Intuit announced that venture capitalist Marc Andreesen and Huffington Post editor-in-chief Arianna Huffington will join the line-up of speakers for its QuickBooks Connect conference Oct. 21-23 in San Jose, Calif.
Expanding the previously announced speakers that include Intuit president and CEO Brad Smith, Intuit founder Scott Cook and entrepreneur, author and television personality Bill Rancic, the headliners will address thousands of entrepreneurs, small businesses, accounting professionals and developers at the first-of-its-kind event. Additionally, entrepreneurs Debbie Sterling of GoldieBlox and Tristan Walker of Walker & Co. and Code2040 will be speaking.
“We had the conversation that it’s time to get together and make the connection with these three groups” of small business owners, accountants and developers, said Jim McGinnis, vice president and leader of Intuit’s accountant and advisory group, in describing the planning process.
QuickBooks Connect’s main stage headliners, which also include Kevin Cleary, CEO of Clif Bar & Company, and Charles Best, founder and CEO of Donorschoose.org, were designed to be “interesting and broadly appealing,” McGinnis explained, while the event’s breakout sessions will align with the three attendee groups. While Intuit anticipates that roughly half of their targeted 4,000 attendees will be accountants, developers are a “third party we are increasingly working with,” according to McGinnis, who will have their own track as well as the opportunity to visit a new, on-site “developers garage.”
Other unique features to the event include a speed mentoring activity, roundtable group discussions, workshops, and an indoor park to facilitate meeting and relaxation.
“This is not going to be like any other show,” McGinnis said.
Early registration at a discounted price of $169 is available through Aug. 15 at
