Thought Series
In 2024, the Confluence Thought Series presented Unlocking Creative Capacity: How to Grow a Rainforest Innovation Ecosystem. Across two days, over 20 leaders in tech, design, marketing, workforce development and more explored how West Michigan can create a rainforest that connects accelerator programs, innovation hubs, capital, government agencies and startups in ways that achieve results beyond the sum of their individual capacities.
After each day's sessions, attendees went behind the scenes with some of Grand Rapids' most innovative teams. Each site visit included a networking lunch and tour hosted by company leaders in the spaces where their ideas come to life.
Stayed tuned for more information on the 2025 series.
2024 SCHEDULE
TUESDAY, APRIL 16
Brainy, Diverse and Motivated:
Unlocking Creative Capacity Across the Workforce
8:45a – 9:45a
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Hilary Doe
Chief Growth Officer, MEDC
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Jennifer Owens
President, Lakeshore Advantage
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Andy Balaskovitz (Moderator)
Managing Editor, Crain’s Grand Rapids Business
Understanding Social Barriers:
Building an Ecosystem Based on Connection
10:00a – 11:00a
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Ed Aboufadel
Senior Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, GVSU
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Ryan Anderson
Vice President of Global Insights, MillerKnoll
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Dr. Alejandro Quiroga
President, Corewell Health West
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Josh Barker (moderator)
CEO, City Innovations
Field Trip #1
futureEDlab @ GVSU (Grand Rapids Campus)
11:30a – 1:00p
Networking lunch, tour and hands-on activities in the X>STUDIO and futureEDlab. Explore cutting edge tools used to create real-time digital twins utilizing volumetric video, 3D visualizations, extended reality (XR) experiences, and visions of an augmented reality (AR) infused campus of the future.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17
Cooperating Within Competition:
How to Build Trusted Partnerships
8:45a – 9:45a
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Matt Benson
Director, Seamless Ventures
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Yulia Chiaburu
Solution Architect Leader, DNB Consumer Apps West, AWS
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Matt Toburen
Founder, NEXUS Software Solutions
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Rommel Vega
Founder/CEO, HOLO Footwear
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Jim Hotary (moderator)
Founder/CTO, Lilypad Labs
Inside Job: Building Teams that Exceed Individual Capacities
10a – 11a
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David Allan
Director of Design, Stryker
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Mary Brown
Culture & Diversity, Steelcase
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Becky Zobl
Chief Marketing Officer, LaFleur
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Joe Chrysler (moderator)
Accelerator Manager, Atomic Object
MODERATOR
Field Trip #2
AI Incubator @ Grand Rapids Community College
11:30a – 1:00p
Networking lunch, demonstration and hands-on activities with AI tools to grow new technology capacity for teams. Attendees will learn how to make bots, use AI to improve processes and how to create a custom AI ecosystem by using automated feedback loops.
