Ted Smith
Director of Innovation · Louisville Metro Government
Led Louisville's innovation office and smart city initiatives from 2011–2016. Champion of civic technology and open data.
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Louisville Community Leaders
24 people
The organizers, advocates, and leaders connecting and supporting Louisville's entrepreneurial community.
Grace Simrall
KY Director of Market Development · Lumos Fiber
Kentucky Director of Market Development at Lumos Fiber. Former Chief of Civic Innovation for Louisville Metro Government (2016–2023), leading Smart City strategy and digital transformation. Senior Fellow at Center for Digital Government. Chair of the Gheens Foundation Board.
Theresa Reno-Weber
CEO · GoodMaps
CEO of GoodMaps, an AI-enabled indoor mapping and navigation platform based in Louisville. Former Chief of Performance Improvement for Louisville Metro Government and CEO of Metro United Way. US Coast Guard veteran, McKinsey alum, and Harvard Kennedy School graduate.
Andy Steen
Founder · Liverpool Lane
Healthcare innovation leader and startup veteran based in Louisville. Founder of Liverpool Lane, focused on healthtech across Kentucky. Over 24 years in healthcare with roles at Render and Keyhorse Capital. Active community builder for Louisville's startup ecosystem.
Austin Lopesilvero
Founder · Aspen Studios
Founder of Aspen Studios and longtime organizer of Techstars Startup Weekend Louisville and Startup Week Louisville. Active in Louisville's startup ecosystem since 2014, facilitating events at both local and global levels.
Daniel Johnsen
Senior Venture Consultant · Pilot Lite
Technologist and entrepreneur who helps leaders create startups, grow businesses, and build entrepreneurial communities in Louisville. Specializes in guiding early-stage companies from prototype to traction across software and physical products.
Justin Brown
Managing Director · Endeavor Midwest
Managing Director of Endeavor Midwest and Founder of Bespoke Production Capital. Former J.P. Morgan and Bank of America. Returned to Louisville to grow his family's real estate firm, The Marian Group, and support the local entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Larry Horn
Co-Founder & CEO · Amplify Louisville
Co-founder and CEO of Amplify Louisville, the state-funded entrepreneurial support organization for greater Louisville. Co-founded four early-stage venture-backed startups. Former Director of Startup Ecosystem Development for Louisville through Techstars.
Gill Holland
Developer & Entrepreneur · Holland Holdings
Film producer, real estate developer, and community builder who coined 'NuLu' and transformed Louisville's East Market District. Produced 150+ indie films including Sundance triple-winner Hurricane Streets. Led the Portland Investment Initiative with $35M+ in neighborhood revitalization.
Tendai Charasika
Partner & Chief Strategy Officer · Saling Wealth Advisors
UofL Entrepreneur in Residence. Former Executive Director of EnterpriseCorp and CEO of SuperFan U. UofL double alumnus (Chemical Engineering, Entrepreneurship MBA) and former varsity football player.
Jeff Gora
Founder · MAAR LLC
UofL Entrepreneur in Residence and founder of MAAR LLC, an executive consulting firm focused on innovation and strategic alignment. 15+ years of experience across medical device manufacturing, retail, education, and technology.
Jenn Callahan
Chief Visionary Officer · Amplify Louisville
Chief Visionary Officer at Amplify Louisville. Founded liveFire, a marketing solutions company. Former CMO at GoWild. Experienced in scaling startups with background at Service Net and AIG.
Natalia Bishop
Director of Innovation & Entrepreneurship · University of Louisville
Multiple-time founder and Director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at UofL. Founded Story Louisville, the city's first startup-focused coworking space, and Level Up, an edtech platform for women. Originally from Colombia, 20+ years in Louisville.
Lisa Bajorinas
Executive Director · Kentucky Innovation Hubs
Executive Director of Kentucky Innovation Hubs and Vogt Awards Program Director at the Community Foundation of Louisville. Co-founded Louisville Enterprise Angels. Former leader of EnterpriseCorp. Silicon Valley alum with deep expertise in lean startup methodologies.
Jackie Willmot
CEO & Co-Founder · XLerateHealth
CEO and Co-Founder of XLerateHealth, a healthcare accelerator cultivating innovation across the Midwest and Southeast since 2013. 30+ years in healthcare including 15 years as a Humana Innovation Center executive. NIH Principal Investigator for the XLeratorNetwork.
Will Metcalf
AVP for Research & Innovation · University of Louisville
Associate Vice President for Research and Innovation at UofL and Director of the Entrepreneurship Law Clinic. Co-founded LEAP. Leads UofL New Ventures and the NSF I-Corps program. PI on $5M+ in awards supporting technology-based entrepreneurship.
Trevor Pawl
CEO · Louisville Economic Development Alliance
First CEO of the Louisville Economic Development Alliance, appointed by Mayor Craig Greenberg. Previously served in Michigan Governor Whitmer's cabinet as Chief Mobility Officer, establishing 89 public-private partnerships and securing over $478 million for new projects. Brings 15+ years of economic development experience.
Jeff Guan
Professor, Former Interim Dean · UofL College of Business
Professor at the University of Louisville College of Business who served as Interim Dean from 2022 to 2025. Led academic innovations in the College of Business for nearly a decade and is active in Louisville's startup and entrepreneurship community.
Tommy Wallace
Market President, Commercial Banking · Old National Bank
Market President of Commercial Banking at Old National Bank in Louisville. Previously held leadership positions at PNC. Active supporter of Louisville's startup ecosystem and serves on the Amplify Startups board of directors.
Greg Pope
Office Managing Partner · EY
Office Managing Partner at EY in Louisville, leading a team of 240+ professionals. Board member of Endeavor Louisville, Fund for the Arts, and Kentucky College of Art + Design. Board Chair of the Leadership Louisville Center.
Raechele Gray Smalls
Program Director · Invest Blue KY / Launch Blue Ventures
Program Director at Invest Blue KY and Director of Launch Blue Ventures. Former Lead for Access to Capital at Endeavor and inaugural Vogt Innovator at 1804 Entrepreneur Center. Alumna of VC Unlocked (500 Startups / Stanford). Serial entrepreneur and ecosystem builder focused on advancing equity in Louisville's startup community. MBA from Eastern Kentucky University.
Sunny Dronawat
Entrepreneur & Board Chair · Louisville Water Company
Distinguished entrepreneur and innovator. Founded and scaled POS on Cloud (merged with Newtek in 2019). Chairs Louisville Water Company and serves on the board of Jefferson Community and Technical College. Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering and MBA from University of Louisville.
David Lopez
Entrepreneur in Residence · Amplify Louisville
Founder and Principal Consultant of Valor Insights LLC and Chair of the Louisville Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Over 20 years of experience in business development, executive leadership, and program operations.
Jackson Andrews
Managing Director · Endeavor Louisville
Founding Managing Director of Endeavor KY, IN, OH. Named to the Power 50 list of Louisville's most influential business leaders. Previously Managing Director at Spouting Rock Capital Advisors. Board member of 1804.
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