Summit 2025

An invitation-only event of CEOs, Executives, and Investors shaping the future of Work

Park City | Utah

MAY 21, 2025

Agenda

Annual General Meeting

9:00 am

10:00 am

Fun Run

9:30 am

11:00 am

Outdoor Activities (optional)

Exploring the outdoors that that Park City offers. Group activities including fly fishing, mountain biking, hiking or just relaxing.

12:30 pm

1:30 pm

Lunch

1:30 pm

2:00 pm

The State of Acadian Ventures

A detailed update on the firm, our fund performance, recent additions to the team, and our outlook on the global seed stage investing landscape.

Presented by Jason Corsello

2:00 pm

2:30 pm

How AI is Changing the Workforce

A deep dive into our investment thesis and perspectives shaping AI at work.

Presented by Thomas Otter

2:30 pm

3:10 pm

AI Agents at Work with FORA, SquarePeg, and SmartRecruiters

A lively CEO panel discussion with portfolio companies including Joe Essenfeld (FORA), Claire McTaggart (SquarePeg), and Rebecca Carr (SmartRecruiters)

Moderated by Erin Yang

3:10 pm

3:40 pm

Break

3:40 pm

4:20 pm

AI and the Impact on Workers with Arist, Match2, and Worky

A lively panel discussion with portfolio companies including Maxine Anderson (Arist), Doug Berg (Match2), and Maya Dadoo (Worky)

Moderated by Thomas Otter

4:20 pm

5:00 pm

The New Infrastructure with Compa, Kombo, and datascalehr

A lively CEO panel discussion with portfolio companies including Charlie Franklin (Compa), Alex Kubel (Kombo), and Jerome Gouvernel (datascalehr)

Moderated by David Clarke

5:00 pm

5:30 pm

AMA with Acadian Ventures Team

Q&A session with Jason Corsello, Thomas Otter, David Clarke, Erin Yang, and Ryan McQueeney

6:30 pm

7:00 pm

Shuttle Pickup to Nelson Cottage

7:00 pm

8:00 pm

Cocktails & Whiskey Tasting

8:00 pm

10:30 pm

Dinner at Nelson Cottage by High West

4:00 pm

4:45 pm

An Absence of Accountability with Jeffrey Pfeffer, Professor of Organizational Behavior at Stanford University Graduate School of Business

Employers play a critical role in the escalating costs and underperformance of healthcare benefits in America. This session will explore where benefits programs go wrong and discuss the massive opportunity for employers to play a role in fixing healthcare.

In Conversation with Jason Corsello

8:00 am

9:00 am

Breakfast

9:15 am

9:50 am

Opening Keynote - Announcement Coming Soon

9:50 am

10:25 am

Aaron Matos on Pioneering AI and Exiting to Workday

Aaron Matos

A conversation with Aaron Matos, founder and former CEO of Paradox, a Workday Company, shares his story of being an early AI pioneer and navigating a billion dollar exit to Workday.

In Conversation with Jason Corsello

10:30 am

11:00 am

Break

11:00 am

11:40 am

Beyond SaaS: How Leading CEO Are Thinking About a New World of AI and Agents

A panel discussion, moderated by Doug Melsheimer of JPMorgan, on how AI is impacting company building, fundraising, and liquidity.

Moderated by Doug Melsheimer

11:45 am

12:20 pm

Building for the Next 50 Years at UKG with Gretchen Alarcon

Gretchen Alarcon

A conversation with Gretchen Alarcon, GM of Pro HCM and Pay at UKG, discussing the opportunities to transform a market leader.

In Conversation with Thomas Otter

12:20 pm

1:45 pm

Lunch

1:45 pm

2:20 pm

Growing at Scale in an AI Era with Erik Zimmer of Dayforce

A conversation with Erik Zimmer, EVP of Corporate Development and Strategic Ventures at Dayforce sharing his views on Dayforce's build-buy-partner future in an AI era.

Moderated by Jason Corsello

2:20 pm

3:00 pm

AI Agents and the Future of Software at ServiceNow with Hala Zeine

A conversation with Hala Zeine, Chief Strategy Officer at ServiceNow, to discuss the build, buy, and partner strategy in a new world of AI, moderated by David Clarke, former CTO at Workday.

In Conversation with David Clarke

3:00 pm

3:30 pm

Break

6:30 pm

9:00 pm

Dinner & Casino Night

CEO Summit

8:00 am

9:00 am

Breakfast

9:00 am

9:15 am

Welcome Address

9:15 am

9:45 am

Reinventing the Future of Work...Tech with David Blake, Andreas De Neve & Sarah White

A panel discussion with leading CEO and executives from Degreed, TechWolf, and SAP, respectively, discussing company building during a time of uncertainty and opportunity.

Moderated by Doug Melsheimer

9:45 am

9:50 am

Q&A with Doug Melsheimer and panelists

9:50 am

10:25 am

Going Public - What to Expect Before, During and After the IPO with Adam Miller

A conversation with Adam Miller, founder and former CEO at Cornerstone OnDemand, one of the largest HR Tech companies over the last 20 years, shares his experiences going public.

Moderated by Jason Corsello

10:25 am

10:30 am

Q&A with Adam Miller

10:30 am

11:00 am

Break

11:00 am

11:35 am

Reinventing Work at ServiceNow with Amanda Vinson

A conversation with Amanda Vinson, corporate development and ventures executive at ServiceNow, discussing ServiceNow's approach to Worktech and how they are leverage employee workflows to disrupt the market.

Moderated by Thomas Otter

11:35 am

11:40 am

Q&A with Amanda Vinson

11:40 am

12:15 pm

Empowering Frontline Workers with Jason Lee

A conversation with Jason Lee, founder of DailyPay and Salt Labs, on creating categories (earned wage access), building equity for frontline workers, and how that is now translating into building a market leader in employee financial wellness at Chime.

Moderated by Erin Yang

12:15 pm

12:20 pm

Q&A with Jason Lee

12:20 pm

1:45 pm

Lunch

1:45 pm

2:20 pm

An Inside View into Workday's Product Strategy with David Somers and Jim Stratton

A fireside chat with David Somers, Chief Product Officer, and Jim Stratton, Chief Technology Officer, discussing the CPO-CTO relationship in a world of AI.

Moderated by David Clarke

2:20 pm

2:25 pm

Q&A with David Somers and Jim Stratton

2:25 pm

3:00 pm

Taking the Saddle of a Unicorn with Rebecca Carr

A conversation with Rebecca Carr, CEO of SmartRecruiters. Rebecca led nearly every function at the company before taking the reins as CEO in 2024.

Moderated by Thomas Otter

3:00 pm

3:05 pm

Q&A with Rebecca Carr

3:05 pm

3:30 pm

Break

3:30 pm

4:00 pm

Steering the Entrepreneurial Rollercoaster with Mark Newman

A conversation with Mark Newman, founder and CEO of Nomi Health, an ambitious startup leading the revolution to fix the broken healthcare system in the US.

Moderated by Jason Corsello

4:00 pm

4:05 pm

Q&A with Mark Newman

4:05 pm

4:35 pm

Scaling ARR from $50M to $500M with Jeff Perry

A conversation with Jeff Perry, CRO at Carta, discussing what it takes to transform a market (equity management) and scale it to $500 million in ARR.

Moderated by Zac Posner

4:35 pm

4:40 pm

Q&A with Jeff Perry

4:40 pm

5:10 pm

Regulation, Compliance, and Trust in an AI World with Keith Sonderling

A conversation with Keith Sonderling, newly appointing US Deputy Secretary of Labor, on trust and compliance in a world of AI.

Moderated by Jason Corsello

5:10 pm

5:15 pm

Q&A with Keith Sonderling

5:15 pm

5:30 pm

Closing Remarks

6:00 pm

9:00 pm

Official Afterparty

A lively afterparty at Daly's Pub & Rec, located at the Montage Deer Valley, featuring music, bowling, cocktails, and great food

9:00 am

12:00 pm

Group Actvities

12:30 pm

1:30 pm

Lunch

1:30 pm

2:00 pm

Opening Keynote

2:00 pm

2:30 pm

Featured Panel

3:15 pm

3:45 pm

Networking Break

3:30 pm

4:00 pm

Breakout #2 - Vibe-Coding Work

A working session how portfolio companies are utilizing vibe-coding platforms in their product and product strategy.

Moderated by Lars Ettrup, Founder & CEO, Palette

5:15 pm

6:00 pm

Meet & Greet with Founders

Meet the founders from the Acadian Ventures portfolio.

7:00 pm

9:00 pm

Dinner & Drinks at the Topgolf Swing Suite

Enjoy an evening of food, drinks, and music with an immersive premium gold experience.

Location

Montage Deer Valley

An authentic yet elegant mountain getaway, Montage Deer Valley provides year-round opportunities for adventure, with unrivaled hiking, mountain biking, andfishing. Montage Deer Valley is a unique destination and the perfect locationfor an executive retreat.

Location Details

Montage Deer Valley is located at 9100 Marsac Avenue in Park City, UT 84060. This luxurious alpine retreat offers unmatched access to the serene beauty of the Wasatch Mountains.

About the Location

Nestled in the heart of Park City, Montage Deer Valley is surrounded by breathtaking mountain views and offers ski-in/ski-out access, making it a perfect destination for outdoor enthusiasts year-round.

Book Reservation Now

Featured Guests and speakers

Maxine Anderson

Founder and CPO

Arist

Rebecca Carr

CEO

SmartRecruiters

David Somers

CPO

Workday

Jim Stratton

CTO

Workday

Jason Lee

Chief of Chime Enterprise

Chime

Erin Yang

Entrepreneur in Residence

Sutter Hill Venture

Doug Melsheimer

Managing Director

J.P. Morgan

Sarah White

SVP, Head of Innovation & Transformation

SAP SuccessFactors

David Blake

co-CEO

Degreed

Jeff Perry

CRO

Carta

Erik Zimmer

EVP, Corp. Dev. & Strategic Ventures

Dayforce

Gretchen Alarcon

GM, Pro HCM & Pay

UKG

Keith Sonderling

U.S, Deputy Secretary of Labor

U.S. Department of Labor

Amanda Vinson

Corp. Dev.

ServiceNow

Hala Zeine

Chief Strategy Officer

ServiceNow

Dean Zimberg

Founder & CEO

Jolly

Michael Ioffe

Founder & CEO

Arist

Audrey Handem

Principal

Acadian Ventures

Jeffrey Pfeffer

Professor of Organizational Behavior

Stanford University

Jason Corsello

General Partner

Acadian Ventures

Aaron Matos

Founder & Former CEO

Paradox, A Workday Company

Thomas Otter

General Partner

Acadian Ventures

David Clarke

Venture Partner

Acadian Ventures

Adam Miller

Founder & Former CEO

Cornerstone OnDemand

Mark Newman

Founder & CEO

Nomi Health

Tony Jamous

Founder & CEO

Oyster

Doug Berg

Founder & Executive Chairman

Match2

Maya Dadoo

Founder & CEO

Worky

Andreas De Neve

Founder & CEO

Techwolf

Charlie Franklin

Founder & CEO

Compa

More speakers and guests coming soon

FAQs

Who attends the CEO Summit?

Summit 2025 is an invitation only event for CEOs, entrepreneurs and investors who are leading the work revolution. Attendance will be limited to approximately 125 guests to ensure a high level of interaction and networking.

What does it cost to attend the event?

There is no cost for attendees. Registration will be extremely limited and available until we reach capacity.

Where should I stay for the event?

We have a room block available at the Montage Deer Valley on a first come, first serve basis. Room reservations will be available shortly.

Will transportation be provided?

No. Transportation is available either through the hotel or via our preferred shuttle provider.

What is the recommended attire?

The dress code for the Summit 2025 is business casual, but don’t forget comfortable footwear.

Will meals be provided?

Yes, meals will be provided throughout the event. Specific meal information for the Summit 2025 will be forthcoming.

Still have questions?

Contact