FirstGen Founders Powering Critical Industries
Join FirstGen for FirstGen Founders Powering American Dynamism, a gathering that spotlights the immigrant and first-generation entrepreneurs building the next wave of critical industries. From robotics and manufacturing to public infrastructure, logistics, and energy—these founders are driving the innovation that keeps America competitive and resilient.
This event brings together founders, investors, and operators who are not only redefining sectors historically dominated by legacy players but also proving that diverse, globally-minded leadership is essential to American progress and global leadership.
We'll Discuss
How the founders landed their first customers, strategic partners, and initial investment.
Hard-won lessons from working with large corporates, public-sector buyers, and other major institutions.
Who Should Attend
🚀 Immigrant and first-generation founders building in manufacturing, logistics, robotics, climate, energy and defense-tech
💡 Investors focused on manufacturing, logistics, public sector tech, climate, and infrastructure
🤝 Operators, policymakers, and ecosystem builders supporting this next frontier of innovation
Panelists:
🗣 Andrew Stroup - CEO and Cofounder | Leverage AI
Andrew Stroup is a Korean American adoptee and the founder of Leverage, an AI-powered supply chain purchase order automation and visibility platform. He is a serial technology entrepreneur, investor, and advisor with domain expertise in aerospace, software, supply chain, cybersecurity, robotics, and government. Leverage has raised $10m to date and select enterprise customers include Systems Control, Halo (Amphenol), and ITW.
Previously, Andrew was the Director of Product and Technology for the White House Presidential Innovation Fellows, CEO of an identity and access management security software startup. Andrew earned dual degrees in Aerospace Engineering and Mechanical Engineering with a focus on Mathematics and Business Management from Oklahoma State University.
🗣 Ann Xu - CEO and Co-founder | ElectroTempo
Dr. Ann Xu is co-founder and CEO of ElectroTempo. ElectroTempo is a Software-as-a-Service company focused on energy infrastructure planning and intelligence for electric utilities, charging site hosts, and fleets. ElectroTempo has raised $5m to date and select enterprise customers include Prologis and Austin Energy.
Dr. Xu spun out ElectroTempo from Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI), where she led the research and development of large-scale regional electric vehicle charging demand simulators. Prior to TTI, Dr. Xu was Senior Technical Advisor for Impact and Assessment at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E). Dr. Xu received her Ph.D. in Transportation Systems Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology and her dual B.S. degrees in Environmental Science and Statistics from Peking University in China.
🗣 David Pietrocola - CEO and Co-founder | Cohesive Robotics
David Pietrocola is Co-Founder and CEO at Cohesive Robotics, a leading developer of AI-powered turnkey, and pre-engineered robotic workcells for high-mix, high-part variability environments. He has led numerous teams and developed cutting-edge products in industry and national security. His work helps run automation and AI systems in manufacturing and logistics at world-class organizations such as Daimler, Tesla, Walgreens and the CIA. He’s a lead inventor on multiple patents, graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Trinity College, and earned a M.S. in Systems Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania.
🗣 Sage Seckin Secilmis - President | Web Sensing
Sage Seckin Secilmis is the President of Web Sensing, a single-chip network security solutions providing government agencies and approved partners to enable all-domain command & control through secure data transfers.
Prior to Web Sensing, Seckin’s leadership experience has spanned industries and roles, including leading the successful exit of space tech startup Tethers Unlimited as the COO & GM; leading a large, 150-person, cross-disciplinary engineering team producing AED devices; and leading the development of Boeing’s B737 BSI Mood-Lighting System which flies on every aircraft in production today and has over a dozen patents. Seckin has an MBA from C.W. Post, Long Island University, and a B.S. in Computer Engineering Technology from Rochester Institute of Technology.
About the Hosts and Sponsors:
FirstGen is an organization dedicated to expanding access to scalable entrepreneurship and venture capital for immigrant and first-generation (children of immigrants) entrepreneurs. Our goal is to help founders raise their first $1M in funding and/or reach their first $1M in revenue. We do so by supporting founders through capability-building, capital & customer support and community.
Special thanks to our sponsors,
EisnerAmper - EisnerAmper, one of the largest business consulting firms in the world, is comprised of EisnerAmper LLP, a licensed independent CPA firm that provides client attest services; and Eisner Advisory Group LLC, an alternative practice structure that provides business advisory and non-attest services in accordance with all applicable laws, regulations, standards and codes of conduct. Clients are in all business sectors and leverage a complete menu of service offerings. Our Technology Practice professionals are a dedicated and agile team who serve the specialized needs of more than 2,100 public and private technology companies, as well as investors. Our combined entities include nearly 4,500 employees and 440 partners. For more information, please visit eisneramper.com, and explore our thought leadership resource library at www.eisneramper.com/knowledge-center.
HSBC Innovation Banking is a dedicated banking practice focused on the innovation economy. It brings HSBC’s expansive product suite and international capabilities to serve high-growth innovative businesses from startups to scale-ups and beyond. HSBC Innovation Banking supports entrepreneurs and investors in tech, life sciences, and other fast-moving industries with an unmatched global network, deep sector expertise, and tailored financial products designed specifically to fuel growth in the innovation ecosystem, including a range of debt and credit facilities to suit all sizes of businesses. Backed by the strength and stability of HSBC, it combines a startup-friendly approach with world-class, scalable, banking infrastructure.
Dentons - As a boutique practice within the world’s largest law firm, Dentons’ Global Venture Technology Group offers nimble, strategic counsel to leading emerging tech companies and venture investors. We bring together local market expertise, global reach and a Silicon Valley mindset—delivering the tailored support and insights needed to drive innovation and growth.
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