Urbanworld Innovation Summit 2024

Programming Highlights

Powered by The FutureCast Foundation, this year’s Urbanworld Innovation Summit brings together thought leaders, visionaries, and creators from across technology, media, entertainment, and beyond. This one-day event delves into the rapidly evolving landscape of culture and innovation through a range of dynamic panels, keynotes, and networking sessions that push the boundaries of modern storytelling.  

Our 2024 Summit Ambassador, Chiké Okonkwo (actor, producer, and co-founder of Mansa), leads a day of insights, experiences, and connections that are pivotal for anyone interested in how technology is transforming the future of content creation, distribution, and the entertainment industry.

Programming Schedule

Doors Open & Check-in: 9:00 AM

Get Greenlit (9:30 AM)

An opening breakfast meet and greet powered by Greenlit, an AI-enabled platform designed to help film and TV producers automate all of their complex workflows —contracting, financing, tax incentives, project management, development, and more. This session will bring together filmmakers, technologists, and investors, offering a prime networking opportunity to foster partnerships and investment in new media projects.

Featured Speaker:

Ian Grant, Co-Founder & CEO, Greenlit

Keynote Session: A Futurist & the Future of the Movie Industry with Stacy Spikes (10:45 AM)

Join film industry innovator and MoviePass co-founder Stacy Spikes for his first-ever masterclass at the Urbanworld Innovation Summit. This session will explore emerging technologies like AI, voice-to-video, and VR, along with insights from Stacy’s journey, as featured in the HBO documentary MoviePass MovieCrash.

Featured Speaker:
Stacy Spikes, Co-Founder & CEO, MoviePass

Artificial Intelligence + Emotional Intelligence (11:45 AM)

As AI continues to automate tasks, human-centered skills like empathy and bridge-building are more critical than ever. This timely conversation will be moderated by Lisa Chau, Google Women Techmakers Ambassador and Founder of Clover Canal, and include AI experts, along with author Julian S. Newman, founder and CEO of The FutureCast Foundation. In his new book, Beautiful Together: How to Become a Better Leader & Bridge Builder, Julian S. Newman offers practical tools to cultivate essential conflict resolution skills and inspiring stories to help leaders strengthen their EQ (Emotional Intelligence) in an increasingly automated world. A book signing with the author will follow.

Featured Speakers:

Lisa Chau (Moderator)
Google Women Techmakers Ambassador
Founder, Clover Canal

Badrul Husain
CEO of Infolytx

Julian S. Newman, Founder & CEO, The FutureCast Foundation
Author, Beautiful Together

*Break 12:30 pm – 1:00 pm – Book Signing with Julian S. Newman, Author, Beautiful Together: How to Become a Better Leader & Bridge Builder

AI For the Culture, presented by Roku and Handy Foundation (1:00 PM)

Presented by Roku and Handy Foundation, industry experts will discuss the evolution of content creation with AI and the implications for creators, distributors, and platforms. The panel will address the need for continuous education and skill-building as AI reshapes the entertainment industry. The panel will also include King Willioniois, creator of the viral hit “BBL Drizzy” with over 1 million streams, who will present an AI-generated music demonstration and debut a video snippet of his viral project BBL Drizzy Musical, offering a sneak peek into AI’s ability to generate culturally relevant content at scale.

Featured Speakers:

Chiké Okonkwo
Actor & Co-Founder, Mansa

Ri-Karlo Handy, Founder & CEO, Handy Foundation

King Willonius, Award-winning Filmmaker AI Storyteller, & Creator (“BBL Drizzy”)

Entertainment Career Pathways (2:00 PM)

With the entertainment industry experiencing a range of contractions, many below-the-line professionals are being forced to explore alternative career paths or pursue opportunities to level-up trade and technical skills. Presented by Jobs for the Future (JFF), industry leaders from Handy Foundation, Netflix, and Shondaland will share their expertise on navigating career pathways in the evolving media landscape, along with resources including pipeline programs in hair, make-up, and post-production.

Featured Speakers:

Eugene So, Managing Director, Lifelong Learning, Jobs for the Future (JFF) (Moderator)

Noelle Green, Production Executive, Original Series, Netflix

Ri-Karlo Handy, Founder & CEO, Handy Foundation

Eboni Price, Manager, Production, Shondaland

The Importance of Film Festivals: Building Community and Expanding Platforms for Diverse Voices (3:00 PM)

Film festivals are essential for elevating underrepresented stories and fostering collaboration in the media industry. This panel will explore how festivals act as platforms for community building, representation, and creative growth. Film festivals can serve as powerful launchpads for both established and emerging creators in a rapidly changing media environment. Industry leaders will share practical tools for filmmakers to navigate festivals, build industry connections, and leverage new technologies like the Metaverse for content presentation and distribution.

Featured Speakers:

Chiké Okonkwo (Moderator)
Actor, Producer & Co-founder, Mansa

Brandon Smith
Co-founder, Queer Voices NYC Film Festival

CR Capers
Founder & CEO, Harlem Film House

Casey Baron
Programmer, Tribeca Enterprises

Rachael Galperin
Founder, NextFoundArtist 

Special Guest Host Ramona Wright
Founder & Producer, WrightOne Media Group