In 2005, Joe Medved joined SoftBank Capital, where he helps identify, evaluate and support early stage investment opportunities. The fund focuses on companies that address ubiquitous, social computing. Prior to joining SoftBank Capital, Joe was an Associate with Constellation Ventures, a media and communications venture capital fund under Bear Stearns Asset Management. Prior to Constellation Ventures, he was an Associate and Analyst for the Technology, Media and Telecommunications Group with JPMorgan Investment Banking. Joe is Chairman Emeritus of the New England Venture Network (NEVN), the largest young venture capital organization on the East Coast. Under NEVN, he co-founded VentureNetwork.VC, the first social network built exclusively for the venture capital community. @joevc

From bootstrap entrepreneur to corporate executive to angel investor for venture backed start-ups, one theme has defined Wendy Lea’s 25 year career: a constant push to stay current, relevant, and to go beyond the expected and the status quo. Wendy is a recognized expert in multi-channel systems and has worked with technology brands, large and small, to connect them more effectively to their customers. In 1999, Wendy established Siebel Systems’ eBusiness Consulting business unit which she joined after the company’s acquisition of OnTarget, where she served as VP of Marketing and Alliances. In 2001, Wendy founded The Chatham Group, where she currently serves as an angel investor, board member and strategic advisor for a long list of startup companies including UStream, Eventvue, Metallect, and Aegis Analytics. Today, Wendy serves as CEO of Get Satisfaction, where she is focused on applying her expertise to drive the convergence of social media and customer service to bring brands closer than ever to their customers. @wendyslea

Bob Arnold is associate director of global digital strategy for Kellogg’s where he works to define and enable digital strategy for some of the world’s most iconic brands. Prior to Kellogg Bob was a 10 year veteran at Procter & Gamble leading digital marketing efforts across several global categories. This included Feminine Care where he led the awarding winning beinggirl.com digital platform into 50 countries and consistently delivered the category’s highest ROIs – several times higher than traditional media. Bob and his work has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, as a case study by Forrester and in “Groundswell", a Businessweek best selling book.

Adam is the Marketing Director at GILT Groupe, leading all of the marketing & strategy development for Women – the e-commerce innovator’s original and largest business unit. In this role, he builds marketing strategies & plans across paid media, search, CRM, & social media as well as builds partnerships with some of the world’s most prestigious fashion & beauty brands. Prior to GILT Groupe, Adam was a Sr. Brand Manager at Procter & Gamble where he enabled break though innovation in digital, entertainment marketing, & e-commerce. His most recent Brand Manager role was leading the P&G’s acquisition & rapid expansion of the prestige grooming brand & retailer, The Art of Shaving.

Phin is a Principal at First Round Capital, a leading seed stage venture capital firm. Before joining First Round Capital, Phin founded an independent videogame company that developed and published Yourself!Fitness, the first fitness game for Xbox and PlayStation2. While managing the marketing and distribution of Yourself!Fitness from 2003-2006, Phin secured retail partnerships with Nordstrom and Best Buy as well as promotional partnerships with Proctor & Gamble and McDonald’s. One of the earliest employees at AND 1 Basketball, Phin spent six years helping to grow the company from revenues of $15 million to over $225 million. While at AND 1 Phin led product direction, managed relationships with national retail accounts and created the initial concept for the signature AND 1 marketing property—the AND 1 Mix Tape. Phin also has consulted with several companies, including MTV Networks, where he focused on non-traditional games and the growth of the MTV Games division. @phineasb

Since the late 90’s, Blair Garrou has focused on funding, operating and incubating startup software companies. Blair is a co-founder and Managing Director of Mercury Fund, a seed and startup venture capital firm headquartered in Houston, Texas. With over $100 million under management, Mercury invests in compelling and novel software and science-based start-up opportunities, focusing on entrepreneurs and innovation originating in the U.S. Midcontinent. Blair is also a co-founder of SURGE Accelerator, a Houston-based, mentor-driven seed accelerator focused on entrepreneurs seeking to solve the world’s energy problems using software. He is also an Adjunct Professor of Management at the Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice University where he teaches acourse on venture capital. Prior to Mercury, Blair was the CEO of Intermat (NYSE: IHS), a leader in product information management software; a Principal with Genesis Park, a Houston-based private equity firm; helped launch and was the Director of Operations for the Houston Technology Center, where he led the formation of the Houston Angel Network; was an investment banker with BMO Nesbitt Burns; and began his career with Deloitte & Touche. Blair received a B.S. in Management from Washington & Lee University.

Geoff Allen is a serial entrepreneur with over 20 years experience in software technology spanning product development, sales, marketing and business operations. As founder of ZipList, he formulated the original vision behind the company, with the goal to develop a service that reduces the everyday hassles associated with grocery shopping. Prior to ZipList, he founded and served as CEO of both Echo360, Inc. and Grab Networks, Inc. (formerly Anystream, Inc.) of which he still serves as Chairman. Echo360 is the leading provider of enterprise software that enables universities worldwide to capture and publish classroom lectures to the web and mobile media devices. Grab Networks helps content producers manage, syndicate and monetize their video online, and customers include media companies such as CNN, NFL Films, NBC, MTV and HBO. Previously he also founded and served as CEO of Axicom, a developer of digital advertising systems for cable television providers. Geoff is a member of the Young President’s Organization (YPO), and formerly served as the vice president of technology for the Young Entrepreneurs’ Organization international board of directors. He attended George Mason University’s Computer Science program and the Birthing of Giants Entrepreneurial Management Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Ted is an entrepreneur & open source hacker turned early stage, technology venture capitalist rebuilding Detroit. In 2011, he relocated from San Francisco to Detroit, joining Detroit Venture Partners as Vice President, after selling his company to Lifetime Television in 2008. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential, emerging venture technology partners in the Midwest and a key player leading the startup renaissance in Detroit. Ted earned a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering from Cornell University. He currently blogs about 52 Startup Lessons he’s learned as both a founder and VC. @tedserbinski

Boren Novakovic is a Global Director of eCommerce, Digital Marketing and Commercial Innovation at Kimberly-Clark. He heads up digital efforts for K-C’s great consumer brands including Huggies, Kleenex, Kotex, Scott, Viva and Depend as well as B2B sectors. Prior to his current role, Boren led global eCommerce strategy and the North American online and direct to consumer business at Whirlpool Corporation for Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, Amana and JennAir brands.

Bryon has been in the retail and online industry since 1995 when his team built some of the first web-based transactional storefronts for publishers including Business Week and USA Today. He’s currently the SVP of Digital Commerce at Cornerstone Brands (Nasdaq: HSNI) where he leads digital strategy, mobile innovation, and technology operations across seven brands including Frontgate, Garnet Hill, Ballard Designs, Chasing Fireflies, Travelsmith, Improvements, and Grandin Road. Cornerstone’s 2012 digital penetration rate was 65% with over $650 million of sales generated from their desktop, mobile, tablet, and social channels. Previous roles include VP of Ecommerce at global fashion company Marc Ecko Enterprises; Managing Director at eCommerce platform developer Fry Inc. (serving clients such as Ann Taylor, Godiva Chocolate, Canon USA, Kraft, Yves Rocher, Nautica, Circuit-City, La-Z-Boy, and Waterford/Wedgwood); President of digital marketing agency Activelead Consulting; and the US Founder & VP at Scan Mobile (mobile commerce start-up). Bryon is a frequent speaker at industry conferences, serves on the Dreamit Ventures eCommerce Advisory Board, participates as a member of the Shop.org Content Committee, and is a former founding Board Member of the largest charter school in New York City.