At SOAR Summits, you are connected with subject-matter experts. You also meet like-minded people overcoming many of the same challenges and looking for new opportunities. 

This often meets and sparks new conversations during breakout sessions. 

And we’ve lined up four incredible sessions at the SOAR Focus Summit on Entrepreneurship and Innovation, presented by Kentucky Power, on June 23-24 in Hazard.  

Let’s take a deeper look!

Resources and planning

Our first group of breakout sessions will be from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Friday, June 24. It will feature a Resource Roundtable and a conversation on bringing rural communities into the digital economy. 

Eastern Kentucky has a vast ecosystem of support for entrepreneurs. This session will highlight those programs and allow you the opportunity to learn and be introduced to these resources. 

This session will be moderated by Monique Quarterman, Deputy Executive Director of KY Innovation, with panelists:

• Amanda Kelly, Director of Small Business Training for the Southeast Kentucky Economic Development Corporation
• Rodney Kuhl, Center Director for the Kentucky Small Business Development Center (London Office)
• Les Roll, Special Projects Manager for The Mountain Association

Molly Pyle, from the Center for Rural Innovation and Rural Innovation Strategies, will provide an exercise on how communities can evaluate their needs related to attracting digital jobs.  

Incentives and nurturing ideas 

Our second group of breakout sessions will be from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Friday, June 24.  It will highlight incentives supporting innovation and nurturing ideas with a focus on school-aged youth. 

There is a long list of incentives supporting innovative ideas.  We’ll take a deep dive with leaders from the public and private sectors, as well as learn how both work together to support entrepreneurs. 

Sandy Dunahoo, a Consultant at Nesbitt Engineering, will moderate the session.  Panelists are:

• Thomas Carew, State Director for USDA Rural Development
• Tim Hughes, Senior Trade Adviser for the Kentucky Department of Agriculture
• Robert Coffey, District Director of the US Small Business Administration
• Pat Doherty, Vice President at Advantage Capital
• Tim Donovan, Partner at Donovan Energy

Nurturing the next big idea starts with our youth. We’ll learn from some incredible programs supporting tech-based, scalable entrepreneurship with our youth.

Jeremy Turner, with the Appalachian Investors Alliance, will moderate the session.

Panelists for this session are: 

• Aditya Gollamudi, Founder of Path2Programming 
• Tina Wei Smith, Director of Operations for Prosper Appalachia 
• Kyle Wilson, CEO of Boom Beans
• John Justice, President of CEDAR

Join us in Hazard

Registration for the Focus Summit is open now and only $35.  This includes:

• All Programming, Presented by Primary Care Centers of Eastern Kentucky
• The SOAR Focus Summit Reception, Presented By KY Innovation and Entertainment Sponsored By Perry Distributors
• Startup Appalachia Pitch Competition, Presented by Community Trust Bancorp.
• Breakfast (Sponsored by Hazard/Perry County Tourism) and Lunch (Sponsored by KY Innovation) on June 24

Check out our agenda and register now!