This year’s Fortune Brainstorm Tech conference kicked off Monday in Aspen, Colo. Already, major figures like U.S. CTO Megan Smith, YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki, and KKR’s Henry Kravis have appeared on stage.
Here’s some of our favorite tweets from speakers, attendees, and our own writers from Brainstorm Tech’s first day.
KKR co-CEO Henry Kravis shared some advice for startups and especially the current crop of “unicorns” — startups valued above $1 billon:
"Going public is not a business plan." @HenryRKravis #FortuneTech
— Adam Nash (@adamnash) July 13, 2015
Megan Smith, the CTO of the U.S., talked about diversity and spreading the tech talent across the country given technology’s growing importance:
"Show up where you are rare" – brilliance from @smithmegan #FortuneTech
— Brad Feld (@bfeld) July 13, 2015
Helen Greier, CEO of drone company CyPhy Works, shares some predictions:
"There will be several multi-billion drone companies" says @helengreiner of @cyphyworksinc #FortuneTech @brainstormtech
— erin griffith (@eringriffith) July 13, 2015
Pinterest co-founder and CEO Ben Silbermann discusses his company’s shift to mobile and what’s it doing to keep up with the trend:
Via @8en: 80% of @Pinterest usage is on smartphones. Just started to use context (location) to guide what we show #FortuneTech
— Michael Chui (@mchui) July 13, 2015
Though Pinterest is often seen as a digital pinboard or social network, here’s how Silbermann views it:
Pinterest CEO Ben Silbemann says it's not a social network. "A catalogue of ideas" And it's not just for women! #fortunetech
— john stackhouse (@StackhouseJohn) July 13, 2015
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel rise from a family of immigrants has helped shape his view of success:
Rahm Emanuel @adamlashinsky Success is whether you hold someone's hand thru the door of opportunity. #FortuneTech pic.twitter.com/TZuDNanwRN
— John Doerr (@johndoerr) July 14, 2015
Some amusing moments, starting with Kravis’s reaction to rumors of Donald Trump’s interest in him as a member of his would-be cabinet:
"That was scary" – Henry Kravis' reaction to Trump saying he'd be his treasury secretary #FortuneTech
— Alan Murray (@alansmurray) July 13, 2015
Fortune Assistant Managing Editor Adam Lashinsky opens his interview with Rahm and Ari Emanuel with an interesting question:
Would the Emanuel brothers cage-match the Bush brothers? "No." Too risky? "That wouldn't be risk. All reward." #FortuneTech cc: @caro
— Andrew Nusca (@editorialiste) July 14, 2015
As the evening rolled on, so did a thunderstorm in Aspen — something investor and Colorado resident Brad Feld is accustomed to:
Dear #fortunetech gang. Storms like this is Colorado are normal. And fun!
— Brad Feld (@bfeld) July 13, 2015
And of course, it wasn’t too early for surprise visitors — of all kinds:
Awesome morning ride #FortuneTech, we kept up w @lancearmstrong! @adamlashinsky huffed up, @danprimack nowhere :) pic.twitter.com/y1ERilgI21
— David Spector (@dspector) July 13, 2015
Beware of bears! #FortuneTech https://t.co/JB502cH5kn
— Susan Wojcicki (@SusanWojcicki) July 14, 2015
To tune into the action on the main Brainstorm Tech stage Tuesday, watch the livestream here.
