NETWORKING ACTIVITIES
APRIL 13-17, 2019 | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | HILTON MINNEAPOLIS
Twin Cities Highlights Tour and Mall of America
April 14, 2019 12:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m
Take the afternoon and experience a sampling of what makes the Twin Cities fantastic. During the two-hour tour, your guide will provide commentary on the downtowns of Minneapolis and Saint Paul and surrounding areas.
Fee: $59
READ MOREMinneapolis is filled with exciting attractions, events, restaurants, clubs, shopping, culture, sports, recreation and entertainment that is unsurpassed in the Midwest. The excitement will start when we first glimpse the Minneapolis skyline, an ever-changing scene of contemporary skyscrapers in a dazzling variety of colors, shapes and sizes that heralds the city’s dynamic growth and vibrant, thriving lifestyle. While in Minneapolis we will explore the famous Nicollet Mall, Skyway network, theater district, Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, Guthrie Theatre, Milwaukee Train Depot, Orchestra Hall, the television home of Mary Tyler Moore, and St. Anthony Falls, the birthplace of Minneapolis.
A short stop will be made at Minnehaha Falls to see Minnesota’s oldest tourist attraction. This is where the twenty-two mile Minnehaha Creek, which flows from Lake Minnetonka through the western suburbs of Minneapolis and into the city, dives over the falls and into the Mississippi River. The fifty-three foot falls have been immortalized in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s “Song of Hiawatha” and are visited by thousands of tourists and locals every year.
Our next destination is Saint Paul, Minnesota’s charming historic capital city. Magnificent Art Deco and Victorian reminders of the past nestle next to sleek skyscrapers, giving this Capital City an Old World charm. While in Saint Paul we will the Minnesota State Capitol, considered the second most beautiful capitol building in the United States, after Utah. We will see the magnificent Cathedral of Saint Paul, the fourth largest cathedral in the United States with seating for 3,000 people. Built in the Classical Renaissance style of architecture, the Cathedral dome is modeled after St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
We will drive along Summit Avenue, one of the longest stretches of virtually uninterrupted Victorian architecture in the United States. This monumental boulevard of homes, churches, synagogues and schools attracts tourists and natives alike who stroll past its architectural curiosities and landmarks. Streets like Summit Avenue were not uncommon in the 19th century, but in most American cities, these thoroughfares have completely lost their character to progress, except in Saint Paul. Some homes to note along Summit Avenue are the James J. Hill House, the home of F. Scott Fitzgerald and the Governor’s Mansion.
Following our city tour your group will be dropped off at the renowned Mall of America for two hours of shopping time. Designed as a city within a city, the nation’s premier shopping and entertainment destination has over 4.2 million square feet of space and 4.3 miles of storefront footage, making Mall of America a must-see attraction. Mall of America consists of four “avenues” placed in a square around the centerpiece, Nickelodeon Universe. Not to mention no sales tax on clothing or shoes!
ICBI33 Orientation
April 14, 2019 4:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m
First time attending ICBI? We have you covered! Join other first-time attendees, prior to the opening reception to learn how to maximize your conference experience! Orientation will cover the track options, sessions, keynotes and activities to make sure you’re not missing any of the action. Plus learn how to optimize the ICBI33 App. Meet the conference co-chairs who will guide you on connecting with fellow new attendees, InBIA staff, board members and veteran industry leaders to gain meaningful industry relations while you are here! This is also a perfect time to ask questions and let staff know if there is someone specific you with whom you would like to connect!
Opening Reception and Game Night
April 14, 2019 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m
Welcome to the 33rd International Conference on Business Incubation! Start ICBI33 with a bang by reconnecting with old buddies and meeting new friends! If you want to connect with peers informally, participate in the “game night” aspect of this reception, which will feature card and board games centered around entrepreneurship and startups. Also, promote your organization’s brand to a global audience by participating in the first “Swag Swap,” during which attendees exchange items branded with their organizational logos. Each participant will take home some new branded swag and a great story to share about an industry peer! Come enjoy the fun, and kick-back over drinks, snacks and games!
Minneapolis Walk & Strolls*
April 15, 5:45 – 6:30 a.m.
April 16, 5:45 a.m. – 6:30 a.m.
Recharge and exercise your mind and body while enjoying Minneapolis’ crisp trailways. These casual outdoor walks accommodate any fitness condition. Bring comfortable walking shoes and clothing.
ICBI33 Hackathon
April 15, 2019 7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
What could we solve in our communities if we put common ecosystem challenges at the center of our work, instead of our own organization? We’re kicking off the conference with a highly interactive plenary session that will allow you to network with your fellow conference attendees while brainstorming new solutions to barriers and issues faced by entrepreneurs and our organizations that serve them. The team members from Epicenter, the entrepreneurship hub organization for the Memphis region, will guide each table in deconstructing and solving a given challenge within entrepreneurial ecosystems. This dynamic exercise will empower you to practice effective network leadership and will leave you with new perspectives on tackling similar barriers at home.
Forge North Meetup Dinners
April 15, 2019 5:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Keep the conversation going Monday night with local ecosystem leaders and fellow ICBI33 attendees! Members of Forge North, a coalition of Minnesota’s entrepreneurs, investors, ecosystem builders, makers and collaborators will host dinners across the cities and help guide attendees in meaningful conversation around a variety of topics, including:
- Corporate innovation,
- Underestimated entrepreneurs,
- Female founders,
- Accelerator programs,
- Coworking spaces,
- Food and agriculture,
- Healthcare,
- Higher education institutions
- Social enterprises.
Pick a topic you are passionate about and head to a local restaurant to enjoy great food and in-depth conversation with your peers. Please note: each attendee is responsible to pay for his or her own dinner.
ICBI33 After Hours
April 15, 2019 8:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Cap off your Monday Night meetup with dessert and coffee with other attendees at the hotel. Kick back, relax and network with fellow ICBI attendees in an informal atmosphere.
InBIA Celebration
April 16, 2019 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday evening, ICBI33 is kicking it up a notch with a celebration to remember! InBIA is rolling out the red carpet (literally!) to celebrate the impact that members and attendees make in economies across the globe! We will honor the recipients of the 2019 InBIA Awards and celebrate excellence in entrepreneurial support. Join us for a red-carpet step and repeat, food, drinks, and a DJ. If you want, you can also show off your best cocktail attire!
Corporate Reverse Pitch Breakfast
April 17, 2019 7:45 a.m. – 8:45 a.m.
This is your chance to hear from corporate innovation officers and technology scouts from around Minneapolis in the fintech, insurance tech, food & agriculture technology, retail technology and manufacturing industries. Representatives from leading Fortune 1000 corporations based in Minneapolis will discuss their innovation priorities for engaging with startup companies through co-development, trial projects and investment. In this session you will hear directly from these corporations about opportunities for the companies you represent to work with corporate stakeholders. More will be added, but current participants include:
ICBI33 1 Million Cups
April 17, 2019 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Minneapolis 1 Million Cups is coming to ICBI33! Join us for a special opportunity to learn about this event for entrepreneurs by seeing it in action. Hear from two local entrepreneurs who will share their businesses, explain the challenges they are facing, and get feedback from a room full of industry experts (that’s you)! Don’t miss your chance to share your expertise and leave a lasting impact on the entrepreneurial community in the Twin Cities. Meanwhile, you can see if a 1 Million Cups event would be right for your community.
More information on 1 Million Cups:
Based on the notion that entrepreneurs discover solutions and engage with their communities over a million cups of coffee, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation developed 1 Million Cups in 2012—a free program designed to educate, engage and inspire entrepreneurs around the country. Through the power of volunteers, 1 Million Cups has grown to more than 180 communities. As a program of the Kauffman Foundation, 1 Million Cups works with entrepreneurs, empowering them with the tools and resources to break down barriers that stand in the way of starting and growing their businesses.
Twin Cities Innovation Spaces Tour**
April 17, 2019 10:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Experience excellence in innovation and entrepreneurial support occurring in the Twin Cities during this all day tour.
Tour Sites Include:
- 3M Innovation Center – a tailored innovation lab designed to meet the specific goals, interests and needs of 3M businesses and customers
- FINNEGANS House – an innovative brewery in which 100% of profits are donated to feeding the hungry that includes a taproom, event space and a social business incubator and accelerator called FINNOVATION Lab
- Lunar Startups – a new model for incubation dedicated to underestimated entrepreneurs building high growth companies
- Techstars Farm to Fork – a Food Tech accelerator focused on digital solutions across the entire food value chain
- University Enterprise Laboratories (UEL) – an an incubator for early-stage ventures in life sciences, biomedical, and technology
Read more details about the tour stops here.
*Group exercise waiver and release form required.
**Lunch is included.