Innovate Mississippi

Gulf Coast Intellectual Property Association Meeting
2015-11-04 08:30 - 18:00 (America/Chicago) | Infinity Science Center, John C. Stennis Space Center, MS, 39529, United States

Delta Challenge Pitch Competition - Cleveland
2015-10-27 | Unnamed Venue, Cleveland, MS, United States

Reshoring Opportunities Workshop
2015-10-22 09:30 - 15:00 | MSU Coastal Research & Extension Center, 1815 Popps Ferry Rd, Biloxi, MS, 39532, United States

Tupelo Angel Investor Network Meeting
2015-10-20 17:30 - 20:00

Discovery Luncheon - Oxford
2015-10-20 11:30 - 13:00 | The Powerhouse, 413 S. 14th St., Oxford, MS, 38655, United States

Energy Awareness Symposium
2015-10-20 11:00 - 15:30 | Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation Building, 6311 Ridgewood Rd, Jackson, MS, 39211, United States

Oxford Angel Investor Network Meeting
2015-10-13 17:30 - 20:00

Innovate Mississippi's Discovery Luncheon, presented by C Spire
2015-09-15 11:30 - 13:00 | C Spire Headquarters, 1018 Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland, 39157, United States

eTech Conference
2015-08-25 09:00 - 17:00 | Clyde Muse Center, 515 Country Place Parkway, Pearl, MS, 39208, United States

Reshoring Opportunities Workshop
2015-08-06 09:30 - 15:00 | The Accelerator, 46 Shelby Thames Drive, Hattiesburg, MS, 39402, United States
Mississippi Make It In America and Mississippi Polymer Institute presents “Reshoring Opportunities Workshop” August 6 at The Accelerator in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. The Reshoring Opportunities Workshop will focus on creating jobs and growing manufacturing in Mississippi through reshoring. The purpose of the Reshoring Opportunities Workshop is to help companies learn about reshoring and identify and evaluate reshoring opportunities. For more information see the event flyer here: Hattiesburg Reshoring Opportunities Workshop August 6 2015 flyer

TECHJXN, Innovation Summit and #YesWeCode Hackathon
2015-06-30 08:00 - 2015-07-01 17:00 | Jackson Convention Complex, 105 E. Pascagoula Street, Jackson, MS, 39201, United States

Discovery Luncheon
2015-06-16 11:30 - 13:00
Discovery Luncheons are the place for entrepreneurs, economic developers, service providers and investors to connect!
11:30 a.m. – Registration
12:00 p.m. – Lunch and Program Begin
1:00 p.m. – Adjourn
Featured Guest Speaker:
Jeff Good
Dollars & Sense Creative Consulting and Mangia Bene Restaurant Management Group

Jeff Good is the President of Mangia Bene Restaurant Management Group, the owner/operator of BRAVO! Italian Restaurant & Bar, Broad Street Baking Company, and Sal & Mookie’s New York Pizza & Ice Cream Joint – three unique and successful restaurants located in the city of Jackson, Mississippi. The restaurants operate a full service catering business, Mangia Bene Catering, with partnerships in dozens of venues throughout the Metro Jackson area.
Jeff moved to Jackson from Salt Lake City, Utah in the summer of 1980, when his father became the Dean of Students at Millsaps College. He completed his senior year of high school in Jackson Public Schools attending Murrah High School. He attended Millsaps College and graduated in May of 1986 with a degree in Business Administration. That summer after graduation, Jeff married his college sweetheart, Debbie McGregor, and started a career as a computer salesman for the NCR Corporation calling on accounts in the manufacturing and distribution industries. In 1994, Jeff and Dan Blumenthal, his best friend from high school, opened their first restaurant, BRAVO! In December 1998, they opened Broad Street Baking Company and Café. In April 2007, Sal & Mookie’s New York Pizzaand Ice Cream Joint opened.
A true believer in community service, Jeff has many achievements to his credit: 2013 SBA Small Business person of the Year for the State of Mississippi, 1998 Restaurateur of the Year for the Mississippi Hospitality and Restaurant Association; 2014 Mississippi Good Neighbor/ Good Samaritan Award winner from Mississippi Hospitality and Restaurant Association, honored as one of Mississippi’s “Top Forty Business People Under Forty” by the Mississippi Business Journal; “Friend of Tourism” award four separate years by the Jackson Convention and Visitor’s Bureau; served as one of nine commissioners on the Capital City Convention Center Commission; member of the Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership Board of Directors; Chairperson of the City of Jackson CORE Vision 2022 long term development plan; served multiple terms on the Fondren Renaissance Foundation board; lead organizer of the Zippity Doo Dah Parade® Festival Weekend; recipient 2014 Governor’s Volunteer Award (GIVE), 2005 Corporate Star Award Southern Christian Services for Children and Youth; 2009 Goodwill Industries Volunteer Award; 2000 Novia Spirit of Diversity Award; 1999 Metro Jackson Chamber Super Achiever Award; Fondren Business Person of the Year; Best Business Person–Jackson Free Press Annual Awards–5 years in a row;Co-Chairman of the Leadership Committee for the capital fundraising campaign for the Mississippi Children’s Museum; Stewardship Chair, St. Andrews Episcopal Cathedral; Past President, Fondren North Renaissance Board of Directors; Past President of Jackson Restaurant Association and Mississippi Restaurant Association; 1996 Graduate of Leadership Greater Jackson; Past Vice President,Ballet Mississippi Board of Directors; International Ballet Competition, Co‐Chair, International Village; Fondren Couple of the Year 2010.
Jeff’s wife Debbie is a High School Latin teacher with St. Andrew’s Episcopal School. They live in the Fondren neighborhood of Jackson, and are proud parents of twin teenage girls, Alex and Carly.
Entrepreneur Speaker:
TBA
Mix and mingle with a fun networking activity
Bring plenty of business cards!
Announcements and upcoming events
Announce your important news!
RSVP today! Registration for the luncheon is $25 per person.

Mississippi New Venture Challenge
2015-05-19 13:00 - 17:00 | Jackson Convention Complex, 105 E. Pascagoula Street, Jackson, MS, 39201, United States
Pitch your innovative business venture to a distinguished panel of judges for an opportunity to win cash and in-kind service based prizes at the 8th Annual Mississippi New Venture Challenge business plan competition. With three categories – commercial, pre-revenue and student – this fast-paced competition promises to be a rewarding experience for Mississippi’s innovators, inventors and entrepreneurs.
The application deadline is April 17. Selected applicants will be paired with a mentor to help prepare their business plan and presentation. Following the competition, winners in each category will be announced at a networking reception. The Mississippi New Venture Challenge is sponsored by Broadband Voice, Bradley Arant Boult Cummings. FNC Inc. and InnovateMEP Mississippi.
Contact Tasha Bibb at tbibb@innovate.ms or 601-960-3610 for more information.
Would you like to contribute to the New Venture Challenge prize pool? All donations are tax deductible and 100% of the proceeds go to the winners of our competition. Donate now!

MIST Cluster Events
2015-04-27 | USM Gulf Park Campus, 730 E Beach Blvd, Long Beach, MS, 39560, United States
The Marine Industries Science & Technology (MIST) Cluster will hold its second quarterly Small Business Summit in conjunction with the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Road Tour. Participants will have the opportunity to meet with federal program managers to discuss funding and technical areas of interest offered by SBIR and related Small Business Technology Transfer programs, who annually award more than $2.5 billion in contracts and grants to small businesses to undertake research and technical innovation development projects.
The SBIR Road Tour is being co-hosted with the Enterprise for Innovative Geospatial Solutions’ Geospatial Cluster with additional support provided by Innovate Mississippi and its MS-FAST program. The Road Tour will also include presentations and discussions on opportunities for working with various divisions of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration located at Stennis Space Center in Hancock County.

SBIR Funding Opportunity Webinar for Environmental Technologies
2015-04-02 13:00 - 15:00
NIEHS Superfund Research Program, EPA, and NSF Chemical & Environmental Technologies are jointly hosting a SBIR funding opportunity webinar that will focus on agencies providing SBIR/STTR funding for environmental technologies. NIEHS, EPA and NSF will each describe their individual SBIR programs from application through award, which will be followed by an extensive Q&A session.

Startup Weekend Jackson
2015-03-27 08:00 - 2015-03-29 17:00 | Mississippi College School of Law, 151 E Griffith St, Jackson, MS, 39201, United States
Startup Weekend is an intense 54-hour event powered by Google for Entrepreneurs that operates worldwide and brings together entrepreneurs, programmers, coders, developers and other business-minded individuals for a weekend of company creation.
All Startup Weekend events follow the same basic model: anyone is welcome to pitch their startup idea and receive feedback from their peers. Teams organically form around the top ideas (as determined by popular vote) and then it’s a 54-hour frenzy of business model creation, coding, designing and market validation. The weekends culminate with presentations in front of local entrepreneurial leaders with another opportunity for critical feedback.
A block of rooms have been reserved at a discount rate at the Jackson Marriott. Call 601-969-5100, and be sure to mention “Startup Weekend Jackson” when making the reservation.
Startup Weekend Oxford is organized by the employees of Innovate Mississippi. Contact Tasha Bibb at tbibb@innovate.ms for more information.

2015 Manufacturing Summit
2015-03-18 08:00 - 16:00 | The Franklin Center, 201 Locksley Way, Starkville, MS, 39759, United States
The fifth annual Manufacturing Summit, featuring the theme “Focus on the Future,” will bring together manufacturing, logistics and transportation leaders for a day of celebrating, innovating and challenging the future of manufacturing.
Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant will be offering the keynote address, morning sessions will focus on the future of manufacturing on global, national and regional scales, and afternoon sessions will focus on the future of intermodal transportation and manufacturing logistics. Hal Sirkin, senior partner and managing director at Boston Consulting Group in Chicago, will serve as the featured speaker and will discuss CEO research-based predictions for the future of manufacturing. In addition, former Mississippi State University (MSU) president Malcolm A. Portera will discuss regional manufacturing opportunities and what he sees as important issues for Mississippi manufacturers.
Additional Speakers Include:

Chad Miller, director of the Center for Logistics, Trade and Transportation at the University of Southern Mississippi. Miller will moderate a panel discussion on new logistics strategies and intermodal transportation. Panelists include: Bryan Hunt, Seacor America’s Marine Highway, LLC; Steve Puryear, MSU Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems Extension; and Dan Pallme, Intermodal Freight Transportation Institute at the University of Memphis.
Bill Perdue, vice president of regulatory affairs at American Home Furnishings Alliance. Perdue will present the latest information on regulatory restrictions.
Steve Puryear, MSU Center for Advance Vehicular Systems Extension. Puryear will speak on highway transportation logistics facing the furniture and home furnishings value chains.
David Shaw, MSU vice president for research and economic development. Shaw will discuss how the university develops and supports job growth in the manufacturing industry.

A block of rooms has been reserved at the Hilton Garden Inn in Starkville. Call 662-615-9664 and ask for the Manufacturing Summit rate.

MS Small Business Development Forum
2015-03-17 08:30 - 16:30 | Central MS Research & Extension Center, 1320 Seven Springs Road, Raymond, MS, United States
The mission of the MS Small Business Development Forum is to extend knowledge to entrepreneurs and small businesses in the areas of: concept development, startup, growth and renewal. Also, the forum will connect entrepreneurs and small businesses to the resources of Alcorn State University, Hinds Community College, Mississippi State University and other small business support organizations.
Program Objectives:

Provide four educational sessions related to: entrepreneurship and small business startup, small business and government processes, e-commerce and marketing strategies, and customer service practices.
Connect small businesses to essential collegiate resources to promote the establishment, growth and renewal of small businesses in Mississippi.

Four Content Areas at the Forum

E-Commerce & Marketing
Entrepreneurship & Basics of Small Business Development
Businesses and Government: Requirements and Taxation
Business & Customer Service

2015 Innovation Conference
2015-03-04 - 2015-03-05 | Nissan North America Plant, 300 Nissan Drive, Canton, MS, 39046, United States
The 2015 Innovation Conference is an annual event showcasing the latest technologies for improving quality and productivity within the automotive industry. There will be more than 60 exhibitors displaying emerging technologies products that provide a competitive edge. Last year, more than 1,100 people attended the conference and gained valuable insight regarding innovative technologies to improve the quality of their products.

eTech Conference
2015-03-03 09:00 - 17:00 | Clyde Muse Center, 515 Country Place Parkway, Pearl, MS, 39208, United States
The eTech Conference brings together industry leaders, educational professionals and economic development agencies for the purpose of helping businesses better participate in the “new” economy.
Business are faced with the challenge of filtering through the vast amount of information about how to stay vibrant and relevant. This conference will combine an educational forum with real world expertise to assist business owners and executives in putting together a strategy for success.
Governor Phil Bryant will deliver the keynote address.
Video streaming of the event will also be available.

Waste to Biogas & Clean Fuels Finance & Investment Summit
2015-03-03 - 2015-03-04 | Biltmore Hotel & Suites, 2151 Laurelwood Road, Santa Clara, CA, 95054, United States
Infocast’s Waste to Biogas & Clean Fuels Finance & Investment Summit will bring together key government decision makers, municipalities, utilities, off-takers, commercial generators and fleet owners with feedstock providers, waste service companies, conversion technology companies, project /infrastructure developers, EPCs and financiers to develop and finance the next generation of waste to biogas and clean fuels projects. The summit will also bring waste conversion stakeholders together with fleet owners, aviation and naval biofuel leaders, CNG/LNG infrastructure developers, and alternative clean vehicle companies to outline the opportunities available for waste to BioCNG/LNG/Fuels projects and to fuel industry growth.
Topics include:

Federal, state and industry policy-makers discussing available incentives, grants and opportunities driving the market
Muncipalities, cities and counties sharing waste conversion lessons learned and implications for future projects
Utilities and off-takers providing their perspectives on acquiring energy from waste and contracting needs
Financiers and developers sharing their perspectives and needs in financing the next generation of waste conversion projects

Contact Dr. Sumesh Arora at sarora@innovate.ms to receive a discount code.

Tupelo Mississippi Angel Network Meeting
2015-02-24 17:30 - 19:00 | Unnamed Venue, Tupelo, MS, United States
The meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m. with networking, light food and drinks. The presentations will begin at 6 p.m., each followed by a 10 minute Q&A.
If you are an accredited or institutional investor interested in reviewing these opportunities or attending a meeting near you, contact Lynlee Honea at lhonea@innovate.ms or 601-960-3610 for more information.
More information will be available soon.

Startup Weekend Oxford
2015-02-20 19:00 - 2015-02-22 17:00 | The University of Mississippi, Oxford
Startup Weekend is an intense 54-hour event powered by Google for Entrepreneurs that operates worldwide and brings together entrepreneurs, programmers, coders, developers and other business-minded individuals for a weekend of company creation.
All Startup Weekend events follow the same basic model: anyone is welcome to pitch their startup idea and receive feedback from their peers. Teams organically form around the top ideas (as determined by popular vote) and then it’s a 54-hour frenzy of business model creation, coding, designing and market validation. The weekends culminate with presentations in front of local entrepreneurial leaders with another opportunity for critical feedback.
Startup Weekend Oxford is organized by the employees of Innovate Mississippi. Contact Dee Hamill at dhamill@innovate.ms for more information.

MSET Lunch & Learn
2015-02-19 11:30 - 13:30 | Stennis Space Center, John C. Stennis Space Center, MS, 39529, United States
The Mississippi Enterprise for Technology’s (MSET) February Lunch & Learn will feature a Stennis-based Security Cooperation and Security Assistance organization operating under the U.S. Special Operations Command. In addition, current and future international training programs offered by the Naval Small Craft Instruction and Technical Training School will be discussed and how such training impacts the security environment for more than 100 partner nations around the globe. The Lunch & Learn will also include plans for expansion of international training opportunities at Stennis Space Center and ways to identify potential opportunities and methods of interaction with this unique command.
Following the presentation, MSET mentor Matthew McLaughlin of Baker, Donaldson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz will speak on the Top 10 legal mistakes made by startups and small businesses.
Contact Belinda Gill at belinda.n.gill@nasa.gov or 228-688-3144 for more information.

Energy Efficiency and Combined Heat & Power Stakeholder Meeting and Workshop
2015-02-19 11:00 - 13:30 | Carpenter Mechanical Engineering Building, 210 Carpenter Engineering Bldg, Mississippi State University, MS, 39762, United States
Energy efficiency is an important, but often overlooked mechanism for cost savings in the industrial manufacturing, commercial and institutional sectors. Join us to gain the knowledge needed to evaluate energy consumption patterns, increase the efficiency of operations and implement on-site combined heat and power (CHP) generation.
Workshop target sectors:

Industrial manufacturers
Hospitals
Academic institutions

Who should attend?

Manufacturing operations managers
Facilities or building managers
Energy efficiency professionals
Utilities staff
Business and policy decision makers

Topics covered:

Industrial energy efficiency
Building a culture of energy efficiency
CHP system components
Is CHP right for your facility?
Barriers to CHP

Workshop Highlight: Tour of the Mississippi State University Micro-CHP building and the on-campus power generation system
Hosts: Mississippi State University, Mississippi Development Authority – Energy and Natural Resources Division and InnovateMEP Mississippi
Click here for more information.

Global Business Leadership Program
2015-02-19 08:00 - 16:00 | Unnamed Venue, Jackson, MS, United States
The Mississippi World Trade Center’s Global Business Leadership Program will educate participants on effective global management styles and provide insight into crucial cultural knowledge and strategies to strengthen business operations and competitiveness in a global marketplace.
Participants will gain an understanding of global leadership styles, conduct hands-on working experiences to solve real-world case, build confidence and proficiency with international relations, interact with industry experts, receive cutting-edge information and more!
Monthly in-person and online sessions will be held from February through November. The first and final meetings will be held in Jackson and additional venues will include industry-leading companies across the state that conduct business abroad.

Homegrown Enterprises: Mississippi Entrepreneurs Tell ‘How They Did It’
2015-02-17 19:00 - 20:00 | Gertrude C. Ford Academic Complex Recital Hall, 1701 North State St., Jackson, MS, 39210, United States
“Homegrown Enterprises: Mississippi Entrepreneurs Tell ‘How They Did It’” will feature Polly Dement, author of the recently published book, Mississippi Entrepreneurs, as well as Dr. Bill Cooley, Toni Cooley, Jeff Good, Dan Blumenthal and Joe Donovan.

Jackson Mississippi Angel Network Meeting
2015-02-10 17:30 - 19:00 | Unnamed Venue, Jackson, MS, United States

2015 MEDC Winter Conference
2015-02-04 08:00 - 2015-02-06 17:00 | Hilton Hotel, 1001 East County Line Road, Jackson, MS, 39211, United States
The Mississippi Economic Development Council’s (MEDC) 2015 Winter Conference will feature The PONT Group and C-suite executives, tax professionals and international site consultants who will provide valuable insight on decision-making.

Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Industry Day
2015-02-03 07:00 - 14:00 | Infinity Science Center, 1 Discovery Circle, Stennis Space Center, MS, 39529, United States
The Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) Industry Day event is hosted by the NASA Stennis Space Center (SSC) and the SSC Small Business Consortium as an opportunity for companies to learn more about doing business with NASA.
Attendees will hear from small business program managers and specialists from NASA headquarters and all centers, small business technical coordinators, prime contractor representatives and more. Attendees will also have the opportunity to meet with NASA Small Business Specialists and contractors.
SDVOSB companies, as well as all small businesses are encouraged to attend. If you have any special accommodation requirements, or would like to exhibit at the event, contact Robert Watts at smallbusiness@mail.nasa.gov.
