How to Harness the Power of Community & The Race to Rally

Join us for this invite-only event to harness the power of community and accelerate your growth.

We're teaming up with Elevate Ventures to bring Powderkeg Pitch Night back to the big stage. Join us on May 17 to get plugged into the some of the biggest opportunities in what some are calling "The Innovation Capital of the World."

You'll be the first to hear about some of the most important initiatives that the Midwest has ever seen...

Make a bigger impact with powerful community tools and insights.

Join us on May 17 to learn directly from startup CEOs and business leaders like the author of the book "Community In a Box" and & Global Startup Advocate at AWS . You'll have the chance to learn about startups making an impact in communities around the world, including non-profit-tech companies like Boardable and Onecause. Attendees will also have a chance to give back through programs like Indy Tech Gives. Read on to learn more...

Learn more about Rally and the wealth builders of the Indiana innovation ecosystem.

There's never been a better time to build and scale in Indiana. On May 17, Powderkeg is teaming up with Elevate Ventures and dozens of partners around the country to bring you an exclusive experience for founders, investors, and leaders who are leveling up.

Opportunities for executives looking to build momentum.

You'll get access to a curated group of leaders and a stellar speaker lineup to learn about some of the most innovative projects that are happening right here in Indiana (and beyond). Here's what you can expect:

• Connect with 250+ Other Execs
• Panel Q&A with Industry Experts & CEOs
• Pitches from CEOs and Community Leaders
• Big announcements from Powderkeg and Rally
• Plenty of time to connect, network, and celebrate
• Opportunities to get interviewed as a thought leader
• Indy500 Racing Simulator
• Professional Headshot Photo Booth
• Live Video Interviews

Reserve your spot now. Or read on to learn more about this event's speakers, partners, and programming...

Thanks to Our Amazing Partners

Huge thanks to our national and local partners for making this event possible!

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Meet the Speakers

Learn from the experts who are shaping the tech and innovation industry.

Mark Birch | Author of "Community In a Box" & Global Startup Advocate at AWS (Amazon Web Services)

Mark is a software entrepreneur, startup advisor, community builder, and author of the book "Community In a Box." He currently works at AWS as a Global Startup Advocate sharing how startups successfully build, grow & scale on AWS. Prior to AWS, Mark launched the SaaS business for Stack Overflow, founded an enterprise HR tech startup, was a software engineer, and worked for a number of leading technology companies.

Stephanie Ragozzino | Chief Product Officer at OneCause

Stephanie is a passionate product executive that absolutely loves creating value for customers and building product. She has spent the past 20 years identifying business problems and coming up with fun, creative and sellable solutions that can help businesses achieve their goals at companies like PERQ, Teradata, and Aprimo. As Chief Product Officer at OneCause, Stephanie brings that passion to work every single day to help build a product that empowers nonprofits to reach their fundraising goals.

Ray Fraser | Chairman and CEO of Vital View Technologies

As a serial entrepreneur with over a decade in the startup ecosystem, Ray has experience as both a co-founder and an early employee. Through Notre Dame’s venture fund, Ray co-founded and now serves as Chairman and CEO of Vital View Technologies. Based on groundbreaking research, the medical IoT company creates connected solutions for the growing "hospital at home" market.

Jeff Middlesworth | CEO at Boardable

Jeff leads the executive team at Boardable, a company that helps mission-driven organizations drive engagement with their boards and committees. He brings more than 20 years of SaaS, product management, and executive leadership experience to the role, having held leadership positions at high-growth companies such as ExactTarget, Salesforce, Branding Brand, and Emma.

Johnny Park | CEO of Wabash Heartland Innovation Network (WHIN)

Johnny is CEO of Wabash Heartland Innovation Network (WHIN), a consortium of 10 counties in north-central Indiana devoted to developing the region into a global epicenter of digital agriculture and next-generation manufacturing by harnessing the power of IoT (Internet of Things). Prior to WHIN, Johnny founded, scaled and led a successful exit of an agtech company, Spensa, focused on smart IoT devices and data analytics to help growers better manage agronomic pests such as insects, weeds and disease. The company was named by Forbes as one of the Top 25 Most Innovative Ag-Tech Startups in 2017.

Emily Krueger | CEO at 16 Tech

Emily Krueger is the president and CEO of 16 Tech Community Corporation, the non-profit that manages and oversees the 16 Tech Innovation District, a 50-acre mixed-use community in downtown Indianapolis dedicated to fostering innovation and economic opportunity. Emily is the second full-time employee hired to activate the organization and served as its COO from 2018-2022. Prior to joining 16 Tech, Krueger served as vice president of administration for Indianapolis-based LDI, Ltd., one of Indiana’s largest private companies.

Evan Hock | Co-Founder at MakeMyMove

Evan Hock is Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer at MakeMyMove. Prior to MakeMyMove, he served as Vice President of Innovation at OurHealth and worked for nearly a decade at Angie’s List, holding key roles in Operations, Marketing and Product. He holds a BA in Religion from Anderson University.

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The Agenda

As always, there will be plenty of time to connect with the community. Here’s the action-packed agenda:

4:00 PM — Doors open: VIP Networking

5:00 PM — Special Announcement & Welcome from Powderkeg CEO Matt Hunckler

5:10 PM — Panel Q&A with Innovation Insiders, Entrepreneurs, and Investors

5:40 PM — Pitches from Fast-Growing Startups and Tech Companies

6:00 PM — Connect and Celebrate at The AMP at 16 Tech

7:00 PM — Go out and spread the word!

Reserve your spot now. Or keep reading to learn more about your host, food, and venue...

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Local Food & Drink

Think we would let you go hungry? No way! We got you.

Get your fill from our great local partners and their tasty eats. Full bar and non-alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase.

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Meet Your Host

Matt Hunckler | CEO and Co-founder of Powderkeg

Matt Hunckler is the co-founder and CEO of Powderkeg, the best way for companies to build momentum and become known in fast-growing communities.

Your locally-driven, nationally-connected tech community

Powderkeg is the only private member network focused on supporting tech companies and executives in communities beyond Silicon Valley. Learn more at Powderkeg.com