Ignite Accessibility
Entrepreneur Pitch Competition
About the Event
In a world where inclusivity and accessibility are paramount, innovation becomes the cornerstone of progress. Welcome to Vista Entrepreneur Pitch Competition, an event designed to celebrate and support entrepreneurs who are dedicated to creating accessible solutions for people of all abilities.
Our exclusive Entrepreneur Pitch Competition will be a dynamic catalyst for innovation, fostering collaboration, and advancing the accessibility market. This event will ultimately lead to the creation of more inclusive and equitable solutions for individuals of all abilities.
DATE AND TIME
Friday, September 20, 2024
9:00 am – 11:30 am
LOCATION
Vista Center
101 North Bascom Ave, San Jose, California
Tickets
Judges
Bryan Bashin
Board Member, U.S. AbilityOne Commission
Bryan Bashin, a dedicated advocate for blindness and disability rights, serves on the U.S. AbilityOne Commission Board of Directors. With a rich background in journalism and public policy, Bryan has led transformative initiatives in disability services. As former CEO of Lighthouse for the Blind, he oversaw a $200 million organization serving thousands annually. Bryan’s expertise spans disability employment, policy development, and organizational leadership. Appointed by President Biden, he now works to modernize federal disability employment programs, continuing his lifelong commitment to advancing opportunities for people with disabilities.
Katharine Earhart
Partner & Co-Founder, Fairlight Advisors
Katharine Earhart is the Partner & Co-Founder of Fairlight Advisors, a women-owned asset management firm. With over 25 years of experience at companies like Charles Schwab, Barclays Global Investors, and BlackRock, she now helps nonprofits, foundations, and endowments invest to achieve their missions. At Fairlight, Katharine advises institutional clients on asset allocation, investment selection, and spend policy. She is also active in angel investing, promoting diversity through her roles with Women’s Equity Lab Silicon Valley and West Coast Angels Network (WeCAN).
Cory Hanosh
President, NorthState AT
Cory Hanosh is a passionate leader in the assistive technology industry with over 20 years of experience. As President of NorthState Assistive Technology since 2008, he’s dedicated to enhancing independence for individuals with visual impairments and cognitive challenges. Cory’s customer-first approach and continuous pursuit of the latest innovations make him a trusted expert in adaptive technology. Under his leadership, NorthState AT helps countless individuals gain greater independence and access to life-changing technologies.
Trish Howell
Consultant, Board Director, Advisor, COO
Trish Howell is an board director and C-level executive with over 30 years of experience in disruptive healthcare sectors, including Med Tech and automotive industries. She has deep expertise in overseas manufacturing and scaling organizations. Recently, she was COO of Element Science, launching a wearable cardioverter defibrillator. Her roles include VP of Operations at Avail Medsystems, pioneering surgical telemedicine, and at Stryker, commercializing non-invasive wound closure solutions. As part of her focus on mentoring, Trish volunteers as an Advisor for the Black Corporate Board Readiness program at Santa Clara University.
Bryan Loomas
Consultant, Serial Entrepreneur
Brian Loomas is a results-driven leader with a proven track record in start-up medical device companies, adept at managing within tight time and budget constraints. As a founder, co-founder, COO, CTO, and board member, he has led product development from concept to market across various roles. Brian has overseen R&D, quality, operations, clinical, and regulatory. He is also the inventor of 80 U.S. patents spanning ophthalmology, general surgery, sleep disorders, respiratory, and circulatory specialties.
Vicky Regan, PCC, CEC
Leadership Coach and Founder, Hone Leadership
Vicky Regan is the Founder of Hone Leadership, where she empowers women to amplify their impact and lead with confidence. With over 25 years of experience in executive leadership roles across the tech and business sectors, Vicky specializes in personalized coaching, workshops, and training for executives, emerging leaders, and organizations. She is passionate about mentorship and provides pro bono coaching to women and nonprofit organizations.
Jorge Taborga, Ph.D
Digital Transformation Leader & Graduate-Level Professor, Carnegie Mellon University
Jorge Taborga, Ph.D., has over 40 years of experience in the medical and tech industries, including roles at Omnicell, Bay Networks, and Quantum. He specializes in organizational transformation, product innovation, and business process improvements. His expertise spans IT system implementation, acquisition integration, and team mentoring. With significant leadership in startups and acquisitions, Jorge also teaches graduate-level courses on leadership and digital transformation, inspiring the next generation of industry leaders.
Paul Willard
Partner & Co-Founder,
Grep VC
Paul Willard is a Partner at Grep VC, focusing on Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS) investments. With extensive experience as both an operator and investor, his career spans from an Aerodynamics Engineer at Boeing, to Product Management at NextCard, to CMO of Atlassian and Practive Fusion. As in previous roles as Partner at Storm Ventures and Subtraction Capital, Paul continues to focus on balancing customer needs, business goals, and technical feasibility in high-value software products. He’s passionate about mentoring and actively engages with founders to drive innovation in transformative technologies.
Entrepreneurs
We are committed to encouraging diversity and representation within the startup ecosystem, empowering individuals from underrepresented communities, including people with disabilities, to pursue entrepreneurial endeavors. Their unique perspectives are crucial for solving accessibility challenges.
Why Attend?
Pitch competitions are vital for innovation, offering a platform for entrepreneurs to showcase groundbreaking ideas and solutions. In the accessibility field, where innovation is crucial for creating inclusive experiences, these competitions spur the development of new technologies, products, and services addressing diverse accessibility challenges. Participating in a pitch competition offers visibility for accessibility-focused products and services, opening doors to investments, grants, and other financial resources necessary for further development and commercialization.
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Investors
Some investors mistakenly believe that the accessibility market is too small. However, this market is rapidly growing, with an impressive 11.3% CAGR. Attendees at the Ignite Accessibility event will challenge this notion, uncovering the enormous potential, with aggregated spending power projected to reach an astounding $13 trillion in the coming years.
Join Us
Join us at the Ignite Accessibility Entrepreneur Pitch Competition to shatter misconceptions and explore boundless opportunities. Embrace innovation and accessibility, and let’s shape a future where inclusion knows no bounds.
Please email mmarshall@vistacenter.org to learn more about becoming an investor today!
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Sponsorship
You can support Vista Center’s mission, at your preferred level. Our goal is to raise funds through sponsorships to ensure that vision loss is no longer a barrier to independence. Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization. All sponsorships are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
$5,000
- Honorable mention at the event
- Listing on all promotional materials
- Your logo in 5 event e-blasts reaching over 4,000 individuals
- 3 recognition posts on social media
$2,500
- Honorable mention at the event
- Listing on all promotional materials
- Your logo in 3 event e-blasts reaching over 4,000 individuals
- 2 recognition posts on social media
$1,000
- Mention at the event
- Listing on website
- Your logo in 1 event e-blasts reaching over 4,000 individuals
- 1 recognition post on social media
$500
- Your name mentioned on social media and on the event webpage
