3rd Annual Entrepreneurial Summit

 Our featured plenary panel will offer you the opportunity to hear from Dr. Dan Young and a slate of CEO’s representing successful entrepreneurial organizations. They will be speaking to the issues that were most surprising and educational as they built their companies. 

 While you might feel that your idea is the greatest idea since sliced bread, how do you convey that to the market? Learn how to build the business imperative that makes your product stand out to the market.

Today’s economy has evolved. The most successful business leaders are focused on far-reaching and inclusive sustainability strategies that consider customers, employees, investors, suppliers, the local community, and the environment. We will speak with business leaders to understand: 1) the business case for inclusive and sustainable business practices, and 2) strategies to capture a competitive advantage while increasing your financial and social returns.

  Scaling a business comes with a unique set of challenges and complications from balancing increased workloads to expanding production needs. In this session you will hear from local experts on the proper tools, strategies, and resources entrepreneurs can use to optimize their business for sustainable, scalable growth while remaining competitive in the marketplace. 

 New ideas change the world but where do ideas and inspirations come from? Who in the future will develop the ideas of today? Where will you find skilled and talented individuals to help you turn an idea into a venture? Join our panelists and entrepreneurs as they discuss their own stories, creative process and share the resources they found helpful on their journey to success.  

 There are issues that STEM companies face that are significantly different than main street business.  Through grants, angel investors, crowdfunding, government grants, the funding vehicles and road to financial stability for your firm is riddled with opportunities and challenges. 

It costs money to start and grow a business, and funding a business is one of the first — and most important — financial choices most business owners need to make. Yet, many founders and owners are not quite sure how best to pursue it. In this workshop, the panelists will discuss the key elements of an effective financial strategy: 1)  finding the right solution at the right time for your particular business; 2) Deciding on the best time to seek funding for your organization; 3) knowing the differences between several different funding models; 4) Uncovering the top financing options available for small businesses from loans to creative solutions like crowd-lending.