Some might be tackling their fitness, others their careers, but this list is for those looking to learn and do more in 2017.
Over the past several years, the Southeast has become home to several emerging tech and entrepreneurship hubs, giving the major coastal cities a run for their money. And with the growth of startups, digital marketing and tech in these areas have come some pretty cool education and networking opportunities.
Here’s a selection of notable conferences and events on our radar for 2017, both local and in a day's drive. Suggest any additions in the comments below.
Geekend 2017
Location: The Guild Hall, Savannah GA
Date: January 27-28
Price: $150-$550 ($39 for students)
About: Called Savannah's only "geekfest", this event is for creatives, innovators, developers and others interested in learning about new technologies and trends. There's also a gaming track and a pitch event that seems mostly targeted Savannah startups. This could be a fun way to get away for the weekend and make connections in another city's startup community.
Location: Washington D.C.
Date: Feb 21
Price: $10
As part of a series of pitch and networking events brought to us by TechCrunch, the TechCrunch Meetup + Pitch-Off will we be taking place in D.C. this February. The event consists of 10 startups pitching to TechCrunch editors and investors, with just a minute or less to impress the judges. The deadline to apply to pitch is February 6. Teams are competing for a spot at Startup Alley during TechCrunch Disrupt NY in late May. Part party, part networking event and part competition, the event should have something for all digital professionals, entrepreneurs and investors in the Capitol and beyond.
High Five
Location: Sheraton Raleigh Hotel
Date: Feb 28 - Mar 2
Price: $440-$970
About: Founded in 2013 by AMA Triangle, High Five looks to celebrate and cultivate the thriving marketing and creative scene in the Triangle. The three-day event was designed in hopes of drawing in local marketers and entrepreneurs sick of the trip to San Francisco or New York for inspiration and events. Speakers scheduled for High Five 2017 represent entities like Facebook and the Content Marketing Institute, bringing major talent to the Triangle.
CED Life Science Conference
Location: Raleigh Convention Center
Date: Feb 28 - Mar 1
Price: $275-$800
About: Billing itself as one of the “leading life science gatherings in the nation”, the CED Life Science Conference is a place where science innovators can rub elbows with business leaders in hopes of finding funding, inspiration, or fun. Previous speakers include Krishna Yeshwant of Google Ventures and Robert J. Lefkowitz, M.D., Nobel Laureate. Sponsors include companies like Pfizer, Merck and Duke Clinical Research Institute.
Charlotte Venture Challenge
Location: UNC Charlotte
Date: TBD but typically April
Price: TBD
About: This pitch event promises startups connections to both investors and Southeast-headquartered corporations like Belk, Lowe's, Wells Fargo and more. More than 300 startups typically apply to pitch at the event, and more than $150,000 in prizes are awarded. The venture challenge has connected some local startups with important investor connections. Read one company's story here.
DIG South
Location: Charleston Gaillard Center, Charleston SC.
Date: April 25–27
Price: $600-$1200
About: The Dig South Innovation Conference labels itself as “a summit for the best of the best” in the digital commerce ecosystem. Claiming 2,000 attendees, 200-plus speakers and “1 kickass innovation conference” at the 2016 event, 2017 has the theme “breakthroughs”. With speakers like Vox Media CEO Jim Bankoff, CEO of DraftKings Jason Robbins and CEO and co-founder of Casper Philip Krim, attendees won’t want for compelling and bleeding-edge information.
Innovate Your Cool
Location: American Underground @Main in Durham
Date: April 29
Price: Free
About: A subset of the Art of Cool Festival, Innovate Your Cool is a one day conference in downtown Durham celebrating innovation, diversity, community, entrepreneurship and art. The speaker and workshop lineup is typically as eclectic as the event’s focus and will likely be announced closer to the conference.
Spark by TrackMaven
Location: Knight Conference Center, Washington D.C.
Date: May 5
Price: $399 - $599
About: Spark will be returning to D.C. in 2017 for its sixth year exploring data-driven digital and content marketing in the Capitol. This year’s speakers include marketers and other business professionals from companies like the New York Times, Viacom and Marriott—with more to be announced.
Location: downtown Durham
Date: May 18 - 21
Price: $99-$1,500
About: Founded in 2004 in memory of Moog synthesizer inventor Robert Moog, the conference-cum-concert made the move from Asheville, NC to its new home in Durham in 2016 after financial trouble during previous years.
Perhaps the strangest on this list, Moogfest can be best summed up in three words: weird, loud and enlightening. Featuring talks, sessions and workshops during the day whose topics range from automation to theremin operation, the conference transforms when the sun goes down. As night falls, the event turns from conference to music festival, with last year’s acts including GZA of Wu-Tang and the thunderously loud and imposing Sunn O))). Moogfest 2016 was a uniquely Durham event, but with a global audience. Here is a hint at what to expect in 2017.
Digital Summit Atlanta
Location: Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, Atlanta GA.
Date: May 23-24
Price: $245 - $645
About: Presented by Raleigh-based TechMedia as part of its Digital Summit events series, Digital Summit Atlanta brings national talent and interest in the digital world to the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern states. Focusing on customer/client relations and user experience in the digital world, their two day event has hosted speakers like David Shing of AOL, Gary Vaynerchuck of VaynerMedia and Tim Goudie of Coca-Cola.
36|86
Location: Schermerhorn Symphony Center, Nashville TN.
Date: Jun 5-6
Price: $299 - $499
About: Produced by LaunchTN, 36|86 aims to be a haven for Southeastern entrepreneurship and a celebration of its culture. In addition to talks and workshops, the 2016 event gathered 36 startups to compete for a $36,000 prize. Companies like Uber and Eventbrite have made the speaker list, and attending investing groups number near 100.
FUSION Conference
Location: Washington DC
Date: June 7-8
Price: $295-795
About: Formerly called the Southeast Venture Conference, this is an event connecting venture capitalists around the nation with startups located in the Southeast. There are panel discussions based on certain industries and technologies, as well as speakers and dozens of pitches. It's a can't-miss event for companies hoping to raise institutional capital at some point in the lifecycle of their companies.
Innovate Raleigh Summit
Location: downtown Raleigh
Date: TBD but typically late summer/early fall
Price: TBD
About: The Innovate Raleigh Summit is a yearly event bringing together local “entrepreneurs, business executives, local officials, educators + students” to explore emerging topics in industry. Last year’s summit focused on the future of transportation and speakers included business leaders, city planning experts and venture capitalists.
CED Tech Venture Conference
Location: Raleigh Convention Center
Date: September 19-20
Price: TBD
About: CED's conference for tech companies and investors is a highlight of the year for the local startup community. With more than 100 venture capitalists typically in attendance, and a demo room full of startups and tech companies, it's an ideal place for meeting new customers, partners or investors. There's typically a compelling lineup of speakers, both national and local, as well as lots of opportunities to pitch investors from the stage.
Baltimore Innovation Week
Location: Baltimore
Date: Sept 29 - Oct 7
Price: TBD
About: Baltimore Innovation Week, or BIW, is a weeklong celebration and learning event brought to the city by Technical.ly. Each day during the event focuses on a specific subsection within the innovation economy such as media, development, business or the sciences. The conference has grown over its six years in operation with last year’s attendance numbering nearly 10,000. Past conference sessions have included sessions on the Baltimore art scene’s influence on local tech tech, VR/AR and the growing startup and entrepreneurship districts in Baltimore.
Black Wall Street Homecoming
Location: Durham
Date: TBD but typically October
Price: TBD
About: Black Wall Street Homecoming is a conference for and about minority entrepreneurs and other emergent professionals in the Southeast. Now entering its third year, the event features speakers, networking and mentorship opportunities, all while celebrating Durham's heritage as a center of black business. The areas of expertise represented by speakers exemplifies the group’s emphasis on diversityand inclusion; the lineup has included game designers, CEOs, marketers, attorneys, musicians, venture capitalists and professors.
All Things Open
Location: Raleigh Convention Center
Date: October 23-24
Price: $99-$249
About: True to its name, All Things Open is a two-day event surrounding just about all things open source—and then some. Last year’s events started off with an afternoon jog around downtown Raleigh, drinks and networking, then followed early the next morning with a 9 a.m. keynote on parallels between punk rock and the idea of open source. Speakers last year included chief officers and leaders at global brands like Microsoft, Intel, RedHat, Walmart and Google. With 3,500 guests expected this year, this conference promises to be one of the largest of its kind on the East Coast.
Cucalorus Connect
Location: Wilmington
Date: TBD but likely mid November
Price: TBD
About: The Cucalorus Film Festival has been a staple of the Wilmington community for nearly 20 years but in recent years, it's added innovation and tech programming over the four day festival. Expect a third event this November, with both Wilmington and other regional and national entrepreneurs and investors as speakers.
Women in Tech Summit
Location: The Frontier at RTP
Date: November 11
Price: $40 for students, $75
About: This national event series came to Raleigh Durham for the first time in 2016 and pledges to be back again this year. It typically includes a variety of speakers, both national and local, as well as workshops and panel discussions for women and female students in or interested in technology fields.
Location: Raleigh Convention Center
Date: Nov 15-16
Price: $245-$645
About: The Internet Summit is a two-day affair covering the “digital commerce ecosystem” for marketers, UX & UI professionals, SEO experts and more. During its fifth year in 2016, the conference hosted speakers like Al Madrigal of Daily Show fame and Morgan Spurlock, best known for his 2004 documentary Super Size Me.
