Derek Andersen is the founder and CEO of Startup Grind, the largest independent global entrepreneurial community powered by Google for Entrepreneurs designed to educate, inspire and connect entrepreneurs. Founded in 2010 from humble beginnings with only 9 people attending his first event, 6 years later Startup Grind has grown to more than 200 cities, in 85 countries around the world. 

After founding Vaporware Labs in 2009, he incubated many products (most of which failed spectacularly) including Startup Grind and professional social network Commonred. In 2012 Commonred was sold to Income.com. He is also Ex-Electronic Arts where he worked on games like Burnout, Mirror's Edge, The Sims, and Need For Speed. Having spent 8-years living outside the United States, he currently lives in Palo Alto California with his wife and three children. 

Derek has been featured on Forbes, Tech Crunch, and The Wall St Journal.