Bonfire sessions at Camp Hustle

Author

Kera DeMars
April 10, 2025

Hands down - the best part about Camp Hustle is the people.

And a great way to connect with people at Camp Hustle is during the bonfire sessions.

These are small group conversations on niche topics. They give you the opportunity to learn from subject matter experts (no stupid questions), and share your own expertise.

Bonfires help you find the people you want to share deals with, co-invest alongside, and get advice from.

Below are a few topics that I’m excited about. 

But first, a quick heads up: tickets for Camp Hustle go up on Monday at 8am PT. So if you wanna book, now’s a good time.

Ok, on to the bonfires:

🤖 Artificial Intelligence

Also known as “AI” (maybe you’ve heard of it). Lake Dai from Sancus Ventures will lead this talk on the future of AI.

We'll explore:

  • AI anxieties – what are you anxious about, and how realistic are those concerns?

  • The future of AI –  What industries are under-utilizing AI now but could be ripe for disruption in the coming years? Will new industries be created?

  • AI ethics and governance – what does it mean and why should we care?

⚙️ DeepTech

Adam Draper from Boost VC aims to back founders who are solving “impossible problems”. That thesis has led him to industries like space tech, bio tech, crypto, AI, VR, and climate tech.

At Camp Hustle, Adam’s session will zoom in on:

  • Space Tech: emerging trends, lessons learned, and the coolest companies out there

  • Bio Tech: how companies are leveraging AI

  • DeSci: what it is and the possibilities it could unlock

🌍 Africa’s Startup Ecosystem

The startup scene is exploding in Africa right now. And Maria Rotilu has been paying attention. 

Her fund, Openseed VC, invests in early-stage startups in Africa, and her deep connections there give her access to continent-changing opportunities.

This session will dig into:

  • Growing industries in the region

  • Building relationships and dealflow from afar

  • Challenges and risks (and how to mitigate them)

🚑 Healthcare

Jeff Bargmann is an angel investor who specializes in healthcare startups. He embeds himself into the healthcare ecosystem just to learn which problems are most painful, which audiences are underserved, and what the market is missing.

Jeff’s bonfire session at Camp Hustle will cover things like:

  • How to evaluate healthcare startups

  • Risks like regulations and illiquidity

  • Market opportunities

📚 Education

Shauntel Garvey is the co-founder and managing partner of Reach Capital – a VC fund that specializes in education. 

Her session will take place within the venture track, and will cover topics like:

  • The future of education

  • Opportunities in AI 

  • Trends around personalized education

  • Challenges in customer acquisition and how to avoid them

🦾 Robotics

Due to high demand, we’re hosting two sessions on robotics this year. 

The first will feature Nicolas Bourliatoux, co-founder and CEO of Iris Lab. Iris Lab uses lasers to remotely charge robotic devices. 

This session will cover:

  • The far-reaching implications of this product

  • Managing capital costs for a hardware business

  • Customer expansion + revenue opportunities

Chloë Ryan, founder and CEO of Acrylic Robotics, is hosting another session on robotics.

At 21, Chloë invented a robotic method that turns a digital illustration into a textured painting… like, with real brushstrokes. 

Her session will cover:

  • The difference between startups who build robotics vs startups who use robotics to provide a product / service

  • How robotics companies are building their moats

  • Acquiring and retaining customers 

Both of these founders will also be part of our inaugural founder showcase, taking place on Weds, May 14 as part of Camp Hustle.

⚡️ Web3

Yes, crypto is still a thing.

And founder Kevin Callahan is deeply embedded into this world. His platform, Uniblock, provides web3 developers with a comprehensive platform of APIs, integrations, and blockchains. 

So he knows what people are building, which audiences they’re serving, and where the opportunities lie. 

This session will cover:

  • Opportunities in crypto

  • Surviving a bear market

  • Kevin's unique insights from serving a boatload of web3 companies

💰 Fintech

Meet Todd and Tony – fintech experts and hosts of the fintech bonfire session at Camp Hustle.

Tony Cueva-Bavo is deeply embedded in the fintech ecosystem in Latin America. Todd Johnson is a seasoned angel investor with years of experience as an operator at fintech companies.

Think of this session as a facilitated conversation – a group chat, with Todd and Tony as your guides.

We’ll cover topics like:

  • Fintech opportunities in the U.S. vs emerging markets

  • Navigating regulatory risks 

  • Challenges facing fintech startups, like high CAC, incumbents, and market shifts

🧑‍💻 Future of Work

Samara Hernandez’s journey from growing up in a low-income household with two immigrant parents, to earning her degree in engineering, to becoming a finance whiz at Goldman Sachs, to eventually raising her own venture fund, is incredible.

This session will dig into Samara’s journey, as well as her insights into future of work companies.

Some future of work themes we’ll cover:

  • Trends that are overlooked, and trends that are overhyped

  • Metrics to evaluate market potential 

  • The impact of AI on workforce tech

Sheesh, is that all?

These are just a sample of the sessions taking place at Camp Hustle this year.

I haven’t even mentioned others we’re planning, like the one on pitching in public, investing in seed-strapped startups, or how LPs identify stand-out emerging fund managers.

Whoops – I guess I just did.

Anyway, Camp Hustle tickets go up on Monday. So if you wanna come, you should probably book your spot.

S’mores,

Kera from Camp Hustle