BBDP Hosts Fifth Annual Global Entrepreneurship Week

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 30, 2015) — Lexington's fifth annual Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) will take place from Nov. 16-22. This week of exciting events, is organized and hosted by the Bluegrass Business Development Partnership (BBDP), which is comprised of the Von Allmen Center for Entrepreneurship and the Lexington Office of the Kentucky Innovation Network within the University of Kentucky's Gatton College of Business and Economics, the Bluegrass Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and Commerce Lexington.

Global Entrepreneurship Week http://www.gew.co/ is an international initiative that celebrates today's innovators and creative thinkers, who bring ideas to life and foster economic growth and human development. During the week the BBDP will host informational panels, networking events, workshops, competitions and other events that focus on the entrepreneurial community of Lexington.

“Lexington’s Global Entrepreneurship Week events provide both the university and community innovators and entrepreneurs a wonderful opportunity to come together to network and celebrate an ever growing and flourishing Bluegrass entrepreneurial community,” said Warren Nash, director of the Lexington Office of the Kentucky Innovation Network

GEW will kick off with the annual celebration of the region's entrepreneurs and the recipients of the 2015 Venture Club eAchievers awards. The celebration will be held on Monday, Nov. 16 from 5-7 p.m. at Manchester Music Hall, located at 899 Manchester Street. The cost to attend is $35 per person. Those who wish to attend need to register here.

On Tuesday, Nov. 17, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., the Bluegrass Biotech Regulatory Summit will be held at the Commerce Lexington Building located at 330 E. Main St. The summit will focus on regulatory issues for pharmaceutical and medical device companies. Speakers will include Elaine Duncan, president of Paladin Medical and Aimee Cousoilis of GxP Pinch Hitting. Also, biotech start-ups from across the Commonwealth will be discussing their experiences with FDA regulatory issues during the summit’s luncheon. While this is a free event, those interested in attending are requested to register here.

The Launchpad Lex Competition will give 12 companies the chance to compete to win a professionally produced 30-second commercial to be distributed on Red Oak Digital Network's 10 Shell gas stations for three months. Co-sponsored by the BBDP and the Red Oak Group, the free pitch event is from 1-4 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 18, at Commerce Lexington Building located at 330 E. Main St. The competition guidelines and applications can be found at www.redoaklex.com. The deadline to apply to pitch is Nov. 9. Those interested in attending the presentations need to register here.

Twelve teams will be selected to pitch their company to a panel of business leaders at the Standup for your Start-Up Pitch Competition, which will take place from 2-5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 20. at Commerce Lexington. One of the judges for this competition  will be Marc Nager, chief community officer of Techstars and CEO of Startup Weekend.  The top prize, titled The Furst Award, will be $1,000 and second place will be awarded $500. Companies chosen to compete will also have a chance to showcase their product prior to the pitches. Competition guidelines and the application can be found here. The deadline to apply to pitch is Friday, Nov. 13. Those interested in attending and viewing pitches need to register here.

Other Lexington GEW events include, a Prototyping 101 Workshop hosted by the BBDP and Kre8Now; an Open Coffee at Boom Wagon, 800 N. Limestone featuring local companies who have run successful Kickstarter Campaigns and a Game Demo Day in the new UK Venture Studio. GEW wraps up with Lexington Startup Weekend. Nov. 20-22. Information on these and other GEW events can be found here.

Shirie Hawkins, director of the Bluegrass SBDC at the University of Kentucky, gets to the heart of GEW: “Participating in Global Entrepreneurship Week activities not only highlights and encourages the many opportunities that are available to start or expand a business but also celebrates the entrepreneurial energy in Lexington.” 

MEDIA CONTACT: Tiera Carlock, tnca224@g.uky.edu, 615-275-6025; Carl Nathe, 859-257-3200.