Event Sessions

AI Ask Me Anything (AMA) — Get Real Answers from AI Experts (Live at Venture Café)Curious about AI but not sure where to start—or stuck trying to actually use it in your work?Join us for a 90-minute, open AMA with the Serpico AI Learning Center experts. This is your chance to ask anything and get real, practical answers on the spot.Whether you’re exploring tools like ChatGPT, Claude, or Midjourney—or just trying to figure out what AI can actually do for you—we’ll help you cut through the noise.What you’ll get:Live answers to your specific questionsPractical use cases you can apply immediatelyHelp troubleshooting prompts, workflows, or ideasInsight from experts actively using AI in real business scenariosNo presentations. No fluff. Just direct access to people doing the work.Bring your questions. Bring your laptop if you want. Programming in Partnership with Serpico AI Learning Center 

Fashion is one of the most polluting and resource-intensive industries in the world. It accounts for an estimated 2–8% of global greenhouse gas emissions, a fifth of industrial water pollution, and a significant share of ocean microplastics, and most of what it produces is worn 7–10 times before it's discarded. Rather than treating circularity as a cost program, a new generation of founders is building it into the business itself. Resale, repair, rental, and take-back are becoming revenue streams, reaching $700B by 2030. Donatela will share how Alu is helping brands make this shift, turning a QR code on a care label into a direct channel between a brand and the person wearing the product. This conversation will explore how brands are decoupling profitability from new production, how consumer behavior is forcing the change (and why it's a prerequisite for lasting change), and why fashion is the blueprint for other industries. In Partnership with: ExtendEV and Power48

Arrive early for your chance to connect with Merl Martin, CEO of Bennu Systems. Learn how to put Claude to work on the work you don't want to do.Mentor Hours meetings begin at 4:30pm and run in 15-minute slotsPlease note: Mentor Hours are first come first served and must be done on-site at the event. A sign-up sheet will be located at the room where the mentor is stationed, so be sure to stop by early to secure your spot."

Arrive early for your chance to connect with Ioana Neacsu, Founder of Ioana Neacsu Consulting LLC. These mentor hours will focus on sales fundamentals, pipeline strategy, account growth, strategic client partnersships, sales performance improvements and more. Mentor Hours meetings begin at 4:30pm and run in 15-minute slots Please note: Mentor Hours are first come first served and must be done on-site at the event. A sign-up sheet will be located at the room where the mentor is stationed, so be sure to stop by early to secure your spot. In partnership with Resolution Resource Group

Whether you're attending for the first time or looking to get more involved, this orientation is the perfect place to begin. Learn what Venture Café Phoenix is all about, discover the content and networking opportunities available each week, and explore how to make the most of your experience. We'll share tips for building meaningful connections, navigating the Thursday Gathering, engaging with the community, and finding the people, programs, and resources that can help you achieve your goals. Come ready to ask questions, meet fellow newcomers, and leave feeling confident about making Venture Café part of your innovation journey.

Bringing new medical devices and technologies to the clinic involves a series of scientific, business, and regulatory challenges. One critical gate between a new technology and its use in real-world healthcare settings is approval by a hospital Value Analysis Committee (VAC). Communicating the safety, efficacy, cost, and value of a new device or product demands a succinct, persuasive presentation. In this session, we'll see a real-world example: HemaSense, an Arizona MedTech startup, will present its new technology to a panel of hospital stakeholders in a mock VAC review, followed by audience Q&A.      

Join Whitney Slightham, CEO and Co-Founder of Ateleva, for a conversation on transforming healthcare through medical device innovation. This fireside chat explores how identifying a critical unmet need in pulmonary care led to the development of a breakthrough technology designed to improve outcomes for patients experiencing localized lung collapse and other respiratory complications. From concept to commercialization, Whitney will share insights into the entrepreneurial journey of building a healthcare startup at the intersection of medicine, engineering, and innovation. The discussion will highlight the realities of developing life-changing technologies, navigating the challenges of the medical device industry, securing clinical validation, and building a company dedicated to improving patient care. Attendees will gain valuable perspectives on translating bold ideas into impactful solutions and what it takes to bring innovation from the lab to the bedside.

Join Vincent Serpico, founder of Founders Workshop and Serpico AI, for an engaging conversation about entrepreneurship, emerging technology, and what comes after a successful exit. Vincent is also the founder of Venture Café Phoenix’s AI Meetup for Entrepreneurs and Business Leaders, a growing community that gathers every fourth Thursday to help business owners understand and apply artificial intelligence.Vincent will share lessons from building Founders Workshop, navigating a successful exit, and launching Serpico AI. This fireside chat will explore the realities of growing and exiting a company, the opportunities AI is creating for entrepreneurs, and what Vincent is building next. Whether you’re a founder, business leader, technologist, or aspiring entrepreneur, you’ll gain practical insights into innovation, reinvention, and preparing for the next era of business.

Everyone's talking about AI — but which of it actually helps a business owner today? After 24 years in Silicon Valley and the tools I built for my own business, I'll walk through what's genuinely working right now: an AI content engine I built that turned three hours of daily marketing into three minutes, a custom CRM I built with Claude that runs my daily operations, and agentic tools any owner can use without a technical team. You'll leave with a clear, practical picture of where AI saves you real time and money — and exactly where to start putting it to work in your own business this week.

Arrive early for your chance to connect with Alexander Foster, Product Manager. at ThinkLaunchIQ.Bring Alex your idea or bottleneck, and leave with a clearer strategy and next step. Mentor Hours meetings begin at 4:30pm and run in 15-minute slots. Please note: Mentor Hours are first come first served and must be done on-site at the event. A sign-up sheet will be located at the room where the mentor is stationed, so be sure to stop by early to secure your spot. In partnership with Resolution Resource Group

Arrive early to Venture Café Phoenix for your chance to connect with Rylan Codorniz, Founder and CEO of Consistent Solutions AI, an expert in helping businesses adopt and implement artificial intelligence. Come gain insights on how to integrate AI into your business strategy, streamline operations, and stay ahead of the curve. Mentor Hours meetings begin at 4:30pm and run in 15-minute slots. Please note: Mentor Hours are first come first served and must be done on-site at the event. A sign-up sheet will be located at the room where the mentor is stationed, so be sure to stop by early to secure your spot. In partnership with Resolution Resource Group

Join Clate Mask, entrepreneur and leader in the Phoenix innovation ecosystem, for a conversation on what it really takes to build, scale, and sustain companies that serve small businesses at massive scale. As a longtime founder and operator in the software and entrepreneurial support space, Clate brings deep experience in building organizations that sit at the intersection of technology, automation, and small business growth. This fireside chat explores the journey from startup founder to ecosystem builder—covering lessons learned from scaling high-growth companies, navigating the challenges of product-market fit and operational scale, and ultimately shifting toward broader community and economic impact work. The discussion also dives into how tools, systems, and networks can empower entrepreneurs to grow stronger businesses and create more resilient local economies.

Join Kira Burns, Founder of Gravitrex Mobility, for a conversation on challenging assumptions and designing innovative solutions that improve how people move through the world. Driven by a passion for accessibility and human-centered design, Kira is building technology that aims to expand independence and create new possibilities for individuals facing mobility challenges. This fireside chat explores the founder journey behind bringing breakthrough ideas to life, from identifying unmet needs and developing transformative products to navigating the realities of innovation, fundraising, and commercialization. Hear lessons on resilience, purpose-driven entrepreneurship, and the role emerging technologies can play in creating a more inclusive future."

In Partnership with Evolution Accelerator 

In Partnership with: AZCollab

Come learn about the United Nations Digital Development Goals for Cities initiative, operating under the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and U4SSC. On August 6, we are showcasing the work of Cluster 4, Digital Technology Itself, which covers infrastructure, AI and emerging technology, cybersecurity, data governance, and long-term technological futures. Cluster 4 is asking what it actually takes to build technology cities can trust, not just what technology can do for them. It's part of a broader U4SSC initiative now drawing contributors from close to a thousand experts worldwide. Cluster 4 is stewarded from three cities: London, Manchester, and Phoenix. Our fireside chat features the graduate team from Thunderbird School of Global Management's Global Challenge Lab, Arizona State University's flagship capstone consulting program, where Master of Global Management candidates work full-time as consultants for real clients around the world. This team spent time in Rotterdam this year, partnering directly with the city and United Nations Working Group 6 to examine how the UN's forthcoming Digital Development Goals for Cities could take shape on the ground. Over the course of their project, they conducted 27 stakeholder interviews across governance, inclusion, infrastructure, innovation, and citizen engagement, work that's now feeding directly into the Cluster's ongoing framework. In Partnership With: AZCollab

Join Susan Sly, Founder and CEO of The Pause Technologies, for a conversation on redefining high performance in an age of constant acceleration. This fireside chat explores how leaders, founders, and teams can navigate pressure, prevent burnout, and build sustainable success by integrating intentional pause, human-centered systems, and emerging technology. Drawing from her experience building at the intersection of entrepreneurship, performance, and innovation, Susan shares insights on what it takes to stay grounded while scaling ambition. The discussion unpacks how modern leaders can balance speed with sustainability, and how new approaches to wellness and productivity are reshaping the way individuals and organizations operate in high-growth environments.