June is Women in Tech Month (#SGMonth)!

Every year Startup Grind hosts our #SGWomen Month — proudly recognizing the accomplishments of successful women all over the world. These women are founders, venture capitalists, engineers, executives, and more who represent our community.

Meet Kai Frazier (Kai XR) and Kathryn Hicks (The Danse) as we discuss augmented and virtual reality technologies that are redefining the ways in which we create, educate, and experience entertainment. Join us to learn how these two phenomenal women are impacting the industry and how we can support more women in the AR/VR technology space!

Changing Reality: Creating, Educating and Entertaining in AR/VR (June 30th)

In the span of six months, coronavirus (COVID-19) has dramatically impacted our health, finances, and how we socialize in our community.  As school districts close schools, sports league delay or completely cancel their seasons, or Hollywood productions come to a complete halt, the world has had to pivot dramatically to a virtual world in a matter of months.  Experts say that pandemics are not passing phases but soon-to-be ever-present fixtures in the future fabric of our society, permanently affecting our social norms and behaviors. Where do we go from here?

Enter augmented and virtual reality. Augmented reality is the combination of real and virtual (computer-generated) worlds using a camera or smartphone while virtual reality is a complete immersion experience that shuts out the physical world (is it just me or does that sound really awesome right about now...). 

According to ZDnet.com, "....Tech advisors Digi-Capital estimates that there will be 2.5 billion AR-capable devices -- smartphones and smart glasses -- by 2023, compared to roughly 900 million now, and the market will be worth $70 billion. That compares to around 30 million VR devices (including mobile, standalone, console and PC-based), which Digi-Capital predicts will create a market worth $10 to $15 billion in the same period."  [October 2019]

The advent of AR and VR is redesigning how we train workers, educate students, and experience entertainment.  To celebrate Women in Tech, we're excited to host two phenomenal women who are impacting the industry using this technology.  Join us for a lively and enlightening discussion as we explore how the pandemic has fast-tracked this technology to become more accessible and how the startup ecosystem can do more to support women in tech.

Meet Kai Frazier

Kai Frazier is an educator turned EdTech entrepreneur passionate about using tech to provide inclusive and accessible opportunities for underestimated communities. She is the founder & CEO of Kai XR, the most inclusive and accessible, educational VR platform where kids can explore, dream, & create. Her work has been featured in Forbes, NBC, the Steve Harvey Show & more.

Meet Kathryn Hicks

Kathryn Hicks is an AR / VR designer based in Memphis, Tennessee. After finishing graduate school, she started working at a company called The Danse, a virtual and augmented reality company located in Memphis, Tennessee. In this role, she has created immersive training simulations and educational content for medical, enterprise, and universities. She is currently working on an asymmetric VR co-op platformer game called Mend, an Oculus 2019 Launch Pad project by Justin Palmer. Mend is an upcoming video game where both flat-screen and VR players can play together

When: June 30th

Time: 6:30 pm (CST)

Where: Zoom Virtual Meeting

Tickets: $3 for Zoom Meeting (Interact with speakers, network with other attendees and participate in Q&A).

Every month we invite you to better understand and to embrace Startup Grind’s Values:

Give First (before you ask)

Make Friends (not just contacts)

Help Others (before you help yourself)

And to broadcast Startup Grind’s Mission:

To Educate, Inspire, and Connect Entrepreneurs

Our global community of 600+ chapters in 110 countries worldwide is here for you. Let us know... How may we best assist you? (I.e. - Can we help facilitate warm introductions to businesses, mentors, and/or investors to grow your startup here or elsewhere?)

Ways You Can Participate this Month:

Become an Event Ambassador- Do you like to meet new people? Are you outgoing? Do you like to meet founders and engage with startups? Apply to be an event ambassador at our events. As an ambassador you can get a complimentary ticket to the event and a discount code to share with your network. Interested? Submit your application here.

Knock knock! Who's there?! - Every month we invite startups within our local ecosystem to kick off the event. Use this opportunity to get that answer specific to your idea or product as an entrepreneur partner. Our community also enjoys hearing about your accomplishments, values or needs. Quickfire pitches allow you to get real feedback from our chat guests as well as increase the visibility of your startup. This opportunity is available for a limited number of businesses, Contact us to learn how to sign up (lakeisha@startupgrind.com)

Listen & Learn - Are you a member of our local entrepreneurial ecosystem? Are you looking for inspiration on how to start your startup? Are you wondering how to combine your passion with giving back to the community? We encourage you to come meet (virtually), learn from and have the chance to ask questions of our featured speakers and guests.

Spread the Word - Startup Grind Memphis' monthly events are an effective and valuable opportunity to share your brand and message with our local entrepreneurial community. Startup Grind’s events regularly attract many influential Founders, Professionals, and Investors. We have several options available, starting at only $55. Contact us about sharing your brand with our entrepreneurs!