SAVE THE DATE
Save the Date: November 10–11, 2026
Mississippi’s founders, funders, and builders are coming back together this fall. Details on speakers, sessions, and registration are on the way — check back soon or sign up below to be the first to know.
The Refuge Hotel & Conference Center at Sheraton Flowood
2200 Refuge Blvd, Flowood, MS 39232
Sheraton Flowood
Innovate MS 2026 Accelerate Conference
Sheraton Flowood The Refuge Hotel & Conference Center
Last Day to Book: Monday, October 19, 2026 or once block is full
Monday NOV. 10
Investor Early Check-In and Dinner (Invitation Only)
Investor Early Check-In
and Dinner
(By Invitation Only)
TUESDAY NOV. 11
7:30 AM Registration Opens
8:00 – 9:15 AM Breakfast General Session
9:00 – 11:30 AM Investor ACA Training
(Invitation Only)
9:30 – 11:45 AM Breakout Sessions
12:00 PM Luncheon General Session
1:00 – 5:00 PM CoBuilders Pitch Day
5:00 – 6:30 PM Speaker and Sponsor Reception
6:30 – 8:00 PM After-Hours on the Rooftop Bar
Registration Opens
7:30 a.m.
Breakfast General Session
8:00 - 9:15 a.m.
Investor ACA Training
8:30 - 11:00 a.m.
(Invitation Only)
Breakout Sessions
9:30 - 11:45 a.m.
Luncheon General Session
12:00 p.m.
CoBuilders Pitch Day
1:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Speaker and Sponsor Reception
5:00 - 6:30 p.m.
After-Hours on the Rooftop Bar
6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Wednesday NOV. 12
7:30 AM Registration Opens
8:00 – 9:15 AM Breakfast General Session
9:30 – 11:45 AM Breakout Sessions
12:00 PM Luncheon General Session
1:30 – 3:00 PM SBIR/STTR Innovation Track
Registration Opens
7:30 a.m.
Breakfast General Session
8:00 - 9:15 a.m.
Breakout Sessions
9:30 - 11:45 a.m.
Luncheon General Session
12:00 p.m.
SBIR/STTR Innovation Track
1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
REGISTRATION OPENS
7:30 a.m.
'Big ideas' and 'block and tackle' SESSIONS
9:30 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.
BREAKFAST KEYNOTE SESSION
8:00 a.m. - 9:15 a.m.
LUNCH KEYNOTE
12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
2026 KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Wil Schroter
Wil Schroter is the Founder and CEO of Startups.com, where he has helped over a million startups raise $1 billion in funding, attract 23 million customers, and launch countless new ideas.
At age 19, Wil launched one of the first Internet companies, Blue Diesel, an interactive marketing agency that quickly grew to $700 million in billings and was sold with inVentiv in 2002, becoming a $6 billion publicly traded company.
He went on to found 9 companies with 5 successful exits, backed by well-known venture capital funds such as Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Founders Fund, Bessemer Ventures, and Charles River Ventures.
Wil is the host of the popular podcast “Startup Therapy” and has been a contributor for Forbes, Entrepreneur, TechCrunch and The Wall Street Journal.
2026 speakers
We assembled an exciting group of speakers for Accelerate: the Conference on Technology Innovation this year. From startup veterans to educators to industry leaders, this group offers a deep look at the challenges facing Mississippi—and how we can turn those challenges into opportunities for innovation and growth.
Elaine Bolle
Angel Capital Association
Elaine Bolle is an active angel investor, board director, and advisor, focusing on early-stage entrepreneurial ventures. She is a founder and board member or RTP Angel Fund—an early-stage fund in North Carolina. She is Chair of the board of Launch Chapel Hill, a start-up accelerator, and serves on the boards of RTP Capital Associates, , One Digital Trust—a digital estate planning platform and Frontier Nursing University. Additionally, she is the lead venture partner for Portfolia’s Active Aging and Longevity Fund I. She has also served as a board member and committee chair of the Angel Capital Association and the past Chair of the Board of Directors for Dress for Success Triangle NC.
Throughout her career, Ms. Bolle has held management roles in strategic marketing and brand management, business development and sales, fundraising, mergers and acquisitions, in addition to her executive management and CEO roles. She has led large corporate ventures as well as start-ups. Her industry expertise includes financial services and consumer goods, where she has led businesses at Western Union, Citicorp, and Quaker Oats. She is a graduate of the University of Michigan, holding both a BA and MBA.
Lindsey Cox
Launch Tennessee
Lindsey Cox is the Chief Executive Officer at Launch Tennessee, a public-private partnership supporting startups, entrepreneurship, and innovation across the state.
A Tennessee native, Lindsey has dedicated her career to the support and acceleration of startups and entrepreneurs in Tennessee and across the Southeast.
Currently, she leads Launch Tennessee’s strategy in supporting startups via robust connections, commercialization support, and the deployment of $70 million in equity investment capital via the InvestTN program, as well as high-impact signature live events like the 3686 conference, now in its 13th year.
A respected leader in the innovation ecosystem, Lindsey is a sought-after speaker and moderator, offering expert perspectives on startup development and the evolution of regional economies. She most recently moderated the AI Tennessee Summit.
Lindsey’s experience is vast, with tenures in the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Washington, D.C., and as CEO of The Company Lab (CO.LAB) in Chattanooga, TN.
Mackenzie Cruz
Yellow Ventures
Mackenzie Cruz is a Partner and Investment Lead at Yellow Ventures, where she leads investment sourcing, underwriting, due diligence, and execution across early- and growth-stage companies throughout the Southeast. Through Yellow Ventures, Mackenzie helps manage state-backed venture capital programs supported by the U.S. Treasury’s State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI), working alongside founders, private investors, and economic development partners to deploy capital into high-growth companies.
Christopher Ewing
Ewing|Kessler, Inc.
Christopher Ewing is an entrepreneur, engineer, and business leader with more than 30 years of experience building and growing companies across engineering, technology, and emerging markets.
A 1994 summa cum laude graduate of Mississippi State University in mechanical engineering, Ewing began his career with a strong interest in using technology as a platform for building businesses. Today, he is founder, chairman, and CEO of Ewing | Kessler, Inc., one of the Mid-South’s largest independent building systems companies, providing engineered equipment, service, parts, and building automation solutions.
His entrepreneurial work extends well beyond Ewing | Kessler. Ewing also serves as CEO and chairman of WISPR Systems, a Mississippi-based drone technology company serving commercial and government markets, and is involved as an investor, board member, and advisor with a number of early-stage and growth companies.
Throughout his career, Ewing has focused on the practical side of entrepreneurship—finding markets, building teams, generating revenue, raising capital, managing growth, and turning technology into sustainable businesses.
Ewing remains closely connected to Mississippi State University. He serves as chairman of the Mechanical Engineering Advisory Board, was named a Distinguished Fellow of the Bagley College of Engineering in 2009, and has been recognized in 2025 as a Mississippi State University Alumni Fellow representing the College of Engineering.
Maranda Joiner
Succeed and Elevate
Maranda Joiner is a speaker, leadership strategist, and facilitator who helps leaders and organizations clarify what isn’t working and develop practical strategies to move forward. She is CEO and co-founder of Succeed and Elevate, a nonprofit strengthening the small business ecosystem through leadership development, capacity building, and mental and emotional well-being. Maranda develops leadership and business programming, leads cohorts, and has facilitated conversations with hundreds of small business owners and leaders. She has partnered with organizations including JPMorgan Chase, The Bean Path, and Innovate Mississippi, and serves on the board of the Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership and the Premier Teacher Support Foundation.
Charlie Pond
Innovate Alabama
Charlie Pond serves as Executive Director of Alabama’s State Small Business Credit Initiative at Innovate Alabama, where he oversees the largest small business funding program in the state. He brings a background in banking, strategy, and economic development, with prior leadership roles at Regions Bank. Charlie received his BS from The University of Alabama and his JD/MBA from Samford University. He is a member of the Alabama State Bar. He lives in Birmingham with his wife, Maggie, and their three children.
Whit Rayner
Jones Walker
Whit provides counsel and advice to notable large domestic and international clients, including outdoor lifestyle brands, technology companies, and financial institutions. He also represents clients in commercial litigation and contract disputes.
Whit is active in many professional intellectual property organizations including the International Trademark Association (INTA) and The Mississippi Bar, Section of Intellectual Property Law. He is a two-time past chair of the Intellectual Property Section of the Mississippi Bar and is a member of the Copyright Committee of INTA, having previously served multiple terms as a member of the US Legislation Committee and a member of the INTA Panel of Neutrals. In addition to his professional roles, Whit has spoken regularly at the University of Mississippi CLE programs and Intellectual Property, Entertainment & Sports Law Section teleseminars hosted by The Mississippi Bar, and mentors entrepreneurs with Innovate Mississippi.
Whit was recently named “Lawyer of the Year,” Litigation- Intellectual Property, and “Lawyer of the Year” Copyright Law, in Jackson, Mississippi by Best Lawyers. Since 2001, he has been recognized annually by Best Lawyers in America in the areas of Copyright Law; Information Technology Law; Litigation – Intellectual Property and Trademark Law.
Monique Villa
Daytrip Ventures
Monique Villa Capra is the Founder and Managing Partner of Daytrip Ventures, based in Nashville. Daytrip is a new ‘pre-scale’ venture capital firm seeding the New American South – a growth engine for the future of life, work, and industry in the U.S. Prior to Daytrip, she was the CIO at LaunchTN and an Investor at Mucker Capital. She co-founded Build In SE, where she currently serves on the board, alongside non-profit board service for the legendary Belcourt Theatre and SomosVC.
Hugh Warren
Jones Walker
Hugh draws on his unique combination of scientific, technological, business, and legal experience to provide effective, outcome-driven counsel to clients on a broad range of patent, trademark, copyright, and other IP matters. As a former electrical engineer for a Fortune 500 company — where he helped develop new product lines and implement state-of-the-art quality control procedures — and as the founder and owner of his own event-production company, he understands the power of innovation in driving business success.
our sponsors
We couldn’t do what we do without great year-round support from companies and individuals in Mississippi.
Presenting Sponsor
OPENING RECEPTION SPONSOR
Innovation LEaderS
Technology ChampionS
Executive PartnerS
EntrepreneurS
Startup Advocate
Veterans Small Business Sponsor
Investor Dinner Sponsor
CoPilot Cafe
COBUILDERS SPONSORS
PRESENTING SPONSOR
Pitch Day Presenting Partner
PRIZE SPONSORS
#accelerate2026