Unmanned vehicles, 3D printing, and Startup Maryland Pitch Bus tour highlight upcoming events
Innovation Week and the third annual Startup Maryland Pitch Bus tour set the stage for what will be an entrepreneur’s dream – the opportunity to turn ideas into businesses and the chance to see cutting-edge technology up close and personal. The events will be held on Monday, September 15 at hotDesks, 31901 Tri-County Way, Salisbury, and Tuesday, September 16 at Talbot County Free Library, 100 W. Dover Street, Easton.
Hosted by the Eastern Shore Entrepreneurship Center (ESEC), Easton, the Eastern Shore Manufacturing Council (ESMC), and the Easton Economic Development Corporation, each event begins with a tour stop by the Startup Maryland Pitch Bus from 3 to 5 p.m., and continues with a technology-focused open house from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Held in coordination with Baltimore Innovation Week, the open houses will provide participants with an opportunity to learn about cutting-edge innovation as well as network with experts in the field.
All events are free to the public and are planned so that entrepreneurs and participants can drop in on the events and programs that interest them. To register for the pitch bus or learn more about the open houses, call (410) 770-9330 or visit www.ventureahead.org.
“The Eastern Shore Entrepreneurship Center’s mission is to create an ecosystem that fosters innovation and opportunity,” says Mike Thielke, ESEC executive director. “These two days of events and programs create the perfect platform for demonstrating what we can do with the support of the business community and our sponsors,” he adds.
“The ESMC is excited to partner the Eastern Shore Entrepreneurship Center to bring these two events to the Eastern Shore. The events will provide information about leading technologies that is relevant and important to local manufacturers and they are a great way for companies to learn how they can use these technologies to make more money,” says Bill Barnes, ESMC executive director.
Startup Maryland Pitch Bus tour
During the “pitch” bus stops area entrepreneurs climb onto the bus to do a brief video “pitch” in the bus’ UpStart Show™ video studio. Videos are then uploaded to YouTube® for public viewing/voting. Ultimately finalists compete for venture investment. Since the program’s inception 329 startups pitched their ideas at a total of 57 tour stops.
hotDesks/Eastern Shore Entrepreneurship Centerare sponsoring the Salisbury Startup Maryland Pitch Tour Bus stop. The Easton stop is sponsored by hotDesks/Eastern Shore Entrepreneurship Center, Talbot County Economic Development Office, and Easton Economic Development Corporation. To sign up for the pitch bus visit www.ventureahead.org.
Technology open houses
The September 15th Salisbury event will be capped off with an unmanned vehicle open house from 5 to 7:30 p.m. During this program participants will learn about different types of unmanned vehicles along with commercial applications. Participants will also learn about current efforts to change the legal limitations placed on the use of unmanned aerial vehicles by the FAA. The September 16th Easton event will focus on 3D and additive manufacturing from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Topics include 3D printing and manufacturing, modeling, prototyping, imaging, scanning, 3D materials, and commercial applications. Monday and Tuesday night events are sponsored by Shore Bancshares of Easton and TriMech of Columbia.
Baltimore Innovation Week is a week-long celebration of technology and innovation in Baltimore. The annual week of events is intended to grow the impact of this innovative region through programming focused on technology, collaboration and improving Baltimore. Baltimore Innovation Week 2014 takes place September 12 to 20, 2014. Baltimore Innovation Week is organized by Technical.ly Baltimore. These events and the Pitch Bus will expand Innovation Week to the Eastern Shore.
Eastern Shore Manufacturing Council (ESMC) trains, supports and grows manufacturers, and advances manufacturing and manufacturing issues on the Delmarva Peninsula. ESMC is about to begin its second year of operation.
Founded in 2006, the Eastern Shore Entrepreneurship Center works to develop and enhance an entrepreneurial ecosystem on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. ESEC provides training; services and programs to help business owners and entrepreneurs succeed by creating greater access to capital, and offering programs that develop entrepreneurial skills and knowledge. Included are NewVenture, a comprehensive 10-week entrepreneur-training program, annual business plan and student plan competitions, and an annual entrepreneur conference.
In 2012, ESEC launched “hotDesks,” providing co-working spaces for independent professionals. The first location opened in Salisbury with a second location to be announced on the Eastern Shore. For more information on the business plan competition or ESEC, call (410) 770-9330, www.ventureahead.org or connect with ESEC at facebook.com/ESECventureahead.