Baton Rouge Entrepreneurship Week will return in May with a renewed focus on reaching a wider variety of entrepreneurs and small businesses in the Capital Region.
The six-day event will kick off May 1 with a “block party” celebrating this year’s “Rediscover and Reimagine” theme, according to a news release. Entrepreneurs and business leaders will also gather to discuss topics such as building a loyal following, finding alternative funding options and artificial intelligence.
In recent years, BREW’s sessions have been geared toward tech startups. This year, BREW will expand its programming to appeal to a broader set of startups and small businesses, according to Nexus Louisiana, the small business investment nonprofit behind BREW.
“As we enter a new era under a new theme, we remain dedicated to growing and developing the Louisiana technology industry and entrepreneurial space as a whole,” Na’Tisha Natt, Nexus Louisiana’s director of marketing and community engagement, said in a statement. “This year, we have a great programming lineup to support entrepreneurs and small business owners in advancing in their respective fields and to help them reconnect with their aspirations and purpose.”
Registration for BREW opens Wednesday. Potential speakers can submit proposals for speeches by Friday. Both registrations and speaker proposals can be submitted at celebratebrew.com.
“We are looking for enthusiastic and revolutionary innovators in the local space to participate as speakers and presenters as we pursue taking risks, pushing boundaries and inspiring creativity,” Natt said.
BREW, now in its 12th year, offers resources and networking for startups and entrepreneurs with new business ideas. The event returned to an in-person format last year after two years of virtual formats because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The week will end with the High-Stakes Pitch Competition, where entrepreneurs pitch their idea in front of judges for an investment from Red Stick Angel Network, a local investor group and subsidiary of Nexus Louisiana’s Innovation Catalyst fund.
