit. While this year’s event provided an unparalleled experience for hundreds of guests, the next one promises to be even more exceptional. Innovation, after all, never stops — as anyone who attended this year’s event at 1819 knows well.
Featured image at top: A crowded room at UC's Founders + Funders event. Photo/Alex Dudash
Impact Lives Here
The University of Cincinnati is leading public urban universities into a new era of innovation and impact. Our faculty, staff and students are saving lives, changing outcomes and bending the future in our city's direction. Next Lives Here.
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