Explore sessions from people shaping the future of tech

gener8tor Alabama Showcase

Join us on Wednesday, June 25 from 10:30am to 12:30pm for a unique showcase event celebrating the founders of the Bronze Valley Investment Accelerator and Prosper HealthTech Accelerator, hosted in conjunction with Sloss Tech. Over the past 12 weeks, these early-stage companies have built, tested, and refined their solutions—and now, they’re ready to share their journeys. Rather than a traditional demo day, we’re bringing their stories to life on the big screen. This premiere-style event will feature a documentary-style film highlighting each founder’s progress, passion, and potential for impact. Come connect with fellow ecosystem leaders, grab popcorn, and discover what’s next for Alabama’s growing startup community. 👉 Meet the stars behind the stories here!

Sloss.tech/Ideas | Southeast Pitch Competition

Join us for our first-ever pitch competition! Sloss.Tech/Ideas is a platform for early-stage companies in the Southeast U.S. to present their groundbreaking solutions in agtech and foodtech; healthtech and biotech; mobility and transportation technology; and emerging tech to investors and industry experts. 16 companies (4 companies in each industry track) will compete for a grand prize of $50,000 and $25,000 in additional cash prizes in front of a live audience and panel of investor judges.

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Sloss.Tech X Tech on Tap featuring Startup Showcase

Immediately following Sloss.Tech/Ideas, attendees will get to meet our finalists and additional local startups at this kickoff event combined with Innovation Depot’s monthly Tech on Tap social.

Alabama Innovation Dinner [Private Event]

Hosted in partnership with Innovate Alabama, this dinner brings together leaders driving innovation across Alabama to dine with national funders and impact partners. This event reflects Innovate Alabama’s focus on bringing ecosystems together — this time, at Sloss Tech — to facilitate deeper relationships and spark new ideas that last well beyond the conference.

Let’s Run These Streets! with Alchemy Running Crew

The best way to explore a city is on foot! Join local running club Alchemy Running Crew for a conversation-pace three-mile out-and-back run through downtown Birmingham. We will be taking a break at the end of each mile. No runners left behind! Sponsored by SEEK AL.

Roots & Rise: A Cultural Prelude to Innovation Experience the Spirit of Alabama’s Regions

Kick off your morning by immersing yourself in the culture, creativity, and communities that define Alabama’s innovation ecosystem. This regional showcase celebrates the unique identity of each corner of the state while setting the stage for a day dedicated to fueling founders and forging the future.

Sloss.Tech/Dev Opening Remarks

Leaders of TechBirmingham and Birmingham Area Software Enthusiasts (BASE) welcome attendees to the start of Sloss Tech’s first-ever developer-focused programming track. Grab some coffee from Baba Java while you settle in.

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Fueling Founders: Powering Growth Across Alabama

From early-stage support to scalable success, Alabama is a state where founders can thrive. This breakout session spotlights the statewide ecosystem of support that’s helping innovators turn bold ideas into viable ventures. Learn how statewide efforts are equipping organizations to resource, accelerate and elevate entrepreneurs across all corners of the state. Take a dynamic look into the people, programs and partnerships that are redefining what’s possible for Alabama’s innovation economy.

The Entrepreneur Experience

The Endeavor Experience Sloss Tech’s intimate kickoff for high-growth founders and investors is back! The gathering includes a hands-on product workshop and a small-group Founder/Funder lunch. Hosted by Endeavor, this experience is carefully designed and curated to help entrepreneurs grow. Interested in attending? Reach out to Malcolm for details: Malcolm.mcdonald@endeavor.org

Dev Keynote – TypeScript: Mother Tongue of the AI Apocalypse

Is the AI Apocalypse upon us? Not yet perhaps, but AI is rapidly and radically changing how we write software, and it seems to have a favorite language. This talk dives into how TypeScript is becoming the inborn “mother tongue” at the dawn of a new AI-driven development era. Speaker: David Lormor

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An Emerging Ecosystem: Innovation along I-85

Explore how the I-85 Ecosystem is cultivating founders through a collaborative network of higher education institutions, public-private partnerships, accelerators and capital partners fueling next-gen startups in the region. 9:30 AM 9:40 AM Coffee & Conversation with Mayor Gordon Stone 9:40 AM 9:50 AM Auburn Startup Studio 9:50 AM 10:05 AM Defense Innovation Roundtable with Montgomery TechLab, BESPIN and Troy Center for AI Research and Education

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Badge/Registration Open

Pick up your conference badges at 1721 3rd Ave N, just a half block from the Lyric Theatre.

Scaling from the Coast: Founders Building the Future in South Alabama

Dive into how South Alabama’s emerging tech hubs and entrepreneurial communities are launching scalable businesses with regional support and national potential.

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Debugging Our Vibe Code

So you vibe coded this app and it doesn’t work. We’ll run through understanding what you’ve done and the steps to debug it. Then we’ll probably realize it was DNS all along. Speaker: Mikhail Kozorovitskiy

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Rocket Fuel for Founders: Propelling Innovation in North Alabama

Discover how the region’s legacy of aerospace and defense is now accelerating startups across sectors, supported by a robust infrastructure for tech-driven growth.

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VIP Lounge

Escape the crowd and recharge in the VIP Lounge. Enjoy AC, WiFi, lounge seating, and a comfortable space to work, connect, or unwind — with catered food and drinks presented by NASCAR and Talladega Superspeedway.

Same Threats – New Vectors: OWASP Top 10 for LLMs

LLMs inherit familiar web-era risks with new names. This session maps OWASP’s Top 10 for LLMs to the OWASP Top 10 for web applications, offering practical security insights for a general audience. Gain a strategic lens on the intersection of cybersecurity and AI—and walk away better equipped to protect your systems, data, and products. Speaker: David Hawthorne

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Startup Central: Building the Birmingham Ecosystem for Big Ideas in Tech & Biotech

See how Central Alabama is building a strong foundation for tech and biotech founders through strategic investments, robust programs and a growing network of entrepreneurial champions. 11:30 AM 11:50 AM Fireside Chat 11:50 AM 11:57 AM Founder Spotlight 11:57 AM 12:05 PM Founder Spotlight 12:05 PM 12:07 PM Closing Remarks

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Snack + Coffee Bar

Fuel up at the Coffee Bar presented by Prevail Coffee and grab a bite at the Snack Bar, courtesy of Shipt — your go-to spots for a quick pick-me-up during the conference.

Build Yourself Like You Build Systems

In tech, we design systems to be scalable, reliable, and secure — but what about ourselves? Speaker: Alandis Seals

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Doors Open at The Lyric – 6/26

Doors Open for attendees to take their seats as they please before the Day 2 mainstage kickoff.

Main Stage Welcome

The Sloss Tech mainstage kicks off for Day 2 of the conference.

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Artist Spotlight

Experience a special performance from a local Birmingham artist to open conference programming, spotlighting the creative talent that fuels our city’s culture and energy.

Opening Fireside: From Ideas to Impact: Powering Alabama’s Future

We’re kicking things off with a fireside chat to set the tone for Sloss Tech 2025. Expect insights and inspiration from Alabama leaders to launch you into the next two days of connection, innovation, and conversation.

From Capital to Community: Building a Responsible Tech Ecosystem

​This panel brings together influential voices from Kapor Foundation, Siegel Family Endowment, and Omidyar Network to explore how funding decisions shape tomorrow’s technology landscape. In this dynamic 20-minute discussion, panelists will share insights on responsible AI development, strategies for bridging persistent equity gaps in tech innovation, and emerging models for scaling inclusive entrepreneurship. As technology continues to transform society at an unprecedented pace, this panel examines how collaboration between philanthropy, venture capital, and policy sectors can create more equitable access to opportunities while ensuring technological advancement benefits all communities. Join us for a conversation that moves beyond identifying problems to highlighting actionable pathways toward a more inclusive tech future.

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Founder Feature: Sloss.Tech/Ideas Winner

Meet the winner of Sloss Tech’s first-ever pitch competition, Sloss.Tech/Ideas. After taking home the $50K grand prize at our conference kickoff, this standout founder will take the stage to share about their company.

Snack Attack

Keep your head on a swivel. This high-energy moment—brought to you by ITAC Solutions—delivers treats, laughs, and a little bit of chaos. You’ll know it when it hits you.

Alabama Flash Talks

TBD

The Next Generation of Startup Funding: Inside Innovate Alabama’s New Venture Programs

Alabama is stepping into a bold new era of innovation. In this conversation, you’ll hear from the leaders behind Innovate Alabama’s groundbreaking initiatives designed to strengthen the state’s startup ecosystem and fuel long-term economic growth. Get a first look at Alabama’s next step in investing in entrepreneurs and laying the groundwork for the next wave of venture success.

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Make Your Move: An Open House with REV Birmingham

Thinking about locating or growing your business in Downtown BHM? Come by REV Birmingham’s downtown office for an open house where you can connect with the team, get the lay of the land, and learn how we’re helping shape a more vibrant city. We’ll also be showing The Trail We Blaze, a new short film spotlighting The Switch — an emerging downtown innovation district that is ready for visionaries like you. Whether you're curious about opportunities downtown or just want to see what’s next for the city, we’d love to meet you.

Doors Open At The Lyric

Doors Open for attendees to take their seats as they please before Sloss.Tech/Ideas.

How AI is Changing Software Development Forever

Walk through the changes that are happening in software development due to AI. Give real examples from our own company and other companies we’ve helped implement AI. Share how Birmingham companies can do more TODAY with AI in development. Speaker: Will Blackburn

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Workshop: FACTS – An AI Model for Small Business Owners

TBD

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Connected but Not Together: How to Leverage Technology, Old and New, for Better Human Coordination

Coffee and money are rudimentary technologies for human coordination. Coffee shops are the decentralized physical infrastructure for the spread of ideas. Money is the technology that allows for these ideas to manifest and spread, at scale. The Internet and Blockchains are also technologies for human coordination. This talk is an exploration of how we can meld these old and new technologies to create systems that move our communities from “connected” to become more aligned and impactful “together”.

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AI-Driven Engineering For TeamsS

What we have learned at QuantHub using LLMs to automate our engineering processes. Implementing an agile workflow, writing code and integrating with GitLab Issues. Speaker: Bill Abel

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Mini-Workshop: Rapid Product-Building with AI

Get an overview of the latest AI coding tools, learn how to rapidly build prototypes with AI, and see real-world examples of how companies are using these tools today. Session focused on tools like Lovable and Replit, as well as Cursor and Windsurf

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The Future of Work – Innovating Tomorrow Together

“Step into the future with us in this transformative session that explores the groundbreaking changes redefining the workplace landscape. As we navigate an era marked by rapid technological advancement and shifting employee expectations, it’s crucial to envision how we can collectively shape a thriving future of work. In this forward-focused session, we will delve into: Envisioning the Future Work Environment -Imagine workplaces that are not bound by traditional structures. We’ll explore futuristic concepts such as fully integrated digital and physical spaces, smart offices equipped with IoT devices, and virtual reality collaboration hubs that enhance creativity and connection, regardless of location. Deploying AI and Automation -Explore the potential of AI and automation as catalysts for innovation, enhancing productivity while empowering employees to focus on strategic, high-impact tasks. Championing Employee Well-Being and Interoperability – Learn how to prioritize the human experience in a tech-driven world, ensuring that technology not only supports productivity but also nurtures well-being and builds a culture of inclusivity.”

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From Sim to Superspeedway: How Gaming and Esports Are Fueling NASCAR’s Future

“NASCAR has long been revered for its high-octane spectacle and passionate fan community—but the future of the sport is accelerating in the digital realm. This 30-minute panel at SLOSS Tech (June 25–27 in Birmingham, Alabama) explores how NASCAR and Talladega Superspeedway are leveraging gaming, esports, and emerging digital platforms to modernize the sport, cultivate new fans, and discover rising talent. • Malik Ray, standout competitor in the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series (Las Vegas Inferno), will share the thrill and rigor of top-tier sim racing. • Otto Szebeni, VP of Sales & Marketing at iRacing, will discuss how the platform has become a critical steppingstone for professional drivers and preview NASCAR ’25. • Brian Chrichton, President of Talladega Superspeedway, will explain how virtual experiences keep fans engaged even when they can’t be at the track. • Ray Smith, NASCAR’s Sr. Director of Esports will explore the expanding role of the Coca-Cola iRacing Series in driver development and fan engagement. • Mitch Rasmussen, NASCAR’s Sr. Director of Emerging Platforms will highlight the organization’s newest digital strategies—across mobile apps, online gaming, and more—to attract younger audiences and shape the future of the sport. Moderating the discussion is Nick Rend, NASCAR’s VP of Interactive and Emerging Platforms, who has overseen NASCAR’s evolution from console games to mobile apps, esports, and beyond. Together, these experts will reveal how sim racing, immersive gaming, and innovative technology are redefining what it means to be part of the NASCAR family.”

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Workshop: Navigating Downtown Birmingham Real Estate

Curious about breaking into Birmingham’s real estate scene or growing your footprint downtown? Join us for a workshop-style

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Fractional Leadership. Exponential Impact.

Fast-growing companies can’t afford weak leadership, high turnover, or misaligned cultures. Fractional executives deliver immediate, high-impact c-suite leadership—without the overhead of full-time hires. Fractional People Officers and Chiefs of Staff help companies scale smarter, execute better, and retain top talent—turning scalable people strategy into the ultimate competitive advantage.

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Play to Win: Engineering Joyful Tools That Compound Over Time

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Trailblazers in Tech: Voices from Alabama’s Next Generation

Hear directly from emerging talent who are shaping the future of Alabama’s innovation economy. Participants in dynamic talent development programming from across the state will share their about their career growth, real-world experiences and why they’re choosing to build their futures here.

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How Building With Different Tools Can Compound Over Time

This talk will explore how using a variety of development tools, each suited for different tasks, can create compounding benefits over time – improved efficiency, faster problem-solving, smoother scaling, etc. The session will touch on themes like skill stacking, interoperability, and long-term impact, and will expand into specific examples and/or best practices. Speaker: Praise Daramola

Investing in Culture

“The need to build an ecosystem for founders building around a cultural insight with opportunity to impact our daily lifestyle, trends, and movements. The talk may include: Why there is a gap in the ecosystem between investing in technical companies vs cultural breakthroughs. How networks can be more important than funding for these founders in the early days; how founders can build, grow and maintain relationships Building blocks of setting up culture-driven companies, including setting the mission, vision and values of your company, along with hiring and scaling your company Interesting trends and opportunities in lifestyle sectors right now, especially given the AI boom”

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Work Hard, Play Here: How Tech Talent Can Leverage Alabama’s Outdoors Scene

really takes to find your place in downtown Birmingham. This is your chance to ask questions, get insights, and leave with real-

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Scientist + AI: The Symbiotic Partnership | Accelerating Tomorrow’s Breakthroughs

Drawing from her groundbreaking work in computational physics and AI research, Ashia Lewis-Livaudais explores how AI is already transforming scientific discovery and its vast untapped potential. This session reveals how AI integration creates a “cyborg scientist” workflow that amplifies human creativity while optimizing tedious research aspects. Attendees will learn how intelligent automation accelerates the R&D lifecycle, making breakthroughs more accessible and reproducible. Ashia will share insights from developing one of the first algorithms for autonomous particle accelerator operation and how similar approaches are revolutionizing research across industries. Whether you’re a researcher, technologist, or simply curious about the future, you’ll gain insights into how human-AI partnerships are creating a more efficient, reliable scientific ecosystem that benefits us all.

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The Next Generation of XR Technologists: Student Storytelling for Social Change

What happens when you give students immersive technology and ask them to tell their own stories of courage, justice, and change? In this session, we’ll explore how local Birmingham students are using VR technology to reimagine the historic Children’s March of 1963—bringing the past to life in a way that resonates with a new generation. Created in partnership with Kai XR Futures and AGOG, this immersive experience blends history, storytelling, and technology to empower students as the next generation of XR creators and changemakers. You’ll get a behind-the-scenes look at the production of a 3-part VR film created with Birmingham students and educators, showcasing key moments of the Children’s March through the eyes of young people. Discover how this project equips students with hands-on XR skills while preserving their community’s history and inspiring social change.

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Mini-Workshop: How Non-Technical Founders Can Build and Lead a Tech Startup

Let’s be honest—building a tech startup when you’re not technical can feel like assembling a rocket ship in the dark. One wrong hire, one mismanaged development cycle, and you’re out tens of thousands of dollars… with nothing to show for it. In this session, I’ll break down how non-technical founders can avoid costly mistakes, hire the right developers, and confidently lead their tech team—even if they’ve never written a line of code. You’ll walk away with practical, proven strategies to move faster and build smarter, including: – The three essential skills every founder needs to manage developers effectively – A repeatable development workflow I use and teach to deliver high-quality products on time and on budget – The different ways you can build your product (and how to choose the right approach for your stage) You’ll leave with a clear roadmap to lead your dev team efficiently, avoid common pitfalls, and take control of your product journey—from idea to launch and beyond.

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New In Tech; The Struggle Is Real

Breaking into tech isn’t easy. This candid conversation brings together a student and tech professionals from a range of career levels to share the real challenges of landing that first job and establishing your path in tech, from navigating imposter syndrome to overcoming barriers. Whether you’re early in your journey or helping others start theirs, this panel offers honest insight, practical advice, and a reminder that you’re not alone.

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Creating With Machines Without Becoming One

When AI makes everything look decent and algorithms flatten our taste, “good enough” floods the feed. But creativity isn’t just output. It’s edge. In this talk, Big Com’s Executive Creative Director shares a rally cry for human thinking that earns attention machines can’t fake, even when we invite them in as collaborators.

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Transition Back to Main Stage

Take the next 20 minutes to transition back to the mainstage, chat with those you’ve connected with, and check out some of our activations just outside the Lyric.

Welcome Back + Founder Feature: John Walter, ProxyLink

Meet the Birmingham-based startup and recent Alabama Launchpad winner Proxylink. In this quick spotlight, hear directly from the founder about ProxyLink’s vision, what they’re building, and why it matters now.

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Keynote: Rashaun Williams

Join us for a keynote from the Guest Shark on Shark Tank, Limited Partner in the Atlanta Falcons, trailblazing investor, and financial literacy advocate Rashaun Williams. In this keynote, Rashaun shares lessons from his remarkable journey—from the South Side of Chicago to Wall Street and Silicon Valley—to offer inspiration and clarity on what it means to lead, invest, and uplift in today’s world. With over 170 investments and a passion for empowering communities, Rashaun brings a fresh, grounded perspective on what it takes to thrive in today’s world.

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Culture & Connections: An Evening with Alabama’s Regions

Unwind and reconnect as the sun sets with an immersive celebration of Alabama’s rich cultural identity. Mingle with fellow conference attendees while exploring regional exhibits that highlight the unique flavors, sights, sounds and stories that make each corner of the state a compelling place to live, work and play.

VIP Party – 6/26

VIP Attendees — join us on the rooftop at Frank for an evening of music, conversation, and skyline views, complete with catered food and drinks. Speakers, sponsors, ecosystem leaders, and special guests will come together to celebrate Sloss Tech in style.

VIP Lounge-

Escape the crowd and recharge in the VIP Lounge. Enjoy AC, WiFi, lounge seating, and a comfortable space to work, connect, or unwind — with catered food and drinks presented by NASCAR and Talladega Superspeedway.

Snack Bar + Coffee Bar

Fuel up at the Coffee Bar presented by Prevail Coffee and grab a bite at the Snack Bar, courtesy of Shipt — your go-to spots for a quick pick-me-up during the conference.

Main Stage Kickoff

The Sloss Tech mainstage kicks off for the final day of the conference.

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Founder Feature: Cori Fain, Moxi

Meet the Birmingham-based startup bringing on-demand childcare to our community. In this quick spotlight, hear directly from the founder about Moxi’s vision, what they’re building, and why it matters now.

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Morning Keynote: Zack Kass | Societal Thresholds

Join advisor, futurist, and the former Head of GTM for OpenAI Zack Kass in his keynote The Next Ren(AI)ssance. Plus, be sure to catch Zack at his AMA session immediately following the break at 10:30am

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Keynote: Johnny Cupcakes | Building Brand Loyalty, Customer Obsession & Memorable Experiences

With each new launch, the hysteria around the ‘Johnny Cupcakes’ brand continues to conquer the globe. The reactions range from 10-block-long queues of fans anxiously waiting for the shop to open, to super-fan Cupcake tattoos—yes, permanent ones. In this awe-inducing presentation, Johnny will educate you on how you too can create a wave of word-of-mouth marketing, loyalty, and obsession around your products, service or organization—and within your team—through the power of experiential branding

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Make Your Move: An Open House with REV Birmingham-

Thinking about locating or growing your business in Downtown BHM? Come by REV Birmingham’s downtown office for an open house where you can connect with the team, get the lay of the land, and learn how we’re helping shape a more vibrant city. Whether you’re curious about opportunities downtown or just want to see what’s next for the city, we’d love to meet you.

Networking + Transition to Breakouts – 6/27

Take the next 20 minutes to transition to breakouts, chat with those you’ve connected with, or check out some of our activations just outside the Lyric (including a pop-up shop and Meet & Greet with Johnny Cupcakes!)

AMA with Zack Kass

Following his keynote, “The Next Renaissance”, Zack Kass—advisor, futurist, and former Head of Go-To-Market at OpenAI —joins us for an in-depth Q&A. We’ll go beyond the high-level to unpack the impact of today’s AI breakthroughs and what the mean for business, leadership, and the future of work. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to engage directly with one of the most trusted advisors helping Fortune 1000 companies navigate the AI revolution.

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Pop Up Shop with Johnny Cupcakes

Immediately following his keynote, swing by the Johnny Cupcakes pop-up for a chance to meet the man behind the brand and snag limited-edition Johnny Cupcakes x Sloss Tech gear. From cult-classic designs to brand-new exclusives, this is your shot to take home a piece of the experience and see experiential branding in action.

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The Cyber Curiosity Mindset: How Curiosity Can Be Your Strongest Security Tool

What if the strongest security tool isn’t software, but human curiosity? In this thought-provoking talk, Lakeidra Smith reveals why good cybersecurity starts not with fear or compliance—but with curiosity. Through real-world stories and powerful insights, she challenges leaders to rethink how culture, behavior, and curiosity can become their first line of defense in today’s evolving threat landscape.

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Demonstrate the GAINS: Expert Tips to Elevate Your Product Demos

Delivering a compelling product demo is crucial when pitching to potential investors, partners, or customers. In “Demonstrate the GAINS: Expert Tips to Elevate Your Product Demos,” a trusted Solutions Consultant will share proven strategies to help you execute compelling demos that engage your audience, adapt to their unique needs, showcase value, and leave a lasting impact. Whether you’re a startup founder seeking funding, a product leader showcasing innovations, or a developer explaining technical solutions, you’ll walk away with actionable insights to craft demos that resonate, impress, and drive results.

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Finding Your Squad: The Power of Support Networks in Tech

In tech, your success isn’t just about skills – it’s about finding your people. This panel will discuss the power of strong support networks, offering insights on how to build meaningful connections, navigate career growth, overcome challenges, and identify opportunities to support others along the way. Discover practical tips for finding your squad and taking ownership of your professional journey.

AI Adoption For Your Team – A Practical Guide

As advancements in AI reshape what work can look like, organizations will quickly face a struggle to make AI relevant and valuable to their teams. There is a compelling business case for leaders to take action now to prepare their organizations and teams to deploy these tools effectively, ultimately being able to grow and maintain their competitive edge. This presentation focuses on a practical framework that can be applied to consider AI readiness across an organization and serve as a strategy to guide adoption efforts, which has been deployed successfully across a number of organizations.

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Bridging the Distance: Leading Effective, Distributed Dev Teams

In a world where software teams, clients, and partners span cities, continents, and cultures, collaboration is more complex, and more critical, than ever. As CEO of ConcertIDC, Debra Hays leads teams and client relationships across the U.S. and India, balancing time zones, communication styles, and team dynamics. In this candid, practical talk, she shares the leadership lessons behind high-performing distributed collaborations: how to foster clarity, build trust, and align goals across diverse contributors. Whether you’re working with a remote team, an international partner, or a cross-functional client group, you’ll gain insights to work smarter, communicate better, and collaborate more effectively– wherever you are.

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Capital Connections: Fueling Founder Growth Across Alabama-

Across Alabama, bold ideas are becoming thriving businesses and capital access is a key part of the equation. In this session, explore how initiatives like Innovate Alabama’s Supplemental Grant Program and the State Small Business Credit Initiative are equipping founders with the financial fuel to scale. Hear directly from entrepreneurs from across Alabama who are tapping into the resources that make business growth possible.

The Intersection of Policy and Tech: What do entrepreneurs need and how can public policy keep up?

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Capital on the Move: Scaling Innovation from the Rocket City to the Capitol City

From Huntsville’s high-tech hubs to the academic powerhouses of the I-85 Ecosystem, this panel unpacks how founders in these regions are accessing capital and support to scale smart and fast. Learn how regional collaborations and programs are powering sustainable growth.

Using AI to go from Idea to Prototype in ~48 hours

Discover how AI tools like Bolt, Lovable, and ChatPRD can help your team move faster on product innovation and development—lessons from real use at HVL.

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From the Heart to the Horizon: Expanding Access to Capital in Central and South Alabama

Whether it’s urban revitalization or coastal entrepreneurship, founders in Central and South Alabama are leveraging targeted funding to scale their businesses. This conversation highlights how public-private partnerships, grant programs and local initiatives are driving innovation.

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AI in Education: The Billion-Dollar Opportunity Alabama Can’t Afford to Miss

The AI revolution isn’t coming- it’s already here. While Big Tech and global competitors are racing ahead, the U.S. education system is still trying to decide if AI belongs in the classroom. That hesitation is a $1 trillion mistake. Jennifer Wolverton, founder of MARS (Microcollective for AI, Robotics, and the Sciences), is rewriting the education playbook—turning AI from an afterthought into the engine of the next generation’s success. She’s not here to debate “if” AI should be in education. She’s here to show you how it’s already transforming learning, career pipelines, and the future of Alabama’s workforce. 🔹 What You’ll Learn: ✅ Why banning AI in schools is setting students up for failure ✅ How Alabama can build an AI-educated workforce that outpaces national competitors ✅ The hidden billion-dollar opportunity for tech, startups, and policymakers in AI-driven education ✅ How MARS is already leading the charge—and how you can be part of it Alabama can either lead in AI education or fall behind forever. Which will it be? Let’s build the future.

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Good Testing is Bad News

I’ll walk through my personal journey from Associate QA to QA Lead across three companies (Daxko, Rancher/SUSE, and Tilled), sharing stories, patterns, and lessons learned. Along the way, I’ll highlight how to work with QA instead of leaving that slack message unread. Whether you’re a developer, team lead, or fellow QA, you’ll come away with a better understanding of how to collaborate, communicate, and ultimately ship higher-quality software. Speaker: Sergei Gapanovich

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Every Worker a Founder: Employee Ownership in Tech and the Future of Alabama

What if every employee treated the business like it was their baby – their passion and reason to get up in the morning? “Every Worker a Founder” builds on a familiar startup concept: granting early employees equity. This panel explores why that powerful idea shouldn’t be limited to a select few. We’ll discuss how extending ownership to all employees can drive significant business growth, foster a more engaged workforce, and create a more equitable and successful future for Alabama businesses. Daniel is a worker-owner at Ginkgo Bioworks, the leading platform for cell engineering and biosecurity. At Ginkgo, he works on communications, investor relations, press, and ownership. Dorothy George serves as the Small Business Relationship Coordinator for the City of Birmingham’s Office of Business Diversity and Opportunity. In this role, she is dedicated to fostering strong relationships with small business owners and key ecosystem partners across the city.

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Data + Tech | The importance of data analytics in cyber and tech roles

In this dynamic session, attendees will learn about data and artificial intelligence skills as a pathway to cyber security and tech roles.

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Leveraging AI for Career Development: Unlocking New Paths to Employment

AI is transforming the way we work and develop our careers, offering individuals powerful tools to enhance their job search, skill development, and networking. In this session, I will discuss how AI can be leveraged to streamline career development, optimize job searches, and help secure meaningful employment. As the founder of Put Me On, a platform that empowers individuals to navigate career challenges with AI-driven solutions, I’ve had firsthand experience in creating innovative tools that bridge the gap between technology and career success. With a background in computer science and experience in product management at a leading e-commerce firm, I bring a unique perspective on how AI can be integrated into career development strategies. This combination of technical expertise and career development insights allows me to offer actionable strategies for leveraging AI to ensure job seekers and professionals are equipped for success in today’s competitive job market.

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Transition Back to Main Stage – 6/27

Take the next 15 minutes to transition back to the mainstage for our final keynote and closing panel featuring Dr. Ruha Benjamin!

Welcome Back + Founder Feature: Wunderfan

Meet the local startup turning sports fandom into real rewards. In this quick spotlight, hear directly from the team behind Wunderfan about their all-in-one loyalty platform, how it’s deepening fan engagement, and why it’s a game-changer for teams, venues, and partners alike.

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Snack Attack -6/27

Keep your head on a swivel. This high-energy moment—brought to you by Shipt—delivers treats, laughs, and a little bit of chaos. You’ll know it when it hits you.

Keynote: Ruha Benjamin | Tech for Good

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Closing Converstation: Tech for Good

Closing Remarks + Thank You

As the Main Stage for Sloss Tech comes to a close, we’ll invite attendees to join us outside the Lyric for more festivities.

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Back To The Future: What Year Is Your Software Org In?

This presentation introduces a comprehensive assessment tool that maps the evolution of fundamental software practices from 1984 to 2025. The tool enables teams and organizations to evaluate their current practice adoption and identify improvement opportunities through strategic planning. Speaker: Steve Hallman

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Finale Happy Hour

Keep the conversations and connections flowing! Head over to TrimTab Brewing Co. for a complimentary brew and yummy bites for purchase from Paradise Chow. (must present coupon received at registration for complimentary beer)

Network Automation at Scale with Kubernetes and Crossplane

Speaker: Jeremy Sanders

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What I Learned About Cybersecurity From Auditing Data Centers

Data centers employ some of the most robust physical security controls in the industry to protect the machines within. Technical Infrastructure Audit teams are the third-line of defense in ensuring physical assets are appropriately secured. In this talk I’ll walk through the physical security controls in place at data centers, and how they can be applied to any company’s information security defenses to strengthen overall security posture. Speaker: Kimberly Cote

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From Microservice to Monolith and Back: How to Migrate React

In this talk I’ll share some of our learnings about building and migrating our react applications at Shipt. We’ve worked in a monolith, in a microservice and in-between and in doing so learned a great deal about how the library can be flexed to suit those needs. Further, I’d like to explore the pros, cons, and organizational structures that would dictate whether you should adopt a microservice approach or a monolithic approach regardless of whether you are migrating from React to React or Ruby/Rails to React. Speaker: Jared O’Neal

Speakers

Tech Roles in the Era of AI

AI is reshaping the tech workforce — changing how we build, what we automate, and the skills that matter most. In this panel, industry leaders in various spaces (startups, corporate, education) explore how roles across tech are evolving, what it means for the next generation of talent, and how to stay adaptable in a landscape where AI is a tool, a teammate, and a disruptor.

Speakers

ShinDigit@l: The Official After Party

The Official afterparty of Sloss Tech is here. ShinDigit@l isn’t just another music festival — it’s a movement. Set in the heart of Birmingham, Alabama, this electrifying event is reigniting the city’s cultural flame by bringing together music lovers, creators, and innovators in a celebration of sound, art, and community. More than music, ShinDigit@l is about community revival. It’s about giving local businesses, artists, and vendors a platform. It’s about bringing people back together — dancing, vibing, and building connections that last long after the music fades. It’s about showing the world that Birmingham is alive, loud, and ready for the future. Doors open at 5pm and show starts at 5:30pm. Grab tickets here