This is a Startup Grind virtual fireside chat event via Zoom interviewed by Chapter Directors Jason Kraus and Yev Ioffe:

About the Speaker:

An entrepreneur and technologist, Christopher Stephenson has been launching, leading and advising startups for more than 25 years. He is passionate about innovation and a big supporter of new venture founders who risk everything to drive positive change.

Stephenson is the co-founder and chief executive officer of Topos Labs, a Boston-based cognitive computing company. Topos is the creator of Gracie™ – an artificial intelligence (AI) platform, focused on automating text classification, analysis and discovery. The company was recently recognized by MIT as one of the Top 10 Innovation Companies and AI Hub named it one of the Top 12 AI Startups.

Prior to joining Topos Labs, Stephenson was the founder and CEO of OnWords, an AI-powered media analytics company. OnWords was the first solution on the market to combine behavioral and contextual analytics, and was used by major companies across hundreds of outlets, including Gatehouse Media and Havas Media. Stephenson also co-founded and operated iCorps Technologies, which is consistently recognized as one of the premier managed IT services companies on the East Coast. He remains a major stakeholder and board member.

When he is not building and growing companies, Stephenson mentors high school students in under-privileged areas and gets them involved in entrepreneurial pursuits. Recently he was involved with BUILD, a national program designed to keep at-risk students in high school by involving them in entrepreneurship. His mentees’ business won second place in a national business plan award, and all four of his mentees graduated high school and went to college.

In his free time, Stephenson enjoy martial arts, recreational soccer and playing the guitar.

Event Focus:

- Chris's entreprenuerial journey and lessons for our startup audience

- What is the democratization of Ai and why is it important?

- How can we implement Ai to enhance our businesses and offers to customers