San Diego & Imperial SBDC Network
Elevate 2026
AI, Digital and Growing Your Business to Make IT Work for YOU!
January 29, 2026
January 29, 2026
20+ sessions loaded with hands-on learning, networking and resources for your business
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Serial Entrepreneur, Bestselling Author, Change-Making Developer, Impact Investor and Sought-After Keynote Speaker
"Growing up in the hood, in the inner city of Cleveland, I saw firsthand the systemic barriers that held my community back. Years ago, I stood on my first construction site and realized I wasn't there just to build. I was there to break down the barriers, biases, and systems built for exclusion that I saw my entire life. Now, I use real estate to build new paths and empower others. I lead with vision. I move with purpose. I attract opportunities. Everything I touch expands."
Twyla N. Garrett is a force of transformation—an honored entrepreneur, bestselling author, change-making developer, and sought-after keynote speaker. Rooted in Midwest grit and global vision, she builds legacies brick by brick and idea by idea.
Born in Ohio, Twyla Garrett is a global real estate visionary now splitting her time between Richmond, VA, and Cape Coast, Ghana. Her entrepreneurial journey began in 1996 with a bookkeeping service and evolved through the successful sale of a homeland security consulting fi...
SPONSORS
AGENDA
Attendee Check In & Networking
Location: Seaside
Come meet the Elevate team, check-in and then head over to Growth Alley to mix and mingle or Morning Miracle for a “pre-conference” jumpstart to get your mind in the game – today and everyday!
Miracle Morning – How busy business owners take their power back, one morning at a time
Location: Room C8
Speaker: Diana Barbiana
Track: Leadership & Mindset
Would you like to own the day, be less reactive and run your business with more intention? Meet “Miracle Morning” practice. Your sure way to peaceful slow mornings, so you can take your power back and own the day!
Three Key Takeaways:
- Mindfulness and Meditation: Learn techniques to cultivate inner peace and clarity through daily practice.
- Positive Affirmations: Harness the power of positive self-talk to reshape beliefs and enhance confidence.
- Visualization and Goal Setting: Use mental rehearsal and visioning exercises to manifest your goals into reality.
Growth Alley
Location: Captains Room
Speakers: 30+ exhibitors and resources
Track: All
Step into Growth Alley, where Elevate comes to life, conversations turn into connections and connections turn into growth. Stroll through a dynamic mix of 30+ small businesses and trusted resource partners, spark new connections, and discover tools, services, and ideas to help your business grow.
Join us in the main ballroom to kickoff Elevate! Danny Fitzgerald, Briana Weisinger, W. Aaron Montaño Searles and Gal Yafet will kick things off with a quick an inspiritng showcase of what is possible for you and for your business. Then we’ll jump right into the day full of inspiration, learning and connection that will grow your business into the future you always envisioned!
The Alignment Advantage
Location: Room C1
Speaker: Maisha Cobb
Track: Leadership & Mindset
In this fast-paced, 1-hour session, leaders learn how clarity, courage, and shared direction transform performance. Drawing from the Alignment Accelerator framework, participants explore the connection between trust, communication, and accountability—and leave with one actionable shift to improve alignment and impact in their teams.
Growth Through Conflict
Location: Room C1
Speaker: Viridiana Rosales-Trujillo
Track: Leadership & Mindset
Growth Through Conflict is a dynamic training designed to help small business owners transform workplace tension into a catalyst for progress. Participants will learn practical communication and conflict resolution strategies that strengthen trust, improve teamwork, and enhance leadership effectiveness. Through interactive exercises and real-world scenarios, you’ll gain the skills to navigate difficult conversations with confidence and empathy. The program emphasizes seeing conflict not as a setback, but as an opportunity to innovate, clarify expectations, and deepen relationships. By the end of the session, you’ll walk away with actionable tools to create a more collaborative, resilient, and growth-focused business culture.
Hands-On AI Vibe Coding & Workshop
Location: C8
Speaker: Pankaj Kedia
Track: Innovation, Artificial Intelligence
In this hands-on workshop, Pankaj Kedia, a globally-recognized AI thought-leader and SBDC Brink AI Advisor, will help de-mystify the secrets behind the range of AI tools including Vibe coding (Replit, Lovable, etc), Chatbots (ChatGPT, Gemini, etc), and range of imaging, video, presentation and other tools. He will also share a range of resources that the participants can start leveraging rightaway.
Ventas: El motor que hace crecer tu negocio
Location: Room C5
Speaker: Jesus Solorzano & Jeff Bernstein
Track: Sales & Business Growth
Generar ingresos requiere más que talento natural para vender. Requiere un plan de ventas sólido, que defina la experiencia que cada cliente debe recibir de cada vendedor en tu negocio.
From Blank Page to Brand Voice: Build a Custom GPT for Social Content
Location: Room D6
Speaker: Pam Covarrubias
Track: Artificial Intelligence, Marketing
Stop staring at blank screens and start creating social media content in seconds. In this fast-paced workshop, you’ll build your own custom ChatGPT assistant that generates on-brand social posts specifically for YOUR business. No more generic AI responses that sound like everyone else. You’ll complete a brand voice exercise, build your custom GPT step-by-step, and generate 5-10 ready-to-post pieces of content before you leave the room. Walk out with a working AI tool you can use immediately and a framework to create more custom assistants for other marketing needs. You’ll be building, testing, and leaving with real results.
SDGE Level Up Program: Bid Readiness
Location: Seaside
Speaker: Helen Gao, Diana Barbiani, Daniel Castillo, Patrick Webb, Nathan Sellers
Track: Procurement
Presented by San Diego Gas & Electric®. Get the inside scoop on what it takes to submit winning bids! This session breaks down the process and shares expert strategies to help you bid smarter and stand out in competitive procurement opportunities. This is a multi-part education series designed to help you get ready to become a supplier for SDGE or be more successful in bidding on SDGE projects.
AI Pitch Semi-Finals
Location: Sunset Room (2nd Floor)
Speaker: James Sandler & Jack Hood
Track: Artificial Intelligence
Join this session to watch the Semi Finalists for the AWS AI Pitch Comptition hosted by Predictif Solutions pitch their AI solutions for $50,000+ in prizes. Selected from 70+ applicants, the 8 Semi-Finalists that will be pitching are: IMPACT Ready Inc., QuantZero, BrainStorm Therapeutics, BringThings, Inc., Zaon Labs, LigronBio, Sankara Connects, and Blitz Board Stats LLC.
Advisor Room: 1:1 Advising
Location: Seaside Entryway
Track: All
The SBDC Advising Team is out in force! With more than 15 advisors providing 1:1 sessions there is more than 100 (probably more than 200!) years of expertise at your finger tips! Visit our advising room for your 30 min. 1:1 advising appointment to get your business questions answered. Choose your advisor and schedule your 1:1 session here: https://calendly.com/sbdc-in-the-house. Don’t see anything? Appointments will open for scheduling in the advernoon on 1/28.
Growth Alley
Location: Captains Room
Speakers: 30+ exhibitors and resources
Track: All
Step into Growth Alley, where Elevate comes to life, conversations turn into connections and connections turn into growth. Stroll through a dynamic mix of 30+ small businesses and trusted resource partners, spark new connections, and discover tools, services, and ideas to help your business grow.
The Fast-Paced AI Revolution: How Startup Founders Can Benefit
Location: Seaside
Speaker: Pankaj Kedia
Track: Artificial Intelligence
AI has the potential to transform every sector in every region and presents unprecedented opportunities across Cloud AI, Edge AI, and Applied AI. In this session, Pankaj Kedia, a globally-recognized AI thought-leader and SBDC Brink AI Advisor, will layout the range of opportunities across enterprise and consumer segments and highlight specific areas for startup founders to focus on. He will also describe what investors are looking for in AI startups and founders.
The Power of Capital
Location: Coral Room
Speaker: Robert Lopez
Track: Finance / Bookkeeping
Discover the power of capital and how it can accelerate your journey as an entrepreneur. In this session, participants will explore the different types of funding available and learn practical steps to access them. Through real-world examples and interactive discussion, we’ll break down what lenders look for and how to position your business for success. Attendees will leave with actionable strategies to strengthen their financial readiness and confidently pursue funding opportunities. Join us to unlock the tools that can take your business to the next level.
What you don’t do will create success
Location: Room C1
Speaker: Gerry Widmer
Track: Innovation, Leadership & Mindset
Founders spending months trying to make the perfect landing pages or a year building the perfect product before putting anything out there. For the most part everyone already hears the same advice on what to do, but not enough people talk about the stuff that actually wastes time and slows founders down.
Managing The Financial Performance of Your Small Business
Location: Room C8
Speaker: Joel Sedeno
Track: Finance / Bookkeeping
In this session, participants will learn how to use financial data to make informed business decisions and strengthen overall operations. We will explore key financial management practices designed to help small businesses optimize performance and profitability. The session will also cover capital planning strategies, focusing on how to prepare and apply for financing opportunities. And Access to capital…
Colaboraciones estratégicas: una forma inteligente de hacer crecer tu negocio
Location: Room C5
Speaker: Irma Soria
Track: Sales & Business Growth
Las alianzas estratégicas pueden acelerar el crecimiento de tu negocio, ampliar tu red de contactos y abrir nuevas oportunidades — pero solo cuando están alineadas con la misión y los valores de tu empresa. En esta sesión, aprenderás a identificar posibles colaboradores, acercarte a ellos de manera efectiva y aprovechar al máximo los beneficios de la colaboración. Te llevarás estrategias prácticas y accionables para empezar a crear alianzas significativas de inmediato.
Small Business, Big Targets: Free Tools and Tips to Keep Your Business Safe
Location: Room D6
Speaker: Ian Brazil
Track: Sales & Business Growth
The lecture will cover basic cyber security fundamentals every small business should follow. Topics include password management, user administration, network security, phishing, and more. The lecture will also introduce attendees to a new FREE AI tool, offered by the City of San Diego, developed to assist local businesses in evaluating their current cyber practices. This tool generates users a “cyber report card” as well as a list of custom recommendations for how each business can best secure their sensitive digital information.
AI Pitch Semi-Finals
Location: Sunset Room (2nd Floor)
Speaker: James Sandler & Jack Hood
Track: Artificial Intelligence
Join this session to watch the Semi Finalists for the AWS AI Pitch Comptition hosted by Predictif Solutions pitch their AI solutions for $50,000+ in prizes. The companies that will be pitching in the semi-finals are: IMPACT Ready Inc., QuantZero, BrainStorm Therapeutics, BringThings, Inc., Zaon Labs, LigronBio, Sankara Connects, and Blitz Board Stats LLC.
Advisor Room: 1:1 Advising
Location: Seaside Entryway
Track: All
The SBDC Advising Team is out in force! With more than 15 advisors providing 1:1 sessions there is more than 100 (probably more than 200!) years of expertise at your finger tips! Visit our advising room for your 30 min. 1:1 advising appointment to get your business questions answered. Choose your advisor and schedule your 1:1 session here: https://calendly.com/sbdc-in-the-house. Don’t see anything? Appointments will open for scheduling in the advernoon on 1/28.
Growth Alley
Location: Captains Room
Speakers: 30+ exhibitors and resources
Track: All
Step into Growth Alley, where Elevate comes to life, conversations turn into connections and connections turn into growth. Stroll through a dynamic mix of 30+ small businesses and trusted resource partners, spark new connections, and discover tools, services, and ideas to help your business grow.
Lunch with Pita 22
Location: Vinyard Room
It’s lunchtime! We’ve solved the “wayword wandering” during lunch! No need to frantically search for that “friendly face” to make eye contact with in hopes of avoiding eating alone!
Grab your unbelieably tasty lunch provided by Pita 22 and head over to one of our specially curated lunch groups to chat, get questions answered by experts, and meet people in a more intimate setting.
Or maybe you wait for the line to die down and head straight to your session and the step out to grab your lunch? Today it’s lunch your way so YOU choose!
Oh, and don’t forget, you can also peruse Growth Alley!
CURATED LUNCH GROUPS
Innovation Startups & Early Stage Equity Capital Raising
Location: Coral Room
Hosts: Pankaj Kadia, Gerry Widmer, Maisha Cobb, Bobby Edelman
Track: Innovation
Magic of Managing Employees
Location: Room C1
Hosts: Sara Nicholson
Track: HR / Employee Management
Contracting: Selling Large Corporations & the Government
Location: Room C8
Hosts: Verizon Wireless (Ga-Young Choi Park, Ursula Moran Bagley)
Track: Procurement
Access to Capital
Location: Room C5
Hosts: Victor Perez, Shawn Lynam, Joel Sedeno
Track: Finance / Bookkeeping
Messaging Edge: Branding & Marketing
Location: Room C6
Hosts: Braven Agency
Track: Marketing
AI Pitch Finals Powered by AWS & Predictif Solutions
Location: Seaside
Speaker: James Sandler & Jack Hood
Track: Artificial Intelligence
Join this session to watch the Semi Finalists for the AWS AI Pitch Comptition hosted by Predictif Solutions pitch their AI solutions for $50,000+ in prizes. From 70+ applications 8 Semi-Finalists were selected and pitched this moring. The Top 3 will be announced at the finals and will pitch for $50,000+ in awards.
The Semi-Finalists were: IMPACT Ready Inc., QuantZero, BrainStorm Therapeutics, BringThings, Inc., Zaon Labs, LigronBio, Sankara Connects, and Blitz Board Stats LLC.
Join use to find who the finalists are and watch them compete to win!
The Impact of Resilience: Rewriting the Small Business Playbook
Location: Seaside
Speaker: Twyla Garrett
Track: Leadership and Mindset, Business Growth
Get ready for a no-nonsense, adrenaline-charged keynote where Twyla Garrett shreds the old rulebooks and shows you how resilience isn’t just a trait — it’s the weapon every small business owner must master. Drawing from a lifetime of breaking barriers, building billion-dollar deals, and flipping setbacks into launch pads, Twyla will challenge you to rethink what’s possible when grit, guts, and unshakeable purpose lead the way. Expect raw truth, bold strategies, and a rallying cry to rebuild your playbook around resilience, reinvention, and relentless forward momentum — because the only business that survives is the one that refuses to quit.
Book Signing with Twyla Garrett
Location: Seaside
Twyla N. Garrett is a force of transformation—an honored entrepreneur, bestselling author, change-making developer, and sought-after keynote speaker. Rooted in Midwest grit and global vision, she builds legacies brick by brick and idea by idea.
Her entrepreneurial journey began in 1996 with a bookkeeping service and evolved through the successful sale of a homeland security consulting firm. Today, she is the principal behind an ever-growing portfolio that extends from domestic projects to impactful development in Africa, showcasing her ability to build, scale, and lead with a truly global purpose
Twyla’s mission is to impact 10 million lives through real estate, leadership, and inclusion. This mission is actively advanced by The Garrett Foundation, which addresses critical needs in inner cities through its focus on:
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Creating pathways for families to achieve economic stability and build generational wealth.
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Combating food deserts by ensuring communities have access to nutritious food.
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Providing essential products to eliminate barriers to education and dignity.
Through these initiatives, Twyla uses her business to forge social mobility and economic justice, turning blueprints into tangible, life-changing outcomes for underserved communities.
**Piece of Advice from Elevate Organizers: If you don’t know Twyla, you should…
Preparing your Business for Sale: A Strategic Guide to Increase Value and Smooth your Exit
Location: Seaside
Speaker: Shawn Lynam
Track: Leadership & Mindset, Buy/Sell a Business
Unlock the full potential of your business before you sell! In this session, you’ll learn key strategies to maximize your company’s value, streamline operations, and position your business for a smooth, profitable exit. Through practical tips, case studies, and interactive discussions, you’ll discover what buyers look for and how to address common pitfalls. Walk away with a clear action plan to enhance your business’s appeal and increase its sale price. Don’t miss this opportunity to turn your hard work into the financial reward you deserve!
Government Certifications
Location: Sunset Room (2nd Floor)
Speaker: Michael Sabellico
Track: Procurement
An APEX Accelerator presentation on government certifications at ELEVATE 2026 will spotlight key certification programs — such as 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, and Woman-Owned — that help small businesses win federal contracts. It will outline eligibility criteria, the application process, and compliance requirements. The session will also demonstrate how certifications align with procurement opportunities, increasing visibility to government buyers. Lastly, it will include actionable steps for attendees to begin or advance their certification journey, including timelines and resources.
21 Founder-Friendly Funding Options
Location: Coral Room
Speaker: Bobby Edelman
Track: Innovation, Finance & Bookkeeping
Discover 21 practical ways to fund your startup. Learn real options like crowdfunding, revenue financing, and debt lines. Walk away with a clear alternative funding methods. Ideal for early stage founders.
You Actually Aren’t Empowering Your Teams
Location: Room C1
Speaker: Gerry Widmer
Track: Leadership & Mindset
True business empowerment means building a company where leaders make confident, informed decisions, teams are trusted to act, and accountability fuels growth. It’s about shifting from control to clarity—aligning purpose, people, and performance so the business runs with strength, resilience, and freedom at every level.
Growing Your Business Through Strategic Collaborations
Location: Room C8
Speaker: Irma Soria
Track: Leadership & Mindset, Sales & Business Growth
Strategic partnerships can accelerate business growth, expand your network, and create new opportunities—but only when aligned with your business mission and values. This session will teach entrepreneurs how to identify potential collaborators, approach them effectively, and maximize the benefits of collaboration. Participants will leave with actionable strategies to start forming meaningful partnerships immediately.
Cómo llevar el control financiero de tu pequeña empresa
Location: Room C5
Speaker: Joel Sedeno
Track: Finance / Bookkeeping
En esta sesión aprenderás a aprovechar tus números para tomar decisiones más inteligentes y fortalecer la operación de tu negocio. Revisaremos prácticas clave de gestión financiera que ayudan a las pequeñas empresas a mejorar su desempeño y rentabilidad. Además, abordaremos estrategias de planeación de capital, cómo prepararte para solicitar financiamiento y cómo mejorar tu acceso a capital.
So you’re wanting to sell e-commerce? Let’s talk.
Location: Room D8
Speaker: Jet Buntiwong
Track: Sales & Business Growth
Are you thinking about or starting an e-commerce business? Do you feel like you’re floating in cyberspace?This lecture is going to to help you prep for what can happen with an e-commerce business and build some strategy as you move forward.
Advisor Room: 1:1 Advising
Location: Seaside Entryway
Advisors:
Track: All
The SBDC Advising Team is out in force! With more than 15 advisors providing 1:1 sessions there is more than 100 (probably more than 200!) years of expertise at your finger tips! Visit our advising room for your 30 min. 1:1 advising appointment to get your business questions answered. Choose your advisor and schedule your 1:1 session here: https://calendly.com/sbdc-in-the-house. Don’t see anything? Appointments will open for scheduling in the advernoon on 1/28.
Growth Alley
Location: Captains Room
Speakers: 30+ exhibitors and resources
Track: All
Step into Growth Alley, where Elevate comes to life, conversations turn into connections and connections turn into growth. Stroll through a dynamic mix of 30+ small businesses and trusted resource partners, spark new connections, and discover tools, services, and ideas to help your business grow.
Rest Mind & Body
Location: Room D6
Speaker: Gal Yafet
Track: Leadership & Mindset
In this 1 hour workshop you will learn how to reset your body and mind and leave with a toolkit you can practice as needed everywhere you go. you will also learn technic to reduce stress and improve productivity and even celebrate yourself on a daily basis.
Sales: The Engine That Drives Your Business
Location: Sunset Room (2nd Floor)
Speaker: Jeff Bernstein
Track: Sales & Business Growth
It takes more than being a natural born salesman to produce business revenue. It takes a sales plan, a plan that defines in detail the sales experience that every customer should receive by every salesperson in your business.
AI: Bubble or Not?
Location: Coral Room
Speaker: Pankaj Kadia
Track: Artificial Intelligence, Innovation
There is significant debate in the industry around whether we are in an AI bubble or now. A number of industry pundits are drawing comparisons to the 2020 Dot-com bust and 2008 Financial crisis while others believe that that AI will truly transform every aspect of work and life, creating significant value across every industry sectors. In this workshop, we will debate the two sides including active engagement with the audience.
Elevate Your Business: Goal Setting for 2026
Location: Room C1
Speaker: Krystal Henderson, Ed.D.
Track: Sales & Business Growth, Leadership & Mindset
Elevate Your Business: Goal Setting for 2026 is the perfect workshop to kickstart 2026! Join capacity building and technical assistance expert, Dr. Krystal Henderson to learn how to set and achieve strategic SMART goals that drive growth, and align with your business vision, all while maximizing your business’s potential for success in 2026. This interactive session will provide you with a tangible takeaway for you to implement and guide your plan for the year ahead.
Storytelling That Sells: How to Use Social Media to GROW Your Business
Location: Room C8
Speaker: Christian Graham
Track: Marketing, Sales & Business Growth
“Storytelling That Sells: How to Use Social Media to GROW Your Business” is a high-energy, hands-on workshop designed to help entrepreneurs transform their story into a strategic engine for leads, visibility, and revenue. You’ll learn how to apply Christian’s GROW and MOTIF frameworks to create content that attracts the right customers, positions your brand with authority, and drives consistent business growth. Through interactive exercises, real examples, and live story-building prompts, you’ll walk away with a clear message, a content blueprint, and actionable posts you can publish immediately. This session will show you how to move from random posting to intentional storytelling that converts. If you want your brand to stand out and your content to finally work for you, this workshop is for you.
Marca personal: construye una marca que funcione
Location: Room 5
Speaker: Viridiana Rosales-Trujillo
Track: Leadership & Mindset, Marketing
“Tu marca personal: construye una marca que sí funciona” es un taller dinámico diseñado para ayudar a dueños de pequeños negocios y profesionales a definir, fortalecer y comunicar con seguridad quiénes son.
A lo largo de la sesión, descubrirás tus fortalezas únicas, tus valores y tu historia, y aprenderás cómo convertirlos en una marca auténtica y consistente en todas tus plataformas. A través de ejercicios guiados y ejemplos del mundo real, aprenderás a posicionarte como un experto confiable en tu industria.
El enfoque del taller es totalmente práctico: herramientas claras para construir tu mensaje, elevar tu presencia tanto en línea como fuera de línea, y conectar de manera genuina con tu audiencia ideal. Al final, te llevarás una ruta clara y accionable para crear una marca personal que abra puertas e impulse el crecimiento de tu negocio.
Advisor Room: 1:1 Advising
Location: Seaside Entryway
Advisors:
Track: All
The SBDC Advising Team is out in force! With more than 15 advisors providing 1:1 sessions there is more than 100 (probably more than 200!) years of expertise at your finger tips! Visit our advising room for your 30 min. 1:1 advising appointment to get your business questions answered. Choose your advisor and schedule your 1:1 session here: https://calendly.com/sbdc-in-the-house. Don’t see anything? Appointments will open for scheduling in the advernoon on 1/28.
Growth Alley
Location: Captains Room
Speakers: 30+ exhibitors and resources
Track: All
Step into Growth Alley, where Elevate comes to life, conversations turn into connections and connections turn into growth. Stroll through a dynamic mix of 30+ small businesses and trusted resource partners, spark new connections, and discover tools, services, and ideas to help your business grow.
Fail Forward: How Failure Shapes Stronger Founders & Companies
Location: Seaside
Moderator: Silvia Mah
Panelists: Twyla Garrett, Ravi Chawla, Debbie Chen
Track: Leadership & Mindset
Silvia Mah
Serial Entrepreneur, Investor, Author Professor
Twyla Garrett
Author, Investor & Serial Entrepreneur
Ravi Chawla
Founder & CEO
Chakra Tech
Debbie Chen
Founder & CEO
Hydrostasis
Failure isn’t the opposite of success—it’s the raw material for it. In this candid, no-filter panel, founders and operators share the pivotal missteps, hard lessons, and near-misses that reshaped their companies and leadership. From product flops and bad hires to funding setbacks and strategic wrong turns, this conversation pulls back the curtain on what actually happens on the road to growth. Attendees will walk away with hard-earned insights, practical reframes, and the confidence to take smarter risks, recover faster, and build more resilient businesses—because the founders who win aren’t the ones who avoid failure, but the ones who learn from it.
ACE Pitch Competition Finals
MC: Benton Moore
Track: Innovation
The ACE Pitch Competition showcases innovative technologies, such as tech and biotech, over three live pitch events. Finalists pitch live at Elevate for $100,000++ in non-dilutive funding.The Accelerate California Entrepreneurship (ACE) Pitch Competition is an opportunity for innovative founders to compete for non-dilutive Acceleration Grant funding awards. The purpose of the acceleration grants is to spur high-growth industries and startups and build a pipeline of scalable firms and well-paid jobs, and increase access to private investment.
AI Pitch Winner Announced
Location: Seaside
Speaker: James Sandler & Jack Hood
Track: Artificial Intelligence
Don’t miss this! From 70+ applicants –> 8 Semi-Finalists –> 1 Winner! Powered by Amazon Webservices and Predictive Solutions one of these out shined all others and will take home $50,000 in prizes to build groundshifting AI solutions for their company! Which one will take home the gold: IMPACT Ready Inc., QuantZero, BrainStorm Therapeutics, BringThings, Inc., Zaon Labs, LigronBio, Sankara Connects, and Blitz Board Stats LLC?
Great Vibes, Live Music, Tasty Bites and a Little Somethin’ to Quench Your Post-Elevate Thirst
Location: 1548 Quivira Way, San Diego, CA 92109
Directions & Map (just around the corner): https://maps.app.goo.gl/KioMP3FztDf4nzsm9
Cover Charge: $5.00
Well! The fun is over….you don’t have to go home BUT you can’t stay here. No really, they want us to clear out the venue. Don’t worry, did you really think we’d kick you out on a high without anywhere to grab a drink and continue the night of networking and building collaborations?
Put on your walking shoes – or just drive the 3 minutes in your car – and head over to Acquarius Bar and Grill where you’ll get your fill of live music, tasty food and drinks to wet your parched throat after a day full of talking.
Grab your your new (and old) Elevate besties and head on over! We’ll see you soon!
SPEAKERS
Bobby Edelman
Advisor
Bobby Edelman, a seasoned operator, mentor, and investor with a distinguished career in technology, ...
Briana Weisinger
Associate Regional Director
Start-ups, operational management, innovative problem-solving
Christian Graham
Co-Founder & CEO
Christian Graham is a serial entrepreneur, investor, business coach, and the CEO and co-founder of M...
Daniel Castillo
Gas Construction and Support Services Portfolio Manager
Daniel Castillo has been with SDG&E since 2012, progressing through roles of increased responsibility...
Daniel Fitzgerald
Regional Director
SBDC network direction, grant relationship management with the SBA, state, and more
Debbie Chen
Founder & CEO
Transforming scientific vision into human impact.
Mom, Founder, CEO, Advocate, Scientist, Muay Th...
Diana Barbiani
Program Advisor II
Retail specialist, retail/wholesale strategies, military markets
Ga-Young Choi Park
Director, Small Business Supplier Accelerator
A highly-seasoned program management professional with extensive experience that spans the private a...
Gal Yefet
Founder & CEO
Gal Yefet is a certified fitness coach with over a decade of experience helping people move, recover...
Gerry Widmer
Business Advisor
Gerry Widmer is a husband, father, and mentor to those who want to learn from someone who's made som...
Helen Gao
Responsible Sourcing Manager
As the responsible sourcing manager at San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), Helen Gao leads the company’s...
Ian Brazill
Assistant Deputy Director
Ian Brazill is an Assistant Deputy Director with the City of San Diego’s Department of Information T...
Jack Hood
Solutions Architect
James Sandler
Senior Account Executive
Analytical, performance-driven Account Executive across multiple industries including entertainment,...
Jeff Bernstein
Business Advisor
An entrepreneur with a strong history of business, who's dedicated to advising small businesses
Jet Bunditwong
Advisor
Start-ups and existing businesses, restaurants, retail, e-commerce, mobile pop-ups
Joel Sedeño
Advisor
Financial entrepreneur, banking expert, creative professional strategist
Krystal Henderson, Ed.D.
CEO
Raised in South Central Los Angeles, Dr. Krystal Henderson is a first generation college graduate, f...
Maisha Cobb
Innovation Advisor
Dr. Maisha Cobb is an organizational psychologist, executive coach, Brink advisor and tech founder w...
Michael Sabellico
Regional Director
Mike Sabellico has served as a part time consultant, full time Senior Procurement Advisor and now is...
Nathan Sellers
Senior Category Manager
Nathan Sellers is a Senior Category Manager at SDG&E, leading strategic sourcing and category plannin...
Pam Covarrubias
Advisor
Brand builder, podcaster, speaker, visionary
Pankaj Kedia
Business Advisor
Pankaj Kedia is a renowned technology executive currently focused on shaping, accelerating, and brin...
Patrick Webb
Customer Programs & Support Services Portfolio Manager
Patrick W. Webb, CPSM, C.P.M., is a Portfolio Manager in Supply Management at San Diego Gas & Electri...
Ravi Chawla
Founder
Dr. Ravi Chawla is the founder of a San Diego-based stealth startup transforming sustainability and ...
Robert Lopez
VP, Sr. Business Consultant
Robert Lopez is a seasoned community development and finance professional with over 20 years of expe...
Roberto Martinez
CEO / Founder
Roberto is an entrepreneur, speaker, and educator with a wealth of experience in digital marketing, ...
Shawn Lynam
Advisor
Franchise entrepreneur, C-level executive, strategic approaches
Silvia Mah, PhD, MBA
Entrepreneur, Educator, Author, TEDx Speaker, Investor
Hailing from Caracas, Venezuela, Dr. Silvia Mah came to U.S. at a young age and built her story and ...
Stephen Flynn
Program Specialist
Stephen is a multidisciplinary assistant with experience in both retail and educational spaces. Thro...
Twyla Garrett
Serial Entrepreneur, Bestselling Author, Change-Making Developer, Impact Investor and Sought-After Keynote Speaker
Global real estate fireball building wealth, justice, and legacy—brick by brick, worldwide....
Ursula Moran Bagley
Verizon logo External & Government Affairs
Victor Perez
Business Advisor
30 years in business banking managing a portfolio of business customers with revenues from $1 millio...
W. Aaron Montaño Searles
West Regional Lead for Verizon Small Business Digital Ready
Local Initiatives Support Corporation
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ADVISORS
Bobby Edelman
Advisor
Bobby Edelman, a seasoned operator, mentor, and investor with a distinguished career in technology, ...
Brenda Figueroa
Marketing Advisor
Brenda Figueroa is a Marketing professional with years of experience specializing in marketing strat...
Diana Barbiani
Program Advisor II
Retail specialist, retail/wholesale strategies, military markets
Gerry Widmer
Business Advisor
Gerry Widmer is a husband, father, and mentor to those who want to learn from someone who's made som...
Jeff Bernstein
Business Advisor
An entrepreneur with a strong history of business, who's dedicated to advising small businesses
Jet Bunditwong
Advisor
Start-ups and existing businesses, restaurants, retail, e-commerce, mobile pop-ups
Joel Sedeño
Advisor
Financial entrepreneur, banking expert, creative professional strategist
Miguel Magdaleno
Advisor & Program Specialist
Business coach, serial entrepreneur, administrative support
Pankaj Kedia
Business Advisor
Pankaj Kedia is a renowned technology executive currently focused on shaping, accelerating, and brin...
Sara Nicholson
Advisor
HR, management, business basics
Shawn Lynam
Advisor
Franchise entrepreneur, C-level executive, strategic approaches
Silvia Mah, PhD, MBA
Entrepreneur, Educator, Author, TEDx Speaker, Investor
Hailing from Caracas, Venezuela, Dr. Silvia Mah came to U.S. at a young age and built her story and ...
Stephen Mainar
Intake Advisor
I am a senior at UC San Diego studying Business:Psychology, with a strong passion for entrepreneursh...
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COMPETITORS
Aaron Jaeger, CEO
QuantZero
AI Pitch Powered by AWS & Predictif Solutions
Andrea Munoz, Co-Founder & CEO
My Village Innovations Inc
ACE Pitch Competition
Brian Westpoint, Co-Founder
Sankara Connects
AI Pitch Powered by AWS & Predictif Solutions
Eduardo de la Garza, Co-Founder & CEO
Klira AI
ACE Pitch Competition
Jason Kaufman, Co-Founder & CEO
Zaon Labs
AI Pitch Powered by AWS & Predictif Solutions
Kanna Ecklund, Founder
ASAICHI
ACE Pitch Competition
Kimberly Schafer, Inventor & Founder
BringThings, Inc.
AI Pitch Powered by AWS & Predictif Solutions
Maya Gosztyla, Co-Founder & CSO
BrainStorm Therapeutics
ACE Pitch Competition
Nataraj Pagadala, Founder & CEO
LigronBio
AI Pitch Powered by AWS & Predictif Solutions
Ricardo Sandoval, Co-Founder & CTO
Klira AI
ACE Pitch Competition
Robert Fremeau, Founder & CEO
BrainStorm Therapeutics
ACE Pitch Competition
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Shirley Meng, Board of Advisors
ExPost Technology Inc.
ACE Pitch Competition
Susan Buckwalter Hartman, Co-Founder
Recoup Beverage Inc.
ACE Pitch Competition
Teri Brooks, Founder & CEO
Blitz Board Stats LLC
AI Pitch Powered by AWS & Predictif Solutions
Timothy Sears, Co-Founder
Areca Bio
ACE Pitch Competition
Weikang Li, CTO
ExPost Technology Inc.
ACE Pitch Competition
Xiaoyan Sheng, Founder
VagiStem Biotherapeutics
ACE Pitch Competition
Zheng Chen, Co-Founder
ExPost Technology Inc.
ACE Pitch Competition
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