StartOut Equity Summit
Thursday, June 15th

2023 Equity Summit
Thank you to everyone who attended our 4th Annual Equity Summit. We were able to bring together an amazing group of experts to speak on a variety of topics this year and we were able to share their insights with our largest audience to date.
The Equity Summit was produced in thanks to the phenomenal group of volunteers who serve on our Programming Board and staff who helped organize this event, along with our long-time production partner Outshine Events, and our generous sponsors.
We hope to see you all back next year for the 5th Annual Equity Summit.
Couldn’t Attend? Make a Donation
The Equity Summit was Sponsored By





For corporate sponsorship, please reach out to Tony Uceda at tony.uceda@startout.org
Schedule
- 8:00 AM PT / 11:00 AM ET - Welcome & Introductions
- 8:15 AM PT / 11:15 AM ET - Keynote Fireside Presentation
- 9:00 AM PT / 12:00 PM ET - Session Block 1
- 10:00 AM PT / 1:00 PM ET - Session Block 2
- 10:45 AM PT / 1:45 PM ET - Lunch & Networking
- 11:30 AM PT / 2:30 PM ET - Session Block 3
- 12:15 PM PT / 3:15pm ET - Break
- 12:30 PM PT / 3:30 PM ET - Session Block 4
- 1:15 PM PT / 4:15 PM ET - Closing Statements
- 1:30 PM PT / 4:30 PM ET - Virtual Afterparty & Networking


2023 Keynote Speaker
Melissa Bradley (she/her)
Founder & General Partner, 1863 Ventures
Melissa L. Bradley is a tri-sector leader and Managing Partner at 1863 Ventures with more than 20 years of entrepreneurship, investment and leadership experience. She is an Adjunct Professor at the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University where she teaches impact investing, social entrepreneurship, P2P economies and innovation. Melissa has served as a Presidential Appointee under Presidents Clinton and Obama. Under Clinton, Melissa served as Financial Regulatory Affairs Fellow at the Department of Treasury, Office of Thrift Supervision, where she researched the impact of welfare reform and micro-enterprise lending on the financial industry and authored “IDA Strategy for Asset Accumulation”.
2023 Sessions
Block 1: 9:00AM PT / 12:00PM ET
Product and UX Best Practices for Startups
This panel will discuss techniques and methods to design your product or service with users in mind to drive engagement and usability.
Make an Accelerator Work for You
Hear from leaders who run accelerators as well as from founders who have gone through accelerators.
Grant Funding for Founders and For-Profit Businesses
Join a panel of grant funders and recipients as they share best practices on how to research and secure funding for your venture.
Entrepreneurship 101: Building from Your Idea
Learn the language of entrepreneurship with helpful insights on how to pick up the terminology and processes that will help you thrive.
Block 2: 10:00AM PT / 1:00PM ET
Overcoming Access to Capital Barriers
Join our partners from JP Morgan Chase, entrepreneurs, and investors as they discuss how to address limiting factors to capital and offer pathways to success for all entrepreneurs.
Equitable Dialogue in AI/Machine Learning
We'll discuss the importance of using representative data, storytelling that celebrates all identities, and dismantling oppressive systems when creating digital tools
Building Inclusive Boards
Learn how to create boards that are representative of the market you want to work with are critical to making sure you think about your consumers beyond a focus group.
Diversifying Your Deal-flow
In this session, we will explore the importance of diversifying deal flow to include traditionally underrepresented entrepreneurs, how to enter the market, and why it matters.
Block 3: 11:30AM PT / 2:30PM ET
Exploring Markets from a Data-Driven Mindset
Leveraging private markets data, JPMorgan Chase’s research and its broad client base, will discuss the macro environment and how it is impacting private markets
100 hours a week + lack of self-care = Burnout
This work is exciting and transformative but also exhausting. Founders who have burned out and healed from it will share their strategies to avoid burnout again.
Marketing Techniques to Attract Customers and Investors
Join our panel of storytellers to highlight the marketing tools and strategies they use to increase customers and bring in investors.
Making Equity a Culture Essential
Learn from a panel of marketing, HR, and member engagement professionals on how they have leveraged equity and inclusion in their organizations leading to higher ROI and team satisfaction.
Block 4: 12:30PM PT / 3:30PM ET
Mentorship & Reciprocal Growth
Learn why the most successful mentor-mentee relationships showcase reciprocal growth and yield the most meaningful results. You'll hear directly from a few pairs of mentor-mentees as well as two Mentorship Program Managers.
Changing the VC Landscape to Better Support Underrepresented Founders
Industry experts and advocates will explore the unique challenges and opportunities facing underrepresented investors in the current landscape.
Earning Trust: Intersections of Privacy, Data, and LGBTQ+ Safety
Our expert panel will delve into the challenges and opportunities for using technology to protect the privacy and safety of LGBTQ individuals in today's digital world.
Best Practices for a Diverse, Remote Workforce
Join our panel of founders who lead remote companies that are successful because of their focus on equity and accessibility.
Thank You to Our 2023 Speakers

Lolita Taub (she/her)
Ganas Ventures

Jonathan Mentor (he/him)
Successment

Aaron Blumenthal (he/him)
500 Global

Maryam Haque
Venture Forward

Brittany S Hale (she/her)
digitalundivided

Gary Goldman (he/him)
Out In Tech

Mariela Salas (she/her/ella)
Latinx VC

Glen Chua (he/him)
OpenTree Education

Thomas Igeme (he/him)
TL Partners

Spectra Asala (they/them)
B-Side Ventures

Ashleigh Wilson (she/they)
Auditmate

Corina Hierro (she/her)
Techstars

Aydian Dowling (he/him)
TRACE

Milena Berry (she/her)
PowerToFly

Paige Hendrix Buckner (she/her)
All Raise

Stella Lee (she/her)
Paradox Learning

Nima Boscarino (they/he)
Hugging Face

Kelly McDonald (she/her)
Kyndoo & Cipio.ai

Luke Lennon (they/he)
Visible Hands

Skye King (she/her)
Ogilvy

Jonathan Ochart (he/him)
The Postcard Agency

Lauren Thomas Ewing (she/her)
GV

Dominique Reese (she/her)
Plug and Play Tech Center

Jason Rae (he/him)
NGLCC

Romica Devi Prasad (she/her)
Romica Devi Coaching

Leigh Honeywell (she/her)
Tall Poppy

Kristen Brillantes (she/her)
BY KNB

Sarah Millar (she/her)
Diversity VC

Ben Brooks (he/him)
PILOT Inc

Cecilia Fischer-Benitez (she/her)
Latinas in Tech

Daniel Hernandez (he/him)
NextLevel Law

Madilynn Beck (she/her)
The Better Spot

Alex Tanner (she/her)
Central Garden and Pet

Elizabeth Gore (she/her)
Hello Alice

Andrew Jackson (he/him)
Earthjustice

Andrew Zarro (he/him)
StartOut

Demetrius Curry (he/him)
College Cash

Allison Wright (she/her)
StartOut

Meg Collier (she/her)
Rising Together LLC

Irene Tang (they/she)
StartOut

Vicki Saunders (she/her)
Coralus

Ben Stokes (he/him)
Chasing Rainbows

AJ DeLeón (he/him)
Innovare

Dallas Barnes (she/her)
Reya Health

Brad Dressler (he/him)
StartOut

Bradley Benini
J.P. Morgan

Serian Strauss (she/they)
Oya’s Marketplace

Ari Kalfayan (he/him)
AWS

Jon Staff (he/him)
Getaway

Leyonna Barba (she/her)
J.P. Morgan

Alexis Lucio (she/they)
GitHub

Shaylon Scott (she/her)
Founders First CDC

Song Chae (she/her)
Founders First CDC

Christopher Lee (he/him)
BerryDunn

Lorine Pendleton (she/her)
Portfolia

Nehemiah Green (he/him)
AWS

Anja Bedford (she/her)
Holaplex

Eric Bader (he/him)
Ogilvy Consulting

Virginia Ginger Chambless (she/her)
J.P. Morgan

Natalie Demary (she/her)
CryptoFemme
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