Wes Barton

The Greater Nashville Private Capital Association (GNPCA) is a leading organization dedicated to advancing the private capital industry ecosystem in Middle Tennessee. Established with seed funding from Vanderbilt University in 2023, the GNPCA brings together angels, VCs, PE investors, endowments and industry stakeholders and markets Middle Tennessee’s position as an attractive hub for investment. Through networking events, educational programs and advocacy efforts, the GNPCA is in place to drive economic growth and innovation in Nashville and the wider region.

Climb Credit (NMLS# 1240013) is an innovative student lending platform that makes career creation and transformation more accessible, affordable, and accountable than ever before. Driven by a mission to empower individuals to unlock their career potential – no matter what their credit profile – Climb Credit identifies programs and schools with a demonstrated ability to improve the earnings of their graduates. Then they provide learners with financing options that are priced and structured to meet the unique needs of those seeking career elevation and increased earning power. Recognizing the dynamic and diverse nature of an economy in rapid change, Climb Credit partners with schools that teach everything from cybersecurity to pilot training, heavy machine operation to data science, and culinary arts to coding. While some colleges are struggling to meet the real-world needs of their students, Climb Credit and its partner schools are committed to an inspiring practicality that can bring confidence as individuals Own the Next phase of their career goals.

Spur’s mission is to power the progress of hardworking people by providing easier access to work. We obsessively focus on leveraging technology to achieve operating efficiencies and smarter service delivery to dramatically change the way staffing services are priced and delivered.

Kafene is a leading point-of-sale financing partner dedicated to empowering flexible ownership solutions for underserved customers nationwide. By enabling our retail partners to offer flexible lease-to-own (LTO) purchase options for prime and nonprime consumers, Kafene helps merchants expand their customer base, and meet growing demand for furniture, appliances, electronics, tires, and other durable goods. Utilizing more than 20,000 data inputs in tandem with cutting-edge AI and machine learning technologies, our platform creates the best-in-class financing experience for both merchants and customers. With over $100 million in sales achieved in under 3 years, we are continuing our growth trajectory and scaling rapidly, led by our innovative and dedicated team. Our talented team of over 100 people values and celebrates our culture, and we are proudly selected as one of the Built In Startups to Watch and Best Startups to Work for in NYC, Lendit Emerging Fintech Company finalist, and Forbes Best Startup Employers.

At January, we work to ensure that borrowers who fall behind on debt are treated with dignity. Owing to outdated processes and bad actors, traditional debt collection is rife with harassment and fraud. Our products tackle this by helping financial institutions modernize collections, giving borrowers simpler and more compassionate ways to get back on track.

Petals aim is to bring financial innovation and opportunity to everyone. We use modern technology to help people build credit, avoid debt, and spend responsibly. When you apply for Petal, we use your banking history to instantly create a Cash Score — a measure of your creditworthiness based on income, spending, and savings history. It could help you qualify for a Petal credit card, even if youve never had credit before.

NewtonX is the world’s leading B2B research company. We field large-scale quantitative surveys, facilitate qualitative interviews, engage in long-term consultations, and create customized research plans. To do this, we use the most sophisticated search engine in the research industry – the NewtonX Knowledge Graph. It’s a proprietary, AI-driven search that scans 1.1 billion professionals across 140 industries to find the exact person to answer any kind of question. We ensure every professional is 100% verified, so you can ground your work in fraud-free data and make critical business decisions with confidence. NewtonX partners with the world’s top market research companies, management consultancies and Fortune 500. Together with our clients, we’re ushering in a new standard of truth in B2B research. Got your next question in mind? https://www.newtonx.com/quote

Octane® is revolutionizing recreational purchases by delivering a seamless, end-to-end digital buying experience. We connect people with their passions by combining cutting-edge technology and innovative risk strategies to make lifestyle purchases - like powersports vehicles, RVs, and outdoor power equipment - fast, easy, and accessible. Octane adds value throughout the customer journey: inspiring enthusiasts with our editorial brands, including Cycle World® and UTV Driver®, instantly prequalifying consumers for financing online, routing customers to dealerships for an easy closing, and supporting customers throughout their loan with superior loan servicing. Founded in 2014, we have with 550+ employees in hybrid and remote roles, and over 30 OEM and 4,000 dealer partners. We made the Inc 5000 list of the fastest growing private companies in America and are Certified as a Great Place to Work®. Visit www.octane.co. Octane® is a registered service mark of Octane Lending, Inc. In accordance with Pay Transparency legislation, Octane commits to providing the minimum and maximum salary or hourly rate for all open roles. An individuals offer will be based on the alignment of their qualifications with the requirements of the job and internal equity. In addition to the above-mentioned salary, Total Rewards include benefits as outlined in the job description. Some roles also include a stock option package or a bonus.

About LoanStreet Inc. LoanStreet is the first fully-integrated, online platform that streamlines the process of sharing, managing, and analyzing loans for credit unions, banks, and direct lenders. LoanStreet was founded in 2013 with the mission to create a more efficient, transparent, and robust way to connect lenders and investors as well as administer their loans. Today, hundreds of financial institutions rely on LoanStreet’s turnkey, automated platform to gain access to a nationwide network of lenders and investors, track the performance of their loan portfolio, and more profitably grow and diversify their balance sheet. LoanStreet was co-founded by Ian Lampl, formerly the U.S. Treasury Department’s Deputy Chief Counsel for TARP, to make it easier for financial institutions of all sizes to scale their ability to share and manage their loan book. For more information or to join the LoanStreet network, please visit www.loan-street.com or email: info@loan-street.com.

We made a promise. That promise made us a pioneer. What began as a personal snack mission launched The New Primal from an innovative home business to a beloved national brand. Once that perfect portable protein was created, it was too good to not share. Along the way, there would be no compromising on our commitment to use only the best and most responsibly sourced ingredients. Starting with grass-fed and pasture-raised meat, we keep our products free from antibiotics or added hormones and enhance them with craveable flavors crafted from soy-free, paleo-friendly, minimally processed ingredients. Our flagship jerky caught the snack world by surprise, while new and innovative flavors have kept the line varied and fresh. The introduction of meat sticks with equally high-quality components opened new doors for on-the-go-snacking, and our same-goodness-just-smaller-scale Snack Mates line became the healthiest protein snack available for kids. Most recently, we’ve put the magic in a bottle with a swoon-worthy (and Whole30 Approved) lineup of marinades with no refined sugar, dairy or soy. Watch where our promise takes us next, because the best part of this adventure is taking you with us. You are what you eat. Choose Wisely®.

Jingle Punks is an Audio Creative Agency and is one of the largest providers of music for media in the world. With a catalog of nearly 500k songs, a staff of music supervisors, composers, technologists and creatives, Jingle Punks offers best-in-class customer service. Whether it’s composing for some of the world’s biggest brands, music supervising award-winning films, or creating some of the largest marketing campaigns with today’s hottest artists, we’re able to solve any musical need. Jingle Punks was founded in 2008 by Jared Gutstadt & Dan Demole in the Lower East Side of Manhattan and now has offices in Los Angeles, New York, Toronto, and London. Jingle Punks strives to rise above the status quo, endeavoring to create unique and innovative musical solutions for our clients. Jingle Punks is owned by Toronto-based rights management company, Anthem Entertainment.

The Greater Nashville Private Capital Association (GNPCA) is a leading organization dedicated to advancing the private capital industry ecosystem in Middle Tennessee. Established with seed funding from Vanderbilt University in 2023, the GNPCA brings together angels, VCs, PE investors, endowments and industry stakeholders and markets Middle Tennessee’s position as an attractive hub for investment. Through networking events, educational programs and advocacy efforts, the GNPCA is in place to drive economic growth and innovation in Nashville and the wider region.

Climb Credit (NMLS# 1240013) is an innovative student lending platform that makes career creation and transformation more accessible, affordable, and accountable than ever before. Driven by a mission to empower individuals to unlock their career potential – no matter what their credit profile – Climb Credit identifies programs and schools with a demonstrated ability to improve the earnings of their graduates. Then they provide learners with financing options that are priced and structured to meet the unique needs of those seeking career elevation and increased earning power. Recognizing the dynamic and diverse nature of an economy in rapid change, Climb Credit partners with schools that teach everything from cybersecurity to pilot training, heavy machine operation to data science, and culinary arts to coding. While some colleges are struggling to meet the real-world needs of their students, Climb Credit and its partner schools are committed to an inspiring practicality that can bring confidence as individuals Own the Next phase of their career goals.

Spur’s mission is to power the progress of hardworking people by providing easier access to work. We obsessively focus on leveraging technology to achieve operating efficiencies and smarter service delivery to dramatically change the way staffing services are priced and delivered.

Kafene is a leading point-of-sale financing partner dedicated to empowering flexible ownership solutions for underserved customers nationwide. By enabling our retail partners to offer flexible lease-to-own (LTO) purchase options for prime and nonprime consumers, Kafene helps merchants expand their customer base, and meet growing demand for furniture, appliances, electronics, tires, and other durable goods. Utilizing more than 20,000 data inputs in tandem with cutting-edge AI and machine learning technologies, our platform creates the best-in-class financing experience for both merchants and customers. With over $100 million in sales achieved in under 3 years, we are continuing our growth trajectory and scaling rapidly, led by our innovative and dedicated team. Our talented team of over 100 people values and celebrates our culture, and we are proudly selected as one of the Built In Startups to Watch and Best Startups to Work for in NYC, Lendit Emerging Fintech Company finalist, and Forbes Best Startup Employers.

At January, we work to ensure that borrowers who fall behind on debt are treated with dignity. Owing to outdated processes and bad actors, traditional debt collection is rife with harassment and fraud. Our products tackle this by helping financial institutions modernize collections, giving borrowers simpler and more compassionate ways to get back on track.