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February 13 @ 9:30 am - 11:00 am PST
FreeFrom Concept to IPO: A Fireside Chat with William Santana Li
Join us for a Founders Network fireside chat featuring William Santana Li, a seasoned entrepreneur with over three decades of expertise. Currently serving as the Chairman and CEO of Knightscope (NASDAQ: KSCP), a leader in autonomous security robotics, Bill has a rich background that includes influential roles at Ford Motor Company and several startups.
During his tenure at Ford, Bill held diverse positions across 4 continents, contributing to key areas such as engineering, business strategy, and financial turnarounds. Notably, he internally secured $250 million and founded GreenLeaf, a Ford subsidiary that grew to become the world’s second-largest automotive recycler.
Driven by the events of 9/11 and Sandy Hook, he founded Knightscope, with a long-term mission to make the United States of America the safest country in the world. He took the idea from concept to IPO and raised over $120 million from over 35,000 investors to do it.
In this fireside chat, Bill will draw on his extensive experience to provide unique insights into startups, capital formation, technology, and the future of autonomous security. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain valuable perspective from a visionary leader who has consistently driven innovation in the automotive and tech sectors.
Join us on February 13 and be inspired by Bill’s relentless journey.
Opening Remarks @ 9:30am PT
Join us for opening remarks with Dina Fattom, Member Success Manager at Founders Network, to get the latest updates from the Network and opportunities for getting involved.
Keynote Speaker @ 9:40am PT
William Santana Liis an American entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience and has a broad and deep range of expertise gained from several global assignments in the automotive sector and a number of startups. He is presently the Chairman and CEO of Knightscope, developer of crime-fighting Autonomous Security Robots (ASRs).
At Ford Motor Company, Bill held over 12 business and technical positions, focused on 4 continents, cutting across each functional area. These positions ranged from component, systems, and vehicle engineering with Visteon, Mazda, and Lincoln; to business & product strategy on the US youth market, India, and the emerging markets in Asia-Pacific and South America; as well as the financial turnaround of Ford of Europe. In addition, he was on the AMAZON team, which established an all-new modular plant in Brazil. Subsequently, he served as Director of Mergers & Acquisitions.
After internally securing $250 million, Bill founded and was COO of GreenLeaf, a Ford subsidiary that became the world’s 2nd largest automotive recycler. Under his leadership, GreenLeaf grew to a 600-employee operation with 20 locations and $150 million in sales. At the age of 28, Bill was the youngest senior executive at Ford worldwide.
Bill was then recruited by SOFTBANK Venture Capital to establish Model E Corporation as its President and CEO, a new car company where the “Subscribe and Drive” philosophy was first pioneered in California. He subsequently co-founded Build-To-Order Inc. (BTO) as its President and CEO, a new car company based on the direct distribution of build-to-order products. Bill also founded Carbon Motors, and as its Chairman and CEO, focused it on developing the world’s first purpose-built law enforcement patrol vehicle. He also built a world-class advisory board comprised of senior officials that had worked directly for 3 different U.S. Presidents.
Bill earned a BSEE from Carnegie Mellon University and an MBA from the University of Detroit Mercy.
Stage-Based Roundtables @ 10:30am PT
Complimentary Ticket:
Are you a full-time tech founder? Be our guest! We’re making our events available to tech founders everywhere. Enjoy a complimentary ticket to come learn from fellow tech founders, partners and investors. Already used your complimentary guest pass? Request an invite to see if you qualify for membership.
About Founders Network:
Founded in 2011, Founders Network offers lifelong peer mentorship to over 600 tech startup founders globally. Our platform, programs and high-touch service facilitate authentic experience sharing, warm introductions and long-term professional relationships. Additional benefits include over $500k in startup discounts and promotion to 2,000 newsletter readers. Members are located in San Francisco, New York City, Los Angeles, Vancouver, Toronto, London and other tech hubs. Each month our Membership Committee admits a new cohort of full-time tech founders who are nominated by an existing member. Learn more about us here
Confidentiality Policy
All information shared within Founders Network is strictly confidential. We are built on a foundation of trust, and the community takes confidentiality seriously. Investors, members, and staff all share experiences and opinions off the record. In this roundtable forum, we continue to model our fnValues of Reciprocity, Humility, Authenticity and Inclusivity. Read more about our Privacy Policy here.
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