The W. Frank Barton School of Business at Wichita State University is thrilled to welcome Byron Knight, president of Koch Disruptive Technologies, as its distinguished keynote speaker. This exciting fireside chat, titled “Harnessing Disruption: Pioneering the Future of Innovation and Growth in the Business World,” will take place on Wednesday, October 23 from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. in the Woolsey Hall auditorium. The event is open to the public and will include a networking opportunity for attendees afterward.
“Under Byron Knight’s visionary leadership, Koch Disruptive Technologies is at the forefront of investing in groundbreaking innovations that are reshaping industries globally,” said Dr. Larisa Genin, dean of the Barton School of Business. “Hearing Byron share his insights on current investments and future industry trends will provide invaluable knowledge for anyone interested in business and the evolving landscape of innovation.”
Koch Disruptive Technologies (KDT) serves as the venture capital arm of Koch, Inc. In his role as president, Knight oversees the organization’s vision, strategic development, operations, and investments across key focus areas. Since joining KDT, he has spearheaded approximately 20 investments in sectors such as supply chain and manufacturing, cybersecurity, and fintech. Prior to his tenure at KDT, Byron was Vice President of eCommerce for Georgia-Pacific’s North America Consumer Business, where he held a variety of leadership roles since 2005. He was the first employee at TechDiscovery, a company specializing in technical due diligence and custom software development. Currently, Knight serves on the boards of Trackonomy, Outrider, Automox, Strider, andDragos.
“Our mission is to invest in transformative technology companies that disrupt the traditional paradigms and provide impactful solutions to make the world a better place,” said Knight. “I look forward to discussing our investment themes, evaluation processes, and the lessons I’ve learned throughout my career.”
The discussion will be expertly moderated by Tom Gentile, CEO of Hexcel Corporation, who is a member of the Dean’s “Fabulous 50” Advisory Board and previously served as the Barton School’s Executive-in-Residence in 2021. “Embracing disruptive technology is about shaping the future,” said Gentile. “The more our students and community grasp the principles of innovation through technology, the more they can become the pioneers of tomorrow’s breakthroughs.”
Event Details & RSVP:
- Date: Wednesday, October 23, 2024
- Location: Woolsey Hall Auditorium, Wichita State University
- Time: 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., followed by a networking session in the Atrium
- Admission: Free
- Open to the public
Join us for an inspiring afternoon that promises to illuminate the future of business, innovation and technology!
For more information on the Barton School, visit www.wichita.edu/academics/business/.