A free community innovation showcase
The challenge
A citywide tech week was building momentum, but the university’s innovation district was not a visible part of it. I created the showcase to put the district at the center of the week’s Midtown programming, advance one of the university’s strategic priorities for the local innovation economy, and close gaps an outside consulting study had identified.
What I did
- Pitched the concept and secured leadership approval to launch it.
- Recruited exhibitors from across the innovation community: startups, labs, campus programs, nonprofits, community education programs, and food vendors.
- Gave every exhibitor a free table or booth, free parking, event marketing, logistics, onsite setup support, and discounted access to a related innovation conference.
- Kept the event free for every attendee and exhibitor by securing sponsor and in-kind support.
- Wrote the communication plan, set the success measures, and ran logistics and day-of operations.
The result
Registration grew nearly 40% in the second year, to roughly 1,300 registered attendees.
The number of exhibitors grew by more than 40%, to nearly 70.
Attendees who completed every stop grew about fivefold, from around 50 to around 250, counted by route-completion prizes.
What I took from it
Convenings work best when they are built with the people in the room and shaped around what attendees actually need. In 2025, people had trouble moving from one stop to the next. In 2026 we gave every stop its own identity, with distinct features and markers, creating a more cohesive event feel across the square and leading to more attendees completing all stops.