Cover Image for Blend:Talks - Cohort 7
Cover Image for Blend:Talks - Cohort 7
Hosted By
59 Going

Blend:Talks - Cohort 7

Hosted by Chicago:Blend
Register to See Address
Chicago, Illinois
Get Tickets
Welcome! Please choose your desired ticket type:
About Event

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 SekarWhy Should LPs Invest in Indian VCs?

  • Tatjana WashingtonThe Role of Administration in Funding Clean and Climate Initiatives

  • Elizabeth SalibaUsing Climate Trends to Predict Market Needs in the Built Environment

💡 Product, Tech, and AI Disruption

  • David Sebastian RodríguezThe Unicorn Gamble: Why Product is Everything

  • Kelly WagmanImplications of AI Code Generation for Startups & VCs

  • Arman TajbackEngineers Build AI—and Lose Their Jobs: Preparing for the Future of Software Engineering

🧠 Health, Bio, and the Human-Technology Convergence

  • Yash JainSensors to Solutions: The $300B Future of Consumer Health Tech

  • Jay TeamerThe TikTok-ification of Healthcare: Why the Future of Biotech Looks Like Social Media

  • Charles ZhangInvesting in Biosynthetics: A POV on the Next Frontier

🚀 Founder-Focused Investing

  • Sofia BeverThe 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.

Location
Please register to see the exact location of this event.
Chicago, Illinois
Hosted By
59 Going