NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Thursday, April 4, 2019

Forbes today announced its inaugural Opportunity Zones Summit, which will bring together visionary investors and leaders across government, finance, real estate, economic development, and philanthropy on May 21, 2019 in Newark, New Jersey. The event will be held at the iconic Newark Museum,a key anchor institution in one of Newark’s core Opportunity Zones.

Created with our policy partner, the Economic Innovation Group (EIG), this definitive Opportunity Zones Summit will spark creative collaboration between industry leaders, spur best practices and set the national Opportunity Zones agenda for years to come. The goal: deliver strong returns for investors while igniting significant progress and economic mobility in America’s most overlooked communities.

Focused on the theme Investing for Impact, the Forbes Opportunity Zones Summit will be the definitive, independent, high-integrity gathering for core stakeholders to meet, learn, strategize and build. Designed with policy partner EIG, led by Co-Founder & Chairman, Sean Parker and Co-Founder & CEO, John Lettieri, the Summit will gather leaders across industry, technology, finance and civil service for immersive panels, round tables, networking and workshops dedicated to the challenges and limitless potential of the new, innovative initiative. The Summit will spotlight creative and instructive stories, demonstrate ways different industries can best partner, explore the types of projects that will thrive and develop plans for long-term, sustainable community impact.

“The Opportunity Zones initiative is the most ambitious federal attempt to expand economic opportunity in low-income areas in a generation, one that could drive billions of dollars into new private investments in struggling communities over the coming decade,” said John Lettieri, Co-Founder, President and CEO, Economic Innovation Group. “We are excited to partner with Forbes to engage policymakers, the business community, and other key stakeholders in a dialogue on how we can reconnect capital and communities, and how Opportunity Zones will support local entrepreneurship and strengthen communities from the ground up.”

“Our Opportunity Zones Summit seeks to spark substantial investment in the country’s most left-behind communities and launch creative projects and collaborations to fuel economic and business opportunities that would have never before been possible,” said Steven Bertoni, Summit Founder, Vice President and Senior Editor of Forbes. “As a leading voice in entrepreneurship, investing, and responsible capitalism, Forbes is thrilled to team up with EIG and our Advisory Board to bring the clarity, community, and strategy needed to solve the pressing financial challenges in these areas and harness the incredible potential these Opportunity Zones have to offer.”

Equipped with unrivaled experience, authenticity and expertise, the Opportunity Zones Summit’s influential Board of Advisors will help drive the agenda, set the conversation and direct the mission. Advisory Board members, most of whom will also be featured speakers at the Summit, include:

• Sean Parker, Founder, Parker Foundation and Co-Founder & Chairman, Economic Innovation Group
• John Lettieri, Co-Founder, President & CEO, Economic Innovation Group
• Margaret Anadu, Managing Director & Head of the Goldman Sachs Urban Investment Group
• Jennifer Collins, Fellow-in-Residence, Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation, Georgetown University
• Anne Driscoll, President & COO, Launch Pad
• Ommeed Sathe, Head of Impact & Responsible Investing, Prudential Financial
• Jim Sorenson, President, Sorenson Impact Foundation
• Ray Chambers, Ambassador to the World Health Organization for Global Strategy
• Van Jones, CEO, REFORM Alliance; Political Contributor & Host, The Van Jones Show, CNN

For additional information about the 2019 Forbes Opportunity Zones Summit, please visit: https://www.forbes.com/forbes-live/event/2019-opportunity-zones/

Photo courtesy of Jason Mrachina.