Gamechangers & Champions Schedule

11:30 - 1:15: Business and Basketball Lounge

Sponsored by Network Kansas’ Entrepreneurial Growth Ventures and AltCap; Located in main Commerce Club area.

11:30 - 12:15: Slam Dunking Your Relationship Capital 

During this fireside chat, hear directly from entrepreneurs who have built their networks into funding success stories. This session offers proven techniques to build relationship capital, giving your startup a competitive edge when raising capital or seeking loans.

Interactive Elements:

• ‘Nothing but Net-working’ Pop A Shot, sponsored by Plug and Play

• Angel Investor Lounge: Dedicated space for networking

• Complimentary head shots (Photographer: Gaberial Booker)

• Large-screen showing of NCAA basketball games from other regions

• Entrepreneurial support organizations do 60-second ‘commercials’ for their organizations and what they can offer startups and entrepreneurs. Hear from SBDC, SBA, Create Campaign, Network Kansas, NXTUS, AVP, Groover Labs, WIBA, Wichita Chamber, WSU Center for Entrepreneurship, TDI at KState, AltCap, Equity2, State Chamber, and Go Topeka.

Champions (Investors) Breakout Sessions

Sponsored by Lange Capital; Located in the Commerce Club Library; MC: Adam Tannehill of Lange Capital

11:30 - 12:15: “Getting in the Game”

This session introduces angel investing to new investors through the lens of Ron Baker’s transition from professional basketball to business, moderated by Conor Adler and featuring Trish Brasted. Since Baker is also new to angel investing, the discussion is structured as a real-time learning experience, allowing him and the audience to gain insights together.

Key Themes:

• Understanding the fundamentals – Learning the basics of angel investing.

• Reading the game – Evaluating startups like a coach evaluates players.

• Trusting your team – Leveraging investor networks, mentorship, and collaboration. 

12:15 -12:30: Time Out for Collisions 

12:30 - 1:15: "Scouting the Deal: Evaluating Startups Like a Pro"

This session focuses on due diligence, teaching prospective investors how to assess startups like a pro scout evaluates players, featuring: Kevin Lockett, Josh Oeding of Tenzing Capital, Dan Kerr of Flyover Capital, moderated by Mary Beth Jarvis, AVP angel

Key Themes:

• Scouting the talent – Evaluating founders like NFL teams evaluate players.

• Game film vs. deal flow – Why due diligence is like watching film before signing an athlete.

• Red flags vs. green lights – Identifying risks and opportunities in early-stage startups.

1:15 - 1:30: Time Out for Collisions 

Gamechangers (Startups) Breakout Sessions

Sponsored by Kansas State University’s K-State Ventures; Located at the Commerce Club Grand Staircase/Basement; MC: Amber Dunn.

11:30 - 12:15: Shaq-Centric or Steph-Centric? Building a high-performing tech startup team around founders with different skill sets.

Presented by Robi Guha, CEO of TLM, learn how to build a high-performing tech startup team around founders with different skill sets.

12:15 - 12:30: Time Out for Collisions  

12:30 - 1:15: Full Court Press: A Panel on Securing Startup Funding

Whether you're pre-seed, seed, or series A, this panel features outsiders 'looking in' and experts who work in the Kansas ecosystem every day to weigh in on the most pressing insights on startup funding in today's landscape, presented by Andrew Boyd of 82i, Thomas Papadatos of Equity Growth Ventures, AltCap, and moderated by Sophia Drouhard with Equity Growth Ventures.

1:15 - 1:30: Time Out for Collisions