Pepperdine Hosts Inaugural Waves Innovation Summit
On Saturday, March 28, 2026, at 10 AM in Elkins Auditorium, the Waves Innovation Summit invites Pepperdine's business and entrepreneurship community to engage in conversations surrounding the most pressing topics in innovation and technology. Cosponsored by Pepperdine Graziadio Business School and Seaver College, this annual student-led conference brings together students, alumni, faculty, and industry leaders to engage with the future of technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship. The inaugural 2026 summit will spotlight the frontier of artificial intelligence, with a focus on practical AI literacy and career pathways in emerging technologies. This year’s program will feature prominent industry leaders, interactive breakout panels, and opportunities to build meaningful professional connections.
Keynote speakers include Anthony Kennada (‘08), founder and chief executive officer of Goldenhour; Eric Egland, AI subject matter expert at Cisco AI; Mike Umbro (‘05), principal at FieldView Capital; Jonathan Pearce (’02, MBA ’05, JD ’06), partner at SoCal IP Law Group LLP; Parker Lowrey, the former head of Data at Riot Games and chief executive officer of Syntrologie; and Cristie Zellmer (’02), marketing operations lead at OpenAI. Visit the event's webpage to see the full list of featured speakers and get a sneak preview into the ideas behind the Waves Innovation Summit on Pepperdine's official podcast, PeppTalk.
In partnership with producers of ABC’s Shark Tank, live casting calls will take place during the Summit—providing a unique opportunity for qualified participants to pitch their business ideas and potentially earn a spot on the show. Pepperdine alumni, students, faculty, staff, and participants of Pepperdine’s Most Fundable Companies Competition are eligible to apply.
Interested participants may apply to pitch during registration and submit a brief description of their idea. Audition slots are limited, and submission does not guarantee an audition time. Applicants who are selected will be notified via email in advance of the event with their assigned pitch time and location, if available.
For more information and to register, visit the Waves Innovation Summit website. The event is free, but attendees are encouraged to make a gift of $20 or more to go to future Waves Innovation Summit events. Any funds raised from this event we will set aside for this program.