The event, now in its fifth year, kicked off with opening remarks from Dan Wang, the School's Lambert Family Associate Professor of Social Enterprise and co-director of the Tamer Institute for Social Enterprise and Climate Change.
The conference's central theme was “Create.” The organizers encouraged speakers and attendees to explore the ways in which technology—traditionally considered a disruptive force in the business world—must meet the moment and address seismic shifts in economics, politics, and global stability.
Keynote speakers included Andrew Yang, former presidential candidate and founder of the Forward Party; IIir Sela, founder and CEO of Slice; and Nihal Mehta, co-founder of Eniac Ventures. Panels at the conference covered other prominent issues in business today, such as generative AI, the metaverse, the future of climate change, and innovation in the venture capital industry.
Yang's speech touched on his journey as a political candidate and how he sought to evoke meaningful conversation around poverty, economic stability, and other social justice issues. He also shared insight on finding the motivation to work hard, both as a political candidate and as an entrepreneur, noting that “the best entrepreneurs are fighting to solve a problem that they care deeply about.”
