Welcome to another episode of Entrepreneur Weekly with Alan

Taylor who is at the SheTech Event 2025 took place at the Mountain America Expo

Center, featuring insights from Ryan Starks of the Governor's Office for Economic Opportunity. He highlighted Utah's strong economic environment, praised community support for training future leaders, and discussed efforts to mentor students. The office focuses on business growth, entrepreneurship, and tourism, contributing to job creation and household tax relief.

John Bradshaw, host of the Venture Capital Podcast, joined the event to promote opportunities for women. Drawing from his experiences of having nine nieces and his childhood interests, he emphasized breaking traditional gender roles. He encouraged young girls to explore diverse paths and shared details about his software company, Codebase.com, which is committed to

creating opportunities for future generations.

Jerry Henley leads the Utah Innovation Fund, managing a $30 million fund that invests around $250,000 in promising university startups across Utah. The state aims to boost its

entrepreneurial ecosystem with a planned 225,000 square foot Innovation Center to support over 300 startups. Henley is optimistic about engaging more local entrepreneurs. The fund's team, under Executive Director Jeff Moss, is notably diverse, with four out of six members being women.

Kat Kennedy from Kickstart Fund joined Alan to discuss a STEM education and entrepreneurship event that encouraged hands-on technology creation. Alan shared a personal story about nurturing young people's risk-taking and resilience. The event also focused on

women's challenges in entrepreneurship and the need for supportive environments. Overall, it highlighted the importance of practical experience in developing future leaders in technology and business.

McKay Christensen, CEO of Thanksgiving Point, discussed the organization’s mission to empower children through confidence-building STEM programs. He highlighted the significant

disparity in STEM career pursuits based on socioeconomic status in Utah: 31% of children from high-income households pursue STEM careers compared to only 7% from low-income backgrounds. To support disadvantaged youth, Thanksgiving Point provides free access to its science centers for families receiving public assistance like WIC or SNAP, aiming to spark interest and confidence in STEM.

Tara Rosander shared her experiences at the recent SheTech event attended by over 3,000 girls. She emphasized the importance of mentorship with a 3 to 1 mentor-to-girl ratio,

suggesting more frequent events to expand their impact. Tara recounted a success story of a girl who, after attending SheTech, pursued a STEM degree and received five job offers after presenting at an event. She expressed pride in how the program empowers future generations.

[00:00:00] Ryan Starks – Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity .

[00:07:23] John Bradshaw – Venture Capital Podcast

[00:11:28] Jerry Henley – Utah Innovation Fund

[00:19:18] Kat Kennedy – Kickstart Fund

[00:26:21] McKay Christensen – CEO of Thanksgiving Point

[00:34:51] Tara Rosander – Managing Director of Exceed Consulting

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SheTech Event 2025 Mountain America Expo Center III