Are you ready to disrupt? Urban Tech Connect // Forward, the premier tech conference focused on Latinx and African American startup founders, is coming up May 18 – 20.
Forget about business as usual. This virtual conference is for those who think differently. Gain insights from the best entrepreneurs and VCs in the industry. Build skills. Meet with investors. Come together. Raise the bar.
Plug In South LA founder Derek Smith is excited to announce that Lauryn Nwankpa and McKeever Conwell will be joining him in hosting the conference:
Lauryn Nwankpa
Lauryn is a social impact strategist, startup advisor, and entrepreneur based in Los Angeles.
She’s head of social impact at Dave, the country’s highest ranked personal finance management app. Known as the financial version of David taking on Goliath, Dave empowers Americans living paycheck-to-paycheck with the tools they need to thrive. In her role at the company and as a Social Impact Capital venture partner and advisor, Lauryn focuses on developing and implementing effective strategies to eradicate poverty, increase access to education, and alleviate wealth and income inequality.
“From outreach and advocacy, to philanthropy and community engagement, I bring together critical stakeholders to increase access to key resources leading to the empowerment and self-actualization of marginalized communities,” she says.
Before joining Dave, she led social impact at Headspace, bringing the meditation and mindfulness company’s wellness tools into communities that want or need them, but lacked access.
Lauryn got her professional start in Baltimore working on college access, attendance programs, and community outreach. She received a Bachelor of Arts in comparative human development from the University of Chicago and a Master of Science in social entrepreneurship from the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business.
McKeever Conwell
McKeever “Mac” Conwell II is the founder and managing partner of RareBreed Ventures, a Baltimore-based pre-seed stage venture fund that aims to invest early in exceptional founders who are outside of the large tech eco-systems. He is also a board member of the Digital Harbor Foundation and an advisor to the learning platform Osmosis.
Prior to starting RareBreed Ventures, Mac was fund manager for the Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO), where he helped find and build startups based in the state. He managed the Minority Business Pre-seed Fund, which was created through a partnership between TEDCO and Harbor Bank Community Development Corporation to address the needs of minority entrepreneurs in Maryland who often lack access to early startup capital.
Mac refers to himself as a “recovering entrepreneur” who launched two startups. One was the gifting platform Given.to, technology that he and his team successfully sold in 2014.
He attended Morgan State University, where he majored in computer science. At age 19, he joined a Department of Defense co-op program and obtained a top-secret security clearance. His experience includes working as a government contractor in software development for companies that include Booz Allen Hamilton and Northrop Grumman.
More recently Mac completed Stanford University’s Venture Capital Unlocked invitation-only investor training program for emerging leaders who want to shape the future of the VC industry. In addition to being a guest on Huffington Post Live, Mac has been featured in outlets such as USA Today, the Washington Post, BET, CNN Headline News, and Black Enterprise.
Derek Smith
Derek is the founder of Plug In South LA. By trade, he’s a digital marketing evangelist and branding expert who has worked with leading global brands such as Corbis Images, SAB Miller Breweries, the NBA, Microsoft Advertising, Nestlé, Dove, and Ritz Crackers.
Throughout his career, Derek has held a number of key positions, including that of business development director, brand strategist at Young and Rubicam and Wunderman. He has a Bachelor of Arts in international relations from Morehouse College and a Master of Science from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Lauryn, Mac, and Derek look forward to welcoming you to the fourth annual Urban Tech Connect // Forward. Register for the conference, if you haven’t already.
We’ll see you soon!