Announcing the Summit Lunch Breakouts

We're so excited to see everyone on October 21st at our sold-out Subscriber Summit. An important part of the Summit are our lunch breakouts: a chance for you to visit some nearby companies to hear straight from big names in tech about important topics. Our team will also be on-hand to answer your questions. 

If you're registered for the Summit, you'll receive an email from [email protected] with more details on how to provide your top choices for the breakouts. We'll email attendees their breakout assignment the day before the Summit. 

Finding your next COO

Jana Rich, Founder & CEO, Rich Talent Group

Every tech startup wants an awesome chief operating officer to complement its CEO. But no two COOs are alike and the responsibilities vary widely. Jana Rich, founder of the Rich Talent Group, will discuss strategies for recruiting for that all important role. She'll draw on recent experiences including recruiting former Target CMO Jeff Jones to be the President of Uber as well as COO searches for Shyp, Birchbox, Qualtrics and SoFi.  

East and West: Building the Bridge 

Michael Zeisser, Chairman, US Investments, Alibaba Group

Doing business with China is one of our generation’s new entrepreneurial frontiers. Michael Zeisser is one of the most senior Western executives at Alibaba Group, the largest Chinese internet company. He will share his experience about differences in the business environment and business culture between China and the U.S., and offer lessons learned about how U.S. tech companies can participate in the growth of China’s consumer and business markets.

Q&A with Jessica Lessin 

Jessica Lessin, founder and CEO, The Information

What are the biggest lessons from running a news startup? What companies are the most overhyped? What Asian startups are we missing in the U.S.? Have lunch with Jessica to ask her questions like these or on any topic of your choosing.

Eliminating DC’s Innovation Deficit

Trae Stephens, Principal, Founders Fund

It is no secret that Silicon Valley is vastly outpacing DC when it comes to innovation, and the government’s efforts to strengthen ties to the tech industry have often had lackluster results. Trae Stephens of Founders Fund will lead a conversation with senior government affairs executives Chris Lehane (Airbnb) and Doug Philippone (Palantir) on the challenges startups face when interacting with the government and how they can help solve this “innovation deficit.”  What are the best practices for working with lobbyists and regulators? What are the best ways to approach government procurement?  How can startups effectively partner with government agencies?

So You Got Acquired. Then What?

Eswar Priyadarshan, Chief Bot, BotCentral (Former founder, Quattro Wireless, acquired by Apple)

When a tech titan acquires a smaller company, lots of things can go right or wrong. Eswar Priyadarshan has founded and sold two startups in his career, including one to Apple. He will lead a discussion on topics including: negotiation, deal closure, integration and what makes an acquisition successful for the buyer.

How To Avoid Getting Sued by Your Employees

Dan McCoy, co-chair of Fenwick & West LLP’s employment practices group

From discrimination lawsuits to National Labor Relations Board complaints, the tech industry is no longer flying under the radar when it comes to employment law. As Silicon Valley companies scale and mature, they’re finding if they don’t lay the groundwork to comply with labor regulations, they could face costly litigation down the road.

Inside an Uber Self-Driving Truck

Otto Team

Tour an Uber/Otto self-driving truck and learn about the sensors and algorithms that enable it. This is a rare look inside the product that Uber acquired this summer in an effort to play a major role in the trucking industry. Uber is using Otto as an anchor for its overall autonomous vehicles program. This breakout is now full.

Smart Home and Smart Internet

Sam Schwartz, Chief Business Development Officer, Comcast Cable

By 2020, there will be 50 billion connected things in the world, yet we are still in the early adoption phase of the digitally evolved home. There’s an enormous opportunity for device manufacturers, app developers and networks to make the home smarter and life simpler. This roundtable will explore the role that connected devices, sensors, WiFi and voice applications play in the future of the home. This breakout is now full.  

The Future of Big Data and AI

Stephen Pratt, Founder & CEO, Noodle.ai 

Art Heidrich, Vice President, TPG

Big Data and artificial intelligence have become tech industry buzz words, but what do they mean? Moreover, what impact will they have on how businesses use data to improve operations and profitability? Stephen Pratt, CEO of Enterprise AI company Noodle.ai and former Global Leader of Services for IBM Watson, will discuss the possibilities with Art Heidrich, a vice president of global investment firm TPG, which has invested in innovative big data companies such as C3 IoT, Domo and Noodle.ai. This breakout is now full.