BBVC presents; The State of Consumer Social

​ "Breaking Barriers of VC" presents, "The State of Consumer Media" with a dynamic lineup of panelists. Come network, learn, and engage with our consumer media background panel hosted at Cooley LLP's Hudson Yards office.

​​MEET OUR PANEL

• ​​Moderator: Laurent Span

  • ​​Laurent is the founder of SPANVentures., a venture syndicate and host of the "Breaking Barriers of VC" (BBVC) community. SPANVentures. is focused on providing access to capital for underrepresented & disruptive entrepreneurs. Laurent is a former management liability broker on Wall St, a two-time founder, and a former D-1 Collegiate athlete. (https://breakingbarriersofvc.beehiiv.com/subscribe)

• ​Lior Cole

  • ​Lior is building the future of fashion shopping with ARI: an AI-powered personal stylist. Lior is represented by IMG Models and has modeled in runway shows and magazines for Vogue, Louis Vuitton, Hugo Boss, Zara, Loewe, and many others. She studied computer science at Cornell University, and has been a featured speaker for TedxCornell, SXSW, New York Fashion Week, and many others.

• ​Mike Wolkon

  • ​Mike is the founder and CEO of "Night Inn Experience", a software platform that enables high-end hospitality professionals (Sommeliers, chefs, etc.) to monetize their talents and free time via events, services, and content. Before Night Inn, Mike ran the corporate development and strategy team of Xandr, an ad-tech marketplace. Mike studied Labor Relations and Economics at Cornell University and is a firm believer in the power of the individual freelancer revolution in shaping our society from the economy to the media landscape.

• ​Isabella Epstein

  • ​Isabella is the founder of Kndrd. Emerged from personal struggles with loneliness and is a plan-first product that enables people to find things to do & people to do things with anytime, anywhere. Think: a hub for social life with utility for organizing IRL at its core. Our vision is to create a world where everyone feels they belong by curating the cultivation of new friends and helping sustain existing ones.

• ​Rachel Braun

  • ​Rachel is the founder of Braun & Brains, a tech and business publication and agency producing podcasts and content for clients like Morning Brew, Initialized Capital, and Codie Sanchez. She is also a Google Youth Advisor via Canvas 8, helping the big tech company navigate Gen Z's use of AI. In her free time, she co-hosts events through a series called REAL, bringing together the New York investing, founder, and operator community. (braunandbrains.com)

• ​​Sponsored by Cooley LLP & Grasshopper Bank: please enjoy the alcoholic/non-alcoholic refreshments and light bites.