NextCorps invites community to participate in Innovation Week

NextCorps is gearing up to join more than 170 countries in helping people make their mark during Global Entrepreneurship Week.  To support GEW, NextCorps will hold an Innovation Week, Nov. 12-17, to foster connections, collaboration and awareness of the many resources and programs  available to entrepreneurs and startups in the area.

During #GEW2018, approximately 35,000 events and competitions will take place, connecting nearly 10 million entrepreneurs to potential mentors, partners and investors. Each year, dozens of world leaders on every continent and a network of more than 15,000 partner organizations support Global Entrepreneurship Week, which started in 2008 as a way to celebrate the innovators and job creators who drive new ideas, economic growth and human welfare.

NextCorps’ Innovation Week is being made possible through support from AT&T, and event partnership with Greater Rochester Enterprise.  Innovation Week offers a way for people to get more involved in the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Rochester and experience its impact through daily events:

• Innovation Showcase Powered by AT&T—Nov. 12, from 4:00 PM – 6:30 PM at NextCorps. Rochester entrepreneurs from NextCorps’ startup incubator, Monroe County’s The Entrepreneur’s Network (TEN), RIT’s Center for Urban Entrepreneurship (CUE), RIT’s Venture Creations, and Cornell’s Tech Farm will display their technology innovations. Keynote speakers from the University of Rochester will share how they’re “Building Virtual Reality Concert Halls with Immersive 3D Sound”, and AT&T will speak to mobile trends. A small business-pitch round and a networking reception will follow. To register for the free event, go here.
• Luminate NY Lightning Rounds—Nov. 13, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and Nov. 14 from 9:00 AM to noon at NextCorps. Twenty of the most promising optics, photonics, and imaging (OPI) companies from around the world will pitch their technology innovations in hopes of becoming a part of Cohort II of Luminate NY— the world’s only international startup accelerator for OPI-enabled applications. Throughout the day and a half, competing companies will also attend panel discussions on topics, including:  Rochester-Rich OPI Resources, Funding Opportunities in Upstate NY, Perceptions from Luminate Cohort I Winners, and Growing OPI Companies in New York. The Lightning Rounds and panels are by invitation only.
• Luminate NY Lightning Awards—Nov. 14, from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM at the Dryden Theatre, George Eastman Museum. More than 500 people are expected to turn out to watch visiting startups participate in the Lightning Awards Competition. Ten companies will secure a spot in Cohort II of Luminate NY, and receive a $100,000 investment. Attendees will have the chance to visit the museum and see antique optics and imaging equipment. Luminate NY is an Empire State Development Finger Lakes Forward Investment. To register for the free event, go here.
• Hardware Scaleup Program Kick-Off—Nov. 15 and Nov. 16, from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM at NextCorps. This new program, funded by NYSERDA, provides clean energy startups with the hands-on support and resources to successfully scale their hardware technologies from prototype to mass production. The 18-month program will kick off with a two-day orientation, starting with education on manufacturing readiness levels. Startups moving into the manufacturing stage can attend some program sessions. If interested, contact NextCorps here.
• Rochester Young Professionals 8th Annual Entrepreneur Expo—Nov. 15, from 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM at NextCorps. More than 40 entrepreneurs, startups, small business owners and non-profit leaders will be on hand to share their talents, showcase their businesses and forge new connections with those in the Rochester community.  To register for the free event, go here. Professionals interested in tabling at the event can register here.
• Maker Faire—Nov. 16 (Student STEAM Fest from 9:00 AM – 2:30 PM) and Nov. 17 (9:00 AM to 5:00 PM) at The Rochester Convention Center. Maker Faireis a gathering of fascinating, curious people who enjoy learning and who love sharing what they can do. From engineers to artists to scientists to crafters, Maker Faire is a venue for these “makers” to show hobbies, experiments, projects, and budding businesses. NextCorps will be tabling at the event both days. For tickets, go here.

“AT&T is committed to innovation and to building strong, local communities,” said Benjamin Roberts, director, Public Affairs, AT&T. “This week-long event will highlight the opportunities that are available to entrepreneurs, technologists, and makers to positively impact the Rochester community, its economy, and its rich ecosystem for creativity and innovation.”

Since 2010, NextCorps has helped drive innovation in the Rochester region by providing programs and services to more than 700 Rochester area startups. It has also incubated 90 startups and 26 student-led companies at its facilities. Through its Manufacturing Extension Program alone, it has helped hundreds of small and mid-sized manufacturing companies drive growth to retain 2,282 jobs and create 761 new positions, resulting in an overall economic impact of $440,824,284 to the Rochester region.

For more information on NextCorps’ Innovation Week, visit https://nextcorps.org/rochester-innovation-week-2018/.