Being an entrepreneur wasn’t always as exciting. Until your name was on the outside of a building, the average Joe or Jane didn’t know who you were as you toiled away in a garage or basement. That’s starting to change.
Just like how the Food Network shed light on the exciting profession of chef, media has made entrepreneurship cool. TV shows like “Shark Tank” and Silicon Valley success stories like Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg, who each got their own movies, inspire people who want to create startups and invent the next big thing.
Innovation Works is doing its part. President and CEO Rich Lunak calls its Demo Days, which are held twice a year, “a rock concert for entrepreneurs.”
Just like a sporting event or popular artist, Demo Days at Stage AE draw a big crowd. It’s a time to honor the people who have more of an impact than an athlete or musician, he says. These entrepreneurs are risking everything to build companies, create jobs and make our lives better.
Another chance to shine is the AlphaLab Gear International Hardware Cup. Early-stage hardware startup teams are selected to pitch in six regional semifinals. They then join teams from other countries like Japan and South Korea to compete for $50,000 in investment funds and more than $50,000 in software, cash and other prizes.
“That program is continuing to grow. What that’s done is help build international awareness around not only AlphaLab Gear, but also what a fabulous place Pittsburgh can be to launch and build companies,” Lunak says.
Just by coincidence, Innovation Works isn’t the only organization in this month’s magazine that is turning entrepreneurs into household names in the business community. The Idea Foundry just celebrated 15 years of investing and working alongside entrepreneurs to transform business ideas into commercial activities and jobs. You can read more in this month’s Uniquely.
Now is a good time to be an entrepreneur, especially in Pittsburgh.
