CO.STARTERS July Community Call
2017-07-13 16:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
Hear Sammy Ortiz of Y.E.S., Sabrina Nagel of AUT, Jeff Brown of The Biz Foundry, and others discuss the importance of inspiring youth entrepreneurs and share the tools and programs they are using to impact the next generation.

Details on Joining the Call:
From PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android: https://zoom.us/j/335465744
Or iPhone one-tap (US Toll): +14086380968,,335465744# or +16465588656,,335465744#
Or Telephone:
Dial: +1 408 638 0968 (US Toll) or +1 646 558 8656 (US Toll)
Meeting ID: 335 465 744

CO.STARTERS Sponsored Breakthrough Program with Good Startups
2017-07-18 17:00 - 19:00
CO.STARTERS is sponsoring up to 100 participants who join in the first Breakthrough Cohort being offered in July. The 12-week Breakthrough Program provides the most important business development and mindset transformation tools required to create a thriving and sustainable venture. Offered in partnership with Good Startups, this program is now available for free to the first 100 CO.STARTERS graduates who sign up for the class through this link and use the promo code COSTARTERSGEN1 (A $450 value!).
Our only request is that whoever signs up will commit to showing up on time each week, ready to learn and participate. Our goal is to create a powerful case study that will inspire creative starters around the world to receive this type of entrepreneurial development coaching.

Unpolished Conference
2017-09-14 - 2017-09-15 | Crossroads Church, 3500 Madison Road, Cincinnati, OH, 45209
The 2017 Unpolished Conference presented by Fifth Third will be held on September 14-15, 2017 in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Unpolished is a three-tier program designed to support entrepreneurs and small business owners by providing training, community and insight on integrating faith and business. The annual conference is the capstone event and hosts participants from across the nation. The other tiers include local networking and Cincinnati based extended training.
The first day of the conference features six entrepreneurs who grew a business because of their faith or launched a business in response to a faith crisis. Anne Beiler founded Aunt Annie’s Pretzels; Mary Miller founded Jancoa Janitorial Service; Mark Whitacre’s story was featured in the movie The Informant; David Roth founded workmatters; Clifton Taulbert is a bestselling author and Brian Tome co-founded Crossroads Community Church. Our conference emcee will once again be Allen Woods from Mortar. View the full speaker details here.
The second day of the conference features four 75 minute workshops. Integrating your faith into your business; building into employees as your foundation for success; telling your story as your primary marketing plan; and, funding your business. Each workshop is led by a renowned expert: Brandon Schaefer (Five Capitals); Joe Boyd (Rebel Pilgrim); Mary Miller (Jancoa Janitorial Service) and Fifth Third Bank.
Attendees can participate in one day or both days.
REGISTER HERE

CO.STARTERS September Community Call
2017-09-14 16:00 - 17:00
Growing Inclusive Communities
While entrepreneurship is generally on the rise,there are significant barriers for many people. Last year the Kauffman Foundation put out a call for proposals to increase inclusion for women and minorities. Out of over 375 applicants, twelve were awarded grants. Out of that twelve, three were members of our CO.STARTERS community. Join representatives from The Commons on Champa, LAUNCH Chattanooga, and The Company Lab as we discuss the importance of inclusion and efforts to close the gap for the underserved. Click here to join the call.

CO.STARTERS Summit Retreat - Birmingham, AL
2017-09-29 - 2017-10-01
This year, we’re taking the Summit on the road for a casual retreat-style event in Birmingham, Alabama! Join us for a weekend of rejuvenation and collaboration with the greater CO.STARTERS community.
REGISTER HERE

CO.STARTERS Summit Retreat - Dunedin, NZ
2017-10-11 - 2017-10-14 | Dunedin Leisure Lodge, 30 Duke Street, Dunedin, New Zealand
For the first time, CO.STARTERS is hosting a retreat for our communities on the far side of the globe in Dunedin, NZ! Join us to connect with other community leaders, build meaningful relationships, and discover ways to support your community better.
REGISTER HERE

CO.STARTERS November Community Call
2017-11-09 16:00 - 17:00
At CO.STARTERS, we understand the importance of tracking measurable outcomes to gauge success. For this reason, we have been working to create an impact measurement system that will help all of us better understand the effectiveness of our work. During our November call, you’ll have a chance to hear about our new systems, what some of our members have learned from the data, and discuss how impact measurement can benefit our work moving forward. Click here to join the call.

CO.STARTERS January Community Call
2018-01-18 16:00 - 17:00
As we enter the new year, we want to take a moment to look back on 2017 and celebrate your successes across the CO.STARTERS community. To this end, our January Community Call will highlight stories of encouragement from you – our members – in as many five minute segments as we can fit. If you have a celebratory story to share, please let Molly know so we can include you on the schedule.
If you are not a member of the CO.STARTERS community and would like to know how you can participate in this or future calls, please contact us here.

CO.STARTERS March Community Call
2018-03-22 16:00 - 17:00
Although we started out as a nine-week program for entrepreneurs, CO.STARTERS has been slowly evolving to be much more than just that. In our March Community Call, founder Enoch Elwell will share his vision about how CO.STARTERS is growing and changing in order to serve you – our community – better.

Startup Champions Network Summit
2018-04-03 - 2018-04-05
Twice annually, Startup Champions Network members meet in-person to connect, share knowledge/experiences, and take a deep, behind-the-scenes dive into the local host ecosystem. CO.STARTERS is hosting the Spring 2018 Summit in Chattanooga. If you are interested in learning more about the Startup Champions Network and how you might participate in this event, details can be found here.

Hometown Summit
2018-04-11 - 2018-04-14 | Charlottesville, VA
The Hometown Summit is a forum to advance resilience and thriving in America’s small cities. Launched in 2017 with over 450 changemakers from 76 US cities, the Summit returns this April for three days of insights and fellowship across geographies and sectors. Addressing national challenges with local solutions, the theme of 2018’s Summit is “Own It.”

InBIA International Conference on Business Incubation
2018-04-22 - 2018-04-25
This year, InBIA’s 32nd International Conference on Business Incubation will be held in Dallas, Texas, and they are inviting everyone who works with an entrepreneurial support organization (ESO) to join them at this year’s conference. The agenda will feature more than 30 educational sessions (including one on ecosystem building by our very own Enoch Elwell), powerful keynote speakers, and several unique opportunities to meet, connect and collaborate with peers from around the globe. Come hang out with us at this event!

Rural RISE Summit
2018-05-14 - 2018-05-16 | Canaan Valley Resort, 230 Main Lodge Rd, Davis, West Virginia
How do we empower the leaders, doers, and innovators in rural communities? Rural RISE is the inaugural summit for rural leaders fighting to answer that question in their communities, co-hosted by CO.STARTERS. Spend some time with the CO.STARTERS team as we work with others to bridge the gap for underserved entrepreneurs in rural communities. Go here to register.

CO.STARTERS May Community Call: Engaging Community Partners
2018-05-17 16:00 - 17:00
Sometimes it’s challenging as one organization to provide everything your starters need. How do you create collaborative community partnerships with other support organizations to better support your starters? Join MORTAR Cincinnati, ETC Baltimore, and others to discuss how they have leveraged other existing resources in their communities to provide a continuum of support.
If you are not currently a CO.STARTERS member and would like to join the call, reach out and let us know.

Image Credit: Startup Week Chattanooga, a great example of community partnership

ESHIP Summit
2018-07-11 - 2018-07-13 | Kansas City Marriot Downtown, 200 W 12th St, Kansas City, MO
Launched in 2017, the ESHIP Summit is a three-year initiative designed to bring early adopters of entrepreneurial ecosystem building together to collaboratively create the tools, resources and knowledge the field needs to more effectively do the work of creating inclusive communities that empower entrepreneurs. For more information visit www.eshipsummit.org.

CO.STARTERS July Community Call: Ongoing Support for Alumni
2018-07-19 16:00 - 17:00
How do you keep alumni engaged and continue to support them on their startup journeys? On our July Community Call, learn about some valuable new programs coming from CO.STARTERS that will help with ongoing support for alumni. We’ll also hear a few stories from members of the community about how they support their alumni well.
If you are not currently a CO.STARTERS member and would like to join the call, reach out and let us know.

36|86 Entrepreneurship Festival
2018-08-29 - 2018-08-30 | Nashville, TN
Against the exciting backdrop of downtown Nashville, Tennessee, thought leaders nationwide convene for this two-day, high-impact event that offers the knowledge, connections and capital that are crucial to maintaining a competitive position in today’s globalized marketplace. Learn more and register for the Southeast’s premier gathering of founders, investors and ecosystem builders here.

e.Builders Forum
2018-09-17 - 2018-09-18 | Detroit, MI
This fall, CO.STARTERS will be partnering with InBIA on the second Ecosystem Builders (e.Builders) Forum. This two-day event in Detroit will combine InBIA’s seasoned practitioners, local industry leaders, and some CO.STARTERS flair as we share tools, resources, and success stories that highlight work being done in underserved communities. We’ll provide special ways for our CO.STARTERS community to connect with one another at the event, so be sure to join us! Learn more here.

CO.STARTERS September Community Call: What's Next?
2018-09-20 16:00 - 17:00
A question we’ve been hearing a lot from our CO.STARTERS community is “What’s next?” What’s next for our starters? What’s next for our local community? What’s next from CO.STARTERS? We’ve realized that the answer is not a one-size-fits-all approach. As CO.STARTERS changes and grows, part of that change is developing new ways to support you better on the local level. In our September Community Call, we’ll be sharing some of the ways we’re evolving (including our entire philosophy of how we engage communities), as well as new supports for current programs we’ll be rolling out in the coming months. We also will have an opportunity to hear from you—our community—to learn what you want from us.

IEDC Conference
2018-09-30 - 2018-10-02 | ATL
2018 Annual Conference
September 30 – October 3, 2018 | Atlanta, GA
In communities across the globe, there is a shared dream – one where every person has the opportunity to reach their fullest productive potential regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, income, background, or geography. Indeed, we are surrounded by neighbors who are facing significant barriers from fulfilling their dreams. How can we do better in helping all of the people living in our communities who would like to participate in the surrounding economy find a means to do so? How can we as economic developers work with our other community partners in helping to address these barriers? And how can we be more intentional about developing, recruiting, and expanding economic activities that would enable a community’s people to participate in those activities in their backyards?
Share cutting-edge ideas and engage your colleagues at the premier event for economic development practitioners.

SOCAP
2018-10-23 - 2018-10-26 | San Francisco
http://socialcapitalmarkets.net/
Dedicated to Accelerating a New Global Market at the Intersection of Money + Meaning.

ESHIP Goal #3 Shared Vision: Monthly Working Group Check-in Call
2018-11-01 13:00 - 14:00 | zoom, details below
The ESHIP Community exists to collaboratively establish the Ecosystem Building approach to economic development.
This monthly working group check-in is focused on supporting initiatives related to ESHIP GOAL 3: Shared Vision (Establish shared outcomes and a common lexicon for our work.)
To register for this call, use this link:
https://kauffman.zoom.us/meeting/register/d7f73278ebfefb707510d14dfea9e911
(After registering, click “add to calendar” to have the call info automatically added for all future calls)

ESHIP Goal #5 Quantified Methods: Monthly Working Group Check-in Call
2018-11-01 16:00 - 17:00 | zoom, details below
The ESHIP Community exists to collaboratively establish the Ecosystem Building approach to economic development.
This monthly working group check-in is focused on supporting initiatives related to ESHIP GOAL 5: Quantified Methods (Define the methods and metrics for evidence-based ecosystem building.)
To register for this call, use this link:
TBD
(After registering, click “add to calendar” to have the call info automatically added for all future calls)

ESHIP Goal #4 Connected Networks: Monthly Working Group Check-in Call
2018-11-06 15:00 - 16:00 | zoom details below
The ESHIP Community exists to collaboratively establish the Ecosystem Building approach to economic development.
This monthly working group check-in is focused on supporting initiatives related to ESHIP GOAL 4: Connected Networks (Build field-wide communication channels to connect ecosystem builders across networks.)
To register for this call, use this link:
https://kauffman.zoom.us/meeting/register/e31baac11ea489c066858a512be5123a
(After registering, click “add to calendar” to have the call info automatically added for all future calls)

Forward Cities
2018-11-07 - 2018-11-09
Twice a year, Forward Cities hosts national conferences to deepen connections, strengthen opportunities for collaboration, and advance our understanding and commitment to inclusive innovation and shared prosperity in our communities.
The fall conference attracts 400+ leaders from over sixty cities from around the world. It is an unparalleled, high energy opportunity to make new connections and foster existing friendships within a robust learning environment. Every session is designed to provoke and provide practical ideas to advance inclusive innovation in the community. Tours integrated into the experience allows opportunities to see cutting edge ideas in action and to explore the host city. This fall’s conference is scheduled for Miami, November 7-9, 2018. Go here to learn more and register.

Global Entrepreneurship Week
2018-11-12 - 2018-11-18
Global Entrepreneurship Week is a celebration of the innovators and job creators who launch startups that bring ideas to life, drive economic growth and expand human welfare. During one week each November, GEW inspires people everywhere through local, national and global activities designed to help them explore their potential as self-starters and innovators.

ESHIP Goal #1 Inclusive Field: Monthly Working Group Check-in Call
2018-11-13 13:00 - 14:00 | zoom, details below
The ESHIP Community exists to collaboratively establish the Ecosystem Building approach to economic development.
This monthly working group check-in is focused on supporting initiatives related to ESHIP GOAL 1: Inclusive Field (Ensure ecosystem builders from diverse perspectives lead our field.)
To register for this call, use this link:
https://kauffman.zoom.us/meeting/register/3e1b2debdd9fc9d67510d14dfea9e911
(After registering, click “add to calendar” to have the call info automatically added for all future calls)

ESHIP Goal #2 Collaborative Culture: Monthly Working Group Check-in Call
2018-11-13 17:00 - 18:00 | zoom, details below
The ESHIP Community exists to collaboratively establish the Ecosystem Building approach to economic development.
This monthly working group check-in is focused on supporting initiatives related to ESHIP GOAL 2: Collaborative Culture (Strengthen the culture within our field.)
To register for this call, use this link:
TBD
(After registering, click “add to calendar” to have the call info automatically added for all future calls)

RuralRISE Action Session Webconference
2018-11-15 14:00 - 15:00 | zoom details below
Zoom Details: Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android:
Or iPhone one-tap (US Toll): +16465588656,,4347467077# or +14086380968,,4347467077#
Or Telephone: Dial: +1 646 558 8656 (US Toll) or +1 408 638 0968 (US Toll) Meeting ID: 434 746 7077

CO.STARTERS November Community Call: Microlending
2018-11-15 16:00 - 17:00
Many businesses need capital in order to thrive. However, for many starters, traditional means are difficult to access. On our November call, learn how members of our community are using microlending to get their startups the funds they need. We’ll hear from a wide array of organizations – from an insider perspective on working with lending institutions to tips on creating your own microlending program.
