Denver Startup Week Announces Key Partnership with Amazon, Opens Call for Submissions
Denver Startup Week will take place October 4 – 8, 2021 in a newly announced hybrid format with support from Title and HQ Sponsor Amazon.
Denver Startup Week, the largest free entrepreneurial event of its kind, will return to Downtown Denver and celebrate its tenth year this October 4 – 8. Created to celebrate, unite, and grow a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, Denver Startup Week will return this year in a hybrid event format, featuring virtual content as well as a physical headquarters powered by Amazon, who will serve as a Title and HQ Sponsor.
“Throughout the economic downturn, in Colorado and across the country, we’ve seen countless Americans turn to entrepreneurship to replace lost income. The education, training, and guidance that Denver Startup Week provides entrepreneurs is more important than ever as businesses begin rebounding from difficult times, and as new businesses emerge and grow,” said Brittany Morris Saunders, Amazon’s Denver Sr. Manger of External Affairs. “Small businesses everywhere partner with Amazon to sell products online and reach new customers, making this partnership a natural fit. We’re so excited to support the 10th annual Denver StartupWeek, which will provide invaluable help to entrepreneurs locally in Colorado and virtually across the nation.”
“We are thrilled to partner with Amazon to deliver our entrepreneurial ecosystem the best content and experience to date,” said Tami Door, President and CEO of the Downtown Denver Partnership and co-founder of Denver Startup Week, “Amazon’s commitment to innovation and supporting small and growing businesses is significant, with over 36,000 small and medium business sellers and independent authors growing their business on the platform. As Amazon continues to grow their footprint here in Denver with over 16,000 employees already in the market, we’re proud to be partners in continuing to grow Denver Startup Week.”
In anticipation of Denver Startup Week, the Denver Startup Week Organizing Committee has opened its call for submissions today, inviting the community to submit their best session ideas. Denver Startup Week sessions are meant to serve entrepreneurs, empower businesses, provide much-needed inspiration, and strengthen the community. Session proposals will be accepted through June 11 at 11:59 p.m. MDT.
“Denver Startup Week is a weeklong event that is truly for the community, by the community,” said Denver Startup Week co-founder Ben Deda, CEO of FoodMaven. “Over the past decade, this event has become nationally recognized as the week each year where entrepreneurs and innovators from across the country can come together to showcase their best ideas and leadership. Never has this convening been more important than this year as we look to economic recovery and supporting small and emerging businesses. This year is set to be a groundbreaking tenth year for Denver Startup Week.”
Innovation is no stranger to Denver Startup Week, and after pivoting to a fully virtual event in 2020, the organization is excited to announce a hybrid (partially virtual, partially live) event for 2021. This format gives the Denver Startup Week community the programming flexibility and accessibility that was so appreciated in 2020, while reinvigorating our core focus of bringing people together in downtown Denver. By keeping sessions virtual, barriers to access are removed, and select in-person components will allow attendees to safely choose live interaction if they wish. Those interested in submitting session ideas can do so through June 11 at DenverStartupWeek.org.
“Denver Startup Week was created to showcase the best of innovation and entrepreneurship in Denver – and in 2021, we are going to take that to the next level thanks to our partnership with Amazon and our truly remarkable community,”said event co-founder Erik Mitisek, President of Highwing. “Denver has always been entrepreneurial – and perhaps even more important than our pioneering ethos or innovative ideas is our community’s spirit of generosity and collaboration to support business builders – and nowhere is this more evident than at Denver Startup Week.”
About Denver Startup Week:
Denver Startup Week, founded in 2012, is a celebration of everything entrepreneurial in Denver.The weeklong event is intended to unite the entrepreneurial community in Denver and celebrate the great companies, innovation and ideas happening in the city and the people and inspiration behind them.The core programming is centered on the entrepreneurial community with an emphasis in technology, design, social entrepreneurship, manufacturing and business.Events throughout the week are organized by both the Denver Startup Week Organizing Committee and the community at-large and include sessions, presentations, panels, workshops, happy hours, social events, job fairs and more. In addition to Amazon, Denver Startup Week Title Sponsors are Downtown Denver Partnership and Fluid Truck, with additionalpartners to be announced in the coming weeks.
