Northeast Indiana entrepreneurship community, 1 Million Cups Fort Wayne, is celebrating its one-year anniversary on November 2, 2016.
A program developed by the Kaufmann Foundation, 1 Million Cups Fort Wayne began last year with the intent to ignite the entrepreneurship flame within the Fort Wayne area.
“When Start Fort Wayne and the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership first brought 1 Million Cups to our city, our mission was to grow and connect the entrepreneur community and begin building our ecosystem,” said Start Fort Wayne President Dave Sanders. “Over the past year this event exceeded our expectations in every measure. Not only has our chapter grown, and grown closer, the excitement and interest they bring to every meeting is tangible. Rather than being in competition, our community is doing everything it can to help everyone’s businesses grow!”
Since its inception, the group has featured 50 local entrepreneurs giving short presentations during a free, weekly meetup designed to educate, engage, and connect entrepreneurs. Each week, upwards of 50 entrepreneurs meet to learn and network with each other, and every meeting brings out new members, resulting in an ever expanding group.
“The Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership is thrilled to be able to support 1 Million Cups Fort Wayne,” said Ryan Twiss, Director of Regional Initiatives. “1 Million Cups and the partnerships that it helps to create are critical elements in building a strong entrepreneurial ecosystem in northeast Indiana.”
On November 2, 1 Million Cups will feature Dave Affholter of Championship Grade Video. During the hour-long meeting, Championship Grade Video will present their business for six minutes and answers questions from the audience for 20 minutes. During the second half hour, the group will openly discuss an educational topic important to all entrepreneurs or an issue specific to northeast Indiana small businesses. The objective is for all, presenter included, to leave each event with new valuable knowledge.
The group meets every Wednesday at Sweetwater Sound’s Crescendo Cafe from 9–10 a.m. (except for holiday weeks). For more information, visit www.1millioncups.com/fortwayne
