Denver, CO – Denver Startup Week, the largest free entrepreneurial event of its kind in North America, will return for its sixth year celebrating everything entrepreneurial in Denver from Sept. 25 through 29, 2017. The announcement was made on November 15, 2016 to commemorate National Entrepreneurship Day, a day declared by Presidential Proclamation to celebrate entrepreneurs who serve their communities and bolster the economy.
“National Entrepreneurship Day was designated with a call to action to support budding entrepreneurs, and tap into the diverse skills and talents of the entrepreneurial community to create businesses of the 21st Century. It seemed only fitting that we leverage this day to announce that Denver Startup Week will return for a sixth year as one of the best resources in the nation for those looking to start or grow a business,” said Ben Deda, chief operating officer at Galvanize.
The Denver Startup Week Organizing Committee, co-led by Deda, Tami Door, president and CEO of the Downtown Denver Partnership and Erik Mitisek, executive director of Project X-ITE at the University of Denver, have charged themselves with evolving and growing the event in its sixth year, while ensuring it continues to enhance community and establish Denver as an entrepreneurial center on the local, regional and national stage.
“As the emphasis to build the entrepreneurial community grows at a national level, we are proud to lead the largest free entrepreneurial event of its kind right here in Downtown Denver, where more than 664 center city startups employ more than 4,500 people, and where more than 13,000 people attend Denver Startup Week to celebrate our thriving culture of innovation and entrepreneurship.” said Tami Door, president and CEO of the Downtown Denver Partnership and co-founder of Denver Startup Week.
“In declaring National Entrepreneurship Day, President Obama emphasized the invaluable contributions made by entrepreneurs to the American experience by turning bold ideas into real progress. We are thrilled to have a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem here in Denver that highlights that spirit, drive and resilience year-round,” said Erik Mitisek, executive director of Project X-ITE at the University of Denver and co-founder of Denver Startup Week.
The local entrepreneurial community also expressed gratitude and excitement at the opportunity to leverage the myriad of free resources available to local entrepreneurs available year-round and highlighted during Denver Startup Week.
“Denver Startup Week is a celebration of entrepreneurship, and the diversity of industries represented allows everyone to learn from outside of their respective ‘box’,” said Anthony Franco, founder of Denver startup mcSquares. “There is something in the air here in Denver that is electrifying for founders, and I’m thrilled to be a part of it.”
Santiago Vélez, whose company Soccer Sidekick was named the winner of the inaugural Denver Startup Week Pitch Challenge, added: “Participating in Denver Startup Week has been a huge catalyst for our company’s growth. Winning the 2016 Denver Startup Week Pitch Challenge has provided incredibly useful resources that will continue to propel us in the right direction.”
Denver Startup Week saw 13,334 people register to attend 306 free programs in 2016. The week was made possible by Title Sponsors Chase for Business, Comcast NBCUniversal and the Downtown Denver Partnership, in addition to more than 50 other community sponsors and Denver entrepreneurs. Additional information about how to participate in Denver Startup Week will be made available in early 2017.
Images courtesy of the Downtown Denver Partnership
