Gamechangers & Champions Schedule

Joint Sessions

9:00 – 9:45: Morning Networking Session

Start the day with a light breakfast and connect with fellow attendees during our morning networking hour.

9:45 – 10:50: Tip-Off Joint Session - Innovation Ecosystem Overview and Innovative Eight Pitch Competitors

Opening Remarks: Introduced by AltCap, Kansas Lt. Governor and Commerce Secretary David Toland shares the 2026 vision.

Corporate Innovation & Startup Ecosystem: Keynote from Kristen Rodgers of Plug and Play on the vital link between enterprise needs and entrepreneurial solutions.

Innovative Eight Pitch Competitors: A high-energy bracket reveal and lineup introduction for our eight startup competitors.

Breakout Sessions: First-half

11:00 – 12:00: Gamechangers (Startups) and Champions (Investors) Breakout Sessions

Founders will focus on mental preparation and navigating diverse funding paths, while investors and corporate partners engage in structured networking and an analysis of the modern angel landscape.

  • 11:00 – 11:20 Pre-Game: The Home Court Advantage

    Intentional collisions before tip-off. Structured networking designed to spark real investor-to-investor connections from across the state. The goal is awareness of who’s in the room, who you should know, and how you can play team ball before strategy begins.

    11:20 – 12:00 First Half: Reading The Court: The Angel Landscape Today

    Who: Mikayla Rosard, Partner at Groove Capital; Nick Love, Founder & CEO of Love Lifesciences; Maggie Kenefake, General Partner at Iron Prairie Ventures 

    A broad view of today’s early-stage landscape, nationally and in the Heartland. We’ll explore how the game has shifted, how capital structures impact outcomes, and how angels can stay situationally aware in a changing market.

  • 11:00-11:20 Pre-Game: Get Your Head in the Game, with Nick Rotola, Founder of UP  

    Join in on the pre-game huddle to get focused and fired up. We’ll set the game plan, align on what winning looks like, and build the momentum needed to compete, connect, and capitalize on the day ahead.

    11:20-Noon First Half: Funding Paths, Real Stories

    Facilitator: Jaime Gasmann, Co-Founder of Fluent

    Panelists: Dave Alburty, CEO of InnovaPrep; Risa Stein, Founder and CEO of SeeInMe; Gonzalo Erdozain, Founder of Scout; Jason Rogers, CEO of Invary

    A straight-talk founder panel on choosing the right capital playbook for you — from SBIRs and bootstrapping to angels, venture, and revenue-based financing. Each founder chose a different route, offering a real-world playbook on what’s possible — and what it actually takes to win the game.

Joint Sessions

12:00 – 12:20: Lunch

Grab-and-go lunch is available in the Business and Basketball Lounge.

12:20 – 12:50: HALFTIME Joint Session on Sports Tech

Moderated by Jillian Letrinko, broadcast anchor and KC Current announcer.

G&C goes full SportsCenter — highlights, turning points, and the big plays behind KC’s sports-tech rise. Peek behind the curtain with highlights, turning points, and behind-the-scenes stories from the region’s sports-tech standouts.

Panel Lineup:

  • Pam Kramer – CEO, Kansas City FIFA World Cup 26

  • Justin Wood – Principal / Sports + Higher Education Practice Director, Dimensional Innovations

  • Jason Booker - KU Deputy Athletic Director, KU Athletics

  • Stuart Ludlow – CTO and Cofounder, VeloVisa

  • Ford Galvin - Vice President of Data Strategy and Analytics, KC Current

  • Kevin Higgins - Vice President of IT, Kansas City Chiefs

Breakout Sessions: Second-half

1:00 – 2:00: Gamechangers (Startups) and Champions (Investors) Breakout Sessions

The second half focuses on the game-changing impact of AI and the critical legal guardrails needed for successful investments. Founders will explore practical AI implementation, while investors dive into disciplined capital allocation and legal X's and O's.

  • 1:00 – 1:40 Second Half: Full Court Press: Investing in the Age of AI

    Who: Nic Wentling, Founder & CEO at Moonbase Labs; Phil Reynolds, Founder & CEO at DevStride; Dan Kerr, General Partner at Flyover Capital, Jason McKinley, Founder & CEO at Arc Technologies Group

    AI has accelerated the pace of the game. This session focuses on disciplined investing in the age of AI: where capital truly creates advantage, how to filter signal from hype, and how to evaluate traction and defensibility when everything moves faster.

    1:40 – 2:00 Post Game: Keeping It in Bounds: Legal X’s and O’s 

    Who: Liam Reilly, Reilly GC; Laura Fent, Business Attorney at Hinkle Law; Gabriel Riekhof, Business Attorney at Husch Blackwell, and Chris Simpson, Business Attorney at Polsinelli.

    Description: A concise legal review from first check to final whistle. Practical guardrails around governance, structure, and liquidity planning to keep investments in bounds and portfolios positioned for the win.

  • 1:00-1:20 Third Quarter: Win with AI - or Get Left Behind, with Robi Guha, Founder of TLM    

    AI is changing the rules of the game. With barriers to entry dropping, more players can enter the court— but not everyone will win.

    1:20-2:00 Fourth Quarter: AI for Builders — Lessons from Professional Players 

    Who:  Jason Toevs, CTO of UP; Daniel Drouhard, Founder of Colab 

    In the final stretch, two operators share real-world lessons from implementing AI in products and operations. What worked. What didn’t. What they’d do differently. Expect practical tools, open-source resources, and candid insights to help you move from curiosity to execution - and finish strong.

Joint Sessions

2:15 – 3:15: Concluding Joint Session: Top Four of Startup Pitch Competition and Keynote Speaker

  • Top Four Startups announced and pitch live to judges and investors.

  • Judges: Angel investors, industry leaders, and ecosystem stakeholders.

  • Keynote speaker, introduced by KU Chancellor, Dr. Doug Girod, Neal Sharma, CEO and Co-Founder of DEG, a digital consultancy, and Vice President of the KC FIFA World Cup

    • Accomplished entrepreneur at the forefront of digital marketing and technological change

    • Committed and engaged civic leader, focused on advancing economic and educational opportunity for all

3:15 – 4:00: Post-Game Networking Reception

Wrap up the day with a final networking session to solidify new connections.

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