Whether you have an idea for a business, are looking to make an impact, or need help growing your operation, there is a plethora of great business-focused events coming up over the next few months.
Find details and dates for each below. Which will you attend?
Startup Weekend Columbus
March 22-24
ScriptDrop, Grandview
Fifty-four hours of business building madness! In one weekend, teams strive to go from idea to MVP.
Startup Weekend kicks off Friday, March 22 with idea pitches and team creation around crowd-favorite ideas. Newly minted teams spend Saturday, March 23 and Sunday, March 24 leveraging their team’s skill sets, and the help of coaches and mentors, to build their businesses. Sunday night is the big pitch and doling out of awards.
Have a new idea that you have not previously worked on? Startup Weekend is the place to test the water. Pitches, ideas, problems and solutions can span any number of industries. No entrepreneurial experience, no problem! All are welcome to attend.
A variety of ticket options are available starting at $75. The public can watch Sunday’s pitches with a free Demo Day ticket.
Click here for more information or to purchase tickets.
MakerX 2019
April 6
Buckeye Building of the Ohio Expo Center
The second annual MakerX festival will feature over 80 exhibitors from the region sharing their passion for creating with technology. The event brings together business, educational institutions, makers and more to share their work and engage the public.
Exhibitors span a range of technology facets, from VR experiences, 3D printing and robotics, to digital art, laser cutting, and coding.
“MakerX provides a fun, high-energy environment to bring together people of all ages, interests, and skill levels to spend a day interacting around creating with technology” says Bill Ball, one of the MakerX event planners. “It’s a chance to see close up the awesome things people in our region are doing with new technologies–from schools and universities to inventors, hobbyists, start-ups, and established corporations.”
Tickets are $5 online or $8 the door and can be purchased here. For more information, visit makerx.org.
GiveBackHack
April 26 – 28
Columbus College of Art & Design
This weekend-long event brings engaged community members together to tackle some of society’s biggest challenges. Do you have the idea for Columbus’ next big social enterprise?
GiveBackHack kicks off on Friday evening, April 26 with attendee idea pitches. Post-pitch, event goers will vote on the top ideas and form teams around each. It’s down to work to build on those ideas the rest of the weekend with mentorship from local social entrepreneurs, non-profit leaders, venture capitalists, tech execs and more. Sunday evening teams reveal their big ideas during final presentations.
Ticket cost includes event access, all meals for the weekend, and other perks. A limited number of $70 Best Early Bird tickets are available, after which prices jump to $85. Scholarships are also available.
Click here for more information or to purchase tickets.
Making Midwest
July 26-28
Columbus College of Art & Design
A conference dedicated to creativity, Making Midwest brings together leaders in various creative industries to share their stories of the what, how and why they make.
Making Midwest 2019 offers three days of programming, Friday, July 26 – Sunday, July 28.
Friday, July 26 marks the first-ever Making Midwest Creative Business School. Five teachers will walk attendees through taking the leap to growing a creative business. Topics and teachers include:
- Taking the Leap & Transitioning – Ben Howes, Howes Design Service
- Art & Numbers – Elaine Grogan Luttrull, Minerva Financial Arts
- Marketing Yourself – Anthony Trimpe, Creative Direction
- Launching a Side Project – Jeremy Slagle and Beth Stafford, Happy Cargo Books
- Growing Your Creative Business – Lacey Picazo, Zoco Design
Saturday, July 27 and Sunday, July 28 a lineup of speakers take the stage including:
- CJ Casciotta – Get Weird
- Lisa Quine – Lettering Murals
- Jamal Collins – Design/Teaching
- Josh Scheutzow – A Carpenter’s Son
- Alexia Winfield – Columbus Book Project
- Claire Coder – Aunt Flow
- Ryan Vessler – Homage
- Meredith Dixon – Studio Dixon
- Chelsea Curry & Alicia Huber – M+A Architects
General admission tickets are $99 and include entry July 27-28. Tickets for Creative Business School are $149, or if purchased with a general admission ticket, $219.
For more information, visit makingmidwest.com or purchase tickets here.
