The Venture Center to Host Ancestry.com Founder Paul Allen for April VCTech: The Future of AI Assistance 

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (March 24, 2023) — As part of its VCTech meetup series, The Venture Center will host Paul Allen, founder of Ancestry.com and Soar.com to share insights about his unique entrepreneurial journey and the future of artificial intelligence (AI). The event will be held from 5 pm to 7 pm on April 19 at The Venture Center located at 417 Main Street. 

“Allen’s niche experience and knowledge of building technology companies will provide invaluable insight to Arkansas entrepreneurs, and we’re excited to offer this unique opportunity,” said James Hendren, chairman of the board for The Venture Center. “Our entrepreneur support programs are free and open to all community members, which is made possible by our generous partners and sponsors.” 

Allen is best known for founding Ancestry in 1997 – a company worth $4.7 billion – where he launched its content subscription business model and innovative marketing strategies. Since its beginning, Over the past two decades, Ancestry has invested over $300 million to build a catalog of 40 billion family records, a base of over 3 million subscribers, and a DNA network of more than 23 million people.

Since his exit from Ancestry, Allen’s mission has been to leverage technology to help humans flourish. At Soar, he has assembled a world-class team of technologists to ensure that everyone have a chance to self-determine their relationship with AI in ways that uplift and empower. 

“I’m excited to return to Arkansas for this exciting event. Since innovation and entrepreneurship are the driving forces of economic growth, it’s always inspiring to meet with visionaries, builders and investors,” said Allen. “Before I founded Ancestry, I attended a talk in Philadelphia from a branding expert that changed everything for me. I hope I can share some stories and ideas from my three decades as a founder that will be a spark for people who are trying to build companies to make the world a better place.”

Through VCTech, budding businesses have an opportunity to network and learn from other entrepreneurs. Learn more or register at venturecenter.co/vctech.

About The Venture Center
The Venture Center is a globally recognized Arkansas-based Entrepreneurial Support Organization (ESO) that helps entrepreneurs turn their start-ups into viable, high-growth businesses. By leveraging the expertise of a world-class team of mentors, intensive programming, and introductions to the investor community, The Venture Center serves as an engine for economic growth in Arkansas and beyond.  Learn more at www.venturecenter.co. Follow The Venture Center on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter(@VentureCenter), and Instagram.