This summer at Venture Café Phoenix, we’re inviting you to go on a journey with us, into the real, unfiltered stories of entrepreneurship.
Launching June 25th and running weekly through September 3rd, our Founder Journeys Summer Series will feature a different founder from our community each week in an intimate fireside chat format, moderated by the Venture Café Phoenix team.
Together, we’ll explore how they got started, the challenges they’ve faced, where they found funding, and what they’re building next. But beyond the startup story, we’ll go deeper, into the role community has played in shaping their path.
We’ll ask founders how engaging with Venture Café has impacted their journey, where they are today because of those connections, and what support has mattered most along the way. And just as importantly, we’ll explore how they want to give back, how they can support the broader ecosystem as it continues to grow.
This series is designed to be a two-way conversation between founders and community: learning from those building in real time, and strengthening the network that helps them (and all of us) move forward together.
Sponsored by: Extraordinary Network
AI Ask Me Anything (AMA) — Get Real Answers from AI Experts (Live at Venture Café)
Curious about AI but not sure where to start—or stuck trying to actually use it in your work?
Join us for a 90-minute, open AMA with the Serpico AI Learning Center experts. This is your chance to ask anything and get real, practical answers on the spot.
Whether you’re exploring tools like ChatGPT, Claude, or Midjourney—or just trying to figure out what AI can actually do for you—we’ll help you cut through the noise.
What you’ll get:
Live answers to your specific questions
Practical use cases you can apply immediately
Help troubleshooting prompts, workflows, or ideas
Insight from experts actively using AI in real business scenarios
No presentations. No fluff. Just direct access to people doing the work.
Bring your questions. Bring your laptop if you want."
Arrive early to Venture Café Phoenix for your chance to connect with Brandon Alexander, Agency Owner of Ailex Solutions. Come gain insights on how to problem-cost your client’s problems and monetize the solution your product provides.
Mentor Hours meetings begin at 4:30pm and run in 15-minute slots
Please note: Mentor Hours are first come first served and must be done on-site at the event. A sign-up sheet will be located at the room where the mentor is stationed, so be sure to stop by early to secure your spot.
In partnership with Resolution Resource Group
Arrive early to Venture Café Phoenix for your chance to connect with Michael Goodman, President of Revenue Kinetics. Come gain insights on leadership principles and the path to growing your business.
Mentor Hours meetings begin at 4:30pm and run in 15-minute slots.
Please note: Mentor Hours are first come first served and must be done on-site at the event. A sign-up sheet will be located at the room where the mentor is stationed, so be sure to stop by early to secure your spot.
In partnership with Resolution Resource Group
This session will focus on creating a pitch deck that is compelling to investors. This will include standard frameworks and what information you need to have within each slide to effectively communicate your business strategy.
Join Azin Radsan van Alebeek, Founding General Partner of Emmeline Ventures, for a candid conversation on building companies, backing founders, and identifying opportunities that drive meaningful impact. As both a founder and investor, Azin brings a unique perspective on what it takes to launch ventures, navigate uncertainty, and create long-term value in today's innovation economy.
This fireside chat explores the realities of early-stage entrepreneurship, the evolving venture capital landscape, and the qualities that distinguish resilient founders from the crowd. Hear lessons learned from launching a venture fund, evaluating emerging businesses, and supporting entrepreneurs as they scale from idea to execution.
Join Michael Kozicki, Professor in the School of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering at Arizona State University, for a conversation on how advances in materials science and electronic engineering are reshaping the future of computing, data storage, and system security. A longtime researcher and inventor, Kozicki’s work spans solid-state electronics, programmable metallization, and emerging device technologies that aim to push the boundaries of how information is stored, processed, and protected.
This fireside chat explores the journey of translating deep technical research into real-world applications—from academic discovery and patent development to use-inspired innovation with broad societal impact. The discussion will highlight how breakthroughs in nanoscale materials and device engineering can influence industries ranging from computing and communications to supply chain traceability and beyond.
This summer at Venture Café Phoenix, we’re inviting you to go on a journey with us, into the real, unfiltered stories of entrepreneurship.
Launching June 25th and running weekly through September 3rd, our Founder Journeys Summer Series will feature a different founder from our community each week in an intimate fireside chat format, moderated by the Venture Café Phoenix team.
Together, we’ll explore how they got started, the challenges they’ve faced, where they found funding, and what they’re building next. But beyond the startup story, we’ll go deeper, into the role community has played in shaping their path.
We’ll ask founders how engaging with Venture Café has impacted their journey, where they are today because of those connections, and what support has mattered most along the way. And just as importantly, we’ll explore how they want to give back, how they can support the broader ecosystem as it continues to grow.
This series is designed to be a two-way conversation between founders and community: learning from those building in real time, and strengthening the network that helps them (and all of us) move forward together.
Sponsored by: Extraordinary Network
AI Ask Me Anything (AMA) — Get Real Answers from AI Experts (Live at Venture Café)
Curious about AI but not sure where to start—or stuck trying to actually use it in your work?
Join us for a 90-minute, open AMA with the Serpico AI Learning Center experts. This is your chance to ask anything and get real, practical answers on the spot.
Whether you’re exploring tools like ChatGPT, Claude, or Midjourney—or just trying to figure out what AI can actually do for you—we’ll help you cut through the noise.
What you’ll get:
Live answers to your specific questions
Practical use cases you can apply immediately
Help troubleshooting prompts, workflows, or ideas
Insight from experts actively using AI in real business scenarios
No presentations. No fluff. Just direct access to people doing the work.
Bring your questions. Bring your laptop if you want."
Arrive early to Venture Café Phoenix for your chance to connect with Brandon Alexander, Agency Owner of Ailex Solutions. Come gain insights on how to problem-cost your client’s problems and monetize the solution your product provides.
Mentor Hours meetings begin at 4:30pm and run in 15-minute slots
Please note: Mentor Hours are first come first served and must be done on-site at the event. A sign-up sheet will be located at the room where the mentor is stationed, so be sure to stop by early to secure your spot.
In partnership with Resolution Resource Group
Arrive early to Venture Café Phoenix for your chance to connect with Michael Goodman, President of Revenue Kinetics. Come gain insights on leadership principles and the path to growing your business.
Mentor Hours meetings begin at 4:30pm and run in 15-minute slots.
Please note: Mentor Hours are first come first served and must be done on-site at the event. A sign-up sheet will be located at the room where the mentor is stationed, so be sure to stop by early to secure your spot.
In partnership with Resolution Resource Group
This session will focus on creating a pitch deck that is compelling to investors. This will include standard frameworks and what information you need to have within each slide to effectively communicate your business strategy.
Join Azin Radsan van Alebeek, Founding General Partner of Emmeline Ventures, for a candid conversation on building companies, backing founders, and identifying opportunities that drive meaningful impact. As both a founder and investor, Azin brings a unique perspective on what it takes to launch ventures, navigate uncertainty, and create long-term value in today's innovation economy.
This fireside chat explores the realities of early-stage entrepreneurship, the evolving venture capital landscape, and the qualities that distinguish resilient founders from the crowd. Hear lessons learned from launching a venture fund, evaluating emerging businesses, and supporting entrepreneurs as they scale from idea to execution.
Join Michael Kozicki, Professor in the School of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering at Arizona State University, for a conversation on how advances in materials science and electronic engineering are reshaping the future of computing, data storage, and system security. A longtime researcher and inventor, Kozicki’s work spans solid-state electronics, programmable metallization, and emerging device technologies that aim to push the boundaries of how information is stored, processed, and protected.
This fireside chat explores the journey of translating deep technical research into real-world applications—from academic discovery and patent development to use-inspired innovation with broad societal impact. The discussion will highlight how breakthroughs in nanoscale materials and device engineering can influence industries ranging from computing and communications to supply chain traceability and beyond.