You have an idea…now what? Before you start looking for funding, it’s important to ensure that your idea is both viable and valuable — if it doesn’t have a sound model and a market willing to pay for it, investors won’t be interested anyway.

Target Audience:

• Startups and Entrepreneurs: early-stage entrepreneurs, entrepreneurs testing ideas for a pivot
• Community Members: people with an idea for a startup but unsure what to do next, small business owners
• Corporate Innovators: intrapreneurs, decision-makers tasked with creating and leading sustainable change
• Academic Partners: students or faculty with an idea for a startup

About the Speakers:

Heath Butler, Mercury

Heath focuses on B2B SaaS and B2B2C Marketplace investments in future-of-work and fin-tech themes. Heath also manages the organization’s venture studio and network platform, including corporate, service provider, and startup community relationships.

Prior to joining Mercury, Heath co-founded Gestalt Theory Venture Partners, a venture studio and angel investing group. Prior to Gestalt, Heath held leadership roles as a seasoned go-to-market and corporate development executive at Insperity (NYSE: NSP), the nation’s leading HR outsourcing services provider. Prior to Insperity, Heath led business development for EnergyWorkspace.com, founded a fin-tech startup, and developed his foundational management skills at UPS.

Outside of Mercury, Heath is an active angel investor and advocates for democratizing access to private equity opportunities for all investors. He is an active start-up mentor, including the Houston innovation community, and a regular speaker/mentor within The Ion. Heath enjoys traveling with family and likes to read, golf, cycle, and is an avid poker player.

Derrell Noris, Fresh Tech Solutionz

With more than ten years dedicated to developing business operations and software development, Noris is currently the Co-Founder and CTO of Deck Launch and the CEO of Fresh Tech Solutionz. Both successful startups provide services to growing businesses looking to mobilize their outreach further.

Fresh Tech Solutionz increases revenue and customer engagement through mobile apps and technology. Core services include mobile app development, social media marketing, website development, branding, printing, and custom software development. Fresh Tech Solutionz is a proud black-owned business in the Galleria area of Houston, Texas with offices in the Houston Decorative Center.