

Chicago AI Innovation Panel: Speed to ROI in the Era of AI | Founders & VCs + Networking
We’re pleased to invite the Chicago tech community to Chicago AI Panel & Networking Event on March 24.
📅 Tuesday, March 24 | 5–8:30 PM
📍 Chicago, Smoke Daddy BBQ - Wrigleyville
Everyone's feeling the pressure to move fast on AI. Almost no one is accounting for the cost of moving wrong.
Join technology and business leaders in Chicago for an honest conversation about what's truly driving results and what's quietly failing.
Meet the experts who've rolled out AI, dealt with the consequences, and formed hard-won opinions along the way.
Come meet us, swap stories, share what worked and what didn't, and leave with insights you can immediately apply at work.
What to expect?
Are you AI-native, or just AI-decorated?
AI agents: from demo to production disaster
The hidden cost of GenAI
Which department is winning the internal arms race?
Will Engineers Who Don’t Use AI Be Unemployable in 3 Years?
We’re honored to host:
Johann Beukes – Fractional CTO, Chief AI Officer, Svitla Systems
Varun J. Vincent – Founder & CEO, FalconFirst AI
Bill Blount, Principal & Chief Information Officer, Light The Way Technology, LLC
Cindy-Anne Lewis – CMO, Svitla Systems (Moderator)
We'd love to have you with us. Good people, good questions, and an evening worth your time.