Networking Reception

SusTech 2025 Networking Reception & Panel (Cash Bar)

Sponsored by IEEE YP & WIE

Networking Reception
Speaker: “Creating and Crossing Capitalism’s Continuum of Chasms”
Sustainability Panel Discussion
Mentoring Meet and Open Networking

Monday, April 21, 5:30-8:00 pm

Agenda:

5:30 pm	Doors open – participants can get a beverage and mingle
6:00 pm	Speaker: “Creating and Crossing Capitalism’s Continuum of Chasms”, Maurice Gunderson
6:30-7:00 pm	Panel – Young Professionals in Sustainability
7:00-8:00 pm	Mentoring Meet and Open Networking– mentors and mentees can be paired up before the event (sign up here) or at the event

Speaker:

“Creating and Crossing Capitalism’s Continuum of Chasms”

Maurice Gunderson, Managing Director Emeritus of AutoTech Ventures

Maurice Gunderson is a venture capitalist, entrepreneur, corporate director, engineer, and a lifelong aviator. He will give a presentation on the funding landscape for startups, focusing on the continuum of funding sources at different stages. He will include personal stories and experiences from his background as an engineer, entrepreneur, and venture capitalist. The talk will cover where and when to seek different types of funding, from friends and family to venture capital and IPOs.

Bio:

Maurice Gunderson is Managing Director Emeritus of AutoTech Ventures. Previously he was a founder of Nth Power, one of the first energy venture capital firms; and a Senior Partner at CMEA Capital, where he was the lead investor in NuScale Power, a developer of modular nuclear power plants. Mr. Gunderson has served on boards of over thirty private and public companies.

Prior to his VC career, Mr. Gunderson, an engineer, developed aerospace and energy products and launched eleven companies. Currently he manages scholarships for young people pursuing aviation and engineering careers. He also serves as an Adjunct Instructor at Oregon Institute of Technology.

Mr. Gunderson holds an MBA from Stanford University, and a BA (Mechanical Engineering) and an MS (Thermodynamics), both from Oregon State University. He is a National Association of Corporate Directors Leadership Fellow, a Registered Professional Engineer, and a Life Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

Panelists: Young Professionals in Sustainability

Moderator: Taylor Noh

Panelists:

Syed Ahmed Raza Naqvi
Senior Power Electronics Modelling Engineer at TAE Technologies Inc
TAE Technologies developing commercial fusion technology and is based in Lake Forest, CA
Puneeth Murthy
Staff Electrical Hardware Engineer at Rivian Automotive
Rivian Automotive is an American electric vehicle manufacturer
Arev Markarian
Geographic Information Systems Technician at Arroyo Seco Foundation
Suzy Engwall
CEO at HealthTech Strategies