Where can you hear from a renowned Silicon Valley venture capitalist, the leader of Microsoft’s Halo business, HBO’s top technology executive, the former Nordstrom.com president, and an Amazon veteran aiming to upend traditional retail with the help of robots?
It’s the GeekWire Summit, our biggest event of the year, coming up on Sept. 12 in Seattle. Today we’re sharing exclusive details about this one-of-a-kind technology conference with you, as a past attendee of GeekWire events.
Newly added to the GeekWire Summit agenda is Bill Gurley, known as one of “technology’s top dealmakers” as a general partner at the Benchmark venture capital firm. Gurley, a Zillow board member, will join technology vet Rich Barton, the Expedia and Zillow co-founder, for an on-stage conversation about key trends to watch in technology, investing, startups and more.
We’re also pleased to welcome Bonnie Ross, who oversees the blockbuster Halo business as the general manager of Microsoft’s 343 Industries. Ross will be one of the participants in a panel on the future of video games, moderated by game industry veteran and adviser Ed Fries.
A panel on the future of retail — featuring veterans of Amazon, Starbucks and Nordstrom — will examine the changing nature of e-commerce and the increasing crossover between the physical and digital worlds. Panelists include Jane Park, the CEO of cosmetics e-commerce startup Julep; Dr. Nadia Shouraboura, the CEO of robot-powered apparel startup Hointer; and Michael Smith, the CEO of organic food delivery service Full Circle Farms, and former president of Nordstrom.com
HBO’s Otto Berkes, the Microsoft Xbox and tablet computing veteran who is now the chief technology officer of HBO, will share his insights into the evolving world of digital media and devices. HBO is one of many companies that have opened engineering offices in the Seattle region, giving Berkes an additional perspective on the technology climate.
Chase Jarvis, the visionary photographer, director, and fine artist who founded fast-growing online education startup creativeLive, will offer his perspective on the evolving world of digital media and online education.
And a capstone panel on the future of innovation — one of the most popular sessions at last year’s event — will feature industry vets including Jeremy Jaech (of Aldus and Visio fame) who has returned to the startup world as the CEO of home sensor startup SNUPI Technologies, a UW spin-out.
The GeekWire Summit is the premier technology conference in the Pacific Northwest. Organized and curated by GeekWire’s John Cook and Todd Bishop, this event brings together engineers, entrepreneurs and business leaders from around the region and the country for conversations and insights at the intersection of business and technology, reflecting GeekWire’s mission to inform, empower and unite the region’s technology community.
We’re looking forward to seeing you on Sept. 12!
Thanks to our sponsors for helping to make this event possible: Wave Business Solutions, Knoll, Appature, Moz, MightyCall, Vertafore, University of Washington Professional and Continuing Education, Summit Group Solutions, Avalara, First Tech Federal Credit Union, FusionStorm and Davis Wright Tremaine.
