Connecting the Dots: Why Industry and Community Events Matter

Introduction 

Maintaining a strong presence at local, regional, national, and international events is more than just a strategic move—it's a vital part of our company's identity and growth. Attending these gatherings is a chance for us to support and contribute to our flourishing communities and an essential opportunity to network with like-minded companies and professionals who share our vision and values. 

Our commitment to actively participating in these events reflects our dedication to fostering community engagement and building meaningful relationships within our industry. By participating, we stay connected to the pulse of our local markets and ensure that we are aligned with emerging trends and innovations that impact our field. 

Moreover, these events serve as invaluable platforms for networking and collaboration. Engaging with peers and industry leaders allows us to exchange ideas, explore new partnerships, and gain insights that are crucial for our continued relevance and success.  

Prioritizing local and regional events has allowed us to connect with some of the most impressive executives, founders, and so much more right in our backyard. By staying actively engaged, we ensure that we remain relevant and competitive, continually enhancing our impact and presence in our area and fostering relationships that we sincerely care about. 

Attending international and national events allows us to connect with people who can help us grow and expand. Everything we learn and every person we connect with provides us with the knowledge we bring home to continue to improve.  

Our events calendar has been busy this September, and we wanted to take a moment to reflect on what we learned from these events and why we will continue to make it a priority to get out of the office and into our communities.  

Event Overview 

Throughout September, we attended a variety of events that allowed us to connect with different people and build meaningful relationships. These events included:  

• CEO's trip to India and Sri Lanka 
• Startup World Cup 
• 3686 Fest 
• SIBF Summit  
• BBJ Women's Summit 
• BBA Leadership Exchange 

We attended these events because they represent many of our company's goals. From learning more about our industry to connecting with our employees in different places, we did our best to dive into each of these events with the objective of learning something new.  

Startup World Cup Regional Competition

Location and Date: Innovation Depot, Birmingham, AL – September 4, 2024 

• 10 startups pitched their innovative ideas in a 3-minute presentation followed by a 2-minute Q&A.
• Key sectors represented included AI, renewable energy, augmented reality, neurotechnology, and sustainability.
• Accelerate Wind won the competition with their innovative roof-edge wind turbines designed to help buildings meet renewable energy goals affordably, earning a $5,000 prize and advancing to the Startup World Cup Grand Finale in San Francisco.  https://www.acceleratewind.com/

Key Speakers: 

• Ritchie Kruunenberg (Director of Marketing & Operations at Innovation Depot): Emphasized Birmingham's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem.
• Brooke Gillis (CEO of Innovation Depot): Discussed the significance of Birmingham as a regional innovation hub.
• The 10 startups competing:
  • Accelerate Wind (Erika Boeing): Designing roof-edge wind turbines to help buildings meet renewable energy goals affordably.
  • Adravision (Hadem Fesharaki): Enhancing dental care with AI software for improved clinical performance and patient experience.
  • Cerebro Neurotech (Paolo Alejandro Catilo): Developing AI software for early detection of brain injuries and neurocognitive diseases.
  • CModel (Teasha Cable): An AI-powered real-time platform for creating and adjusting business strategies.
  • Ecobrew (Brian Henderson): Helping breweries capture and reuse their CO2, cutting costs and boosting sustainability.
  • Equip (Trent Kocurek): Streamlining support for caregivers of individuals with developmental disabilities.
  • Ethar (Tony Hodgson): Enabling businesses to easily create augmented reality experiences for customer engagement.
  • Shipshape Urban Farms (Dale & Angela Speetjens): Tackling food security with smart, modular vertical farming systems.
  • Tempo (Anirudh Aditya): A video platform for bite-sized learning through user-generated guides and communities.
  • Tricorder Array Technologies (Robby Tindal): Creating the first AI-powered device for monitoring animal health. 

Learnings

• New trends or technologies discovered or discussed: 
• AI applications in healthcare, business strategy, and neurotechnology. 
• Sustainability innovations like roof-edge wind turbines and CO2 reuse for breweries. 
• Use of augmented reality to boost customer engagement. 
• Vertical farming systems aimed at addressing food security. 
• Insights into industry challenges and opportunities. 
• Implementing AI-driven solutions in healthcare and renewable energy sectors faces scalability challenges. 
• Sustainability-focused startups need to balance cost efficiency with environmental goals. 

Impact on the Business 

• Relevance to current projects or strategies. 
• Insights into AI-powered platforms and renewable energy technologies could be relevant to ongoing business development and technology integration projects. 
• Immediate applications or changes as a result. 
• I am exploring AI technologies, such as those used by Adravision and Cerebro Neurotech, to improve operational efficiencies. 
• Consideration of renewable energy options for future business sustainability efforts, such as Accelerate Wind's innovative turbines 

The Startup World Cup Regional Competition was an impressive event hosted in Birmingham. This competition provided a platform for local entrepreneurs to showcase their innovative ideas and solutions. It highlighted the creativity and talent present in our community, encouraging more individuals to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams. 

This first-time regional competition was not just an event but a catalyst for growth, collaboration, and inspiration in our community. We are excited to see how this momentum will shape the future of our local startup scene! 

3686 Conference 

Location and Date: Cannery Hall, Nashville, TN – September 9-11, 2024 

• Opportunities for businesses to expand internationally through partnerships, collaborations, and research outside the US. 
• Risk-taking is a fundamental part of entrepreneurship 
• The key takeaways resonated with the importance of choosing the right investment stack and having access to a broad network of experts. 

Learnings 

• Speakers:
  • Elizabeth Reid, Consul & Senior Trade Commissioner, Consulate General of Canada
  • Hanna Yu, Senior Trade & Investment Officer of Technology, UK Department for Business & Trade
  • Julianne Cox, VP of International Development, Invest Northern Ireland
  • Brie Knox, Director, U.S. Department of Commerce & US Commercial Service 
• Impact on the Business
  • Insights on international expansion, directly relevant to future business growth strategies.
  • Immediate applications include exploring potential research and trade partnerships in target markets like Canada and the UK.
    

• Learnings
  • His focus on integrating function and fashion provided key insights into balancing creativity with practicality in product design.
  • The quote, "Everything around you is inspiration," emphasizes the importance of constantly drawing creative ideas from the world around us. 
• Impact on the Business
  • Weitzman's message on risk-taking and innovation directly applies to ongoing and future projects, encouraging a bold approach to business decisions.
  • The combination of fashion and functionality in product development is a lesson that could inspire design approaches for future projects. 
    

• Speakers  
  • Karla Valdivieso, Co-founder & CEO, Shappi
  • Dale Speetjens, Co-founder & CEO, Shipshape Urban Farms
  • Kimberly Evans, Founder & CEO, Just Her Rideshare, Inc.
  • Moderated by Maija Ehlinger, Editor, Hypepotamus
    
• Impact on the Business
  • Valuable insights into innovative approaches, such as agricultural experiments in space and niche markets like women-specific rideshares, which could inspire new projects or collaborations.
  • Recognized the importance of building community among entrepreneurs to maintain focus and momentum, especially during challenging times
  • We also attended the Sports and Tech keynote, InvestTN Pitch Competition, and CPG Funding landscape keynote. 

For those curious about the name of the 3686 conferences, it's inspired by Nashville's geographical coordinates—36 and 86. This event brings together innovators and entrepreneurs from across industries, with Nashville as a central hub for creativity and collaboration. 

#3686Fest consists of eight events in three days, featuring 39 vendors, 82 speakers, 40 volunteers, seven startups, a pitch competition, 900+ investor meetings, and 800+ attendees.

The 3686 conferences are significant events that highlight Nashville's role as a vibrant hub for innovation and entrepreneurship. By bringing together diverse voices from various industries, this conference fosters collaboration and creativity among attendees. 

SIBF Summit 

Location and Date: Minneapolis, Minnesota, September 21-25

• Opportunity to attend networking events with international and national SIBF members 
• Several keynote sessions and speakers discussing important topics in international business 

Learnings

• Welcome Remarks & Distinguished Speaker Series Keynote by Tom Friedman: During this keynote, he discussed society, business, and the current state of the world. His insights were unique regarding what we need to keep in mind about the world in which we do business.  
• Economic Resilience: Leading Through Global Shifts and Uncertainties, a keynote by Rana Foroohar: During this keynote, we dove further into how global shifts affect the economies of our businesses.  
• Innovation with Integrity: Lessons in Responsible AI by Igor Jablokov: As a tech company, this keynote was especially relevant and helped us focus on the most important aspects of using AI: security and responsibility.  

The Society of International Business Fellows (SIBF) is a global network of C-level executives and senior leaders in 65 countries. Our members share a keen interest in international business, geopolitics, and global trends. SIBF is an organization of top executives, entrepreneurs, and professionals that fits all levels of success. Membership opens your business to innovative learning, new pathways, and strategies for navigating the shrinking globe to create new business ventures. 

The SIBF summit is an opportunity for members worldwide to connect and learn together. Graduates of the multiple leadership academies attend, as do core members of SIBF. This event offers a rare chance to connect with a diverse group of leaders who enable us to grow and connect on a large scale.  

BBJ Women's Summit 

Location and Date: Birmingham, Alabama, September 27  

• One day-long event to bring together women in the Birmingham business space to connect and learn from one another 
• Through multiple panels and keynote speakers, we focused on how we can support one another and continue to foster diversity in leadership and business 

Learnings

• During the morning keynote session, Lauren Sisler discussed the power of owning your story. She discussed how resilience, determination, and authenticity make you a better leader and a more capable person in your personal and professional life.  
• The morning panel was all about How to turn mistakes and failures into successes. Four high-achieving female CEOs in Birmingham talked about their failures, why it is important to own up to them, and how they turned those failures into successes that helped them grow their careers and their businesses 
• The power session of the day featured Tiffany Alexander, who spoke about embracing all parts of yourself to be the best version of yourself in and out of the office. She talked about how embracing her love of racing empowered her in more than just her business endeavors.  
• The brunch panel featured a broad conversation about the ways being a woman in a leadership position has empowered them to be better leaders. They discussed how their womanhood enables them to be the type of leader they admire and helps them to set an example for younger generations. 
• The final keynote speaker was Ami Richter, the founder of Lug. She spoke about the early challenges of starting her own company and how she overcame them. She also discussed the importance of perseverance in order to succeed.  

Impact on the Business 

• As a company founded and owned in part by women, connecting with other women in business, especially locally, allows us to form strong bonds of connection and support.  

Attending the BBJ's Women's Summit is always a pleasure. This year, our CEO had the opportunity to speak on the brunch panel. We so appreciate the BBJ placing value in women and what they add to the business community in Birmingham. Business can be tricky without this connectivity, and having a safe space for it is invaluable.  

Overall Insights and Benefits 

In the past month, these impactful events have brought together innovators, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders, highlighting key trends and insights shaping the future of business. Here are the overarching themes and takeaways that emerged: 

• Innovation and Sustainability: A strong focus on innovative solutions in sectors like renewable energy, AI, and neurotechnology demonstrated a collective commitment to addressing pressing global challenges. Startups showcased technologies that promise to enhance efficiency and prioritize sustainability, underscoring the need for businesses to align with environmental goals. 
• Global Perspectives: Discussions around international expansion and market entry strategies revealed the importance of understanding global trends and geopolitical dynamics. Entrepreneurs are increasingly looking beyond local markets, recognizing that partnerships and collaborations abroad can drive growth and open new avenues for innovation. 
• Risk and Resilience: Keynote speakers emphasized that taking calculated risks is essential for progress. Stories of resilience and the ability to learn from failures resonated strongly, encouraging leaders to embrace challenges as opportunities for growth. This mindset is crucial in navigating the uncertainties of today's business landscape. 
• Community and Connection: The significance of building supportive networks was a recurring theme. Entrepreneurs highlighted the value of fostering connections with peers, mentors, and industry leaders. These relationships are vital for sharing insights, encouraging collaboration, and providing the support necessary to overcome challenges. 
• Empowerment and Diversity: Events focused on women in leadership underscored the importance of diverse perspectives in driving innovation and fostering inclusive environments. Empowering women and creating spaces for their voices in business discussions is crucial for building a more equitable and successful future. 

These events collectively emphasized that the future of entrepreneurship lies in collaboration, innovation, and a commitment to sustainability. As we move forward, the insights gained will undoubtedly shape strategies and inspire the next generation of leaders. 

Conclusion 

Attending these industry gatherings has proven invaluable for our continuous growth and innovation. They offer rich opportunities not just for networking but also for gaining insights that directly inform our strategies and enhance our competitive edge. The lessons learned from startups in renewable energy and AI and the powerful narratives of resilience from our peers are crucial for adapting to the ever-evolving market landscape. 

In addition to these events, our CEO's trips to India and Sri Lanka and attendance at the BBA Leadership Exchange have been valuable experiences.  

Each gathering presents a chance to learn, collaborate, and contribute to our collective vision. Involvement is essential as we strive to strengthen our community ties and push the boundaries of what's possible in our industry. Let's continue to build on the momentum we've created and inspire one another towards greater success.