Expert Panel: Should I stay, or should I go now? The Founder’s Dilemma

Special Presentation: 2024 Michigan Business Challenge Innovation Track winner MeetYourClass

MeetYourClass is a social platform helping universities fill seats by revolutionizing how they build community & allocate resources. Founded in 2022 by four U of M students, MeetYourClass was named one of the most disruptive undergraduate business school startups of 2023 by Poets and Quants. Blake Mischley, Co-Founder and CEO, will present a short history of the company and its rapid growth.

Expert Panel: Should I stay, or should I go now? The Founder’s Dilemma

As a startup founder, how do you master the balancing act between retaining control of your company versus raising the needed capital to allow your company to grow? As startups scale, every leadership transition impacts the company culture and how decisions are made. During this dynamic panel discussion, we’ll hear firsthand from two Founder/CEOs who have navigated the trade-off of the Founder’s Dilemma: to be rich or to be king. We’ll also get the perspectives of two investors who will assess founder fit and alignment, and a non-founder CEO who has navigated a leadership transition to drive growth while honoring the founder’s original vision.

Join us for this expert panel discussion as we unpack the high-stakes choices that shape the growth trajectory of new ventures.

Moderator

Barbara Boldt, Principal at Boldt Global, LLC, is a Transformational Facilitator, Speaker, and Coach who helps introverted tech professionals develop persuasive communication skills to advance their careers and companies and create greater impact. With 20+ years in Europe training professionals from 35+ countries to deliver effective business presentations, Barbara excels at identifying why messages don’t connect. Whether due to a lack of clarity, structural issues, or delivery flaws, she helps her clients transform how they communicate so they can be heard and accomplish their business goals.  She holds an M.A. in International Relations from the University of the Pacific and a B.A. in Nutrition from the University of Iowa.

Panelists

David Bloom is a veteran of thirteen startups, an advisor or director with four emerging companies, and a mentor for scores of innovative technology ventures in Life Science/Medical Devices, Advanced Materials/Cleantech, and Cloud/Mobile Applications. David is the Executive Director of the Pointe Angels investment club, where he is responsible for scouting, screening, due diligence, and coordinating deal flow with Angel investors across the state. David organizes monthly investor meetings to showcase qualified startups, preview rising stars, and update investors on portfolio companies. David holds a BSE in Electrical Engineering, and an MSE in Industrial & Operations Engineering from the University of Michigan.

Peter Deppe is a seasoned entrepreneur and innovator who recently transitioned from founding and leading KUHMUTE to his current role at Prime Power. With a passion for sustainable energy solutions & charging EV’s of all sizes, Peter brings a wealth of experience in startup dynamics and strategic growth. His journey reflects a commitment to harnessing technology for a greener future, and he is excited to share insights on the pivotal decisions that shaped his career path. When he’s not working, Peter enjoys exploring new technologies and mentoring emerging entrepreneurs.

Danny Ellis is the CEO and Co-founder of SkySpecs, headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with offices in Europe and Asia. Founded in 2012, SkySpecs has over 250 employees globally and is a leader in automated blade asset management, having inspected more than 250,000 turbines. Their mission is to streamline renewable energy asset management through automation and robotics, helping wind farm owners optimize asset life and output. Under Danny’s leadership, SkySpecs has raised over $120 million and acquired three companies in recent years. Danny holds a BSE and MSE in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Michigan.

Sherwin Prior is the CEO of Kuhmute Inc., a micro-mobility charging infrastructure company. With over 20 years in venture capital and equity fund management, he previously launched GM Ventures and held executive roles at Orbia Ventures, Lear Innovation Ventures, and Amazon’s Industrial Innovation Fund. Sherwin’s experience spans automotive, mobility, clean tech, and Industry 4.0, funding over 45 primary transactions, including 12 successful exits and several deployed technologies. He holds an MBA from the University of Michigan, a bachelor’s degree from Eastern Michigan University, and is a U.S. Army veteran.

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