AMA with Matt Hickman (Plains Ventures)
- Date
- 2025-01-29
- Location
- Bentonville, AR, USA
- Host
- StartupNWA
About this event
If you care about how venture investing actually works, this is a chance to hear it directly and ask your own questions. AMA with Matt Hickman (Plains Ventures) is an in-person conversation in Bentonville built for people who want clear, useful insight instead of polished talking points. This is the kind of event that works best when the room is curious, engaged, and ready to participate. Whether you are building, investing, exploring your next move, or simply trying to better understand the startup landscape around you, the AMA format gives you access to a more open, practical discussion than you would get from a standard panel. About the Event This event centers on a live Ask Me Anything with Matt Hickman of Plains Ventures. The purpose is simple: create space for an honest, community-driven conversation where attendees can bring real questions about venture, startups, growth, decision-making, and what matters in today’s market. Because it is an AMA, the value comes from the interaction. Rather than sitting through a one-way presentation, you will be part of a session shaped by the interests of the people in the room. That makes it especially useful if you have specific questions, want to test your assumptions, or are looking for grounded perspective from someone active in the venture world. The setting is in person, which matters. Events like this are often where the best follow-up conversations happen: before things start, during transitions, and after the formal Q&A wraps up. If you like learning through dialogue and meeting others who are paying attention to what is being built locally and beyond, this format delivers both. What to Expect Expect a conversational, accessible session with room for both broad and tactical questions. Depending on the flow of the room, topics may range from venture trends and founder readiness to how investors think, what makes opportunities stand out, and how startup communities grow around real relationships. A typical experience will likely include: Arrival and informal mingling with other attendees before the AMA begins A brief welcome and framing for the conversation The main open Q&A with Matt Hickman Additional time for community conversation and networking afterward You do not need to come with a perfect question prepared, but it helps to arrive with a few themes you are curious about. The strongest AMA sessions usually include a mix of perspectives from founders, operators, aspiring investors, students, and community members, so you can expect the discussion to move between high-level ideas and practical realities. Because the event is tagged across community, networking, meetup, and social, you should also expect a room that is not limited to one narrow professional lane. That mix can be especially valuable if you want to understand how different people approach opportunity, risk, growth, and collaboration. Why Attend The clearest reason to attend is access. An AMA gives you the opportunity to hear direct answers to real questions, including the ones that often do not fit neatly into a keynote or formal fireside chat. You can learn from your own questions, but also from what everyone else in the room is asking. This event is also useful because it sits at the intersection of learning and relationship-building. You are not only coming to absorb information; you are coming to meet people who are actively interested in startups, investing, and the Bentonville community. That combination can lead to better follow-up conversations, new connections, and sharper thinking about your own work. You may leave with: A better understanding of how venture perspectives are formed More confidence asking smarter questions about startups and capital New context for evaluating your own business, idea, or career direction Stronger ties to people in the local entrepreneurial and investor ecosystem Even if you are early in your journey, this kind of event can shorten the distance between curiosity and clarity. Hearing how someone in venture responds in real time can help you understand not just the answer itself, but also how experienced people frame problems, assess opportunities, and think under uncertainty. Practical Details When: Wednesday, January 29 at 4:30 PM CST Location: In person in Bentonville, USA Since this is an in-person event, plan to arrive a little early if you want time to settle in, meet other attendees, and get the most out of the networking side of the experience. Being in the room from the start also helps you catch the opening context before the AMA gets underway. This event is a good fit for attendees who prefer candid conversation over formal programming. If you want a more useful experience, come ready to listen closely, introduce yourself to a few people, and participate if a question has been on your mind. Bentonville continues to attract builders, operators, and community-minded people who want to be close to momentum. This event gives you a practical way to plug into that energy for an evening: show up, ask thoughtful questions, and leave with a clearer picture of the people and ideas shaping the conversation.
Who should attend
This is for you if you want a more direct, conversational way to learn about venture, startups, and the people shaping your local ecosystem. - **You are a founder or aspiring founder** and want to better understand how investors think, what questions matter, and how to talk about your business with more clarity. - **You work in startups, tech, or growth roles** and want sharper insight into how venture-backed companies are evaluated, supported, and challenged. - **You are investor-curious** and want exposure to real questions and real answers in a setting that feels approachable rather than overly formal. - **You are part of the Bentonville entrepreneurial community** and want to meet others who are active, thoughtful, and interested in building meaningful connections. - **You are early in your career or exploring a transition** and want to learn by listening, asking questions, and getting closer to the conversations happening around startups and capital. - **You simply enjoy smart, grounded community events** where the discussion is shaped by the room and the networking is as valuable as the main session.