Summit Series (conference)
 | This article contains content that is written like an advertisement. (August 2015) |
| File:Summit Series logo 240.png | |
| Formation | 2008 |
|---|---|
| Type | Conference series |
| Purpose | Business networking, philanthropy |
| Headquarters | Powder Mountain, Utah |
Region served | Worldwide |
| Website | summit.co |
Summit Series© is an American organization that hosts conferences and events for young entrepreneurs, artists and activists. Events organized by the group include an annual invitation to a conference during which participants discuss topics including business practices, technological innovation, and philanthropy. Summit Series attendees have included Bill Clinton, Ted Turner and Richard Branson. Summit Series was founded in 2008 by Elliott Bisnow, Brett Leve, Jeff Rosenthal, Jeremy Schwartz, and Ryan Begelman.
Since its foundation, the organization has raised more than $2 million for charitable and non-profit organizations.
History
Summit Series was found in April 2008 by Elliott Bisnow, Brett Leve, Jeff Rosenthal, Jeremy Schwartz, and Ryan Begelman. Rosenthal is involved in many operational aspects of Summit, from planning, design, and development for Summit Powder Mountain, to community curation, strategy, direction of musical and intellectual content programs.[citation needed]
In addition, Rosenthal and his partners are Co-Directors of the Summit Action Fund, which makes investments in startups that drive positive disruptive innovation. Their portfolio includes Uber, Warby Parker, and Change.org among others.<ref name=":0">"Jeff Rosenthal, Summit Co-Founder | Group Y". Retrieved 2019-07-19.</ref> Additionally, Rosenthal serves on the Board of Advisors for Qey Capital<ref>"Jeff Rosenthal: Executive Profile & Biography - Bloomberg". www.bloomberg.com. Retrieved 2019-04-25.</ref> and he was a senior advisor to The Rise Fund.<ref name=":02">Quartz; Quartz (15 February 2019). "Meet the new Quartz Pros: Jennifer Blanke, Jessica Davidoff, Jeff Rosenthal, Roxanne Taylor, Ryan Walsh". Quartz. Retrieved 2019-04-25.</ref> Prior to starting Summit Series, Elliot Bisnow co-founded a niche industry e-newsletter business called Bisnow Media.<ref>Del Rey, Jason (2009-10-01). "30 Under 30: No. 19 Elliott Bisnow". Inc.com. Retrieved 2019-11-06.</ref> Summit is also a GP in Learn Capital, which focuses exclusively on investments into better and smarter learning. Summit was launched with an invitation-only event organized for young entrepreneurs to meet and gain advice from one another that was hosted at a ski resort in Park City, Utah and were attended by 19 people.<ref name="cnet">Courtney McCarthy (November 25, 2008). "Young entrepreneurs bond on the beach". CNET. Retrieved January 8, 2014.</ref><ref name="forbes2011">Steven Bertoni (April 6, 2011). "Summit Series Takes the Party to the Open Seas". Forbes Magazine. Retrieved January 8, 2015.</ref> Later in 2008, the group held a similar gathering in Mexico.<ref name="inc">"30 Under 30". Inc. Magazine. inc.com. 2009. Retrieved 16 August 2011.</ref> Initially, the organization did not have an official headquarters and the team moved between rented apartments in various countries worldwide.<ref name="Gowen">Annie Gowen (4 January 2010). "Elliott Bisnow brings other young entrepreneurs together in Summit Series". Washington Post. Retrieved 16 August 2011.</ref>
In 2009, Summit was invited by the Obama administration to curate a meeting at the White House between senior officials and 35 young entrepreneurs.<ref name="businessweek">Susan Berfield (June 23, 2011). "Sun Valley for the Zynga Generation". Bloomberg Businessweek.</ref><ref name=Cohen>Mark Cohen (9 July 2009). "A Mutual Aid Society for Young Entrepreneurs". New York Times. Retrieved 16 August 2011.</ref> In May 2010, Summit held DC10, a three-day conference in Washington, D.C. for 750 people with participants including former President Bill Clinton, Ted Turner, and John Legend.<ref name=Oz>Daphne Oz (7 May 2010). "Summit Series DC10: What to do with 150 years of life". Huffington Post. Retrieved 16 August 2011.</ref> In April 2011, the organization hosted the Summit at Sea conference, where 1,000 young entrepreneurs took a chartered cruise ship from Miami to the Bahamas for a three-day conference featuring Richard Branson, Peter Thiel, GE CMO Beth Comstock,[citation needed] and musical group The Roots.<ref name=forbes2011/>
In April 2013, Summit purchased Powder Mountain,<ref>"Why Buy A House When You Can Buy A Mountain?". NPR. Retrieved 30 April 2014.</ref> the largest ski resort in America, for a reported $40 million.<ref>"Yep, Summit Series Just Raised $40 Million to Buy That Mountain". The New York Observer. Retrieved 30 April 2014.</ref><ref name=espn>Madison Khan (December 11, 2012). "New Owner for Powder Mountain". ESPN. Retrieved January 8, 2015.</ref> Summit relocated its headquarters to Powder Mountain later that year.<ref name=wireduk>Joao Medeiros (October 28, 2013). "Startup Summit Group buys a mountain". Wired Magazine (UK). Retrieved January 8, 2014.</ref> The organization hosted its first event at the resort, Summit Outside, in July 2013.<ref name="forbes2013">Steven Bertoli (July 31, 2013). "Summit Outside: What Happens When 900 Entrepreneurs Go Camping Atop Powder Mountain?". Forbes Magazine. Retrieved January 8, 2015.</ref> Summit is developing a sustainable residential community named Summit Powder Mountain on the mountain. Plans for Summit Powder Mountain include 500 homes and a village of comparable density, a recording studio, conference lodge, startup incubator, and an innovation laboratory.<ref name=wireduk/>
Operations
The organization’s focus is to build a community in which attendees support and inspire each other to achieve personal, business, and altruistic goals.<ref name=Oz/> Attendees of Summit events have included Zappos.com chief executive Tony Hsieh,<ref name=Cohen/><ref>"Tony Hsieh".</ref> music executive Russell Simmons,<ref name=forbes2013/> former football player Dhani Jones,[citation needed] musician Imogen Heap, and founders from YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter.<ref name=Cohen/><ref name=Carey>Bridget Carey (7 November 2009). "Uninhibited Conference Attracts Young CEOs". The Miami Herald.</ref>
In addition to offering keynotes and discussions at its conferences, Summit offers recreational and sporting activities to participants including whitewater kayaking, skydiving,<ref name=Schaffer>Grayson Schaffer (14 June 2010). "Good Fellas". Outside Magazine. Retrieved 16 August 2010.</ref> and shark-tagging..<ref name=McNicholas>McNicholas, Kym (26 July 2011). "Peter Thiel, Kristen Bell And Summit Series Community Are Saving Sharks". Forbes. Retrieved 11 September 2011.</ref>
Charitable activities
Summit Series is focused on philanthropy and has raised more than $2 million for charities and non-profits.<ref name=forbes2013/><ref name=Gowen/> Its charitable activities include a partnership with the United Nations to raise funds for the Nothing But Nets anti-malaria campaign.<ref name=Wire>"Summit Series Announces Spontaneous Philanthropy Drive" (Press release). Business Wire. 4 April 2009.</ref> The Summit Series held an auction to support the campaign, offering a private meeting with Ted Turner and Kofi Annan to the winner,<ref name=Wire/> and ultimately raised more than $150,000.<ref name=Cohen/> In July 2009, Summit Series members met at the home of Russell Simmons to brainstorm with President Clinton and to raise money for the Clinton Foundation.<ref name=Cohen/> The event raised $265,000.<ref name=Gowen/>Following its Summit at Sea conference in 2011, the organization raised more than $800,000 for The Nature Conservancy to create a marine protected area in the Bahamas.<ref name=nextweb2012>Courtney Boyd Myers (March 19, 2012). "One year after entrepreneurs gather for Summit at Sea, nearly $1 million is raised to protect the ocean". The Next Web. Retrieved January 8, 2015.</ref>
Summit Series Action Fund
Summit Series invests in startup companies through its Summit Action Fund. Companies the fund has invested in include Uber, and Warby Parker.<ref name="nextweb2013">Courtney Boyd Myers. "Entrepreneurial events firm Summit Series acquires Utah's Powder Mountain ski resort for $40m". The Next Web. Retrieved January 8, 2015.</ref><ref name=businessweek/>
