Let's Get Connected: Small Business Survival
Aluminate Web Event
Small Business Survival: Stories + Strategies
Live Premiere: Thursday, November 5 | 2:00–3:00pm EST
Many of the risks that small businesses face are well-known. From managing cash flow to investors to sustainable growth, there’s plenty of advice and mentorship out there for entrepreneurs and teams embarking on new ventures. And while there’s never been a playbook for the unexpected disruption, we tend to think small businesses are better positioned to quickly pivot and adapt when faced with the unknown. That is, until COVID-19.
In this live premiere, we’re bringing together Hokies who are living every aspect of this small business reality themselves and are eager to share what they have learned and their own experiences.
We’ll hear from Bill Boebel, Class of ‘01, a serial entrepreneur and CEO of Pingboard, organizational chart software rebuilt for today’s modern workforce. Prior to Pingboard, he was CTO of Rackspace Email and co-founded Webmail, the largest business-grade email hosting company at the time. Boebel also co-founded Capital Factory, which helps entrepreneurs in Austin, Texas, build great companies.
Chiny Driscoll, Class of ‘91 and APEX board member, will share her unique perspective as Founder and CEO of MetiStream, a data analytics startup, as well as her experience as a former executive overseeing IBM’s Big Data products and solutions across financial services, communications and retail industries.
Erik Gatenholm, Class of ‘12, will share more about his work as an award-winning entrepreneur and founder of CELLINK–the world’s leading 3D-bioprinting technology company–where he and his team created the first universal bioink in 2016. Forbes selected Gatenholm to join the prestigious Forbes 30 Under 30 class of 2018, and he has also been awarded numerous awards such as MIT Review 35 Under 35, Innovator of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year 2019 and many more.
Rounding out the panel is Pat Matthews, Class of ‘02 and founder and CEO of Active Capital, a venture firm focused on leading seed rounds for B2B SaaS companies outside of Silicon Valley. Prior to Active Capital, Matthews was an entrepreneur, operator, and angel investor. His career started in 1999 when he dropped out of Virginia Tech to start a dot-com with some of his best friends and college roommates. He now serves on the APEX board, as well.
Brett Malone, Class of ‘90, and President and CEO of Virginia Tech’s Corporate Research Center, will moderate and provide an update on the CRC, its new co-working space called COgro, and all the ways he’s helping the next generation of entrepreneurs chase 10x impact. An entrepreneur in his own right, Malone has led multiple startups as co-founder and CEO in the healthcare sector. He has a strong background working with AI and data platforms in diagnostics and pharma markets. His background includes a Ph.D. in computational methods and he is experienced in building companies to support cancer, liver disease, antibiotics, software and AI diagnostics. His startup experience includes funding, partner development, early product strategy and go to market commercialization.
Submit your questions for the panelists in advance.