Aku Aakriti Srikanth
- Aku Aakriti Srikanth is the Managing Director of an AI Venture Studio and was an AI Executive at Workday (ex- DataRobot Director of Product - MLOps).
- Previously, she worked at Neotribe Ventures (founded by NEA GP with $356 under management) where she focused on seed stage startups and was a Principal at Mitsui Sumitomo CVC. She also worked with the General Catalyst Managing Director/ex - CTO of Dropbox via sourcing deals.
- MS & BS in Computer Science with a focus on machine learning and AI.
- She started career in investment banking at D.E.Shaw and strategy consulting at Deloitte.
- She was the Head of AI Product Strategy at IBM Watson and launched the Red Hat AI.
- She founded Microsoft for Startups : AI Amalgamators as featured on Forbes.
- She launched “Community of 100+ AI Executives” sponsored by Google, SVB & Salesforce featuring the Forbes VC Midas List Editor and VC firms.
- She was featured on the Forbes 30 Under 30 List and Nasdaq’s Leading Women in AI on CNBC,.
- US awarded her the EB1 greencard based on extraordinary abilities in AI and is the founder of the WomenOfGenAI in partnership with WomenOfAI.org.
Brandon Walker
Brandon Walker is the Enterprise AI Strategy Lead at Rocket Companies. In this role, he is responsible for driving the strategy and architecture for the technology, data and analytics that power the Rocket Company’s fintech platforms—ensuring a consistent, seamless experience for clients across the Rocket Companies ecosystem and driving its growth from mortgage and real estate to personal finance.
Brandon holds a bachelor’s degree from Georgia College and State University and a master’s degree from Harvard University. He and his family reside in Charleston, South Carolina.
Tom Kersten
Tom is a distinguished R&D Engineer specialising in AI within the aerospace sector. Armed with a background in computer science and AI, Tom possesses a comprehensive understanding of AI systems. Within his company, he stands out as a leading visionary delving into the integration of generative AI in space, in particular to support the efforts of the Dutch government and its military in this domain. His pioneering work involves exploring and harnessing the potential of GenAI models to revolutionise satellite operations, mission planning, earth observation and space exploration. Tom's dedication to pushing the boundaries of AI in aerospace extends to leveraging generative AI's capabilities, envisaging transformative applications that could redefine the landscape of space technology.
Austin Vance
Austin Vance, the co-founder and CEO of Focused Labs, brings a dynamic blend of technical prowess and leadership to the forefront of the software industry. With a career spanning 24 years in software development, he has a rich history of leading high-performing engineering teams at organizations such as Pivotal and PayPal. This extensive experience has not only honed his expertise in the field but also deepened his commitment to delivering exceptional customer service through innovative software solutions. Under his guidance, Focused Labs excels in providing customers with custom software solutions that drive growth, enhance efficiency, and foster innovation, solidifying its position as a trusted partner in the tech ecosystem.