🚀Event Recap: Beyond the Breakthrough – Innovation, Integration & Resilience Last night was one for the books at Venture Café Phoenix! From bold startup pitches to vulnerable leadership stories, the room was buzzing with innovation, impact, and inspiration. 💧The night kicked off with our CleanTech & Sustainability Night, where Ylenia Aguilar, Rebecca Bernat and Kaitlyn Fitzgerald tackled one of the most pressing issues of our time—water. 💧 They dove deep into where Arizona’s water comes from, and the delicate balance between water usage rights, policy, and sustainability. Huge thanks to our partners at extendEV for helping us drive this critical conversation forward! 💬 While this was going on Desheay Jenkins led attendees through the “Emotional Safety Blueprint”—a practical framework for transforming conflict into clarity. Participants explored how to navigate tough conversations with empathy, confidence, and calm, even in high-stakes business scenarios. 🚀 Then, we shifted gears to 360° Innovation session where XLR8 Health Tech startups pitched cutting-edge solutions to real-world problems—evaluated live by top medical experts for impact, feasibility, and scalability. This wasn't just theory—it was innovation in action. Special thanks to the Phoenix Bioscience Core for sponsoring the session. 🔥 The night culminated in an inspiring fireside chat with Bob Maguire and Bhavna Gupta. Just 21 days after Bob was pushed out of his own startup, he launched a new venture. Seven years later it is a resounding success. Moderated by Bhavna Gupta, this conversation was raw, real, and unforgettable. 🧠 Attendees had personalized 1:1 mentorship on: 🤖AI Business with Sherry Kotvis, MS, CAIO on workflow automation 💡Branding strategy sessions with Blane McCullough 🤝 Leadership communication mentorship with Bethany Graver 📈 We can't forget about the Business Strategy 101 session with Alexander McElfish where he dove into the Business Model Canvas and went through how it can be utilized to help founders understand the nuances of their business model and strategy! See you next week for The Future of BioTech night! https://www.instagram.com/p/DImkjFozXM_