The Rise Circle: Innovation, Access & Impact Mixer

The right connection can change the trajectory of an idea, a business, or a career. The Rise Circle: Innovation, Access & Impact Mixer brings together founders, investors, STEM and healthcare professionals, corporate leaders, and ecosystem builders for an evening designed to turn introductions into meaningful opportunities. Through a short panel conversation, attendee spotlights, and intentional networking, we’ll explore how innovation, access, investment, and strategic relationships can help ideas move forward and create measurable impact. But this isn’t a mixer where you grab a name tag, collect a few business cards, and go home. Attendees will have opportunities to share what they’re building, what they’re looking for, and where they can be a resource to others. Come ready to meet potential collaborators, investors, advisors, partners, and professionals who can help open the next door. Featured Speakers Gadareth Higgs, PhD | Healthcare & Life Sciences Investor + AdvisorWith more than 15 years of experience across bioinformatics, consulting, and healthcare, Gadareth works with startups navigating growth, investment, and commercialization. Through Higgs Insights, he has helped startup clients increase investor interest, raise between $200K and $7M, and secure significant investor commitments. His experience also includes precision oncology, biotechnology, ConcertAI, and McKinsey. Gary Burnett | Healthcare + Transformation ExecutiveGary works at the intersection of healthcare innovation, organizational transformation, talent strategy, and community impact. His work focuses on building cross-sector partnerships and creating strategies that improve organizational performance while expanding access and outcomes for diverse communities. Whether you’re raising capital, building a company, advancing an idea, looking for strategic partners, or simply trying to find the right people to help you move forward, The Rise Circle is designed to help make the room smaller and the connections stronger. Come ready to share. Come ready to connect. Come ready to find your next opportunity. Disclaimer: By attending The Rise Circle, you consent to being photographed and/or recorded during the event. These photos and videos may be used by The Rise Circle for promotional, marketing, and educational purposes, including future events, social media, websites, and other communications. 🌟Interested in sponsoring or exhibiting? Connect with us: [email protected] ​Learn more about Us Why Rise Circle? Two Founders. One Encounter. Boundless Possibilities.We connected last year, survived an accelerator together (it didn't kill us, so I guess we are stronger). Several train rides (to NYC) and car rides (to Philly) later, we were more exposed to the founder ecosystem, absolutely loved the experience, but something was still missing...We are curating conversations and experiences that our ecosystem needs. And we are excited to do it right here in New Jersey. Our Mission Our mission is to create an ecosystem that facilitates strategic partnerships, with a special focus on highlighting underrepresented founders, leaders, and innovators in the STEM & Healthcare spaces; alongside the organizations, corporations, venture firms, and ecosystem partners that invest in and champion their success. Hosts Idongesit Obeya | Founder, Altruistic Scribe Idongesit Obeya, RN, BSN, MSN, CCM, is a distinguished healthcare leader, professor, and advocate whose work is rooted in advancing equity, innovation, and human-centered care. As the Founder and CEO of Altruistic Scribe, she is committed to transforming health outcomes through culturally responsive education, strategic advocacy, and solutions that bridge gaps in care for underserved communities. With more than 16 years of experience across diverse healthcare settings, Idongesit brings deep expertise in nursing, case management, patient education, and public health engagement. She is widely recognized for her ability to connect clinical insight with compassionate leadership, creating meaningful impact for both individuals and communities. A passionate champion for progress at the intersection of healthcare, STEM, and innovation, Idongesit believes that the future of care must be both technologically forward and deeply humane Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya | Founder, African Women in STEM Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya is a leadership and AI strategist, TEDx speaker, and the founder of African Women in STEM, a global career and leadership ecosystem advancing access and opportunities for women in STEM fields. With over 20 years of experience as an engineer, strategist, and executive in the energy sector, Adaeze has led large-scale initiatives totaling more than $500 million. Today, she works at the intersection of leadership and emerging technology, advising organizations and professionals on how AI is reshaping authority, decision-making, and visibility. Through African Women in STEM, she partners with organizations, institutions, and companies to deliver events, programming, mentorship, and initiatives that strengthen talent pipelines and expand professional opportunities. Her TEDx talk, viewed over 100,000 times, reframes cultural identity as a strategic advantage in the future of work.