Buffalo Fireside Chat & Office Hours with WNY Mentors
Join us for a fireside-style keynote with Martin Babinec, Founder of TriNet, in a conversation designed to be practical, candid, and highly relevant to founders and tech employees.
Founders will have the option to apply for 1:1 office hour slots with mentors and select investors to receive tailored feedback and strategic insight on their companies.
Schedule:
12:30 - 1:00 PM: Registration and Networking
1:00 - 2:00 PM: Fireside Chat with Martin Babinec, founder of TriNet and UpVentures, moderated by Dan Magnuszewski, CEO of Radial Ventures and cofounder of ACV Auctions
2:30 - 3:30 PM: 1-1 Founder Office Hours (by application - please make sure you choose the right ticket type to apply!
Mentors
Nasir Ali, CEO of UpVentures
Nicole Camarre, VP of Investments and Platform at 43North
Jay Katz, Director, Innovation Venture Capital Fund
Marnie LaVigne, President & CEO, Launch NY
Dan Magnuszewski, CEO of Radial Ventures
Chuck Stormon, GP at StartFast Ventures
Allan Von Schenkel, Founding Director, UPNY Ventures
Speaker Bios:
Martin Babinec, Founder of UpVentures and TriNet
Martin Babinec founded HR solutions platform TriNet (NYSE: TNET) in 1988, serving as CEO for the company’s first 20 years through retiring from the Board of Directors in 2022. Martin also founded UpVentures – a holdings company investing in emerging tech startups, hospitality businesses and real estate. He is active in social impact through his family’s UpMobility Foundation as well as founding and helping to lead non-profits Upstate Venture Connect, Entrepreneurs Across Borders and democracy reform advocates Unite NY. He serves on the Board of Directors for Endeavor Northeast, is a past recipient of the SVBJ Silicon Valley Entrepreneur of the Year award and is author of Amazon best seller More Good Jobs: An Entrepreneur's Action Plan to Create Change In Your Community.
Dan Magnuszewski, CEO of Radial Ventures
Buffalo-based entrepreneur, investor, and venture builder focused on accelerating the growth of high-impact technology companies in Western New York and beyond. In 2012 he helped launch and run Z80 Labs, which was an incubator and seed fund. As a co-founder and former CTO of ACV Auctions, he helped scale the company from startup through IPO, and today he leads Radial Ventures, a venture studio dedicated to building transformative businesses in WNY. Deeply engaged in the regional innovation ecosystem, Dan works closely with founders, investors, and institutions to turn bold ideas into enduring companies. In addition to his operating and investing work, Dan serves on multiple corporate and nonprofit boards, where he focuses on strategy, governance, and long-term value creation. He's currently serving on the SUNY Buffalo Computer Science advisory board, Kaleida Heath Board of Directors, and The UB Foundation board. Outside of venture building, he is passionate about motorsports, music, and cultivating ambitious community initiatives that elevate Buffalo's entrepreneurial and cultural landscape.