Tech Startups Panel AMA - Moderated by Rick Turoczy

Join us for an inspiring evening with local startups in an “ask me anything”-style tech panel in the theater room at Kiln. If you're an a tech worker, startup owner, aspiring entrepreneur, or just curious about the Portland startup scene, this event is for you! Panelists are:

✨ Araba Taylor ✨
With a decade of experience in building digital products, Araba has worked with a range of companies from tiny startups to Fortune 500 giants like Nike and American Express. At American Express, Araba delved into Machine Learning and Big Data, founding the first innovation-focused digital team in Singapore. Upon returning to the US, she led the Nike Membership team, laying the digital and strategic groundwork for the Nike Rewards program. Now, as the founder of My Fit Check (https://myfitcheck.ai/), Araba explores how AI can enhance the online shopping experience and drive true 1:1 personalization. Passionate about leveraging technology to improve daily life, Araba continues to innovate as a dedicated solopreneur.

✨ Peter Kirwan ✨
Peter Kirwan, CEO and co-founder of Mebot AI, whose platform enables anyone to create an AI chatbot with their real voice and personality in just a few minutes. Peter is a Tech Entrepreneur, Executive, and investor focused on AI and AR/VR. He loves working with entrepreneurs. He has over 30 years of experience with internet startups at all stages of the lifecycle. Peter is highly skilled at seeing future technology trends and understanding the business strategies that must be executed to take advantage of them. He has co-founded several companies in the Tech/internet industry as well as consumer products and entertainment. Peter has sold and successfully managed the integration of companies post-acquisition, gone through the IPO process, and been an officer of a public company.

✨ Sara Creech ✨
Sara Creech is the co-founder of Lumiro, a company modernizing the way people experience boots on the ground travel through AI tours and interactive experiences. With a decade of research and design at Nike, she is passionate about elevating consumer products to enhance everyday life.

🗣️ Featuring Rick Turoczy from Silicon Florist
Rick, a prominent figure in Portland's startup ecosystem, will be moderating the panel discussion featuring other voices in the Portland startup scene. With over 25 years of experience, Rick has been instrumental in nurturing the local tech community. This is a fantastic opportunity to learn, connect, and immerse yourself in the Portland startup community.

❓Have a question you’re itching to have answered
Submit your questions in advance to this form linked here.

📅 Schedule
5:30pm: Check-in, network, grab a seat
6:00pm - 7:00pm: Panel discussion
7:00pm - 7:20pm : Audience Q&A
7:20pm - 8:00pm: Revisit conversations, networking

Pro Tip
You can find us in the theater room at Kiln.

The event will not be catered, but you’re welcome to bring shareable snacks and drinks. Also, the Hawthorne Asylum food trucks are right across the street if you’d prefer to bring something from there.