Regional StarTank Summit 

Please make plans to join the new regional entrepreneurial ecosystem coalition on January 16 and 17 in Roanoke, VA for the 2019 Regional Entrepreneurship Summit and StarTank! This is our coalition's first collaborative initiative to bring attention to innovation and entrepreneurship in our region over a 2-day period. 

A Welcome Reception is the public start of the Summit at 5pm on January 16 at the Hotel Roanoke.  The keynote event begins at 6:15 when Thomas Osha will give a keynote talk on how regions can leverage their innovation and entrepreneurial assets into transformative economic impact.  Following his talk, Mr. Osha will facilitate a panel discussion with community leaders and local entrepreneurs on the support structures that make innovation and entrepreneurship possible.

Keynote Speaker: 

 Thomas Osha of Wexford Science and Technology, is an expert in helping universities, research institutions, and governments leverage their research and technologies into robust innovation ecosystems.  Wexford Science and Technology has worked across the country to connect institutions with communities for economic development including Yale with New Haven, Washington University in St. Louis, Old Dominion University with Norfolk, Wake Forest with Winston-Salem, and University of Maryland with Baltimore, among others.  Mr. Osha has appeared on CNBC, CNN, and CBS, and his opinions have been published in the Wall Street Journal, Business Week, Forbes, and The New York Times, among others. 

 

Schedule of Events

January 16, 2019--Hotel Roanoke

5-6:15pm

 Welcome Reception

6:15-7:30pm

 Keynote Event with Speaker and Panel Discussion

Speaker: Thomas Osha

Panelists: Doug Juanarena, Valleys Innovation Council

Bob Cowell, City of Roanoke

Elizabeth Jose, Flewid Capital

 

January 17, 2019--Roanoke Higher Education Center

9-12pm

 Youth StarTank (Click here to apply)

9-4pm

 StarTank Pitch Event (Entrepreneurs apply here by January 14)

4:30-6:30pm

 Entrepreneur Fireside Chats and Mixer at Big Lick Brewing Company (21+)

Speaker: Patrick Henderson, Protos Security

"Lessons Learned: Building a Disruptive Business"

 

Register Now!