September 10, 2024, Providence: Rhode Island Startup Week, the annual celebration of entrepreneurship and innovation in the state, marks its 5th year with a week full of events, networking and parties. Over 40 organizations have come together to host events including: startup showcases, workshops, pitch sessions, hackathons, panels, and networking events. Powered by RIHub, Rhode Island’s Innovation Hub, is supported by a broad network of ecosystem partners, this year’s schedule promises to be the biggest yet.
To kick off the week, a ‘block party’ featuring DesignWeek, FashionWeek, and Rhode Island Startup Week, will come together for Week Night at the 195-District Park on Friday, September 20th. The event concludes DesignWeek, and celebrates the midpoint of FashionWeek, and the kickoff for Startup Week. Admission is free, as are most events throughout the week.
New this year is an entire day dedicated to Artificial Intelligence (AI). Chris Parisi, Vice Chair of the state’s AI Task Force, will lead discussions on AI topics, and how RI will be a leader in AI. IBM will lead an AI panel and SiliconXL hosts a “Startup Launch-A-Thon’. Brown University will host its 2nd Annual Innovation@Brown Showcase on Thursday, and The Nelson Center’s B-Lab will feature their final pitch event on Wednesday.
“There are so many people and organizations doing incredible things in this state,” said Annette Tonti, Managing Director of RIHub. “Rhode Island Startup Week is our way of amplifying their work and celebrating their achievements.”
Throughout the week, highlights include Monday’s Innovation Crawl from Innovate Newport and Venture Cafe, the fan-favorite Calamari Tank on Wednesday, and Thursday’s Innovation@Brown Showcase. On Friday, the week culminates with the Newport Investor Summit, a super-networking event for investors and entrepreneurs.
“This year, we are seeing more collaboration and larger-scale events,” said Mia Nolan, Director of Operations for Rhode Island Startup Week. “The Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC) has been a crucial partner, providing space for many of the events at their 225 Dyer Street location in Providence.”
This event would not be possible without the support of the following organizations:
401 Tech Bridge, Ann Clanton Communications, Beacon Angels, Brown’s Nelson Center B-Lab, Brown University, Butler Digital Marketing, Center for Women and Enterprise, CIC, Climate Resilience Offsets, Cox Business, DesignXRI, FashionWeek, Founders Approach, Hope & Main, Howell Legal, IBM, Infused Innovations, Innovate Newport, Marstone, Navsea, NEIT, Nhuad Controllers, Project Insulin, Rezoomex, RI AI Task Force, RIBio, RI Business Competition, RI Game Institute, RIHub, RISE_UP, Sagely, Santoro Design, SBA, Scroobius, SiliconXL, Social Enterprise Greenhouse, The Greater Newport Chamber of Commerce, Trail Blaze Marketing, Trouble Fest, University of Rhode Island, Unleashed Games, USPTO, Venture Café.
**Sponsors of Rhode Island Startup Week include:**
Cox Business, IBM, Rezoomex, Feeny Law, Brown University.
About Rhode Island Startup Week
Produced by RIHub (Rhode Island’s Innovation Hub), Rhode Island Startup Week is an annual celebration of innovation, entrepreneurship, and collaboration in Rhode Island. First there was ‘Startup Day’ in 2019, produced by Pat Sabatino and the RI Coalition of Entrepreneurs. Startup weekend in 2020 than for the past 3 years, Rhode Island has hosted a full week of celebration and collaboration for entrepreneurs across the state. This week-long event brings together entrepreneurs, investors, researchers, and the community of great leaders who promote and support the growth of startups in the state.
About RIHub
If you’re launching a startup in Rhode Island, your first stop is RIHub. Since 2019, we enable and accelerate entrepreneurial ventures that have a high potential for growth. Through our incubation space, mentoring, online community portal and numerous programs, we provide an engine of entrepreneurship for Rhode Island. We serve as the connector to entrepreneurs, inventors, investors, students, corporate leaders and global accelerators: In addition, we provide free mentoring services via MIT-developed Venture Mentoring Services. Join us to find your pathway to growth and success.
Inquiries:
Annette Tonti
Managing Director, RIHub
atonti@rihub.org