November 8-9, 2023 (Wednesday and Thursday)
at The Westin Jackson.
For details and sponsorship opportunities contact
Janet Parker at jparker@innovate.ms.
WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 8th
speakers
We’re assembling 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.
Matt Adamczyk
Microsoft TechSpark
Matt is the Technical Advisor for Microsoft TechSpark and Technologist in Residence at TitletownTech. In this dual role, Matt engages with startups and entrepreneurs at TitletownTech to provide advisement and connection into deeper Microsoft expertise, and Matt extends to support entrepreneurship and ecosystem development across Microsoft TechSpark.
Jon Atkinson
Idea Village
Jon is an expert in startups, customer development methodologies, and entrepreneurial finance. His past experience combines a diverse knowledge as a professional investor and ‘recovering’ banker with skills gained as a professor, CEO, CFO, business advisor, board member, and strategic consultant to deliver unique business insights in guiding and financing growth oriented companies.
Steven Bailey
The Idea Shop
Steven Bailey is a Graduate Student at Mississippi State University and the manager of the MSU Idea Shop, connecting University resources to the Starkville community. Entrepreneurial pursuits and "making" have been a large portion of his life from the age of 12, when he developed his own ironworking business, selling handcrafted ironworking projects to his friends and family. In this current role he enjoys sharing this passion with others.
Anna Barker
Glo
Anna Barker is the Co-Founder and VP of Business Development of Glo® – a student project turned company that was founded through MSU’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Outreach, where she met fellow MSU alumnus and aspiring entrepreneur, Hagan Walker. She teamed up with Hagan to develop the idea behind the Glo Pals® – a line of light-up sensory toys inspired by a child with Autism.
Allyson Best
University of Mississippi
Allyson Best is the director of technology commercialization at the University of Mississippi. She has a bachelors from Clemson University in marketing and an MBA with a focus on pharmaceutical science from the University of Mississippi. She has served in numerous positions including the chair of the board of directors of the Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce, but also internationally within the Association of University Technology Managers.
Almesha Campbell
Jackson State University
Almesha L. Campbell, Ph.D. is the Assistant Vice President for Research and Economic Development at Jackson State University (JSU). She designs and manages programs around innovation, technology transfer, and commercialization in an effort to broaden the participation of underrepresented minorities in these areas.
Jeremy Clay
Mississippi State University
Jeremy Clay is director of MSU’s Office of Technology Management, the unit charged with efficiently capturing, protecting, managing and accelerating the commercialization of university-owned and -generated intellectual property.
Amber Coeur
Lobaki
As CEO of Lobaki, Amber is a hands-on leader who values every client and every team member for what they bring to the ongoing process of learning what virtual reality can become as the industry rapidly matures and grows across the country.
Matt Adamczyk
Microsoft TechSpark
Matt is the Technical Advisor for Microsoft TechSpark and Technologist in Residence at TitletownTech. In this dual role, Matt engages with startups and entrepreneurs at TitletownTech to provide advisement and connection into deeper Microsoft expertise, and Matt extends to support entrepreneurship and ecosystem development across Microsoft TechSpark.
Jon Atkinson
Idea Village
Jon is an expert in startups, customer development methodologies, and entrepreneurial finance. His past experience combines a diverse knowledge as a professional investor and ‘recovering’ banker with skills gained as a professor, CEO, CFO, business advisor, board member, and strategic consultant to deliver unique business insights in guiding and financing growth oriented companies.
Steven Bailey
The Idea Shop
Steven Bailey is a Graduate Student at Mississippi State University and the manager of the MSU Idea Shop, connecting University resources to the Starkville community. Entrepreneurial pursuits and "making" have been a large portion of his life from the age of 12, when he developed his own ironworking business, selling handcrafted ironworking projects to his friends and family. In this current role he enjoys sharing this passion with others.
Anna Barker
Glo
Anna Barker is the Co-Founder and VP of Business Development of Glo® – a student project turned company that was founded through MSU’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Outreach, where she met fellow MSU alumnus and aspiring entrepreneur, Hagan Walker. She teamed up with Hagan to develop the idea behind the Glo Pals® – a line of light-up sensory toys inspired by a child with Autism.
Allyson Best
University of Mississippi
Allyson Best is the director of technology commercialization at the University of Mississippi. She has a bachelors from Clemson University in marketing and an MBA with a focus on pharmaceutical science from the University of Mississippi. She has served in numerous positions including the chair of the board of directors of the Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce, but also internationally within the Association of University Technology Managers.
Almesha Campbell
Jackson State University
Almesha L. Campbell, Ph.D. is the Assistant Vice President for Research and Economic Development at Jackson State University (JSU). She designs and manages programs around innovation, technology transfer, and commercialization in an effort to broaden the participation of underrepresented minorities in these areas.
Jeremy Clay
Mississippi State University
Jeremy Clay is director of MSU’s Office of Technology Management, the unit charged with efficiently capturing, protecting, managing and accelerating the commercialization of university-owned and -generated intellectual property.
Amber Coeur
Lobaki
As CEO of Lobaki, Amber is a hands-on leader who values every client and every team member for what they bring to the ongoing process of learning what virtual reality can become as the industry rapidly matures and grows across the country.
Lauren Dendy
FORVIS
Lauren is the Human Resources Coordinator and Campus Recruiter at the FORVIS Jackson, MS office. She works closely with the HR teams in the Southwest FORVIS region which includes Mississippi, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas and Arizona. In addition to HR, Lauren actively recruits accounting students at Ole Miss, Mississippi State, University of Southern Mississippi, Millsaps and Mississippi College.
Bruce Deer
Innovate Mississippi
Bruce Deer is a long-time technology executive, member of the Bulldog Angel Network and Innovate Mississippi's Entrepreneur in Residence.
Joe Donovan
Mississippi Development Authority
Mr. Donovan currently is the Director of The Office of Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship @ Mississippi Development Authority. Donovan primary responsible for focusing Mississippi on growing the knowledge based economic development through developing an eco-system focusing on emerging technologies.
Ryan Gilbrech
Mississippi State University
From studying biomedical engineering to founding a video game development studio to leading MSU’s first attempt at a satellite entrepreneurship center in Vicksburg, MS – it’s hard to predict Ryan Gilbrech’s career trajectory. With a penchant for chasing interesting, difficult, and visionary pursuits, he’s now working toward making Vicksburg the next big tech startup hub of the south.
Joe Graben
University of Southern Mississippi
Joe Graben is the Innovation Ecosystem Manager for the Office of Technology Development at the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) and has over twenty-five years of experience in supporting tech-based small businesses and innovation based economic development.
Adam Horlock
Office Evolution
Adam Horlock is the BCM for Mississippi’s first Office Evolution. Office Evolution is the nation’s largest locally owned and operated coworking network, with over 80 locations in 25 states.
Delbert Hosemann
Lieutenant Governor
Elected in November 2019 with more than 60 percent of the vote, the Honorable Delbert Hosemann is serving as Mississippi’s 33rd Lieutenant Governor. He previously served as Secretary of State. Lt. Governor Hosemann is committed to serving the public with open and fair government.
Ben Hubbard
Serial Entrepreneur
A native Mississippian, Ben has co-founded and launched several software-driven start-ups to market. Ben was part of a two-man team that built a multinational software solutions provider from scratch starting from an incubator in Jackson, MS.
Eric Hughes
The Hive Branding Agency
Eric works as Founding Partner of Mississippi’s first truly virtual ad agency, The Hive. With The Hive, his unique blend of experience and creativity in Brand Strategy, Marketing Campaign Development, Product Development, and Content Strategy gives business owners and leadership teams the focus, vision, unity, and momentum they need to get beyond surviving and start thriving.
Laura Johns
The Business Growers
Laura Johns is the founder and CEO of The Business Growers, a marketing firm serving the B2B telecom, SaaS, IT, and cloud-services industries. For 18 years, Laura managed marketing efforts for companies ranging from tech startups to global, multi-billion dollar businesses.
Laurie Jugan
MSET
Laurie Jugan is the Program Director at the Mississippi Enterprise for Technology (MSET), responsible for creating and overseeing programs supporting technology transfer out of federal agencies and technology transition into federal agencies.
Anik Kurkjian
Marketing Strategist
A highly experienced marketing strategist with over 15 years of expertise leading events, campaigns & brand development initiatives. Specializing in long term, sustainable return on investment through community engagement, influencer management & brand stewardship.
Sarah Lee
University of Southern Mississippi
Sarah Lee is Director of the School of Computing Sciences & Computer Engineering at The University of Southern Mississippi. A fifth generation Mississippian, she entered academia in 2011 following a 19-year industry career with a passion to broaden participation in computing and cybersecurity. She co-founded and launched the Last Mile Education Fund in 2020.
Steve Mercil
Appalachian Angel Alliance
Fund Administrator for the North & South Mississippi Angel Funds, Chief Business Development Officer Appalachian Angel Alliance (AIA)
Sam Miller
mySet Music and Sports
Sam Miller is the founder of mySet Music and Sports, a technology that enables musicians, sports teams, and radio stations to engage, monetize, and learn more about their fans. Skilled in Sales, Communication, Team Building, and Management, Sam is a strong business development professional with a Bachelor's degree focused in Management Information Systems from Mississippi State University.
Abb Payne
The Payne Companies
Founder and CEO of The Payne Companies family office and Chapter Chair of the Southern 7 Chapter of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO).
Marshall Ramsey
Mississippi Today
Marshall Ramsey is the Editor-At-Large for Mississippi Today, a non-profit news website. He’s a two-time Pulitzer Finalist (2002 and 2006) and Emmy winner (2022). His cartoons are nationally syndicated by Creators Syndicate and have appeared in The New York Times, USA Today and The (Jackson, Miss.) Clarion-Ledger.
Lauren Dendy
FORVIS
Lauren is the Human Resources Coordinator and Campus Recruiter at the FORVIS Jackson, MS office. She works closely with the HR teams in the Southwest FORVIS region which includes Mississippi, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas and Arizona. In addition to HR, Lauren actively recruits accounting students at Ole Miss, Mississippi State, University of Southern Mississippi, Millsaps and Mississippi College.
Bruce Deer
Innovate Mississippi
Bruce Deer is a long-time technology executive, member of the Bulldog Angel Network and Innovate Mississippi's Entrepreneur in Residence.
Joe Donovan
Mississippi Development Authority
Mr. Donovan currently is the Director of The Office of Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship @ Mississippi Development Authority. Donovan primary responsible for focusing Mississippi on growing the knowledge based economic development through developing an eco-system focusing on emerging technologies.
Ryan Gilbrech
Mississippi State University
From studying biomedical engineering to founding a video game development studio to leading MSU’s first attempt at a satellite entrepreneurship center in Vicksburg, MS – it’s hard to predict Ryan Gilbrech’s career trajectory. With a penchant for chasing interesting, difficult, and visionary pursuits, he’s now working toward making Vicksburg the next big tech startup hub of the south.
Joe Graben
University of Southern Mississippi
Joe Graben is the Innovation Ecosystem Manager for the Office of Technology Development at the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) and has over twenty-five years of experience in supporting tech-based small businesses and innovation based economic development.
Adam Horlock
Office Evolution
Adam Horlock is the BCM for Mississippi’s first Office Evolution. Office Evolution is the nation’s largest locally owned and operated coworking network, with over 80 locations in 25 states.
Delbert Hosemann
Lieutenant Governor
Elected in November 2019 with more than 60 percent of the vote, the Honorable Delbert Hosemann is serving as Mississippi’s 33rd Lieutenant Governor. He previously served as Secretary of State. Lt. Governor Hosemann is committed to serving the public with open and fair government.
Ben Hubbard
Serial Entrepreneur
A native Mississippian, Ben has co-founded and launched several software-driven start-ups to market. Ben was part of a two-man team that built a multinational software solutions provider from scratch starting from an incubator in Jackson, MS.
Eric Hughes
The Hive Branding Agency
Eric works as Founding Partner of Mississippi’s first truly virtual ad agency, The Hive. With The Hive, his unique blend of experience and creativity in Brand Strategy, Marketing Campaign Development, Product Development, and Content Strategy gives business owners and leadership teams the focus, vision, unity, and momentum they need to get beyond surviving and start thriving.
Laura Johns
The Business Growers
Laura Johns is the founder and CEO of The Business Growers, a marketing firm serving the B2B telecom, SaaS, IT, and cloud-services industries. For 18 years, Laura managed marketing efforts for companies ranging from tech startups to global, multi-billion dollar businesses.
Laurie Jugan
MSET
Laurie Jugan is the Program Director at the Mississippi Enterprise for Technology (MSET), responsible for creating and overseeing programs supporting technology transfer out of federal agencies and technology transition into federal agencies.
Anik Kurkjian
Marketing Strategist
A highly experienced marketing strategist with over 15 years of expertise leading events, campaigns & brand development initiatives. Specializing in long term, sustainable return on investment through community engagement, influencer management & brand stewardship.
Sarah Lee
University of Southern Mississippi
Sarah Lee is Director of the School of Computing Sciences & Computer Engineering at The University of Southern Mississippi. A fifth generation Mississippian, she entered academia in 2011 following a 19-year industry career with a passion to broaden participation in computing and cybersecurity. She co-founded and launched the Last Mile Education Fund in 2020.
Steve Mercil
Appalachian Angel Alliance
Fund Administrator for the North & South Mississippi Angel Funds, Chief Business Development Officer Appalachian Angel Alliance (AIA)
Sam Miller
mySet Music and Sports
Sam Miller is the founder of mySet Music and Sports, a technology that enables musicians, sports teams, and radio stations to engage, monetize, and learn more about their fans. Skilled in Sales, Communication, Team Building, and Management, Sam is a strong business development professional with a Bachelor's degree focused in Management Information Systems from Mississippi State University.
Abb Payne
The Payne Companies
Founder and CEO of The Payne Companies family office and Chapter Chair of the Southern 7 Chapter of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO).
Marshall Ramsey
Mississippi Today
Marshall Ramsey is the Editor-At-Large for Mississippi Today, a non-profit news website. He’s a two-time Pulitzer Finalist (2002 and 2006) and Emmy winner (2022). His cartoons are nationally syndicated by Creators Syndicate and have appeared in The New York Times, USA Today and The (Jackson, Miss.) Clarion-Ledger.
our sponsors
Presenting Sponsor
Innovation LEaderS
Coffee & Contacts
Technology ChampionS
Executive PartnerS
EntrepreneurS
#accelerate2022
COBUILDERS PITCH DAY
1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Join us for a showcase of Mississippi startup companies from the CoBuilders in a special "Pitch Day" presentation at the Mississippi Museum of Art in downtown Jackson.
Speaker and Sponsor Reception
5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Speakers and sponsors are invited to mingle and network as we welcome people to the Westin Jackson and look forward to the conference day on Wednesday.
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 9th
REGISTRATION OPENS
7:30 a.m.
BREAKFAST KEYNOTE SESSION
8:00 a.m. - 9:15 a.m.
'Big ideas' and 'block and tackle' SESSIONS
9:30 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.
LUNCH KEYNOTE
12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
J. F. Gauthier
Founder and CEO, Genome Project
JF Gauthier is a Silicon Valley serial entrepreneur and Founder & CEO of Startup Genome. He is the world’s leading expert in innovation ecosystem development, having advised—and learned from—more than 100 governments and private-public partnerships across 40 countries.
Dr. Amber Johnson
Owner, Kidult Life
Dr. Amber Johnson, a native of Jackson, Miss., is an entrepreneur and techie. She is the owner of The Kidult Life, a lifestyle brand she founded after becoming the first black woman to graduate with a PhD in Computer Science from Purdue University.
Dr. Nashlie Sephus
Amazon AI & Founder The Bean Path
Amazon AI & Founder The Bean Path
Dr. Sephus received her PhD from the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) at the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2014. Her core research areas were digital signal processing (mainly music, speech, and image signals), machine learning, and computer engineering/science. She recently joined the Amazon AI team focusing on “fairness in AI” and is based in Atlanta.
Wendy Lea is a leader-practitioner with a multi-faceted entrepreneurial and ecosystem background.
Equally well-versed in helping large enterprises systematize innovation as she is in creating vibrant startup innovation ecosystems that grow city, regional, and state economies, Wendy is an advisory board member serving the Center for American Entrepreneurship (CAE) and an member on the National Advisory Council for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (NACIE)—a federal committee tasked with developing strategies that strengthen America’s ability to compete as the world’s leading startup nation and as the world’s leading innovator in critical emerging technologies.
Currently also the Co-founder and CEO of Energize Colorado, Wendy leads a team of inspired innovators from Colorado’s private, public, nonprofit, and academic communities to revive and invigorate Colorado’s economy, mobilizing relief for small businesses, nonprofits, and individuals recovering from the economic impact of COVID-19.
Wendy is also an active mentor and advisor for tech accelerators. She lives in Boulder, Colorado.
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Wendy Lea
Matt Adamczyk
Microsoft TechSpark
Matt is the Technical Advisor for Microsoft TechSpark and Technologist in Residence at TitletownTech. In this dual role, Matt engages with startups and entrepreneurs at TitletownTech to provide advisement and connection into deeper Microsoft expertise, and Matt extends to support entrepreneurship and ecosystem development across Microsoft TechSpark.
Jon Atkinson
Idea Village
Jon is an expert in startups, customer development methodologies, and entrepreneurial finance. His past experience combines a diverse knowledge as a professional investor and ‘recovering’ banker with skills gained as a professor, CEO, CFO, business advisor, board member, and strategic consultant to deliver unique business insights in guiding and financing growth oriented companies.
Steven Bailey
The Idea Shop
Steven Bailey is a Graduate Student at Mississippi State University and the manager of the MSU Idea Shop, connecting University resources to the Starkville community. Entrepreneurial pursuits and "making" have been a large portion of his life from the age of 12, when he developed his own ironworking business, selling handcrafted ironworking projects to his friends and family. In this current role he enjoys sharing this passion with others.
Anna Barker
Glo
Anna Barker is the Co-Founder and VP of Business Development of Glo® – a student project turned company that was founded through MSU’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Outreach, where she met fellow MSU alumnus and aspiring entrepreneur, Hagan Walker. She teamed up with Hagan to develop the idea behind the Glo Pals® – a line of light-up sensory toys inspired by a child with Autism.
Allyson Best
University of Mississippi
Allyson Best is the director of technology commercialization at the University of Mississippi. She has a bachelors from Clemson University in marketing and an MBA with a focus on pharmaceutical science from the University of Mississippi. She has served in numerous positions including the chair of the board of directors of the Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce, but also internationally within the Association of University Technology Managers.
Almesha Campbell
Jackson State University
Almesha L. Campbell, Ph.D. is the Assistant Vice President for Research and Economic Development at Jackson State University (JSU). She designs and manages programs around innovation, technology transfer, and commercialization in an effort to broaden the participation of underrepresented minorities in these areas.
Jeremy Clay
Mississippi State University
Jeremy Clay is director of MSU’s Office of Technology Management, the unit charged with efficiently capturing, protecting, managing and accelerating the commercialization of university-owned and -generated intellectual property.
Amber Coeur
Lobaki
As CEO of Lobaki, Amber is a hands-on leader who values every client and every team member for what they bring to the ongoing process of learning what virtual reality can become as the industry rapidly matures and grows across the country.