Acme Innovation

A media producer, investor and entrepreneur with over 35 years in entertainment who has financed numerous music and media startups and co-founded GrandMaster Music (later sold to Sony Music). Former Executive Director of Quincy Jones Productions and a former music executive who signed multi-platinum artists.

James Slazas is the chief executive officer and founding partner of DARMA Capital, a CFTC-registered CTA/CPO/Swap firm focused on blockchain assets. He previously served as director of capital markets and founding member of ConsenSys Capital, and holds over 30 years of experience in financial services, including roles at Lehman Brothers where he managed derivatives and established risk management infrastructure, and co-founding September Investors, a hedge fund focused on longevity risk. He currently advises financial institutions including investment banks, exchanges, pension funds, and insurance companies on blockchain strategy.

Chief Investment Officer of Acme Innovation, overseeing portfolio companies and investment/incubation opportunities. Previously led new ventures and early-stage investments at Red Light Management and worked in investment banking and entertainment finance.

Ash Cooper Kerns is a creative strategist and product leader with experience across legal, nonprofit, art, entertainment, and web3 sectors. She has served as Art Director at Daz3D and Tafi, overseeing NFT collaborations including Game of Thrones: Build Your Realm with Warner Bros. Discovery, and as Senior Product Manager for Scooby-Doo Character Studio, where she developed an interactive platform for character creation and personalized products. Her background includes work as a transactional and litigation attorney, crypto philanthropy consultant, and community manager focused on youth music education and web3 initiatives.

Kevin Raich is an Executive Creative Director and Founding Partner at Unveil who works across technology, culture, and brand strategy. His creative direction has supported major technology companies including Meta, Apple, and Google, with notable projects including the Today at Apple campaign that won a Cannes Lions Grand Prix and the National Day of Service following 9/11. He currently advises on ventures in AI, Web3, and wellness, and has directed films for major brands and organizations while exhibiting installation art at venues including Art Basel Miami and Burning Man.

Laura Sundberg is Chief of Staff at Acme Innovation, where she manages executive support and operations. Her background spans executive support, operations, finance, events, and wellness, with expertise in project management and cross-functional coordination in fast-moving environments.

Matt Mannino is the founder of Zozer Strategy, a firm that advises businesses on modernizing their marketing and operations through strategic planning and AI integration.

Morgan Ross is Strategy & Operations Lead at an early-stage direct-to-consumer consumer hardware company in stealth mode, with responsibility for product, operations, and go-to-market strategy.