Schedule

9:00 am – 10:50 am

Measuring What Matters in Startups

In-Depth Insider Workshop with Colin Gardiner, Founding Partner at Yonder Ventures

This workshop will focus on covering all the core metrics for startups and how to calculate them. The goal of the workshop is to come away with a strong understanding of startup metrics and how they all work together.

10:50 am – 12:30 pm

The Octalysis Framework – Create Gamified Engagement and Retention for Everything

In-Depth Insider Workshop with Yu-Kai Chou, Founding Partner at Octalysis Group

This will be an in-depth workshop on how to use the 8 Core Drives of the Octalysis Framework to increase motivation and behavior in any environment.

12:30 pm – 1:30 pm

Grab lunch in Downtown Lafayette!

1:30 pm – 3:20 pm

See the AI String

In-Depth Insider Workshop with Gant Laborde, CIO at Infinite Red

The AI Revolution is here; will you play chess or checkers? Let’s gear up our AI X-ray vision to see AI features before everyone else.

3:20 pm – 5:00 pm

The Growth Catalyst: Empowering Leadership and Culture for Strategic Advantage

In-Depth Insider Workshop with Autumn Manning, Founder of Faana

Join us for the Faana Growth Workshop, where we’ll unpack the critical components of true growth strategy using the Growth Operating Framework, enabling smarter growth with less waste, crucial in the early stage where resources are limited. Walk away equipped with actionable insights and a roadmap for building a lasting business, ensuring you spend more time pursuing your vision and serving your customers.

12:00 PM

Doors Open

12:15 pm – 1:05 pm

Architecting a Marketplace

Keynote Presentation with Colin Gardiner, Founding Partner at Yonder Ventures

The session will cover the basics of building a marketplace startup from the ground up, covering key concepts and metrics. Colin will also talk about what he’s learned along the way to becoming a self-proclaimed marketplace geek, through his experiences as a long-time operator working as an early employee at Outdoorsy, Roamly, Tripping.com, Ancestry, and JustAnswer.

1:05 pm – 1:55 pm

Why AI?

Keynote Presentation with Gant Laborde, CIO at Infinite Red

We’ve heard of AI for a long time, but recently it’s become a buzz. What’s changed that makes AI so special, and how can you utilize this to make a difference in your own business?

1:55 pm – 2:30 pm

Startup Founder Panel

Panel Discussion featuring Lauren Bercier, Co-Founder & CEO of Something Borrowed Blooms; Chris Meaux, Chairman of the Board at Mallard Bay Outdoors; and Randall Howard, Chief Executive Officer of Circle the Wagons

Join us for a panel featuring some of the best and brightest of Louisiana’s startup ecosystem!

2:30 pm – 3:20 pm

Lessons From All Sides of the Table: The Art of Sustainable Growth in Leadership and Innovation

Keynote Presentation with Autumn Manning, Founder of Faana

Dive into the heart of transformative leadership with Autumn Manning, a seasoned entrepreneur and strategist, as she unveils the essence of ‘Growth the Faana Way’—a journey of resilience, culture, and community-driven success. Explore the tenets of foundational growth and learn to navigate the entrepreneurial landscape with strength, from the inside out, in an AI-augmented world.

3:20 pm – 4:10 pm

Actionable Gamification: Beyond Points, Badges, and Leaderboards

Keynote Presentation with Yu-Kai Chou, Founding Partner at Octalysis Group

This session will be a high level overview of the Octalysis Framework for Gamification and Behavioral Design. We will explore the 8 Core Drives and how to balance intrinsic vs extrinsic motivation, as well long-term and short-term Core Drives. Whether it’s getting users to keep coming back to the app, employees to work more innovatively with less churn, or getting customers to buy more reliably, by applying a proven model of behavioral science, your organization can increase its effectiveness while maximizing delightfulness.

4:10 pm – 5:00 pm

Tech Tank Pitch Competition

Join us for a live Shark-Tank Style Pitch Competition featuring emerging local tech startups!

5:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Networking Happy Hour

Join us to connect, network, and build relationships within the business and technical communities of South Louisiana before you head outside into the heart of Downtown Lafayette to enjoy Festival International, the largest international music festival in the US!