Taymur Ahmad
Founder & CEO
actnano
Taymur Ahmad is the Founder and CEO of actnano Inc. Prior to founding actnano, Mr. Ahmad had 18 years of manufacturing management experience with Fortune 50 companies such as Alcoa and Philips Electronics. Among other accolades, in 2010 he was awarded the "Visionary of the Year" award by Surface Mount Technology magazine. Mr. Ahmad's success stories have been featured in various magazines and newspapers including USA Today. Dell's Center for Entrepreneurs picked Mr. Ahmad to be one of the top 50 CEO's in the world. He is a member of the Dell founders 50 club and the Philips Alumni Club. Mr. Ahmad speaks 5 languages, and has lived in Europe and Asia. He earned his MBA from Business School Lausanne in Switzerland, and his Engineering degree from the University of Iowa.
Badarinath Kommandur
Fellow
Cadence
Badari has played a pivotal role in shaping the landscape of Advanced CPU design, Low Power Graphics, and Client SoC designs at Intel Corporation, contributing to over 10 generations of cutting-edge technology. His most recent role as a Senior Principal Engineer on the Meteor Lake Client SoC design team underscores his commitment to pushing the boundaries of design methodology, efficiency, and PPA optimization.
He has also completed the System Design & Management Fellows program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. A proud graduate of Arizona State University with a Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Badari's focus was on VLSI design and Computer Architecture. Beyond his technical focus, Badari has made significant impacts in Intel Capital and Intel Labs, spearheading efforts in New Business Incubation and contributing to long-range research definition and commercialization.
Badari is currently a Fellow in Cadence Design Systems and leads the Physical Design CAD and TFM teams developing best in class IP's and Chiplets in the Silicon Solutions Group. He leads teams exploring the application of Gen AI and Agentic AI capabilities for improving design efficiency and PPA for Cadence IP's and Chiplets in SSG.
Candise Goodwin
Founder
Outlier Advisors
Candise Goodwin is a recognized leader in the pet industry, with over 15 years of experience helping companies navigate market complexity, scale solutions, and deliver measurable impact. Her background spans pivotal roles at industry leaders including Merck Animal Health, Vets First Choice, VIP Petcare/PETIQ, and Petco, where she led major digital transformations and launched numerous high-profile, industry-changing growth initiatives.
Candise has dedicated her career to understanding the challenges and opportunities within the pet industry. She has worked closely with retailers, veterinary groups, pet technology companies, product and service providers, and pharmacies - developing a holistic, customer-centric viewpoint of the industry's unique ecosystem along the way.
Today, Candise extends her expertise to clients seeking to navigate the complexities of the market. Her firm, Outlier Advisors, provides strategic consulting services that reflect her distinctive blend of innovative thinking, deep industry knowledge, and ability to spot emerging trends. Outlier Advisors partners with industry leaders, investors, and startups to develop actionable strategies that meet the demands of an evolving pet landscape.
Candise is also a sought-after speaker, advisor, author, and mentor, known for sharing rare and multifaceted insights and practical strategies with fellow Outliers.
Exposure Opportunities
Investment Opportunities
3.45-4.00 – Meeting 15
4.05-4.20 – Meeting 16
Unleashing Profit Potential
Unleash your profit potential and dominate online sales with savvy digital marketing moves & retention focused planning. From pinpoint targeting to data-driven magic, learn how to captivate pet parents, boost engagement, and turn clicks into loyal customers in a bustling e-commerce pack.
Engaging Pet Parents
Ryan Reed
Co-Founder & CEO
Pawzitivity Pets
Ryan has been an entrepreneur since 2008, right out of college. He started a successful Digital Marketing agency where he worked with many large ecommerce companies and helped some to exit. Ryan also started a lifestyle brand with his wife in 2017, Lifebyher LLC, which provides lifestyle content for women. He and his wife Ashley have built the following to 700,000 followers and growing. In 2020, Ryan partnered with his friend and former client, Gary Nealon, to start Pawzitivity Pets where they have acquired 8 brands in the pet space, ranging from supplements to content websites.
Charles Rosenblatt
Chief Commercial Officer
Butter Payments
A seasoned innovator in the payments industry, Charles Rosenblatt has held executive leadership positions at major global banks, including Capital One and Chase, as well as prominent fintech organizations. He served on the management teams that led to the sale of Hyperwallet to PayPal and Payoneer going public, and is now Chief Commercial Officer at Butter—the payments technology leader in revenue retention for subscription businesses. Charles is a graduate with a B.A. in Economics and Politics from Pomona College and received an M.B.A. from the University of Virginia.
Nico Chereque
Founder
Smart Pet Collective
Lisa Fimberg
Founder
Your Pet's Wellbeing