HEALDSBURG, Calif., Sept. 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — Harvest Summit, the outdoor invitation-only Innovation Field Trip, announced today its speaker lineup and Audi of America as its lead Innovation Sponsor. The second annual Harvest Summit will bring together 250 innovators, influencers and tastemakers joined by award-winning chefs, winemakers and artisans on Friday, October 20 at a premier estate in Sonoma County wine country. With more than 40 speakers at this one-day event, Harvest Summit will host thought-provoking talks and provide access to innovative thinkers and doers, all in the name of helping cross-industry delegates rethink what’s possible. Sessions cover everything from artificial intelligence (AI) and the entrepreneur’s mindset, to the future of transportation and education.

“Partnering with Harvest Summit underscores our continued commitment to driving innovation,” said Matt Carpenter, VP and CFO of Audi of America. “As a sponsor of this year’s event, we’re excited to help shape the conversation around the future of transportation by sharing an inside look at Audi’s vision on innovative mobility and progressive design.”

“Audi’s legacy of progress makes them a natural fit for Harvest Summit,” said Jessica Kilcullen, Founder and Chief Harvester of Harvest Summit. “A big part of Harvest Summit is discovery – new insights, new collaborations, new roads to success. By partnering with Audi of America we’re able to extend that discovery – particularly around the future of transportation – to the back roads of the Russian River Valley where Harvest Summit will take place. ”

Who Will Be There
Executives and innovators from Amazon Web Services, Autodesk, Biden Cancer Initiative, Charity Water, Dell, Google, Microsoft, NBC, PepsiCo, Silicon Valley Bank, XPRIZE, Warner Bros., and more will be there along with venture capitalists, serial entrepreneurs, top chefs, winemakers, food industry experts and environmental leaders to shape the innovation agenda.

Transformative problem solving will be sparked across all disciplines and industries – from start-ups to public enterprises. Tech leaders will learn from creative artists, while investors will learn from winemakers.

The full day agenda and speaker lineup, including Marcus Shingles, CEO of XPRIZE; Dr. Mehmood Khan, Vice Chairman and Chief Scientific Officer, PepsiCo; Greg Simon, President of Biden Cancer Initiative; and Chef Kyle Connaughton of Single Thread Farm + Restaurant, has been released at: Harvest Summit Agenda. Harvest Summit will take place at a private location, only revealed to those registered to attend.

The Harvest Summit Experience
The Summit is designed to get leaders out of their industry silos to spark deeper conversations, foster new collaborations and stimulate their thinking of what’s possible. “We see a great need for leaders to share transferable insights, solve vexing problems and accelerate the pace of change,” said Kilcullen. “We believe in the power of face-to-face connections and the cross-pollination of ideas to help achieve this.”

The highly interactive format of Harvest Summit allows for unscripted dialogues and serendipitous cross-overs. There are no PowerPoints or podiums.

The culinary experience is also highly curated featuring food innovators along with wine and craft brew artisans. The outdoor setting serves up the psychological benefits associated with being outside. “Fresh air leads to fresh perspectives,” says Kilcullen.

Giving Back – Inspiring the Next Generation of Innovators
Harvest Summit is proud to share a portion of profits with the CTE Foundation, an organization that supports the development of career and technical education programs for youth, shaping future generations of innovators.   

About Audi
Audi of America, Inc. and its U.S. dealers offer a full line of German-engineered luxury vehicles. The Audi Group is among the most successful luxury automotive brands globally. In 2016, AUDI AG delivered about 1.871 million Audi automobiles and broke all-time company sales records for the seventh straight year in the U.S. Visit audiusa.com or media.audiusa.com for more information regarding Audi vehicles and business topics.

About Harvest Summit
Harvest Summit is an invitation-only Innovation Field Trip of innovators, influencers, and tastemakers joined by award-winning chefs, winemakers, and artisans to think, talk, and celebrate the art, science, and social impact of innovation. 

To view the full list of speakers, partners and to learn about how individuals and companies can nominate to attend, visit www.harvestsummit.com.

Join Harvest Summit on Social:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/HarvestSummitSonoma/ 
Twitter: www.twitter.com/HarvestSummit 
Instagram: www.instagram.com/harvestsummit/ 
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/harvest-summit

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SOURCE Harvest Summit