Startup Week highlights UB’s innovation ecosystem

Mini hackathons. Networking with startup founders and corporate leaders. Business pitch seminars.

All are part of UB Startup Week, a celebration of the university’s entrepreneurial ecosystem that kicks off today and runs through Sept. 22.

The series of events, which include all three UB campuses, provides members of the UB community — everyone from students and faculty to staff and alumni — the opportunity to connect with fellow entrepreneurs at UB and in Western New York

“We’re thrilled to host UB Startup Week in collaboration with colleagues from across UB’s three campuses to highlight UB’s entrepreneurial and innovative spirit,” says Hadar Borden, director of Blackstone LaunchPad. “The activities and events are designed to engage and inspire UB community members who are launching and growing businesses while also strengthening Western New York’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.”

UB Startup Week is hosted by UB’s Blackstone LaunchPad in partnership with UB’s Business and Entrepreneur Partnerships office and its Innovation Hub, which commercializes research from UB and partner institutions.

A highlight of the week will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sept. 19 for the relaunch of Blackstone LaunchPad in its new location on the third floor of the Student Union. The student entrepreneurship-focused program will be rebranded as the “Startup and Innovation Collaboratory Powered by Blackstone LaunchPad,” or The CoLab for short.

Other events include:

• On Sept. 14, UB will announce the order of the annual UB Fast 46 competition, which tracks the fastest-growing businesses owned or led by UB alumni or former students around the world.
• On Sept. 15 and Sept. 18, a hackathon allowing students to flex their tech and problem-solving skills in collaboration with TechBuffalo.
• On Sept. 18, a panel discussion on intellectual property moderated by UB alumnus Jordan Walbesser, director of legal and business affairs at Mattel Inc. that features other UB alumni.
• On Sept. 20, organizers will lead a 2.5 hour “innovation sprint” where participants contribute ideas to bolster resources and services offered by UB to the LGBTQIA+ community. Also, on Sept. 20, a session that provides pointers on how to boost LinkedIn profiles.
• On Sept. 22, there will be an hour-long talk focused on pitch decks — a brief business plan presentation for potential investors and clients — for PhDs.
• Numerous events centered on sustainability-focused startup activity, mentorships, networking and working with investors.

“These are just a glimpse of the more than 20 different experiences we’ve curated for our campus community,” says Borden. “The planning team looks forward to expanding the offerings year after year — there’s so much to discover at UB.”