Mingle and Mentor Lounges

Need advice on your next innovative idea? Want to join an industry-related and tech-enabled community? Chat with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) or join your Ion Mingle Community!

On the Third Monday of the month, come to the Ion’s Academic Flex Space from 5 to 5:30 pm to connect with Ion SMEs in 1:1 or small group sessions. Our SMEs specialize in a range of topics, including Communication & Team Transformation, Storytelling, Marketing & Branding, Pitch Deck Preparation, Product Development, and Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion. While not every SME will be available every Third Monday, come prepared with your questions to make the most of this event, and feel free to connect with our SMEs using their LinkedIn profiles provided below!

At the same time, check out Ion’s Mingle Lounges. Lounges run from 5 to 6 pm in the classrooms surrounding the Flex Space. These Lounges are a great place to connect with fellow founders, innovators, entrepreneurs, SMEs, researchers, and corporates! Typically, each Lounge will have a featured speaker who shares their story and expertise. Make sure to follow Mingle Leaders’ and Ion’s social media for announcements regarding speakers and the frequency of Mingle Lounges. Mark your calendar and get ready to innovate, collaborate, and network!

Every better way needs a place to begin. Start here.

Ion SMEs are listed below.  The bolded ones are scheduled for February 19, 2024:

• Ayo Kuyinu: Brand Strategy: Identity, Positioning, and Messaging
• Bryce Cramer: Customer Experience & Empathy Technologist
• Christa Clarke, Sherhara Downing: Communication and Team Transformation
• Claudia Zettner: Project Management
• Dr. Doug Franklin: Pitch Deck Development
• Natasha Gorodetsky: AI Tools in Product Management
• Peter Durand: Group Facilitation and Visualizing Complex Systems
• Rahul Brahmbhatt: Navigating Frustration as a Solopreneur
• Sanaz Falahatpisheh: Pricing, Sales, and Negotiation Strategy
• Wade Pinder: Product Management
• Elena Gonzalez, Marketing strategy, brand identity, positioning & key customer benefits

Ion Mingle Lounges include: 

• Music, Film, Media Tech: Tracy DeJarnett (Music), Kevin Kempf (Film), Paul O’Brien, Josh Sutton (MediaTech Ventures)
• Food Tech: Tasos Katsaounis and Jereis Khawaja
• Intellectual Property: Hannah Edlund
• Med & Health Tech: Stuart J. Corr (Pumps & Pipes)
• FinTech: Norman Pappous, Kiley Summers, Phillip Yates 
• Transportation, Supply Chain, Logistics Mingle: Jim O’Sullivan
• EdTech: Sunny Zhang, Devina Bhojwani, Alicia Wiliams, Mingle Lounge Speaker: Alicia Williams, Founder & CEO, Abloom
• Web 3.0/NFTs – Giorgio Villani, Margaret Passe, Mingle Lounge Speaker: Zach Prater is a key member of an Ecosystem Growth Team at Cartesi, specializing in organizing hackathons, overseeing grants, and linking startups with venture capitalists. Zach’s engagement in the Web3 sector began in 2015, marking an exhilarating journey. With experience at several blockchain companies, Zach harbors ambitions to establish their own venture in the future.