2016 East Coast Startup Week Aims to Inspire
FREDERICTON – Members of New Brunswick’s startup communities are getting ready to launch into this year’s East Coast Startup Week.
From March 14 to March 19 the province’s inspiring entrepreneurs will meet, connect and learn how to take their ideas to the next level.
“East Coast Startup Week is our opportunity to help our entrepreneurs, but also celebrate our success. It’s an opportunity to help new entrepreneurs launch their businesses by exposing them to the wide-variety of resources, people and talent that make growing their business here in Atlantic Canada incredibly possible,” said Natasha Dhayagude, enterprenueral services coordinator at Planet Hatch, who’s helping organize the week.
“We are often very negative and critical when we talk about Atlantic Canada, but East Coast Startup Week is a chance to change all that. It’s our opportunity to talk about all the positive, innovative things happening here while inspiring others to join in our mission to build a strong economy in Atlantic Canada with a diverse and innovative business community.”
East Coast Startup Week is multi-city event for entrepreneurs or anyone interested in the startup scene. Fredericton, Saint John and Moncton will be hosting respective events throughout the week, covering topics ranging from “Business Basics 101” to social and youth entrepreneurship. The events will be led by various entrepreneurs and “changemakers” from the East Coast.
“When we bring these people together, it facilitates connections as well as giving them the opportunity to hear successful stories of entrepreneurs and people who have made a difference in their community,” Dhayagude said.
“Many people have great business ideas but it’s overwhelming and difficult to know how to get started. East Coast Startup Week shows the dreamers that it is possible, and there is no better place to build your dream than here on the East Coast.”
For last years’ event, organizers focused on bringing in talent from outside Atlantic Canada. Though it was huge success, Dhayagude said this year they wanted to become more local.
“This allows ECSW to branch out and we’ve had interest from various organizations and sponsors that want to help organize and participate in the events,” she said.
Dhayagude describes the East Coast startup scene as welcoming and collaborative. It’s also one with talented entrepreneurs proving success.
“Even just within Atlantic Canada in the past few years we’ve had several acquisitions for hundreds of millions of dollars and those entrepreneurs are now in turn helping new entrepreneurs reach the same success,” she said.
“There is also a great deal of support for the entrepreneurs in our ecosystem, all of the provinces have organizations that exist to help entrepreneurs at no cost. These organizations work collaboratively to help the startup scene thrive and it’s very clear that Atlantic Canadians have an interest in seeing our startup community succeed.”
The ultimate goal of East Coast Startup Week is to inspire and show people success is real possibility.
“Atlantic Canadians are very humble and don’t often celebrate our successes,” Dhayagude said.
“Atlantic Canada is full of cool opportunities if people want to get involved in them. East Coast Startup Week is the perfect time to do that.”