[GCTV news NEW YORK ]— January 22, 2026 — The Inner Circle Forum 2026, convened a curated group of founders, creators, investors, and industry leaders for an invitation-only forum focused on the future of brand building, creativity, and innovation across finance, real estate, AI technology, fashion, health, and consumer goods. This event is organized by Industry Global, co-organized by Rigel Atlas Consulting with contributions from David Chen,
Held at a private club on West 34th Street in Midtown Manhattan, the forum-set within one of the city’s most dynamic commercial corridors – emphasized intimate dialogue, cross-sector collaboration, and real-world connection. As one attendee noted, the atmosphere made it easy to stay engaged: phones stayed down, conversations remained active, and the room reflected a diverse, high-caliber mix of creatives, operators, and business leaders.The evening featured step-and-repeat media moments, two panel discussions with live Q&A, a 2026 consumer outlook, and curated brand showcases highlighting select merchants and emerging consumer brands. Guests also enjoyed premium catering, curated wine service, a caviar tasting, and live music – creating a refined yet approachable environment for thoughtful exchange. A charitable fundraising initiative benefiting Bonjour Girls (NPO) was incorporated into the program, aligning business engagement with social impact.
Founder-Led Brands and the Return of Purpose
The first panel, “Entrepreneurship: Courage, Transformation, Identity & Creativity,” was moderated by Lucian, with Alice Yim serving as MC. Panelists included:
Alice Yim, Founder of Efense and Industry Global, who discussed the fashion industry’s evolution from traditional four-season collections toward functional, lifestyle-driven products. She noted that as fast fashion and social media reshape consumer behavior, brand success is increasingly defined by storytelling, mission, and cultural relevance rather than seasonal trend cycles alone.
Ethan Noblesala, Founder of WeFit Lab, who explored purpose-driven product development and the role of data and user experience in advancing health innovation.Ethan emphasized that founder-driven approach and being authentic are important for building a successful startup.
Selise Rivera, Founder of Selise Candles and Suma Kakawa Chocolate, who discussed reimagining home fragrance through pure ingredients and wellness-first design, while sampling
ceremonial chocolate from the mountains of Ecuador.Refl ecting on the entrepreneurial journey, Selise sheds light on the importance of proper fundraising and found resilience.
Han Kichiei, Founder of RL Queen Jewelry, who examined differentiation in the fine jewelry market through cultural narrative, sustainability, and craftsmanship. As the local market becomes more saturated, expanding business to the USA becomes her next step.
Together, the panel underscored a clear shift: founder-led and purpose-driven brands are demonstrating 7–10% annual growth among Gen Z consumers, reflecting a broader move toward value-driven purchasing over price sensitivity alone.
Creativity, AI, and Cross-Industry Convergence
The second panel, “Industry Perspectives: Creativity in the Era of AI,” examined how artificial intelligence is reshaping creative and operational ecosystems. Speakers included:
David Chen, Founder of Princeton Venture Studio, who contributed perspectives on conscious entrepreneurship and ethical frameworks for integrating AI into creative and business practices.
James Di Piazza, CEO of Bond Street Mortgage, who discussed how AI and data analytics are transforming real estate finance, underwriting, and risk assessment.
Helen Huang, Co-Founder of Pixel Pack, who highlighted emerging applications of Web3 and digital identity within luxury and consumer branding.
Xiaoyu, Senior UI/UX Designer at Parsons School of Design, who outlined the evolution from interface design toward context-aware, experience-driven systems.
Chief consultant from Rigel Atlas Consulting, YIfan Zang shared a concise consumer and industry outlook based on data-driven research, noting that AI is delivering measurable operational impact, including 10–20% EBITDA improvement, 15–30% increases in marketing ROI, and 30–60% reductions in content, design, and campaign production costs. Rigel Atlas emphasized that AI’s primary value lies not in boosting sales volume, but in compressing costs, accelerating iteration, and improving decision effi ciency to launch a business.
Roberto Capriotti of Selise Candles, one of the featured brand partners, shared his enthusiasm for the experience:
“The event was exceptionally well thought out. It was such an engaging night—no one was distracted by their phone, the crowd was diverse and well-curated, and the energy felt genuine. We’re definitely looking forward to participating in the next event.”
Attendee Cecile Maravillas praised the forum’s relevance and impact:
“This was a genuinely thoughtful event. The panel topics were timely and meaningful, and it’s clear that creators and small business owners truly need platforms like this. I’d love to see even more Q&A and open discussion in future events—the appetite for deeper dialogue is absolutely there.”
As the inaugural event in The Inner Circle series, the forum marked the official launch of a long-term platform dedicated to fostering meaningful dialogue, cross-industry insight, and sustained community building within New York City’s creative and entrepreneurial ecosystem.
We want to extend our sincere gratitude to all attendees for their presence and engagement, to the local brands and vendors who showcased their work at The Inner Circle Forum, and to the dedicated volunteers whose time, energy, and behind-the-scenes support made this inaugural event possible. Without the collective effort and shared belief of this community, the success of the first Inner Circle Forum would not have been possible.
Article written by Alice Yim, Founder of Industry Global, with contributions from Sissi Wang, Rigel Atlas Business Analyst.
