Founders, Failures and Fun Series

The public is invited to attend an evening focused on innovation, entrepreneurship and networking. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about the successes and challenges of launching a startup, explore tech applications and connect with like-minded professionals. The event will open with a pitch competition, where the top three finalists from Innovate Springfield will present their business ideas to investors for a chance to win $10,000 in seed funding. Following the competition, Achler, a seasoned entrepreneur and author, will deliver a fireside chat. He will discuss his journey as a serial entrepreneur, sharing key lessons learned from his experiences. He is a managing director at MATH Venture Partners and has held executive roles at companies like Redbox, Kinesoft Development and Emmi Solutions. Achler is also a lecturer at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and co-authored the book “Exit Right.” Following the keynote, Innovate Springfield Director Ben Hage will lead a fireside chat. This free event is part of Innovate Springfield’s new Founders, Failures and Fun series.