Derek Andersen is founder and CEO of Startup Grind, our 175+ cities community designed to educate, inspire, and connect entrepreneurs. In 2015 Startup Grind will host 100,000 entrepreneurs at 1,200 events in 70 countries, including this one in Phoenix where we get to hear the story of just how this prolific worldwide community came to be. Derek, not being a native of Silicon Valley, is a big fan of cities that rally together and create a startup community full of people that boost each other.  He is also passionate about helping those outside of the bay area understand how to get noticed by the right people so they can accelerate their success. In 2009 Derek founded Vaporware Labs; incubating many products including Startup Grind and professional social network Commonred which was acquired by Income.com in 2012. His entrepreneurial career consists of mostly spectacular failures with occasional successes. Previously he worked at Electronic Arts in marketing roles on games like Burnout Paradise, Mirror's Edge, Sims 3, Need For Speed, Battlefield, and others. He lives in Palo Alto with his wife and three children.