Author/activist Ndaba Mandela, the grandson of the late Nelson Mandela, will be one of the featured speakers for the “Eclectic Convergence: Cornell Entrepreneurship Summit NYC” on Nov. 8 at The Times Center on West 41st Street in New York City. 

The summit, now in its eighth year, is organized, curated and hosted by Entrepreneurship at Cornell. The event will feature eight entrepreneurial business leaders speaking in TED-style talks and fireside chats about their entrepreneurial journeys. Attendees will take part in networking breaks and meals, and watch startup pitches based on Cornell technologies, with a winner announced at the end of the day. 

The event runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a cocktail reception to follow. The annual event is expected to attract more than 500 participants. 

“We bring together an eclectic group of entrepreneurs and speakers,” said Zach Shulman ’87, J.D. ’90, director of Entrepreneurship at Cornell. “This allows our conference to provide a wonderful mix of stories, energy and emotion.” 

Mandela will talk about the Mandela Institute for Humanity, of which he is co-founder and co-chairman. Its mission is to lift up the next generation of African leaders and fight for the end of HIV/AIDS. He is also the author of “Going to the Mountain: Life Lessons From My Grandfather, Nelson Mandela.” 

Also speaking will be Alexa von Tobel, founder and managing partner of Inspired Capital and founder and CEO of financial planning company LearnVest. She is also the author of “Financially Fearless” and the upcoming “Financially Forward.” After raising nearly $75 million in venture capital, LearnVest was acquired by Northwestern Mutual in May 2015 in one of the biggest fintech acquisitions of the decade. 

Daniel Cane ’98, CEO and co-founder of medical software company Modernizing Medicine, will talk about his various ventures, including his newest company, a health care information business that works to increase practice efficiency and improve patient outcomes. As an undergraduate, Cane co-founded Blackboard Inc., raised over $100 million in venture capital and, in 2004, helped take the company public. In 2011, Blackboard was sold for $1.6 billion. 

The event will also feature a fireside chat between Shulman and alumni Stephan Paternot ’96 and Todd Krizelman ’96, who as undergrads founded theglobe.com, one of the world’s first social media websites. Paternot is now co-founder and CEO of Slated, while Krizelman is co-founder and CEO of MediaRadar. 

Other speakers scheduled to appear: 

• Marc Cenedella, founder and CEO of Ladders; 
• Rebecca Kaden, managing partner of Union Square Ventures; 
• Lisa Skeete Tatum ’89, founder and CEO of Landit; 
• Gwen Whiting ’98, co-founder of The Laundress; and
• Scott Belsky ’02, entrepreneur, author, investor and chief product officer of Adobe, who will act as emcee and moderator. 

Registration of $300 (general), $200 (faculty and staff) or $50 (students) includes access to all speaker presentations, breakfast and lunch, end of Summit reception and networking periods. Visit the Entrepreneurship at Cornell website to learn more or register. 

Kathy Hovis is a writer for the College of Arts and Sciences.