Past events

JUNE 5, 2025

1682 Summer Session: Inside Corporate Innovation

Comcast NBCUniversal LIFT Labs / Philadelphia, PA

Image of a panel discussion at the 1682 Summer Session

The 1682 Summer Series brought together corporate leaders, technologists, startup founders, and investors for a candid look at what it really takes to drive innovation with AI. From designing responsible innovation programs to exploring how startups can meet real enterprise needs, the morning was packed with actionable insights and honest conversations. Highlights included a deep dive into Sahay AI’s progress since winning the 1682 Venture Awards, a practical discussion on AI’s impact on business operations, and a VC panel that unpacked where real value is being created in today’s AI landscape.

Numbers at a glance

90

attendees

55

companies

12

industries

Companies represented

Glean AI, Turnberry Solutions, Sahay AI, Independence Blue Cross, Ben Franklin Technology Partners, McKesson, Reformation Partners, Novisi, Rittenhouse Ventures, Rock Health, Comcast NBCUniversal LIFT Labs, and CSL

  • Event registration opens at 9:00AM.

    Check in, settle in, and take a moment to meet fellow attendees!

  • A quick welcome from Keith Scandone, CEO of O3, to set the tone and share what’s ahead for the day.

    Keith Scandone, CEO + Co-Founder, O3

  • Sushma Akunuru, CIO of Independence Blue Cross, shares how her team is driving AI adoption across one of the region’s largest healthcare insurers. From modernizing legacy systems to deploying real-world AI use cases, she offers a candid look at what it takes to scale innovation in a complex, highly regulated environment. Moderated by Moe Rinkunas, Director of Insights Membership at Rock Health, this conversation cuts through the hype to reveal how enterprise AI transformation really happens.

    Sushma Akunuru, SVP + CIO, Independence Blue Cross

    Maureen Rinkunas, Director of Insights Membership, Rock Health

  • 20 minute break!

  • We’ve all seen innovation initiatives launched, only to quietly disappear. But what really happens behind the scenes—why do some succeed while others stall? This question anchored 1682’s inaugural event in 2019, and it remains just as relevant today.

    In this session, leaders from CSL, McKesson, and Comcast NBCUniversal LIFT Labs share candid stories of what worked, what didn’t, and what they’ve learned along the way. From navigating internal resistance to scaling beyond pilots, this conversation offers real-world insights on building and sustaining innovation programs in today’s corporate landscape.

    Jonathan Walsh, Head of Digital Innovation Fund + Programs, CSL

    Kirby Forlin, Senior Vice President, McKesson

    Katie Teuber, Director of Startup Engagement, Comcast NBCUniversal LIFT Labs

  • A quick look at what’s new and next for Sahay AI

    Tejas Agarwal, Co-founder , Sahay AI

  • With AI startups flooding the market, how are investors deciding where to place their bets—and what are they avoiding? In this session, leading VCs share how they’re assessing opportunities in a fast-changing landscape: how they’re valuing companies, what makes a team stand out, and what is making them walk away from a deal.

    You’ll also hear how AI is changing their own process, from deal sourcing to technical evaluation. Whether you’re building a startup or leading innovation inside a larger organization, this conversation offers a grounded look at what matters now—and where things are headed.


    Panelists:

    Jim Hao, Founder + Managing Partner, Reformation

    Jonathon Beschen, Managing Director of the Investment Group Technology Team, Ben Franklin Technology Partners


    Moderator:

    Sushma Rajagopalan, Partner, Rittenhouse Ventures

  • Keep the conversations going + enjoy some post-event networking

Sessions

OCTOBER 16, 2024

1682 Conference

Five Below Headquarters / Philadelphia, PA

The 2024 1682 Conference, held at Five Below’s headquarters, explored the ever-changing landscape of innovation, with a focus on how AI is influencing profit and process. The event featured keynotes, expert panels, and interactive discussions, cutting through AI hype to reveal real-world impact.

Numbers at a glance

130

attendees

80+

companies

27

industries

Companies represented

JP Morgan, Cigna, Comcast, Wawa, Best Egg, Independence Blue Cross, Osage Venture Partners, Rittenhouse Ventures, Vertex, Google, University of Pennsylvania

Sessions

The 2024 1682 Venture Awards showcased AI-driven startups tackling real-world challenges. Finalists included Secondthought, an AI-powered market research platform, and pre.dev, an automated product architecture tool. Sahay AI emerged as the winner for its groundbreaking railway inspection technology, which enhances safety and efficiency in an industry reliant on outdated methods. Along with a $5,000 prize, Sahay AI received mentorship and strategic consulting from O3, reinforcing the conference’s commitment to fostering impactful AI innovation.

Venture awards

OCTOBER 1, 2019

1682 Conference

Barnes Foundation / Philadelphia, PA

The inaugural 2019 1682 Conference was held at the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia. The conference redefined the traditional innovation event by shifting the focus from success stories to real-world challenges, failures, and complexities of managing innovation initiatives. Industry leaders fostered candid discussions on the risks, returns, and realities of corporate innovation, featuring keynotes, expert panels, and interactive sessions that stripped away the buzzwords and revealed the behind-the-scenes truths of innovation programs across industries.

Numbers at a glance

38

companies

10

industries

Google, Accenture, Comcast, SEI, Edward Jones, The Hershey Company, La Colombe, Penn Health-Tech, Jefferson, Caron, EPAM Systems, Vertex, Tactix, Chariot Solutions, Linode, FastMail, Audubon Society, University City Science Center, Discover PHL, and Philadelphia Gas Works

Companies represented

Sessions

  • Exploring the challenges and successes of launching and scaling an innovation lab inside an established agency with Andy Verone (Oracle) and Natalie Nixon (Figure 8 Thinking LLC)

  • How companies are leveraging experimental workspaces to drive innovation and expand into new markets with Melissa Doran Rayer (SEI), Greg Willrich (Vertex), and Dave Lauer (Urvin AI)

  • A deep dive into the complexities of fostering innovation within financial and regulatory constraints with Paul Dehel (Children's Hospital of Philadelphia) and Pamela Raitt (Bellatrix Group)

  • Insights into how the U.S. Air Force overhauled its software development processes to improve efficiency and scalability with Adam Furtado (Kessel Run, U.S. Air Force) and Carol Eggert, Comcast NBC Universal

  • How Philadelphia's government and creative sectors are embracing innovation to drive citywide progress with Eliza Pollack (The City of Philadelphia), William Toms (REC Philly), and Lauren Cox, Office of the Mayor, City of Philadelphia

  • An inside look at Accenture’s applied technology research across its seven international lab locations and their impact on business transformation with Edy Liongosari (Accenture) and Michael Lebowitz (Big Spaceship)

The 2019 Venture Awards at the 1682 Conference provided a powerful platform for early-stage AI startups to showcase their innovations in front of industry leaders and investors. The competition, open to Philadelphia-based startups with less than $500,000 in annual revenue, featured three finalists pitching their AI-driven solutions, with Strella Biotechnology taking home the top prize.

Venture awards

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