This Venture Café Phoenix evening brings together three powerful lenses shaping the future of our city, health, climate innovation, and artificial intelligence, all centered on how we build a stronger, more resilient community.
As Phoenix prepares to welcome thousands of global delegates for the 7th World Parkinson Congress, we kick off with Parkinson Ready™ Phoenix, a hands-on session focused on accessibility, awareness, and practical tools to help create a more welcoming city for people living with Parkinson’s disease. Attendees will learn how small actions in hospitality, transportation, healthcare, and public spaces can meaningfully improve real-world experiences for both visitors and the more than 22,000 Arizonans living with Parkinson’s.
Alongside this, our AI Ask Me Anything session opens the door to curiosity and experimentation, giving attendees direct access to experts who can help demystify artificial intelligence, explore real-world use cases, and support builders, founders, and professionals at any stage of their AI journey.
Rounding out the evening, we explore the future of CleanTech & Sustainability with a focus on building the circular economy for solar at scale, examining how innovation, infrastructure, and industry collaboration can accelerate a more sustainable energy future for Arizona and beyond.
Across all three tracks, the throughline is the same: practical knowledge, real-world application, and community collaboration to help Phoenix lead in accessibility, sustainability, and innovation.
Sponsored by City of Phoenix & Tributan
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.
Programming in Partnership with Serpico AI Learning Center
Venture Café Phoenix is proud to host the Parkinson Ready™ Phoenix program in partnership with the 7th World Parkinson Congress and sponsored by the City of Phoenix. This impactful evening invites the VCPHX Community, hospitality professionals, caregivers, healthcare leaders, innovators, and advocates to help prepare Phoenix to welcome more than 4,000 delegates attending the World Parkinson Congress this May at the Phoenix Convention Center.
Featuring Dr. Jamie Nesbit and Mark Milow, a trainer and person living with Parkinson’s, this session will provide practical insight into the realities of living and traveling with Parkinson’s disease. Attendees will learn how to better support and welcome incoming guests, understand the challenges individuals with Parkinson’s may face in public spaces, and become part of the city’s greeting committee for this global event.
Participants will leave with greater awareness, practical tools, and a better understanding of how small actions can create a more welcoming and inclusive experience for visitors and the more than 22,000 Arizonans living with Parkinson’s disease.
As a Participant of Parkinson Ready™ at VCPHX you will learn:
• How we are preparing Phoenix to welcome more than 4,000 delegates attending the 7th World Parkinson Congress, including more than 1,000 people living with Parkinson’s
• How to help us create a safe, supportive, and welcoming experience for congress attendees throughout their time in Phoenix
• What is being done to educate community members, public-facing teams, and hospitality leaders on how to better understand and support individuals living with Parkinson’s disease
• How to become ambassadors of awareness, accessibility, and inclusion across our city
Sponsored by: The City of Phoenix
Arrive early to Venture Café Phoenix for your chance to connect with Phoenix Battle, CEO of OVI, an expert in efficienty tools. Come gain insights on how to we’ll tackle your biggest operational or strategic headaches. 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.
Arrive early to Venture Café Phoenix for your chance to connect with Wendy Kleinfeldt, founder of Purple Tiger Leadership. Come gain insights on how you're just one mindset shift away from peak performance and achieving excellence. 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."
As the solar industry matures, a new infrastructure challenge is emerging: what happens to solar panels at the end of their operational life? With millions of panels expected to retire over the coming decades, recycling, repurposing, and material recovery are becoming increasingly important to the future of the energy transition. Join us for a Founder Spotlight with Suvi Sharma, Co-Founder and CEO of SOLARCYCLE, a company building technology and infrastructure for the circular economy in solar. SOLARCYCLE works with solar asset owners to recycle retired panels, recover valuable materials, and extend the lifecycle of energy infrastructure. In this conversation, we will explore the economics of solar recycling, the operational realities of building industrial-scale infrastructure, and what it takes to create a circular supply chain for renewables. We will also discuss manufacturing, policy, and the long-term implications for the solar industry as deployment continues to accelerate. The session will be moderated by Tam Kemabonta PhD, followed by audience Q&A.
This Venture Café Phoenix evening brings together three powerful lenses shaping the future of our city, health, climate innovation, and artificial intelligence, all centered on how we build a stronger, more resilient community.
As Phoenix prepares to welcome thousands of global delegates for the 7th World Parkinson Congress, we kick off with Parkinson Ready™ Phoenix, a hands-on session focused on accessibility, awareness, and practical tools to help create a more welcoming city for people living with Parkinson’s disease. Attendees will learn how small actions in hospitality, transportation, healthcare, and public spaces can meaningfully improve real-world experiences for both visitors and the more than 22,000 Arizonans living with Parkinson’s.
Alongside this, our AI Ask Me Anything session opens the door to curiosity and experimentation, giving attendees direct access to experts who can help demystify artificial intelligence, explore real-world use cases, and support builders, founders, and professionals at any stage of their AI journey.
Rounding out the evening, we explore the future of CleanTech & Sustainability with a focus on building the circular economy for solar at scale, examining how innovation, infrastructure, and industry collaboration can accelerate a more sustainable energy future for Arizona and beyond.
Across all three tracks, the throughline is the same: practical knowledge, real-world application, and community collaboration to help Phoenix lead in accessibility, sustainability, and innovation.
Sponsored by City of Phoenix & Tributan
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.
Programming in Partnership with Serpico AI Learning Center
Venture Café Phoenix is proud to host the Parkinson Ready™ Phoenix program in partnership with the 7th World Parkinson Congress and sponsored by the City of Phoenix. This impactful evening invites the VCPHX Community, hospitality professionals, caregivers, healthcare leaders, innovators, and advocates to help prepare Phoenix to welcome more than 4,000 delegates attending the World Parkinson Congress this May at the Phoenix Convention Center.
Featuring Dr. Jamie Nesbit and Mark Milow, a trainer and person living with Parkinson’s, this session will provide practical insight into the realities of living and traveling with Parkinson’s disease. Attendees will learn how to better support and welcome incoming guests, understand the challenges individuals with Parkinson’s may face in public spaces, and become part of the city’s greeting committee for this global event.
Participants will leave with greater awareness, practical tools, and a better understanding of how small actions can create a more welcoming and inclusive experience for visitors and the more than 22,000 Arizonans living with Parkinson’s disease.
As a Participant of Parkinson Ready™ at VCPHX you will learn:
• How we are preparing Phoenix to welcome more than 4,000 delegates attending the 7th World Parkinson Congress, including more than 1,000 people living with Parkinson’s
• How to help us create a safe, supportive, and welcoming experience for congress attendees throughout their time in Phoenix
• What is being done to educate community members, public-facing teams, and hospitality leaders on how to better understand and support individuals living with Parkinson’s disease
• How to become ambassadors of awareness, accessibility, and inclusion across our city
Sponsored by: The City of Phoenix
Arrive early to Venture Café Phoenix for your chance to connect with Phoenix Battle, CEO of OVI, an expert in efficienty tools. Come gain insights on how to we’ll tackle your biggest operational or strategic headaches. 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.
Arrive early to Venture Café Phoenix for your chance to connect with Wendy Kleinfeldt, founder of Purple Tiger Leadership. Come gain insights on how you're just one mindset shift away from peak performance and achieving excellence. 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."
As the solar industry matures, a new infrastructure challenge is emerging: what happens to solar panels at the end of their operational life? With millions of panels expected to retire over the coming decades, recycling, repurposing, and material recovery are becoming increasingly important to the future of the energy transition. Join us for a Founder Spotlight with Suvi Sharma, Co-Founder and CEO of SOLARCYCLE, a company building technology and infrastructure for the circular economy in solar. SOLARCYCLE works with solar asset owners to recycle retired panels, recover valuable materials, and extend the lifecycle of energy infrastructure. In this conversation, we will explore the economics of solar recycling, the operational realities of building industrial-scale infrastructure, and what it takes to create a circular supply chain for renewables. We will also discuss manufacturing, policy, and the long-term implications for the solar industry as deployment continues to accelerate. The session will be moderated by Tam Kemabonta PhD, followed by audience Q&A.