The Acetech Annual Leadership Retreat

Caleb Spitler is a communication expert and speaker who helps leaders and teams improve performance by strengthening human connection. He’s known for his “Connect First” approach grounded in the belief that most challenges in leadership, sales, and team dynamics are ultimately communication problems.

Partner at Eclipse investing in robotics, AI, defence tech, and IoT from seed to growth stage. Sits on 11 boards, including Verkada, Stand, and Bedrock Robotics. Former Samsara executive.

Aidan will share the insider perspective on what VCs look for in 2026, how to build relationships that matter, and fundraising strategies that actually work right now.

David is a leading authority on competitive strategy and technology, with nearly three decades on Intel’s board and dozens of influential books and case studies to his name. Returning to Acetech, he will deliver one of his signature interactive case studies on day one of the retreat, with a deeper dive to follow during the unconference sessions.

Operating Partner at Threshold Ventures, Stanford lecturer, and one of Silicon Valley’s most respected voices on venture capital. Former founder who’s been on both sides of the table, now invested in hundreds of companies.

Heidi will share what VCs actually look for in 2026, how to navigate fundraising successfully, and the relationship-building strategies that separate funded founders from the rest.

Wes Bush is the founder of ProductLed and a leading authority on product-led growth. He helps SaaS companies build products that drive acquisition, retention, and revenue, and has supported teams in generating $1B+ in self-serve revenue through practical, no-fluff growth strategies.

Steven is a leading authority on organizational wellness and workplace culture, helping leaders build high-performing teams where well-being and productivity reinforce each other. With a track record of transforming workplace cultures across industries, he brings practical, proven frameworks that tech CEOs can implement immediately. At the retreat, Steven will guide an interactive session on creating the conditions for healthy, sustainable growth for your team and your business.

Sandy is a TEDx speaker, mental fitness coach, and international speaker who empowers individuals and organizations to build positive, resilient mindsets through practical tools and strategies. She’s a former NBC10 fitness expert, the first female trainer for the Philadelphia Flyers, owner of a top Philadelphia gym, and author of mindset books like “Train Your Head & Your Body Will Follow.

Sean is an award-winning leadership expert and Co-CEO at Advanced Leadership Concepts. With a background spanning Navy service on F-14 Tomcats, molecular genetics, and technology innovation, he brings 25+ years of shaping high-performing teams and software at ITX. A Vistage Top Speaker and creator of

The Momentum Framework, Sean will challenge our CEOs to rethink innovation, culture, and trust as he takes the stage at the 2026 Retreat.

Miranda is Canadian entrepreneur and a cofounder of Thinkific a leading platform that helps creators and businesses build, market and sell online courses.
She played a key role in building Thinkific from an early-stage startup into a global SaaS company used by thousands of entrepreneurs and educators. She is known for her expertise in product development, creator economy strategy and scaling digital education platforms. Today, she continues to support founders and the startup ecosystem through mentorship, investing and community initiatives.

Shannon Susko is a business advisor, and the founder of Metronomics a strategic framework that helps leadership teams scale their companies with clarity, rhythm and accountability.

She previously co-founded and scaled Subserveo, growing it to a successful exit. Today, Shannon works with CEOs and executive teams to implement scalable operating systems, align strategy and execution, and build high-performance organizations. She is also the author of the book The Metronome Effect.