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​Blend:Talks is Chicago:Blend’s flagship event, where graduates of our VC Fellowship program take the stage to share bold, thought-provoking insights on the latest trends impacting venture capital.

​Join us on June 11 at mHUB in Fulton Market as our VC Fellows present their research and perspectives to a room full of investors and industry leaders, marking the exciting culmination of their journey. This is a unique opportunity to connect, learn and celebrate the rising stars shaping the future of VC.

​Meet the Cohort 7 Fellows
See recordings from our last Blend:Talks event

​Since 2022, the Chicago:Blend Venture Fellowship has helped more than 70 professionals launch their careers in VC, with 90% of venture-seeking alums securing a VC role within six months of completing the fellowship.

​Proceeds from this event benefit Chicago:Blend, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization creating a more inclusive venture capital and entrepreneurial ecosystem.

​​AGENDA

​3:00p - Blend:Talks by Chicago:Blend VC Fellows

​🌍 Global Markets & Climate Innovation

• ​Kavya Sekar – Why Should LPs Invest in Indian VCs?

• ​Tatjana Washington – The Role of Administration in Funding Clean and Climate Initiatives

• ​Elizabeth Saliba – Using Climate Trends to Predict Market Needs in the Built Environment

​💡 Product, Tech, and AI Disruption

• ​David Sebastian Rodríguez – The Unicorn Gamble: Why Product is Everything

• ​Kelly Wagman – Implications of AI Code Generation for Startups & VCs

• ​Arman Tajback – Engineers Build AI—and Lose Their Jobs: Preparing for the Future of Software Engineering

​🧠 Health, Bio, and the Human-Technology Convergence

• ​Yash Jain – Sensors to Solutions: The $300B Future of Consumer Health Tech

• ​Jay Teamer – The TikTok-ification of Healthcare: Why the Future of Biotech Looks Like Social Media

• ​Charles Zhang – Investing in Biosynthetics: A POV on the Next Frontier

​🚀 Founder-Focused Investing

• ​Sofia Bever – The Lesser-Known Signals of High-Potential Founders

​​5:00p - Cocktail Reception

7:00p - Event Ends

​Thank you to our Fellowship Collaborators!

​Financial Supporters

• ​BLCK VC is a nonprofit transforming the venture capital industry to be more inclusive of Black investors and leaders.
  

• ​CDW is a leading multi-brand technology solutions provider serving business, government, education, and healthcare organizations.
  

• ​IVCA Foundation supports education, advocacy, and inclusion initiatives that strengthen Illinois’s private equity and venture capital ecosystem.
  

• ​Origin Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm investing in high-growth software, marketplace, and consumer businesses.

​Community Program Partners

• ​1871 1871 is Chicago’s premier tech hub, supporting founders and growth-stage companies through community, mentorship, and innovation programming.
  

• ​MATTER is a healthcare incubator and innovation hub that brings together startups and industry leaders to accelerate healthcare solutions.
  

• ​mHUB is the nation’s leading independent innovation center for hardtech, helping entrepreneurs commercialize breakthrough products in manufacturing and physical technology.
  

• ​TeamWorking by TechNexus is a collaborative workspace and innovation hub designed to connect startups, corporate partners, and creatives.
  

• ​VITALIZE Venture Capital backs early-stage B2B and future-of-work startups with an operator-led approach and strong community support.
  

• ​World Business Chicago drives inclusive economic growth and job creation by supporting business, innovation, and talent development across the city.