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A Regional Forum on May 7 - Celebrating National Economic Development Week Contact Name: Stan Schultes Contact Email: info@SparkGrowth.com Contact Phone Number: 941-877-1599 BRADENTON, Fla. – On Tuesday, May 7, innovation firm Spark Growth, together with Manatee County Economic Development, is convening incredible collaborators from across the Tampa Bay region in a conversation of what is happening and where we are going across the entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystem, from funders to organizational leaders. At this week’s Rise of the Rest Roadshow, AOL founder and Revolution CEO Steve Case observed that “With the growing population in the Tampa Bay Region, I want to see more startup-driven job growth. This will take collaboration, and that will only happen if the community comes together with passion and urgency.” NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning and Founder of Vinik Asset Management LP Jeff Vinik said: “In Tampa Bay we need to make 20 years of progress in the next 10 years.” Focusing on at the May 7 forum discussion: What have we learned? What works? What doesn’t work? What’s next? Topics will include access to capital, education & talent, entrepreneur and business growth support resources, the movement toward smarter communities, and opportunities for collaboration across organizational silos. It will be an engaging and animated conversation to showcase how we really can pull together in collaboration and how we will rise as a region. Thank you to our generous sponsors: SunTrust Bank, Florida Funders, SeedFunders, City of Bradenton, Hartwell Capital Consulting, Operation Startup, and Manatee Community Federal Credit Union, there is no charge for this event at the Manatee Performing Arts Center. Organizations represented in the Forum include: Synapse, Embarc Collective, Florida Funders, Seed Funders, FIBA – Florida Israeli Business Accelerator, Bridge Angel Investors, Operation Startup/HCC, Tampa Bay Tech, TiE Tampa Bay, Manatee Chamber of Commerce, Manatee County Economic Development, City of Bradenton, Bradenton Area EDC, Manatee Community Federal Credit Union, Lee County Economic Development , Manatee County Schools, Florida Venture Forum, Startup Tampa Bay, Sup-X 2019, USF Connect. WHAT: Regional Innovation and Economic Development Open Forum WHEN: Tuesday, May 7th 5:00 PM to 7:30 PM. Cocktail Reception 5pm, program starts promptly at 6 WHERE: Manatee Performing Arts Center, 502 3rd Ave West, Bradenton, FL 34205 COST: Attendance is FREE with registration: https://we-all-win.eventbrite.com About Rise of the Rest: Revolution’s RISE OF THE REST® with Steve Case is a nationwide effort to work closely with entrepreneurs in emerging startup ecosystems. Our view is that this is the beginning of a new era for entrepreneurship across the U.S. — high-growth companies can now start and scale anywhere, not just in a few coastal cities. Revolution’s Rise of the Rest Seed Fund is an early stage venture fund backed by three dozen iconic entrepreneurs, investors and executives such as Eric Schmidt, Jeff Bezos, Henry Kravis, Howard Schultz, Meg Whitman, Jim Breyer, John Doerr and others. About Spark Growth: Stan Schultes and Sara Hand of Spark Growth provide connections and resources to help solve difficult problems. As an innovation consulting firm whose projects take shape across cultures, time zones, industry clusters and business sectors, we leverage expertise across the innovation value chain from idea stage to exit. Spark Growth works alongside our clients to identify potential and possibilities for growth and to develop authentic solutions specific to each client's needs. We design and orchestrate experiences, creating environments ripe for innovation and changing the way people think. http://sparkgrowth.net/services