Community partners in Grand Rapids are launching the region’s inaugural Tech Week GR this year, which will take place Sept. 21st through Sept. 24. Tech Week will be a multi-day event series designed to showcase the region’s tech community.
Events will be hosted in locations across Grand Rapids by a collaborative of community partners including the City of Grand Rapids SmartZone, Confluence, Midwest House, The Right Place, The Right Place’s Technology Council, Spartan Innovations, Start Garden, techni/color/, West Michigan Tech Talent, and more. With events ranging from hands-on tech exhibits and panel discussions, to robotics expos and networking opportunities, there is something for everyone at Tech Week Grand Rapids.
Tech Week will also feature the creation of a Tech Hub pop-up space at 80 Ottawa Ave NW, Grand Rapids, Michigan. This space will be a physical manifestation of the thriving Grand Rapids Innovation Community, and it will be open to the public from 12PM-5PM on September 23rd. During that time, local tech companies will be hosting hands-on exhibits featuring augmented and virtual reality, NFTs and digital wallets, IoT, and more. All ages are welcome.
“The Grand Rapids SmartZone proudly supports our inaugural Tech Week GR. The related events highlight our strong tech sector and showcases it to investors and other hi-tech entrepreneurs evaluating Grand Rapids and West Michigan,” stated Jeremiah Gracia, Executive Director of the Grand Rapids SmartZone.
“Tech Week GR will shine a light on the thriving tech and innovation community we have here in Grand Rapids,” said Jen Wangler, Vice President of Technology at The Right Place. “As the region pursues our goal of becoming the Midwest’s leading tech hub in the next decade, Tech Week GR will show our community’s potential and position us as a destination of choice for tech talent.”
The following events are free and open for registration, although space may be limited. For a full list of Tech Week events, please visit www.techweekgr.com.
- Start Garden Demo Day, Sept. 23, 5PM | GLC LIVE at 20 Monroe - The culmination of Michigan's biggest business competition, check out 100 entrepreneurs vying to be among 10 to win $20,000.
- Hi-Tech Brunch, Sept 22 9AM-11AM, Tech Hub | 80 Ottawa Ave NW – This networking brunch will bring together young, diverse tech professionals in the Grand Rapids area, and is hosted by techni/color/ and West Michigan Tech Talent.
- Tech Talks Happy Hour, Sept 22 3-6PM, Tech Hub | 80 Ottawa Ave NW - This event is focused on the theme of digital innovation and forging connections between established tech leaders and startups within the Grand Rapids ecosystem.
- Grand Rapids Tech Showcase – Sept 23, 12-5PM, Tech Hub | 80 Ottawa Ave NW – This event showcases the emerging technology coming out of Grand Rapids. Includes hands-on exhibits featuring augmented and virtual reality, NFTs and digital wallets, IoT, and more. All ages are welcome.
- Confluence Festival – Sept 23-24 | Studio Park and AMP Lab, Grand Rapids – Confluence is a multi-dimensional festival that explores what’s possible when art, music, science and technology converge. A range of experiential programming includes a robotics expo, e-sports tournament, maker expo, STEAM village, and art takeover of Oakes St Park.
