October in Western New York is bursting with events for entrepreneurs ranging from Main Street to high growth. Here are a few of the best things to do this month, as chosen by Upstart NY’s editorial advisory council. The list includes networking events, live pitch competitions, and more.
1. Buffalo Open Coffee Club
Tuesday, October 22 at 7:30 AM
Rowhouse Bakery and Restaurant, 483 Delaware Ave.
Buffalo Open Coffee Club is an informal meetup that serves as a great way to take the pulse of the startup community. BOCC begins with newcomer introductions followed by job and event announcements. The balance of the hour is a group discussion about startups, with topics including new products, industry trends, and other current events. Free to attend.
RSVP
2. UB Innovation Hub Design Reveal
Thursday, October 24 at 4:00 PM
NYS Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics & Life Sciences, 701 Ellicott St.
The design plans for the incubator renovations at the NYS Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics & Life Sciences (CBLS) have been finalized! You are invited to come get a sneak peek of the design plans over cocktails and light refreshments.
RSVP
3. Northland Small Business Networking Series
Thursday, October 24 at 6:00 PM
Northland Central, 683 Northland Ave., Buffalo, NY
Mayor Byron W. Brown and Buffalo Urban Development Corp. invite you to the second round of the Northland Small Business Networking Series in partnership with the Beverly Gray Business Exchange Center presented by Northwest Bank. Come network with other small businesses, learn about available space on the Northland Campus, and get plugged in to valuable resources at Beverly Gray. Light refreshments provided.
Free. Email to register.
4. 43North Finals Qualifying Round
Oct. 29, starting at 8:00 am and ongoing
Seneca One Tower, 1 West Seneca St., Buffalo, NY
Who will make the cut and pitch live on stage at Shea’s on October 30th? Be there as the 16 finalists pitch in front of investors from across North America, who will then determine the Top 10 that will move on to 43North Finals. The format of the event will be a five-minute pitch, followed by 10 minutes of Q&A from our judges.
Feel free to pop in and out at any point during the day! General seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
5. 43North Finals
Wednesday, October 30 at 6:00 PM
Shea’s Performing Arts Center, 650 Main St., Buffalo, NY
This is it. The 43North Finals on October 30th, where startups pitch live on stage for a cut of $5M in investment. Winners participate in a 12-month accelerator program with expert mentorship, free incubator space in Buffalo, and access to an extensive investor and customer network. The event is a highlight of the year.
Register here for free tickets.