NOVATO / KENTFIELD, CA—College of Marin (COM) is partnering with Marin Sonoma Impact Ventures (MSIV) to bring its North Bay NEXT startup conference to COM for the first time. On Wednesday, May 1, 2024, over 300 Marin and Sonoma startup leaders will gather at the Jonas Center for the North Bay’s premier annual startup gathering. This year’s NEXT is the third annual conference connecting the Marin-Sonoma startup community.
The NEXT ’24 theme is Build It Here—over 50 inspiring speakers are confirmed for the agenda and all of them are local leaders who live across Marin and Sonoma counties. Participants will learn from the leaders who built many of the North Bay’s most successful enterprises and meet the next generation of North Bay entrepreneurs.
Keynote speakers include Helen Russell, co-founder of Equator Coffees; Lily Kanter, co-founder of Serena & Lily; and Mike Miskovsky, CEO of Ojjo. The North Bay Startup Showcase will feature presentations from 20 Founder/CEOs of young Marin-Sonoma startups all working to build the next great North Bay company. MSIV Executive Network members will host 22 Lunch and Learn sessions to educate local startup operators on different aspects of building their businesses.
“We are thrilled to bring North Bay NEXT to College of Marin in 2024,” said Zachary Kushel, founder and managing partner at Marin Sonoma Impact Ventures. “NEXT seeks to connect business leaders across Marin + Sonoma, and our community’s award-winning College has a vital role to play in ensuring the North Bay has a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem. We’re proud to partner to bring these innovators to campus.”
“College of Marin is excited to welcome these accomplished entrepreneurs to our Indian Valley Campus,” said Superintendent/President Dr. Jonathan Eldridge. “The College is a hub for education and community building, and the NEXT conference features the next generation of innovators and job creators from across the North Bay. We applaud MSIV for its efforts in building this community and we look forward to continued partnership in the months and years ahead.”
More information about North Bay NEXT and the day’s full agenda can be found here.
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About Marin Sonoma Impact Ventures (MSIV)Marin Sonoma Impact Ventures is the North Bay’s first regional venture capital fund. Founded in 2020, MSIV is building a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem across Marin + Sonoma to help local startup founders on their journey to build the next great North Bay company. MSIV’s North Bay Founder Network now consists of 175+ active Founder/CEOs of young startup companies. MSIV’s Executive Network is made up of 26 former founders and C-level executives leaning in to mentor the community’s next generation. MSIV Fund I, announced in December 2022, is a $6.6 million early-stage venture capital fund backed by 62 North Bay leaders that makes equity investments in Marin + Sonoma’s most promising startup companies. For more information visit msivfund.com.
About College of Marin (COM)
Established in 1926, College of Marin has remained committed to educational excellence, providing equitable opportunities, and fostering success in all members of our diverse community. With campuses in Kentfield and Novato, students of all ages have affordable access to an exciting variety of credit and noncredit courses, as well as community education classes for lifelong learning. The Kentfield Campus is located 10 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge at 835 College Avenue in Kentfield. Located in Novato, the Indian Valley Campus is situated on a spectacular 333-acre site approximately 10 miles north of Kentfield at 1800 Ignacio Boulevard. College of Marin is one of 116 public community colleges in California and more than 9,000 credit, noncredit, and community education students enroll annually. Learn more about College of Marin student characteristics in a summary report produced annually by the Planning, Research, and Institutional Effectiveness Office.