The backbone of Venture Café – come meet the community and make connections with all different kinds of innovators. How will you make your serendipitous moment come true?
Save time at check-in by registering in advance!
Explore how Massachusetts companies can apply AI, robotics, and industrial systems to modernize copper operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo, one of the world’s most important copper and cobalt regions. This session is not about mining or politics, but about applied AI, exportable innovation, and global business alignment.
Key Takeaways
-
Global Connection: Understand how copper in the Democratic Republic of Congo powers electrification, data centers, and AI innovation.
-
Geopolitics & Business: Learn how global geopolitics shape business, using the 2026 “America vs China in Congo: $700M Fight for Copper and Cobalt” deal as a case study.
-
Washington Peace Agreement: Understand how the agreement reduced conflict, stabilized the region, and opened doors for U.S. companies.
-
Gain awareness of U.S. government resources supporting international business:
-
MA Government & Institutional Resources
-
Trade Missions: Learn how a sponsored or structured trade mission can connect Massachusetts companies to local partners, suppliers, and investment opportunities.
-
Investment Opportunities: Explore potential ROI, pilot projects, and partnership models aligned with global supply chains.
-
Risk Mitigation: Understand strategies for safe and structured international engagement.
Goal: After this session, Boston-based companies and investors will understand the global copper-AI connection, trade mission pathways, investment potential, and practical steps to engage in structured, safe, and profitable partnerships.
Presenters:
Leonard Tshitenge – Harvard Business Review Advisory Council Member | One of the most sought-after U.S.–Africa Market Advisors | Local & Global Business Strategist | Community Leader | Trusted Liaisons Across the Democratic Republic of Congo & 8 African Countries
Leonard connects Massachusetts innovation ecosystems to global opportunities, supports international founders entering the Boston ecosystem, and leverages trusted networks across the Democratic Republic of Congo and 8 African countries to create high-impact partnerships, trade missions, and investment opportunities.
Disleve Kanku, M.S. – Founder & CEO, OncoSys AI | Data Engineer @ Dana-Farber | TEDx Speaker | AI & Healthcare Infrastructure Expert
Disleve builds trust infrastructure for healthcare and global data systems, focusing on verifiable, auditable, and agentic AI solutions that support research, compliance, and applied innovation. He helps organizations and startups scale AI responsibly and effectively.
Your first five years in tech set the tone for everything that comes after. The roles you choose, the skills you invest in, the relationships you build, and the mistakes you learn from all compound over time. But most people enter the industry without a playbook, unsure how to grow with intention.
This session gives you the guidance professionals wish they had earlier. You’ll hear real strategies for building momentum, avoiding common early‑career traps, and shaping a path that actually aligns with the career you want.
Why Attend
You’ll leave with:
-
A clear sense of which early‑career decisions matter most
-
Advice on how to choose roles and projects that maximize your long‑term growth
-
Practical ways to build mentors, sponsors, and advocates
-
Strategies for navigating promotions and performance cycles
-
Approaches for turning feedback into leverage instead of stress
-
Tools for growing confidence in your voice, skills, and direction
Who It’s For
-
People in their first or second tech role
-
Students and recent graduates entering the industry
-
Career‑switchers and late‑in‑life pivoters looking for clarity
-
Anyone who wants to build a career that grows in value over time
The Goal
☑Help you build momentum early.
☑Help you understand what compounds.
☑Help you start the next chapter of your career with confidence.
You've built something real in AI — now bring it to the Venture Café community.
We're opening the floor to founders of AI-driven businesses for a three-minute pitch session. This is your opportunity to showcase your traction, share your story, and connect with the investors, collaborators, and customers in the room who want to see you win.
Pitches are timed at three minutes. All stages of operating business welcome — from early revenue to scaling. To apply, please submit a pitch slide deck (required) and your company website (encouraged). Your next big connection starts here.
The backbone of Venture Café – come meet the community and make connections with all different kinds of innovators. How will you make your serendipitous moment come true?
Save time at check-in by registering in advance!
Explore how Massachusetts companies can apply AI, robotics, and industrial systems to modernize copper operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo, one of the world’s most important copper and cobalt regions. This session is not about mining or politics, but about applied AI, exportable innovation, and global business alignment.
Key Takeaways
-
Global Connection: Understand how copper in the Democratic Republic of Congo powers electrification, data centers, and AI innovation.
-
Geopolitics & Business: Learn how global geopolitics shape business, using the 2026 “America vs China in Congo: $700M Fight for Copper and Cobalt” deal as a case study.
-
Washington Peace Agreement: Understand how the agreement reduced conflict, stabilized the region, and opened doors for U.S. companies.
-
Gain awareness of U.S. government resources supporting international business:
-
MA Government & Institutional Resources
-
Trade Missions: Learn how a sponsored or structured trade mission can connect Massachusetts companies to local partners, suppliers, and investment opportunities.
-
Investment Opportunities: Explore potential ROI, pilot projects, and partnership models aligned with global supply chains.
-
Risk Mitigation: Understand strategies for safe and structured international engagement.
Goal: After this session, Boston-based companies and investors will understand the global copper-AI connection, trade mission pathways, investment potential, and practical steps to engage in structured, safe, and profitable partnerships.
Presenters:
Leonard Tshitenge – Harvard Business Review Advisory Council Member | One of the most sought-after U.S.–Africa Market Advisors | Local & Global Business Strategist | Community Leader | Trusted Liaisons Across the Democratic Republic of Congo & 8 African Countries
Leonard connects Massachusetts innovation ecosystems to global opportunities, supports international founders entering the Boston ecosystem, and leverages trusted networks across the Democratic Republic of Congo and 8 African countries to create high-impact partnerships, trade missions, and investment opportunities.
Disleve Kanku, M.S. – Founder & CEO, OncoSys AI | Data Engineer @ Dana-Farber | TEDx Speaker | AI & Healthcare Infrastructure Expert
Disleve builds trust infrastructure for healthcare and global data systems, focusing on verifiable, auditable, and agentic AI solutions that support research, compliance, and applied innovation. He helps organizations and startups scale AI responsibly and effectively.
Your first five years in tech set the tone for everything that comes after. The roles you choose, the skills you invest in, the relationships you build, and the mistakes you learn from all compound over time. But most people enter the industry without a playbook, unsure how to grow with intention.
This session gives you the guidance professionals wish they had earlier. You’ll hear real strategies for building momentum, avoiding common early‑career traps, and shaping a path that actually aligns with the career you want.
Why Attend
You’ll leave with:
-
A clear sense of which early‑career decisions matter most
-
Advice on how to choose roles and projects that maximize your long‑term growth
-
Practical ways to build mentors, sponsors, and advocates
-
Strategies for navigating promotions and performance cycles
-
Approaches for turning feedback into leverage instead of stress
-
Tools for growing confidence in your voice, skills, and direction
Who It’s For
-
People in their first or second tech role
-
Students and recent graduates entering the industry
-
Career‑switchers and late‑in‑life pivoters looking for clarity
-
Anyone who wants to build a career that grows in value over time
The Goal
☑Help you build momentum early.
☑Help you understand what compounds.
☑Help you start the next chapter of your career with confidence.
You've built something real in AI — now bring it to the Venture Café community.
We're opening the floor to founders of AI-driven businesses for a three-minute pitch session. This is your opportunity to showcase your traction, share your story, and connect with the investors, collaborators, and customers in the room who want to see you win.
Pitches are timed at three minutes. All stages of operating business welcome — from early revenue to scaling. To apply, please submit a pitch slide deck (required) and your company website (encouraged). Your next big connection starts here.