Arif Gursel

Biography

Arif Gursel is a creative and technical executive who effortlessly transitions between left- and right-brain executions, demonstrating adaptability and versatility. He is currently the founder and managing director of 8genC (pronounced 'agency') Inc., a firm helping creators, brands, and technology companies scale through strategic leadership. Gursel'has held multiple global leadership roles at Fortune 500 companies, including Microsoft, Zillow, Salesforce, Netflix, and Google, where he specializes in technology, partnerships, and the creator economy. He invests in early-stage startups through Unified Capital and 8genC Venture Studios (8VS).

Sessions

1. Building a Venture-Backable Company

   Thu, Nov 5, 12:05 PM – 1:00 PM CT

   Track Entrepreneurship

   Profitable is not the same as venture-backable. Investors who have backed some of the most category-defining companies in tech break down what they are actually looking for at the earliest stages: how they evaluate founders, why most companies cap their own upside, and how creators and bootstrappers can build for scale without giving up their edge. Walk away with a capital strategy that meets you where you are.