Schedule - 45FEST

September 16th

Welcome to Hollerwood

LOCATION: TBD

This ain't Sundance. And it sure as hell isn't some Hollywood offshoot. Hollerwood is where creative fire meets financial power—where the business of film gets treated like the business it is. We're building a new production capital right here in the Midwest, where storytellers don't need to wait for coastal gatekeepers to give them the green light.

9:30a

Film As A Startup: Build Your Production Like A Venture-Backed Business

Join us as we explore how to structure creative work like a company. Pitch decks, cap tables, investor updates, and scaling up for larger productions are all fair game.

Committed Panelists:

Coming soon!

11:00a

Capital Stacking For Creatives: How To Fund Your Film Like A Pro

Dive deep with us to peel back the secret of getting your film funded. We'll jump into topics like private investment, state incentives, grants, brand deals, presales, and equity funding.

Committed Panelists:

B.D. Gunnell

Founder, Empowered Entertainment

Justin Brown

Managing Partner, BESPOKE Production Capital

Moderated By:

Heather Bouvier

Founder, The B Scene

September 16th

Modern Manufacturing & Skilled Trades

LOCATION: TBD

This isn't your grandparents' assembly line. The factory floor has gone high-tech, and the new workforce is wired, skilled, and ready to build what's next. Modern Manufacturing & Skilled Trades is where AI meets elbow grease, where sustainability and automation shake hands, and where the people powering the new industrial revolution are taking center stage.

1:30p

Modern Making: The New Face Of Manufacturing In America

Join us for a bold look into how advanced tech, reshoring, and next-gen talent are rewriting the rules of American manufacturing with a focus on the potential of the Midwest.

Committed Panelists:

Ian McClure

Executive Director, UK Innovate

Moderated By:

Nida Ansari

Executive Director, Karmic Impact

3:00p

Rebranding The Trades: How To Make The Skilled Trades Cool Again

The trades produce economic mobility, but the brand has suffered over the years. We're bringing together boots on the ground folks to talk about how to make skilled labor cool again.

Committed Panelists:

A.J. Patton

Founder & CEO, 548 Enterprise

Chrissy Marsey

Executive Director, Central Ohio Women in the Trades

Luke Humphrey

CEO, Train For The Crane

Moderated By:

Cristina Barillas-McEntee

Director, Chicago Women In Trades

6:00p

Endeavor Happy Hour: Presented by Story Louisville

Join us for a night of networking with fresh faces and perspectives.

September 17th

Bourbon & Blunts

LOCATION: TBD

The Midwest has always had its vices—some just took longer to legalize. Cannabis is no longer a backroom conversation; it's a multi-billion-dollar opportunity for jobs, equity, and reinvention. Bourbon & Blunts isn't about the hype—it's about the mechanics of moving from prohibition to prosperity.

9:30a

Prosperity Over Prohibition: The Economic Case For Legalization

What's the impact of cannabis legalization on jobs, taxes, tourism, and business growth? We'll bring out folks who can tell you based on firsthand experience from cities and states that have legalized.

Committed Panelists:

Jeremy Jacobs

Founder, UnDesked

Victoria Williams

CEO, ACC of Illinois

11:00a

Rectifying The War On Drugs: How Cities And States Can Embed Equity Into Legalization

The war on drugs has had a disproportionate impact on Black and Brown Americans. Join us as we discuss how cities and states can ensure that those impacted by antiquated laws have a chance to seize the opportunity of legalized cannabis.

Committed Panelists:

Lauren Bratcher

Deputy Director, Kentucky NORML

September 17th

Why Smart Money's On The Midwest

LOCATION: TBD

Forget the coasts. The real action is happening between them. Middle Capital is where money meets momentum, where grit scales, and where overlooked markets are turning into unstoppable engines of innovation. This track gathers the boldest policymakers, funders, and builders to talk cash flow, capital stacks, and why the savviest bets are being placed in the middle of the map.

1:30p

Middle Capital: Why We're Expanding In The Midwest

Dive into the granular details behind the expansion of capital in the Midwest. Second and third offices and coastal capital are finding a home in the Midwest – join us to find out why.

Committed Panelists:

Nick Durham

General Partner, Shadow Ventures

Moderated By:

Raechele Smalls

Director, Launch Blue Ventures

3:00p

Policy x Venture: How Local Governments Can Accelerate Startup Economies

We're breaking through the abstract and discussing concrete ways state and city governments can support startup capital. We'll tackle everything from innovation funds to public-private partnerships and everything in between.

Committed Panelists:

Monique Quarterman

Founder, Quartz Smith Strategies

September 18th

On The Runway For Some Runway

LOCATION: Bowman Field

We're putting a private jet on the runway of Bowman Field, and seed stage investors in the plane. Founders will take turns hopping on to pitch their startup. Investors will decide who they'd like to fund, then it's wheels up to Elizabethtown, KY for lunch and to sign paperwork. After the event, we're planting 45 trees around Louisville to offset our carbon emissions from the spectacle.

September 18th

Angels In The Outfield

LOCATION: Louisville Slugger Field

There's no crying in baseball. Unless it's tears of joy after landing an angel check. Join us in the Owner's Suite at Slugger Field in Louisville, KY for a night of networking, check writing, and baseball. Spots are limited, get your tickets here.

45FEST SCHEDULE

Welcome to Hollerwood

Film As A Startup: Build Your Production Like A Venture-Backed Business

Committed Panelists:

Capital Stacking For Creatives: How To Fund Your Film Like A Pro

Committed Panelists:

Moderated By:

Modern Manufacturing & Skilled Trades

Modern Making: The New Face Of Manufacturing In America

Committed Panelists:

Moderated By:

Rebranding The Trades: How To Make The Skilled Trades Cool Again

Committed Panelists:

Moderated By:

Endeavor Happy Hour: Presented by Story Louisville

Bourbon & Blunts

Prosperity Over Prohibition: The Economic Case For Legalization

Committed Panelists:

Rectifying The War On Drugs: How Cities And States Can Embed Equity Into Legalization

Committed Panelists:

Why Smart Money's On The Midwest

Middle Capital: Why We're Expanding In The Midwest

Committed Panelists:

Moderated By:

Policy x Venture: How Local Governments Can Accelerate Startup Economies

Committed Panelists:

On The Runway For Some Runway

Angels In The Outfield

INFO COMING