Yet another Buffalo Startup Week is around the corner, and organizers say it’s a chance to create opportunities for new generations of local entrepreneurs.
After months of planning for in-person events, the fast-changing public health conditions created by the Delta variant have sent the program back online, said Kanishka Wanninayaka, the founder of Yamu Media and one of the organizers. There is still an opportunity for in-person networking sessions.
About 30 to 40 workshops will take place from Nov 8. to 12 focusing on topics in categories such as designer, developer, maker, founder, growth, people and product. The event had previously been scheduled for September, but was postponed because of pandemic-related disruptions.
“The purpose of this event is to show that Covid can’t stop the growing innovation economy in Buffalo,” Wanninayaka said. “There are a lot of companies that are still building, growing and thriving in this community, and Startup Week is a celebration of those companies.”
Wanninayaka is among three lead organizers this year, along with Harshita Girase and Madonna Spitler.
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The event is being organized by BootSector, a new nonprofit in Buffalo led by Clark Dever, Jordan Walbesser and Jack Greco that aims to empower new grassroots entrepreneurial leaders in Buffalo.
Wanninayaka said one goal this year is to identify people organizers for next year’s event. They are looking for at least three new people to take on that mantle.
“A big part of this is succession planning and finding the next group of people who can help lead,” he said. “This is a completely grassroots movement so if anyone is interested in helping next year, they should reach out to us.”
The event – sponsored by Yamu Media, Lumsden McCormick CPAs and Innosek – is free to the public. The goal is to focus on specific elements on the startup pathway, and also serve as an introduction to community-based resources.
“The events are focused on early- to mid-stage startups,” Wanninayaka said. “People who are on their journey and facing problems they’ve never experienced before. We also want to create access points for people to follow up with speakers to talk to each other and lean on each other.”
