East Bay EDA is excited to host the East Bay Global Forum on Thursday, September 11, an event highlighting our region’s international partnerships, collaboration, and innovation. Join us for conversations with local international leaders, business representatives, and trade officials. Honored guests will include Consul Generals from our region’s largest trading partners. This event is presented by Sutter Health. Keynote Speaker We are excited to welcome Caroline Winnett, Executive Director, Berkeley SkyDeck, for our keynote presentation. Skydeck is UC Berkeley’s official startup accelerator. The Berkeley SkyDeck Fund is the investment partner for UC Berkeley’s SkyDeck Accelerator Program. The Fund invests $200K into each startup that goes through SkyDeck, and can participate in later stage investment rounds with Berkeley founders.
The half-day program will open with a keynote address by Caroline Winnett, Executive Director, Berkeley SkyDeck, UC Berkeley’s official startup accelerator. The Berkeley SkyDeck Fund is the investment partner for UC Berkeley’s SkyDeck Accelerator Program. The Fund invests $200K into each startup that goes through SkyDeck and can participate in later stage investment rounds with Berkeley founders. One of the most active seed investors in the Bay Area, the Fund has made over 130 investments in 3 years.
Following our keynote presentation, the program will consist of two panels, one made up of Consuls General and officials from our top trading partners, and the other panel featuring industry and business leaders to share success stories of cross boarder partnerships. Upon the completion of the program, we will then welcome guests to join an outdoor networking reception with views of the San Francisco Bay.
Event Emcee: Ruben Lizardo, Director, Local Government and Community Relations, UC Berkeley
Industry and Investment Panel
Moderator: Darlene Chiu Bryant, Executive Director, GlobalSF
• Megan Lehtonen, Sr. Director, Business Affairs and Strategic Initiatives, AVEVA
• Heike Abeck, Sr. Director, BioPartnering and Development Program Lead, Bayer
• Sam Fahmy, President and CEO, Ripcord
International Panel
Moderator: Emily Desai, Chief Deputy Director, Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz)
• Consul General Rana Sarkar, Consulate General of Canada to the United States, in San Francisco
• Consul Marta Kujawa, German Consulate General San Francisco
• Kanako Watanabe, Chief Executive Director, JETRO – Japan External Trade Organization
• Consul General Marco Antonio Mena Rodriguez, Consulado General de México en San Francisco