Middletown’s Innovative Eco System & Middlesex Chamber Entrepreneur Council Kickoff

Dear Local Valued Chamber Member:

You have been identified as a local disruptor!

Don’t worry, that’s a great thing. A disruptor is an entrepreneur that has created something that did not exist before, and something that has the potential to create a lasting economic benefit.

You are invited to join us for a groundbreaking discussion on how to grow Middletown’s innovative ecosystem. This event will be held on Thursday, March 2, 2017 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce. This meeting will feature complimentary pizza, beer, wine, a business card raffle, and an exchange of ideas on how to truly unleash Middletown’s innovative potential.

Why are we having this meetup?
Over the past several years, Middletown has been taking small, incremental steps to support our small businesses and entrepreneurs but we are in need of a collective, focused strategy to make big changes happen. In order to develop a strategy that best meets the needs of our entrepreneurs and small business community, we need your feedback, ideas, and participation.

Once we develop the strategy, it will be used to apply for state funds that can be used for implementation. The Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce is the lead organization and the entity that is responsible for officially applying for, administering, and reporting on the program.

About the Innovation Places Program:
The Innovation Places program seeks to support entrepreneurs and leaders developing places that will attract the talent high-growth enterprises need. Innovation Places is a state initiative led by CTNext, a public/private network of entrepreneurs, mentors, service providers and others helping Connecticut’s most promising startups succeed and grow.

Think of an area you can walk to, bike to or take a train to where your mind comes alive with possibilities; where you run into brilliant people solving big problems and inventing new technology; where the sidewalks and cafes are full of conversation; where art events and music venues brim with people making new friends—a place full of ideas.

Such places attract talent like magnets. And they produce new solutions, products, and businesses that create jobs—high-skill, mid-skill and low-skill jobs—quickly. Young people and innovative organizations want to be in dense, vibrant, walkable places with public transportation and a mix of uses.

This is your chance to get involved and help Middletown grow its innovation ecosystem. We hope you can join us!

Please RSVP to Jeff Pugliese at jpugliese@middlesexchamber.com.

If you cannot attend in-person, there are still ways you can provide your input to this process remotely. For those that can attend, please bring a laptop or tablet if you can. Thank you!