Forum at 535

An exclusive event series for entrepreneurs, investors, and civic leaders in Connecticut. Attendance is intentionally limited to 80–100 participants to maintain a high-trust, high-caliber setting.

Our Next Event:

Your Company Isn’t Built for the Way Work Actually Happens

June 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Save Your Spot

An invitation-only gathering for founders, CEOs, and business owners leading companies generating $5M+ in annual revenue.

We are entering an era where intelligence is no longer scarce. AI can generate ideas, strategies, and outputs at scale.

The question is no longer access to intelligence. It’s what creates advantage. The Forum@535 is built around that shift. Designed as a closed-door environment, it brings together a select group of founders and executives to engage in candid, experience-driven conversations on building, scaling, and leading organizations.

The Forum explores how businesses create meaning, generate momentum, and translate both into sustained growth.

Be Part of the Conversation at Our Next Event

Your Company Isn’t Built for the Way Work Actually Happens

Work has changed faster than most companies have.

AI accelerates execution. Teams work across functions. Decisions happen in real time. But many organizations are still structured around outdated systems, reporting lines, and workflows that create friction instead of momentum.

As companies grow, communication slows, accountability blurs, and leaders spend more time coordinating than building.

At Forum@535, founders and executives leading companies generating $5M+ in annual revenue will come together for a candid discussion on organizational velocity, operational drag, and what modern businesses must rethink to stay adaptable and competitive.

Because the next competitive advantage may not be intelligence.

It may be how fast your organization can move.

Event Agenda

3:00 PM — Arrival + Networking

3:30 PM — Welcome Remarks

4:00 PM — Keynote: Steve Spiro

4:15 PM — Panel

5:00 PM — Networking

Welcome Speakers

Our roster of leaders is growing. More speakers to be revealed soon.

A.M. Bhatt

Founder, dae & U of Next

Founder and CEO of dae, a nonprofit educational organization focused on developing the next generation of humane technologists, with campuses in New Haven and Stamford. Also founder of U of Next, an organizational development firm advising companies across technology, pharmaceutical, and financial services industries on leadership, innovation, and transformative change. Over the past 25+ years, A.M. has worked with organizations including Pfizer, Meta, Siemens, Novartis, and American Express, helping leaders navigate complexity, organizational evolution, and long-term growth.

Andre Swanston

Owner CT United

Tech entrepreneur, investor, and media innovator known for identifying emerging industry shifts and building companies at the intersection of technology, data, and media. Co-founded Tru Optik, a leading data and identity platform for streaming media advertising, which was acquired by TransUnion in 2020 in one of the largest exits by a Black American CEO. He’s also the principal owner of Connecticut United FC and founder of PHȲND, a cloud gaming platform designed to expand accessibility and redefine connected entertainment experiences.

Mostafa Analoui

Director of M&T Bank Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Quinnipiac University

Featured Speakers

Steve Spiro

Master Connector | TEDx Speaker

Inspirational keynote speaker and TEDx presenter focused on helping leaders, teams, and organizations build authentic human connections in an increasingly digital world. Drawing from his personal journey from introvert to relationship-driven leader, Steve speaks on the power of trust, communication, empathy, and meaningful connection in business and leadership. Known for helping organizations move from transactional interactions to transformational relationships, with a focus on culture, leadership, and authentic engagement.

Keynote: "Connection at the Speed of Business—Why Human-Centered Organizations Move Faster"

In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, organizations are moving faster technologically than they are relationally.

• AI accelerates execution.
• Processes automate tasks.
• Communication happens instantly.

And yet many companies are still experiencing friction, silos, disengagement, slower decision-making, and breakdowns in trust.

This keynote explores why the fastest-moving organizations are not simply the most intelligent or technologically advanced. They are the most connected.

Drawing from his journey from introvert to “The Master Connector,” along with decades of experience in sales, leadership, and relationship-building, Spiro will share how human-centered cultures create stronger communication, accelerate collaboration, reduce organizational friction, and ultimately drive business growth.

The Human Capital Challenges Slowing Modern Businesses

As companies grow, the challenge is no longer simply finding talent. It becomes building organizations that can adapt to the realities of modern work. From compliance pressures and workforce expectations to retention, flexibility, and operational continuity, leaders are navigating a growing number of human capital challenges that directly impact execution and growth.

This discussion brings together business and workforce leaders to explore how companies can maintain momentum while managing the increasingly complex realities surrounding people, policy, and performance.

Jen Tindall

Chief Legal Counsel & Vice President of Human Resources, Rebellion Group

Tanya Bovee

Principal, Jackson Lewis P.C.

Erin Choquette

CEO, CT Paid Leave Authority

Leslie Grossman

Author, Speaker, Executive Coach, Educator, Leslie Grossman Leadership and GWU

Lisa Jacobi

SVP, Chief HR Officer, COCC

Justine Childs Friedman

Transitional HR Consultant, Orbita Consulting Group, LLC

Turn networking into real opportunity

At The Forum at 535, networking isn't left to chance.

Through our Key Connections platform, each attendee receives a personalized matchmaking experience designed to accelerate meaningful outcomes. Based on your goals—whether you're hiring talent, seeking investment, exploring partnerships, or advancing policy and workforce development initiatives—our system identifies the most relevant people in the room.

Before the event, you'll receive a curated list of high-value connections, complete with a suggested itinerary of five people you should meet. No guesswork. No missed opportunities.

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