Kaihan Krippendorff is an acclaimed business strategist. He has insider knowledge of the world’s most innovative businesses through his popular Fast Company blog and is the best-selling author of Outthink the Competition. With actionable content and tremendous stage presence, he teaches audiences how to think about problems differently and apply those lessons to business. His goal is to help his audience create “fourth options” for themselves – the strategic advantages their competitors don’t see, don’t expect, and cannot (or will not) emulate.

Maurice Ashley made history in 1999 when he became the first African-American chess grandmaster. He is a three-time national championship coach, author of Chess for Success: Using an Old Game to Build New Strengths in Children and Teens, ESPN commentator, iPhone app designer, puzzle inventor, and motivational speaker. Maurice is well known for providing dynamic live tournament coverage of world-class chess competitions and matches.

Nicholas Webb is one of the country’s top business thought leaders. As a Senior Partner at Lassen Scientific, Inc., Nicholas works with Fortune 500 companies throughout the world to help them lead their industries in innovation and strategy. Unlike many consultants, Nicholas is not a theorist. He has been awarded over 40 patents by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for breakthrough technologies including one of the world’s smallest medical implants to a wide range of industrial, consumer, and wearable technologies. Nicholas is known by many as the “Innovation Evangelist.” He speaks around the world on the future of the economy, innovation, technology, leadership and healthcare.