Students partnered with the Griggs Center for Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy to plan more than 100 events for the sixth annual Startup Week.

Startup week begins Monday and is a celebration of entrepreneurship that allows students to connect with alumni through workshops, featured speakers and opportunities for networking.

Student director Cameron Seaman, senior marketing and management major from Georgetown, said amid the stresses of planning the event, she remains excited to see how it all unfolds.

“We really want it to reach all parts of campus and not be limited to the business school,” Seaman said. “There has also been a lot of logistical planning. Finding venues and vendors and brainstorming and connecting with entrepreneurs to invite to different events has also been a huge task. We are feeling like we are well prepared for the week and are excited for all of the events to begin.”

The week-long event is run mostly by students with the help of staff from the Griggs Center.

Lucy Carmichael, student engagement coordinator in the Griggs center, said students and staff can expect to hear real world lessons and advice from alumni and other entrepreneurs. 

“Startup Week allows students and staff the opportunity to hear personal stories from entrepreneurs and hopefully spark interest in entrepreneurship in the future, allowing students to learn from the guests’ experiences,” Carmichael said. 

Students can also use this event as an opportunity for networking within the community throughout the week.

There are many events for students, faculty and alumni to participate in on campus and in the community. Some of the events that are set to take place Monday include a networking lunch, the appearance of a guest speaker in Moody Chapel and a dinner that evening. An elevator pitch contest is also set to take place during the day.

The elevator pitch contest is a competition where students can pitch a product, app or business idea in two minutes or less to receive a prize.

For more information and locations of the events during the week, visit the Griggs Center in the College of Business Administration building or send an email to representatives at griggscenter@acu.edu.