Join us NOVEMBER 14
Startup Fest is The Close School of Entrepreneurship’s premiere annual event. Register for a full day of competitions, vendor expos, thought leadership conversations, workshops, networking opportunities, and more!
PRESENTED BY
SCHEDULE
Masterclass 1: Pitching That Lands: How to Craft and Deliver Winning Pitches with Don Milley, Founder of WhatsitAI
Masterclass 2: Finding Your Customer and Crafting Your Value with Emily Foote, Chief Growth Officer at Saxybys
Masterclass 3: Legal Foundations for Startup Success with Greenberg Traurig
Masterclass 4: How to Find a Problem Worth Solving: The Power of Starting Small with Bo Zhao, Founder and CEO of Baby Gear Group
Keynote Speaker
Entrepreneurs from different industries and verticals are expected to be in attendance in a number of roles including exhibitors, students, speakers, and roundtables.
Robert Amar
Founder of Small World Seafood
Robert Amar is the Founder of Small World Seafood, a Philadelphia-based business that brings fresh, sustainable seafood directly to local consumers. Launched in the Fairmount neighborhood during the COVID-19 pandemic, Small World Seafood quickly grew into a community-driven enterprise centered on quality, connection, and local fellowship. Robert’s work highlights the power of grassroots entrepreneurship and the importance of building businesses rooted in neighborhood values.
Master Class Speakers
Don Milley
Founder of WhatsitAI
Don Milley is a serial entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience building and scaling ventures across technology, gaming, consumer products, and ecommerce. He is the founder of Whatsit AI, a platform that helps users instantly identify and evaluate vintage and second-hand items. His work has been featured in The New York Times, Entrepreneur, and MSNBC for his contributions to innovation and market disruption.
Emily Foote
Chief Growth Officer at Saxybys
Emily Foote is the Chief Growth and Strategy Officer at Saxbys, where she leads the company’s expansion and community-driven innovation efforts. A former venture capital professional and co-founder of the learning platform Practice, she combines expertise in education, technology, and entrepreneurship to scale mission-driven organizations and develop the next generation of leaders.
Bo Zhao
Founder and CEO of Baby Gear Group
Don Milley has over 15 years of experience building and scaling both traditional and digital enterprises, from mobile apps and browser games to social networks and ecommerce platforms. His diverse background spans technology, finance, consumer products, business development, and more. He has received multiple industry awards and had his work featured in The New York Times, Entrepreneur magazine, and MSNBC. His most recent project, Whatsit AI, is a revolutionary tool that helps people identify the value of vintage, thrifted, or second-hand objects.
Greenberg Traurig Law
Greenberg Traurig LLP is a leading international law firm with more than 2,700 attorneys across 45 offices worldwide, recognized for its deep expertise in business law and commitment to innovation. In this three-part presentation, the firm’s attorneys will guide founders through the Legal Foundations for Startup Success, covering essential topics such as entity formation, founder equity, intellectual property protection, and best practices for hiring and compliance. Their insights will help early-stage entrepreneurs build strong legal frameworks for sustainable growth and long-term success.
Panelists
Brian Jones
Entrepreneur
Brian Jones
Entrepreneur
Brian Jones
Entrepreneur
Brian Jones
Entrepreneur
Brian Jones
Entrepreneur
Brian Jones
Entrepreneur
Proving Ground Expo
Discover ground-breaking ideas and cutting-edge startup innovations by Drexel Dragons at the Proving Ground Expo.
Sponsors
