Join Innovation Factory as we celebrate Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) November 13-17, 2017. We have many amazing events planned to celebrate entrepreneurs and small business owners in Hamilton. You’re sure to find something that sparks your interest!
Innovation Factory Events
Tuesday, November 14: Accelerating Success for Women Entrepreneurs
@ Innovation Factory | 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM | FREE
MORE INFORMATION AND LINK TO REGISTER
Help us kick off Global Entrepreneurship Week! Join us for a Power Breakfast networking session to launch a new series of Innovation Factory workshops aimed at *Women Entrepreneurs to suit your business’ needs, network with experts, and join forces with peers! Join us for a delicious catered breakfast, establish valuable business connections, and learn more about this exciting new series!
We will have some special giveaways, so don’t miss out!
*This event is inclusive and welcomes all women and women-identifying individuals and allies of all genders.
Wednesday, November 15: ELEV8 Pitch Night
@ McMaster Innovation Park | 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM | FREE
MORE INFORMATION AND LINK TO REGISTER
ELEV8 has companies who have a product in-market (or close to launch) present themselves in an investment-style pitch presentation. It’s designed to help connect our partners, volunteer mentors and the broader Hamilton community with some of our up-and-coming startups.
Join us for this celebration of innovation! Meet eight up-and-coming startups, network, and enjoy delicious food and beverages!
allies of all genders.
Thursday, November 16: Startup Crawl
@ Various Locations | 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM | FREE
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Mohawk SURGE has partnered with The Forge@Mac to take students on a tour of the Entrepreneurship Ecosystem of Hamilton.
The tour will showcase what Hamilton has to offer, including visits to The Small Business Enterprise Centre, CoMotion, Innovation Factory, and The Forge.
Join us as we venture through the downtown core meeting different entrepreneurs, learning about their experiences and how the resources available have enabled them to build their businesses!
Thursday, November 16: Innovation Factory Open House
@ Innovation Factory | 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM | FREE
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Innovation Factory will be opening our office to welcome those interested in learning more about our services, our companies, and how we help businesses grow. Drop by McMaster Innovation Park to chat with our staff and find out what it takes to turn your idea into a viable business.
We will be hosting drop-in tours and will feature some of our recent client successes in our space. Drop by, grab a coffee and a treat, and become a part of our ecosystem!
Friday, November 17: Value Proposition, Entrepreneur’s Toolkit Session 3
@ Innovation Factory | 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
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Do you have an idea or a product that you would like to turn into a business?
This three-part workshop series* is designed to help early-stage ventures understand the Lean Startup approach and learn ways to start collecting feedback from potential customers.
The tools and frameworks covered in the workshop will help you to lower the risk associated with launching your new product or business.
*Sessions 1 and 2 of this series are November 3 and November 10, 2017. It is recommended that participants attend all 3 sessions.
COmmunity events:
Global Entrepreneurship Week celebrations don’t end with Innovation Factory! Make sure to check out events hosted by our partner organizations.
Monday, November 13: The Forge Turns 3!
@ McMaster Innovation Park | 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM | FREE
MORE INFORMATION AND LINK TO REGISTER
Calling all tech and startup enthusiasts at McMaster/Hamilton:
YOU ARE INVITED TO THE FORGE’S 3RD BIRTHDAY PARTY!
MPP Ted McMeekin will help kick things off as we showcase some of McMaster/Hamilton’s most awesome tech startups. Come for demos, prizes and birthday cake. Stay for the amazing network of McMaster/Hamilton-grown entrepreneurs.
In 3 short years we’ve grown from an empty room to 80 companies, $13 MM in investment/funding, 300 employees and alumni, and 4000 students reached.
Look out world…the ambitious city is coming!
Monday, November 13: Our Future Hamilton 2017 Summit
@ Liuna Station | 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM | FREE
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Our Future Hamilton is the city’s new 25-year community vision.
Conversations with nearly 55,000 residents helped to create it. The Our Future Hamilton Community Vision features six community priorities in the areas of community engagement, economic prosperity, public health and safety, environmental responsibility, built infrastructure, and culture and social diversity.
Join community partners, stakeholders, and residents at the Our Future Hamilton 2017 Summit to discuss how to shape our democracy through citizen participation. The Summit will share our progress and highlight the work of community partners and residents.
Tuesday, November 14: Generation Z Networking Event
@ CoMotion on King | 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM | FREE
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Are you an aspiring entrepreneur but don’t know how to start a company? Are you a current business owner looking to connect with fellow young entrepreneurs?
Join Generation Z Hamilton’s networking meeting to build connections, learn from the experts and hear the success stories of our keynote speakers.
Wednesday, November 15: SBEC Fall Mini Series – Websites 101
@ Tourism Hamilton Visitor Centre | 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM | FREE
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Join the Small Business Enterprise Centre for a crash course in website how-to’s. Dyer & Duman Design will deliver a “How It Works” style lecture with handouts of relevant services and links so that attendees can start working on their own website.
Light refreshments and food will be provided.
Thursday, November 16: Hamilton Freelancers Meetup – 4th Anniversary Party!
@ The Pheasant Plucker | 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM | FREE
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Can you believe Hamilton Freelancers is already 4 years old?
Come out and celebrate at the last meetup of the year. Meet other freelancers (and would-like-to-be freelancers). Freelancer Meetups are monthly events run by the Hamilton Freelancers Association. They are free, and open to all professionals, entrepreneurs, and freelancers in the Hamilton area, whether you’re just starting a freelancing consulting business, or you’re running a consulting business full time.
Saturday, November 18: HIVE X Impact
@ The Lincoln Alexander Centre | 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM | $50
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HIVEX is the largest young professional conference in the Golden Horseshoe area, gathering 300+ YPs, community members, and city leaders to engage in topics on city development, personal branding, career development, personal growth, urban issues, politics, and more. HIVEX has been going strong for over six years.
This year’s conference theme is Impact, with a collective focus on encouraging and supporting YPs and emerging leaders as they impact their careers, their communities, and their personal growth.
Saturday, November 18: ACTION Conference 2017
@ The Ron Joyce Centre, Burlington ON | 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM | $40
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The ACTION Conference is the national startup conference in Canada that focuses on the active-learning delivery of critical entrepreneurial skills with the objectives of empowering and emboldening entrepreneurs, de-risking the venture creation process, and increasing Canada’s social and economic prosperity. The conference caters to anyone interested in taking the next step in their entrepreneurial journey. Whether you’re generating ideas or executing them, the ACTION Conference will put you front and centre amongst experienced industry leaders.
