Startup and Small Business Events You Don’t Want to Miss in June 2013

Small-Business-Events-Innovation-Factory

Every month our team compiles a list of startup and small business events that we’re interested in attending that are highly useful to the startup and small business community.

A few of the organizations listed host a number of great events, but we’ve chosen to feature one event that we feel will be particularly useful.

The events we focus on are in Toronto and across Southwestern Ontario. The events may sell out fast, so if you’re interested in attending please contact the organization to register quickly. If you’re hosting a startup or small business event or have come across one you think should be included here, feel free to contact us by email or social media with your suggestions.

Innovation Factory

Innovation Factory helps advance Hamilton’s innovation community and serves as an inspiring, expert resource for entrepreneurs that fosters connections across the community and accelerates growth. VA Partners’ own Mark Elliott will be presenting at this month’s event. Mark’s interactive session will explore ways to make connections, find opportunities, and close business through networking, cold calling, social media, productivity tools, and much more.

Event: Sales Peer-to-Peer
When: June 12, 2013 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Where: McMaster Innovation Park, Hamilton

Social Media Strategies for Business (Meetup Group)

The Social Media Strategies for Business Meetup Group focuses on how to monetize social capital. By attending events, you’ll learn things like what social media is and how to benefit from its growth, what some of the challenges and solutions are, and how to interact, communicate and engage effectively online.

Event: High Traffic From Your FREE Social Media Campaigns
When: June 3, 2013, 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Where: Join the Meetup group for more information

Startup Drinks

Startup Drinks provides an open space for entrepreneurs and small business owners to connect and share ideas. There are no presentations or pitches, just conversation and networking. To meet some of the up-and-coming people in the startup community, this is a great event to attend.  These events are held regularly in a number of locations, including Toronto, Hamilton, and Waterloo.

Event: Startup Drinks Waterloo
When: June 4, 2013, 6:00 p.m.
Where: Chainsaw, 28 King Street North, Waterloo

Featured Event: Startup Drinks Hamilton
When: June 13, 2013, 6:00 p.m.
Where:The Winking Judge, 25 Augusta Street, Hamilton

Event: Startup Drinks Toronto
When: June 26, 2013, 8:00 p.m.
Where: Hotel Ocho, 195 Spadina Avenue, Toronto

Golden Horseshoe Venture Forum

The GHVF is a non-profit organization that fosters the growth of entrepreneurs by connecting new businesses to investors and business service providers across the Golden Horseshoe. Since 2000, the GHVF has connected 139 new businesses to local investors and featured 55 amazing keynote speakers.

Event: GHVF Breakfast Session Ft. Arise Canada Virtual Solutions CEO Ian Baird
When: June 5, 2013, 7:15 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Where: Burlington Golf and Country Club, 422 North Shore Blvd, Burlington

Communitech

Based in Waterloo, Communitech events are focused on being engaging and interactive, providing useful information for companies of many sizes. Communitech’s Tech Leadership Conference is the largest annual all-day gathering of tech community professionals in Waterloo Region, drawn together to hear from thought leadership in business and tech and to network with peers.

Event: UpStart Breakfast Series with Ryan Denomme, Matt Gardner and Caitlin MacGregor
When: June 5, 2013, 7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Where: Bingemans Conference Centre – Embassy Room, 425 Bingemans Centre Drive, Kitchener

nGen

nGen is a hub for innovation, incubation and business development in Niagara. nGen is Niagara’s Regional Innovation Centre and a member of the Ontario Network of Excellence, which connects technology-based business, entrepreneurs and researchers with services and programs to help innovate and gain a competitive advantage.

Event: lunch@learn – Services Available for Entrepreneurs in Niagara
When: June 11, 2013, 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Where: Niagara College – NOTL Campus – Ventures Training Room W213, 135 Taylor Road, Niagara-on-the-Lake

HalTech

HalTech’s mission is to act as a catalyst for innovation and commercialization by delivering services to help Halton-based enterprises start, grow and succeed.

Event: N2K Finance – OMERS with Derek Smyth
When: June 14, 2013, 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Where: Ron Joyce Centre – DeGroote School of Business, 4350 South Service Road, Burlington

Hamilton Chamber of Commerce

The Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, the “Voice of Hamilton Business” is committed to making the City of Hamilton a great place to live, work, play, visit and invest. The Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, in concert with other community groups and various local businesses, regularly puts on a number of great events.

Event: Coffee with the CEO and Guests (Ron Neumann and Kevin Browne)
When: June 14, 2013, from 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Where: Sheraton Hamilton Hotel and Conference Centre, 116 King Street West, Hamilton

Rails Pub Night

This informal social event in Toronto is perfect for anyone interesting in web development. People in the industry are able to gather along with both recruits as people in the web development start up community.

Event: Toronto Rails Pub Night
When: June 17, 2013, 7:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Where: The Rhino, 1249 Queen Street West, Toronto

DemoCampHamilton

DemoCamp is an event format that involves a keynote speaker, about 5 software demos which each consist of 5 minutes of actually demoing the software and 5 minutes of Q&A, followed by general socializing with the good company in attendance.

Event: DemoCamphHamilton12
When: June 19, 2013, 6:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Where: The Art Gallery of Hamilton – Joey and Toby Tanebaum Pavilion, 123 King Street West, Hamilton

Inbound Marketing Toronto

Inbound Marketing Toronto is a monthly meetup group that focuses its discussion on hot topics within the world of Inbound Marketing. It brings together Digital Marketing, SEO, Social Media, Content Marketing, Media Relations, Start-up Founders, and Online Business Development professionals.

Event #InboundTO #6: Inbound Marketing and the Future of E-Commerce
When: June 20, 2013, from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Where: BNOTIONS Office, 106 Front Street East, Suite 200, Room YMC, Toronto

Silicon Halton

Silicon Halton organizes a number of events throughout the year in the region Halton which including Burlington, Oakville, and Milton. Their monthly meetups and Peer2Peer include three main components; a key notes presentation, a get to know a member presentation, and time set out for networking. These events are catered to anyone at a startup – especially in the tech industry – that want to learn more about business best practices.

Featured Event: Solopreneur Peer-2-Peer #24
When: June 20th, 2013
Where: Hampton’s Restaurant (Civitan Room), Quality Suites Hotel, Oakville

Silicon Peel

Silicon Peel is a grass roots hi-tech community of people who make a living, make meaning, and make things happen in technology in Peel Region.

Event: Meetup #6: Technology Innovation – “Leveraging Vendor Ecosystems”
When: June 20, 2013, 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Where: Microsoft Canada Head Office, MPR Room, 1950 Meadowvale Blvd, Mississauga

Spark Centre

Spark Centre is a one-stop-shop that helps innovative start-up companies in Durham Region and Northumberland County find the best path to market. By surrounding local entrepreneurs with the tools and connections they need to succeed, Spark Centre helps companies develop strategies to drive growth.

Event: Ignite Finale 2013
When: June 25, 2013, 5:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Where: Regent Theatre, Oshawa

Toronto Board of Trade

The Toronto Board of Trade facilitates opportunities for knowledge sharing, networking, business development, and city building. It is the authoritative voice of Canada’s most prominent business community.

Event: RBC Business Advice Series: Dave Holt – You’re Connected. Now What?
When: June 25, 2013, 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Where: Pleasant View Library – Auditorium, 575 Van Horne Ave, Toronto

MaRS Discovery District

MaRS is where entrepreneurs get the help they need, where all kinds of people meet to spark new ideas, and where a global reputation for innovation is being earned, one success story at a time.The often-free events at MaRS are ideal for start-ups, science, technology and social entrepreneurs looking to make connections and learn more about a particular aspect of business.

Event: MaRS Best Practices: Hiring and the Art of Selection: How to Hire Employees Who Drive Results, Innovation and Profit
When: June 26, 2013, 12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Where: MaRS Studio, 101 College Street, Toronto

Startup Grind

Startup Grind is a 30-city event series hosted in 13-countries that educates, inspires, and connects entrepreneurs. Rooted in the heart of Silicon Valley, Startup Grind brings the world’s greatest founders and investors to tell their stories on stage and share it with our global startup community.

Event: Startup Grind Hosts Michelle Scarborough & Jennifer Evans
When: June 27, 2013, 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Where: Sears Atrium, 2 FL, George Vari Engineering and Computing Centre, Ryerson University, Toronto

Did we forget your startup or small business event? Let us know and we’ll add it to the list!

Startup and Small Business Events You Don’t Want to Miss in June 2013