East Coast Startup Week Growing Reach in 2017
Taskforce Fredericton Startup Network is launching this year’s East Coast Startup Week with the goal to reach more communities and sectors, in order to build a stronger connection between New Brunswick and its neighbouring provinces.
“Last year, East Coast Startup Week hosted over 40 community-led events, bringing in a total of 1150 attendees, and creating a collaborative partnership between 21 organizations,” says Tahlia Ferlatte, the Taskforce event committee chair.
East Coast Startup Week is an annual celebration of entrepreneurship that aims to support Atlantic Canada’s startup ecosystem in every sector and to provide an equal opportunity for entrepreneurs in the region to learn, connect and grow.
Ferlatte says the events and activities are geared towards connecting seasoned entrepreneurs with the appropriate resources to help them grow sustainable businesses. These events are also driven by local businesses, accelerators, educational institutes, non-profit organizations and more.
Taking place from March 13 to March 19 with events in Fredericton, Moncton, Saint John, Halifax and Charlottetown, Ferlatte says 2017 East Coast Startup Week will not be limited to one central location.
“The Taskforce Fredericton Startup Network is encouraging communities to come together and to host a series of events that will benefit their startup ecosystem. ‘Your community, your choice’,” she says.
“Instead of coming together in body, we are coming together in a digital realm by sharing a central calendar of activities, cross-promoting events, and connecting through social sharing,” says Ferlatte.
Ferlatte adds that the highlight of this year will be the “Innovators’ Jumpstart”, a day-long workshop packed with crucial information that covers all aspects of starting a business. This workshop includes success stories from Atlantic Canada’s startup community and presenters with a variety of expertise.
Erin Flood, the chair of the Taskforce Fredericton Startup Network, says East Coast Startup Week is important to New Brunswick and the Atlantic Canada because it brings entrepreneurs from the region together to collaborate.
“New Brunswick is being progressive in that they are putting themselves to broaden it on the stages of innovative community,” Flood says. “But it’s innovative only in that we are able to work together, were able to work together because we’re in a sense a tight knit close community, where we have these wealthy resources of people reaching out and helping these young entrepreneurs to succeed.”
Ferlatte encourages local businesses and entrepreneurs to get involved with East Coast Startup Week.
“The more communities involved, the broader the reach. The broader the reach, the more resources and services that are accessible to our startups to help them succeed. The more success, the stronger the East Coast.”