thinkBIG! SUMMIT
The culmination of thinkBIG! Challenge, the thinkBIG! Summit was an inspirational one-day conference where the thinkBIG! finalists competed for cash prizes and the Veale Innovation trophy.
Attendees participated in hands-on activities, heard from a seasoned, serial, successful entrepreneur, observed live pitches, networked, and won prizes!
Kim Kaupe
Founder, Keynote Speaker & One-of-a-Kind Teacher
Bright Ideas Only
Kim Kaupe is the 2026 thinkBIG! Summit keynote speaker.
Kaupe is a founder, keynote speaker, and one-of-a-kind teacher. From worldwide stages to her online courses, Kim’s mission of investing in yourself, your career and your network has garnered the praise of corporate clients such as American Express, YPO and TEDx. On LinkedIn alone, she has served over 400,000+ students through her entrepreneur-focused LinkedIn Learning courses.
Her current company, Bright Ideas Only, is a marketing and fan engagement based agency based in Austin, Texas and Charleston, South Carolina. The company works with powerhouse, A-list properties such as Oprah, The New York Mets, KISS, Shawn Mendes, ACE Comic Con, Miller Coors, and Paul McCartney to create new programs, revenue streams and branding. Her previous companies, ‘ZinePak and The Superfan Company, garnered global praise from being named one of The Wall Street Journal’s Startup of the Year to being featured on Season 5 of ABC’s hit primetime show, Shark Tank, securing offers from 4 out of 5 sharks.
Kim’s accolades include Forbes 30 Under 30, Advertising Age’s 40 Under 40, Inc.’s 35 Under 35 and EY’s Young Innovator of the Year Award. Kim regularly contributes commentary on business, entrepreneurship and entertainment to media outlets such as Rolling Stone, Forbes and Entrepreneur in addition to being featured on television networks, such as her appearance as a judge for 2019 Miss USA pageant LIVE on Fox.
Kim is passionate about giving back to the next generation through her volunteer work and service on foundation boards such as Junior Achievement, Andrus Family Fund and currently the University of Florida Alumni Association Board. She enjoys good music, witty banter, and commenting on life and entrepreneurship on her social channels. If you don’t interrupt her during one of her beloved Florida Gator games, she is always up for a conversation, laugh, or figuring out a master plan on how she can meet one of her idols, Harrison Ford.
Ariana Smith, Educational Engagement Manager at The City Club of Cleveland will serve as emcee of the 2026 thinkBIG! Summit.
Smith was born and raised in Shaker Heights, Ohio, and graduated from Shaker Heights High School. Upon graduation, she attended John Carroll University focusing on entrepreneurship and business management. However, it was the experiences had outside of the “traditional classroom” that truly set her on her professional path. Notably, the ECITY program, dedicated to nurturing youth entrepreneurship, and the Freedom School program, designed to instilling a passion for reading among young minds, both played pivotal roles in shaping her career trajectory.
Over the last 15 years, Smith has taken pride in her role as an educator, focusing primarily on nurturing the intellectual growth of middle and high school students. Her instructional portfolio encompasses a diverse range of subjects such as entrepreneurship, character/leadership development, financial literacy, and career preparedness. Thus far, her work has left a impact on more than 6,000 young minds and the numbers continue to grow.
Currently, Smith serves as the Educational Engagement Manager at The City Club of Cleveland and is a recent graduate of Cleveland Leadership Center’s Bridge Builders program.
Ariana Smith
Educational Engagement Manager of
The City Club of Cleveland
Nathan Minns will host a workshop at the 2026 thinkBIG! Summit.
He is a speaker and entrepreneur who helps professionals communicate with confidence: skills he’s honed building businesses and training teams across 12 countries. He’s delivered 250+ keynotes and workshops for Fortune 500 companies, governments, and startups, teaching the communication fundamentals that drive growth, close deals, and build trust. Nathan’s also the creator of Pivot Pitch, a game with 10,000+ users and a 4.95/5 rating that trains quick thinking and clear communication. His online courses have reached 65,000+ students worldwide. When he’s not on stage, Nathan’s testing new products, exploring markets, and helping founders communicate their vision effectively. Organizations book Nathan when they need their teams to communicate like their business depends on it, because it does.
Students will learn the core fundamentals of starting a business through hands-on activities. Using improv-based “Yes And” thinking and the Pivot Pitch game, students will rapidly ideate and develop a startup concept, then work through a simplified Lean Canvas framework to map out their business idea. Teams will complete their Lean Canvas for judging, with top teams selected to pitch their concepts on stage. Students walk away with practical tools for creative thinking, teamwork, and the essential building blocks every entrepreneur needs to launch a business.
More information on the 2026 thinkBIG! Summit will be announced at a later date.