Rhode Island’s burgeoning startup scene has hit a new milestone: It’s ready for a weeklong celebration.
After trialing a startup day and startup weekend, RIHub, an innovation campus and accelerator launched last year, is following in the footsteps of a number of cities and states around the country with a startup week.
The Oct. 18 to Oct. 22 event is both an acknowledgement of how far the Ocean State has come in its efforts to be a home to innovation — particularly in the science and food technology areas — and an examination of how much bigger its entrepreneurial scene could get.
“Test and learn is one of our mantras. We’re going to test this out,” said Annette Tonti, a serial entrepreneur and RIHub’s executive director.
She said the supply is strong, with a number of players coming to the table to take part. There are 45 organizations or companies involved so far. “But the next step is the demand. Our goal is driving traffic to the website, getting people excited,” she said.
The week will be a mix of virtual and in-person events, with panels, talks and competitions like Calamari Tank, RIHub’s seafood-themed takeoff of Shark Tank, and the Lively Pitch, where a group of 20 startups will have three minutes each to pitch investors from across the country.
“The number one goal is to really shine a light on all of the great things happening here in our state when it comes to innovation and entrepreneurship,” Tonti said. “I don’t think the general population of Rhode Island knows all the stuff that’s going on.”
The event has picked up some big-time sponsors, including Cox Business, Verizon and IBM.
