I can still remember the sound of logging into America Online (AOL) in the 1990s. Those strange noises signaled the beginning of a journey to the Internet, a word we capitalized like a distant country. The internet really felt like a frontier back then, and without a doubt, one of its foremost pioneers was Steve Case, co-founder of AOL. When we heard Case had a new book coming out this fall, The Rise of the Rest: How Entrepreneurs in Surprising Places are Building the New American Dream, the Arts + Business Council immediately sought to bring him to speak virtually at Defining Innovation on Tuesday, October 4.

Case’s book is not about AOL, it’s about something even more relevant and timely: the power and promise of local entrepreneurs. For several years, Case has been documenting how small businesses, particularly those led by women and people of color, are leveraging regional strengths and betting on the future of innovation outside of traditional tech hubs like New York and San Francisco. A copy of Case’s book will be shipped to event attendees so they can dive even deeper into the insights that will be explored during the program.

And if Case’s perspective weren’t enough, he’ll be perfectly paired with Philadelphia’s tech entrepreneurship leader, Comcast LIFT Lab’s Danielle Cohn, to moderate the conversation. Thank you to Pariveda Solutions, a consulting firm dedicated to solving complex technology and business problems, for supporting this event. Additional sponsorship opportunities are available, please email Olivia Rettstatt to express your interest.

You won’t want to miss this conversation. Bring your colleagues and clients, too. We’ll see you online, naturally.

Best,

Diana Lind
Executive Director
Arts + Business Council

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