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EngenuitySC announces 8th annual Ignite leadership conference

Submitted by: Emily Brady on Sep 21, 2011 at 3:05 pm Tagged with: Economic Development, Entrepreneurship, Innovation, knoweldge economy, Talent Retention Source: EngenuitySC

START SOMETHING…ENGENUITYSC ANNOUNCES 8TH ANNUAL IGNITE LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE CELEBRATING COLUMBIA’S KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY
Conference Highlights Home-Grown Talent and Features New Pitch Competition

COLUMBIA, S.C. – (September 21, 2011) - EngenuitySC announced today that it will hold its award-winning 8th annual Ignite leadership conference showcasing and celebrating innovated and talented leaders of the Columbia region’s knowledge economy on Wednesday, November 16th, from 5:15 P.M. until 8:00 P.M. at the Zone at Williams Brice Stadium. This year’s Ignite theme is Start Something.

Continuing its fast-paced format celebrating innovation and entrepreneurship in the style of the popular TEDx and Pecha-Kucha conferences, this year’s Ignite program will include more audience interaction and engagement, including presentations by five dynamic speakers delivering high-energy messages about their passions and visions for building the region’s knowledge economy.

While not yet released, the anticipated slate of speakers represent everything that is great about Columbia and exemplify the organization’s mission to create knowledge, recruit talent, foster entrepreneurship and help Columbia compete in the 21st century.

“They will share three things in common,” said Neil McLean, executive director for EngenuitySC, in regards to the speakers for this year’s event. “They will showcase our local talent, share something they are passionate about and speak on the story behind their own endeavors.”

Along with its announcement, EngenuitySC also released a promotional video for the event produced by upstart firm from the University of South Carolina Columbia Incubator, Dinobrite Productions. The brief and creative video, available on EngenuitySC’s website and YouTube channel, features University of South Carolina President Dr. Harris Pastides and City of Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin leading a team of Columbia’s entrepreneurs and grassroots leaders through an explosive, neon-lit montage of the previous year’s speakers.

“The idea behind the video is to show how someone can take a spark, let it go, and it explodes into something bigger than you could have ever imagined when you first started,” said Neil McLean. “We think that visually, the video really encapsulates our Ignite theme of start something, and we hope it will be inspiring,” he added.

Another new component of this year’s Ignite conference is a competition called Ignite Columbia. The contest allows any Columbia citizen the chance to pitch their innovative idea to start something- an initiative, project or movement that will positively impact the region. Finalists will pitch their ideas live at the Ignite event, and attendees will take a vote to choose which vision should become reality. More information about the contest will be released soon. More than ten businesses and organizations have already signed on to sponsor and support the event this year, including anchors BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina and Wells Fargo. Additional sponsorship opportunities are still available.

“Ignite is about turning ideas into something tangible and celebrating the tremendous relationship that exists between the state’s flagship university, the City and the business community,” said City of Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin, who serves as co-chair for EngenuitySC along with University of South Carolina President Dr. Harris Pastides.

Event Details
EngenuitySC’s 8th Annual Ignite Leadership Conference
Wednesday, November 16th, 2011
5:15 P.M. until 8:00 P.M.
The Zone @ Williams Brice Stadium
Tickets are $30. Sponsorships available now.
Ignite Columbia contest registration open now and ends October 16, 2011
www.engenuitysc.com/ignite

About EngenuitySC
EngenuitySC is a public/private partnership formed in 2003 to develop and grow Columbia’s regional knowledge-based economy. EngenuitySC leads initiatives that leverage the region’s assets, promote commercialization, and support research while building collaborations around these projects that are comprised of leaders from business, government and higher education. Together we foster an environment where entrepreneurship, innovation, and the creation of knowledge are fundamental elements of our region's culture, identity, and economic development strategy.
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