Grep-a-Palooza returns for its fourth year on Thursday, June 5, at the Durham Convention Center. The full-day conference will focus on early-stage tech startups in the Triangle.
Register for your spot and join us for an action-packed day of speakers, pitches, and networking.
AGENDA
8:30 a.m.
Registration, Coffee and Networking
9:00 a.m.
Welcome and Opening Remarks
Grep-a-Palooza kicks off with Joe Colopy, the GrepBeat Godfather, welcoming us to an action-packed day of sessions and great conversations. Get ready!
9:15 a.m.
AI and Startups in North Carolina’s Future
The morning keynote is on all things North Carolina, AI, and startups by I-Sah Hsieh and moderated by Susan Wall of the CED. I-Sah Hsieh was recently named the State of North Carolina’s first-ever Deputy Chief of Policy and AI.
Before taking this position, he spent over a decade as the Global Manager of International Development at SAS. Come learn about state support for AI initiatives and the likelihood that our state’s next big startups will exist in the AI space.
10:00 a.m.
Morning Break
10:20 a.m.
Pod-Off!
Join us for the inaugural Pod-Off, where GrepBeat’s two leading podcast shows compete head-to-head for your attention and adulation.
Choose which live-recorded interview you would like to participate in:
“In the Soup” with hosts Jenn Summe, Primordial Ventures, and Melissa Crosby, Colopy Ventures, as they interview Robin Cowie. They will delve into Robin’s unique journey from producing The Blair Witch Project to founding Skillmaker.AI, an AI startup for job-site simulations, revealing insights and inspiration for other prospective founders.
— OR —
“Exit Stories” with host Kevin Mosley, Jurassic Capital. Kevin will interview finance exec Michael Purcell, Clover United, who will share unique operational finance, corporate development and M&A perspectives for startup funding, exits and other major milestones based on his experience in assorted roles including Inn-Flow (when it received a $45m growth investment) and Roobrik (when it was acquired by Aline).
11:05 a.m.
Launch / KPMG Startup Showcase
Come watch a live showcase of the 10 startups comprising the inaugural cohort of the Launch Chapel Hill Powered By KPMG accelerator. You’ll hear a few words about the newest accelerator in the Triangle ecosystem and see pitches from Blue Sky Robotics, Carbonix AI, DermiSense, LOOM3D, Neuroink, Nuream, Pathlit, Terra Trust, Tesslate, and Ver Coaching. Moderated by Emil Runge, Launch Chapel Hill.
12:05 p.m.
“Birds of a Feather” Lunch
1:05 p.m.
Panel Breakout
Choose one of the panels to listen, learn and enjoy:
Ecosystem Support: Sustaining North Carolina’s Tech Startup Scene
This panel of startup community leaders will discuss what it takes to build and sustain a thriving startup ecosystem: what’s working, what’s changing, and what still needs to be built. Moderated by Aaron Smith, FCAT, the panelists include Kelly Rowell, CED; Jim Roberts Network for Entrepreneurs in Wilmington; Juan Garzon, Innovate Charlotte; Amy Bastian, NC IDEA.
— OR —
Founder Insight: Achieving Major Growth Milestones In The Startup Journey
Successful founders will share insights and experiences to benefit growth-minded founders, whether they’re eyeing exits or simply approaching their next big milestones. Moderated by Allison Wood, DaVinci Education (formerly), the panelist include Ardis Kadiu, Element451 (formerly); Ryan O’Donnell, Sunlight; Matt Cimino, Amped; Aviva Rosman, BallotReady.
1:50 p.m.
Pitch Competition: Session 1
Come watch four early-stage founders pitch their startups in front of the Grep-a-Palooza audience. Each pitch will be followed by live feedback and Q&A with our investor judge panel, and at the end of the hour the audience will vote on its favorite pitch. Judges include Jan Davis, RTP Angel Fund, Tim McLoughlin, Cofounders Capital, and Zakiya Alta Lee, IDEA Fund Partners. (Startups: BuilderPad, CounterForce Health, Path, Troodie)
2:55 p.m.
Afternoon Break
3:15 p.m.
Pitch Competition: Session 2
We wrap up the day with a final batch of competing startups pitching in front of the Grep-a-Palooza audience. Each pitch will be followed by live feedback and Q&A with our investor judge panel, and at the end of the hour the audience will vote on its favorite pitch. Judges include Eva Doss, The Launch Place; Dave Neal, Duke Capital Partners; and Abby Phillips, Wolfpack Investor Network. (Startups: FlightLine Software, Focus Cubes, Nearby Nearby, Ver Coaching)
4:15 p.m.
Pitch Awards and Closing Remarks
Joe Colopy will deliver closing remarks and award a briefcase full of $5,000 (unmarked non-sequential bills!) to the investor judges’ pick for the overall pitch competition winner! It is sure to be entertaining close to a compelling and engaging day.
4:30 p.m.
After-Party
Please join us at Bull McCabe’s, just a few hundred yards from the Durham Convention Center at 427 W Main St. Attendees will receive a free ticket in their registration packet to cash in for a free drink at the event. But the After-Party will also be open to all, whether or not they attended Grep-a-Palooza.