ABOUT SESSION: Discover how Martika Brianne Jones transformed life’s unexpected twists into opportunities, taking her from orchestral performance to founding BŪP, an AI-powered networking platform. In this session, Martika shares how discipline, passion, and a powerful network shaped her entrepreneurial path.
ABOUT SPEAKER: Martika Brianne Jones is the Founder and CEO of BŪP®, an AI-driven lead nurturing platform for sales teams. With a decade of sales experience and a Master of Science in Entrepreneurship, she revolutionized business networking through AI technology. Martika has also served as an Entrepreneur-in-Residence, curating and overseeing programming for nonprofit entities. She is dedicated to empowering underrepresented founders in Tampa and providing essential resources and mentorship, exemplifying her commitment to strong business networks and community service.
In this session, a board certified intellectual property lawyer will go over the basics of copyright, trademark, patent, and trade secrets law. The goal is to empower entrepreneurs to spotting intellectual property issues in their businesses, both so they can protect everything they are working so hard to create, and so they can avoid common pitfalls new businesses make that can lead to litigation down the line.
Dineen Wasylik is an entrepreneur that helps entrepreneurs protect everything they work so hard to create. Dineen is certified by the Florida Bar as an expert in intellectual property law, and she uses that expertise to help businesses and their entrepreneurs understand the copyright, trademark, and trade secret issues they face, and navigate those issues to protect assets and prevent lawsuits. She is a former chair of the intellectual property committee of the Florida Bar Business Law Section, and former chair of the Hillsborough County Bar Association intellectual property section. Dineen won the legal category in the Tampa Bay Business Journal’s 2017 Business Woman of the Year contest. She is a graduate of Georgetown University Law Center and Cornell University.
ABOUT SESSION: In this session, Joe Simon, a manager and senior researcher at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory of the Department of Energy will guide attendees through finding valuable technologies available for license from the nation’s top scientists through the OTT’s Lab Partnering Service, the use of a business model canvas to develop a potential business opportunity, and to develop a quick pitch of the technology to be leveraged and the business opportunity. Attendees will collaborate with each other, learn about emerging energy technologies, and participate in a friendly competition for their pitches. Participation in this workshop will help competitors prepare for possible participation in the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Technology Transitions(OTT) EnergyTech University Prize (EnergyTech UP), which offers +$400,000 in cash prizes for students who successfully identify a promising energy technology, assessing its market potential, and create a business plan to accelerate commercialization. The deadline to register for the EnergyTech UP program is February 3, 2025 so the timing of this concurrent session can help set competitors up for success.
ABOUT SPEAKER: Joe Simon is the group manager for the Research Innovations & Partnerships Group. In this role, Joe leads efforts to grow the institute’s networks, vouchers, catalyzers, and workshops that accelerate the clean energy transition and increase JISEA’s impact across the entire energy industry. He is a senior researcher & project manager for several programs including the EnergyTech University Prize, Solar District Cup, Energy in DOT Rights-of-Way and solar decommissioning cost analysis, He serves as the program area lead for NREL’s solar technology-to-market portfolio of work. Outside of NREL, Joe is the immediate past president of the Board of Directors for Levitt Pavilion Denver and co-founded a company that sought to deliver modular, affordable, accessory dwelling units to the Denver Market.
ABOUT SESSION: In college, the greatest treasure isn’t just a diploma—it’s the network you build along the way. This presentation explores how creating and expanding your network can unlock valuable opportunities, mentorship, and career growth. Discover strategies to connect with peers, professors, and industry professionals, and learn how to cultivate relationships that will support your journey long after graduation. By treating your college community as a goldmine of connections, you’ll set yourself up for lasting success.
ABOUT SPEAKER: Sierra Pollard is an innovation trailblazer with over a decade of dedicated studies in Marketing, Innovation, and Design Thinking. An author of the INNOVATE Series, entrepreneur, and international keynote speaker, she's also a devoted advocate for women in STEAM. She holds the distinction of being the first person to hold both undergraduate and graduate degrees in Innovation, earned from the University of Florida and Virginia Commonwealth University. She has further enriched her education at esteemed institutions such as Harvard University and the European Innovation Academy and is currently earning a Ph.D. in Curriculum Development from Liberty University. With expertise spanning higher education, startups, and corporate realms, Sierra offers a well-rounded perspective. She founded the Women's Summit of the Lowcountry, establishing the Winnovator Scholarship to support young women's advancement in academia. Her impact extends to the digital realm, where she has built the Winnovation Agency from the ground up, collaborating with renowned brands like Hargray, HBOMax, Adidas, Hallmark, and more. Sierra's expertise also shines as a Pitch Coach for Entrepreneurs, guiding startup leaders to refine their pitch presentations for venture capital funding. Through her strategic insights and commitment to fostering inclusivity and innovation, Sierra continues to shape the landscape of entrepreneurship and education at the Director of the Blackstone LaunchPad at the University of Florida!
ABOUT SESSION: "If my story is to be written, it shall be by my pen" - The most iconic brands are those that have a clear message that's shared in unique stories. Drawing on 8 years of research, working with some of the world's largest brands, Chirag will introduce you to the Brand Clarity Framework, designed to make your marketing more intentional and action-driven. This session will teach you how to build streamlined brands by focusing on your core echos, help you craft powerful narratives that resonate with your audience, and show you how to use curiosity to energize your audience into action. Having been featured on platforms like the History Channel & Google, Chirag is an award-winning engaging speaker with an online audience of 60k+ and 7M+ views.
ABOUT SPEAKER: With an online audience of 60k+ and 7M+ views, Chirag is a leading expert in simplifying complex marketing concepts into practical advice, taking brands from chaos to action. In his “9-5,” he is a celebrated Googler working with some of the world's largest global brands as an expert in crisis management and proactive problem-solving. For his “5-9,” he is a dynamic speaker and awarded advisor, known for his "Brand Clarity Framework" that helps business owners develop intentional brand stories and actionable marketing strategies. In addition to multiple awards and fellowships, he was featured in the hit HISTORY Channel docu-series ‘The Mega Brands That Built America’ as a brand expert, alongside notable figures like Gary Vaynerchuk.
ABOUT SESSION: This hands-on workshop focuses on the ideation phase of the design thinking cycle, guiding participants through techniques to generate and refine creative ideas. Attendees will engage in experiential activities to practice brainstorming, concept development, and rapid iteration. The session aims to equip participants with tools to approach problem-solving from multiple perspectives and enhance their ability to innovate. By the end of the workshop, participants will be prepared to apply ideation strategies to real-world challenges and advance through the design thinking process.
ABOUT SPEAKER: Sierra Pollard is an innovation trailblazer with over a decade of dedicated studies in Marketing, Innovation, and Design Thinking. An author of the INNOVATE Series, entrepreneur, and international keynote speaker, she's also a devoted advocate for women in STEAM. She holds the distinction of being the first person to hold both undergraduate and graduate degrees in Innovation, earned from the University of Florida and Virginia Commonwealth University. She has further enriched her education at esteemed institutions such as Harvard University and the European Innovation Academy and is currently earning a Ph.D. in Curriculum Development from Liberty University. With expertise spanning higher education, startups, and corporate realms, Sierra offers a well-rounded perspective. She founded the Women's Summit of the Lowcountry, establishing the Winnovator Scholarship to support young women's advancement in academia. Her impact extends to the digital realm, where she has built the Winnovation Agency from the ground up, collaborating with renowned brands like Hargray, HBOMax, Adidas, Hallmark, and more. Sierra's expertise also shines as a Pitch Coach for Entrepreneurs, guiding startup leaders to refine their pitch presentations for venture capital funding. Through her strategic insights and commitment to fostering inclusivity and innovation, Sierra continues to shape the landscape of entrepreneurship and education at the Director of the Blackstone LaunchPad at the University of Florida!
ABOUT SESSION: The session will focus on building creative confidence and curiosity, guiding participants to generate multiple ideas and solutions through activities like the Thirty Circles Exercise, which encourages free and enthusiastic thinking. Participants will also be introduced to the creative thinking framework that balances human, technical, and business factors to find the "sweet spot" where solutions are both innovative and practical. For instance, products like the Insta360 action camera, known for its impressive yet affordable technology, demonstrates this balance. Finally, participants will learn the Lean LaunchPad process, including the Business Model Canvas to understand key business aspects, the Interview Process to identify customer needs, and Agile Development to iteratively develop products based on customer feedback.
ABOUT SPEAKER: Dushan Nikolovski has a unique blend of 35+ years of startup and business experience and 30+ years teaching experience, educating thousands of undergraduate, graduate, executive MBA and community members in a variety of subjects and concentrations. Dushan is the inaugural Director of the Innovation Hub (iHub) and a Professor of Entrepreneurship at Valparaiso University and former Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship Success and Professor of Entrepreneurship at Purdue University’s Chicago area campus. Dushan has founded a variety of companies from entertainment to fast-food company, and currently, he is the founder and president of IKANSTART; created to educate, train, inspire and motivate people to make a change in their life and start working on their dreams: to establish a new business, create a new product or service, become a better leader or just a better version of themselves and take on the next challenge in their life by learning new skills and strategies. He helps businesses reinvent themselves in this ever-changing economy and world.
Dushan has also implemented regional, national, and international programs, including the national idea competition, The Big Sell Entrepreneurship Competition, and the Chinese Executive Leadership Program. Moreover, he has been involved in working with organizations in China for over a decade, including conducting workshops for the prestigious Chinese Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (NASA of China).
Dushan's commitment to giving back extends to volunteering on community boards, speaking at public events and non-profit organizations, and providing educational programs for young people. He believes empowering today’s youth is extremely important because it develops leadership skills which can impact self-esteem, build character, and create thriving communities.
