It's officially August, and now we're all scratching our heads about where the summer went. But don't fret—there are still plenty of networking opportunities left to take advantage of this season, whether you're interested in meeting like-minded techies, honing your skills or getting the word out about your startup. From founder talks to pitch workshops and 3D printing presentations, there's definitely no shortage of exciting events happening around The Hub this week.
So as as you're filling out your calendar, here are our top picks for the best gatherings to go to.
Monday, August 3
Tennis Week — Boston is having its first ever Tennis Week, and players of all levels are encouraged to join in the festivities. While participating in the events, you have the chance to win prizes all week long regardless of whether you win a match—including U.S. Open Tickets, racquets, Boston Pro Tennis League lessons, New Balance shoes, and City Sports gift cards. Make sure to download the free app MatchOn - Tennis to enter contests off-site. Get more info on the week of activities here.
Tuesday, August 4
Tech Breakfast — Chit-chat with your peers over coffee and bagels during this breakfast meetup for techies, developers, designers, and entrepreneurs. After enjoying some food and casual conversation, you’ll be privy to showcase-style presentations from four local startups, which will give you a glimpse at what they’re working on. Register here.
Black Excellence: A Talk with Mashable CTO & Placester Co-Founder Frederick Townes — This series is all about presenting role models to young black professionals. And at this installment, which is being held at General Assembly, Mashable CTO/Placester co-founder and BU alum Frederick Townes will lead a conversation about the challenges and successes he’s experienced as a black founder. Register here.
Wednesday, August 5
Reality Computing Boston — Ever wanted to learn more about the Spark open platform for building 3D printing software, hardware, materials and services? Or, alternatively, ever been curious about the Spark investment fund supporting startups in this area? Kevin Tracy from the Autodesk Spark platform team will be at this free event, taking place at MassChallenge Innovation and Design Building, to cover all of this and more. There will also be demos and presentations from Lumii, Voxel8 and MIT Media Lab researchers, among others, and a an Ember 3d printer on site to check out. By the way—pizza and beverages are promised, too. Register here.
Founder Dialogues with TripAdvisor's Steve Kaufer — How do successful founders dream up their businesses? What path led them to where they are now? And what roadblocks did they face along the way? Founder Dialogues is a public event series aimed at answering some of these questions, and giving future entrepreneurs valuable advice. This particular conversation will be led by TripAdvisor co-founder and CEO Steve Kaufer, and moderated by Founder Collective’s managing partner Eric Paley. Register here.
Pitch Perfect — Bust out your pitch deck: During this intimate, hands-on peer workshop at Constant Contact in Waltham, you’ll have the chance to refine your three-minute pitch. In addition to getting practice by presenting in front of of the group, you’ll reap real-time feedback from experts and fellow entrepreneurs, including financial advisor Stuart Paap and Silicon Valley Bank’s Peter McDonald. Register here.
Thursday, August 6
ReferralMob Summer Bash — This Boston startup has plenty of reasons to celebrate between its recent launch, first round of funding and successful placement of its first referred candidates. So, it’s hosting a summer bash at its Newbury Street digs. Grab a drink, hobnob with local techies and enjoy the rooftop view, but make sure to RSVP here.
For next week:
Monday, August 10
Knit Knite for Charity — Sh*t That I Knit recently teamed up with Alex's Lemonade Stand to benefit children undergoing cancer treatments, and to kick off the partnership, the knitwear startup is holding a meetup at O Ya Restaurant. A ticket includes a specialty cocktail, passed hors d'oeuvres, a knitting kit, an hour of instruction on how to knit a headband, and a chance to give back to a great cause. The team is raffling off prizes like a $400 gift card to O Ya, a bottle of sake, Sh*t That I Knit products and swag, a DoorDash credit, and more. Register here.
Photo courtesy of Founder Dialogues.
