Notre Dame, the cities of South Bend and Elkhart and various community organizations and businesses will host IDEA Week April 15-21 to highlight innovation and entrepreneurship in the region. From country music stars to famous innovators, there’s something for everyone at this year’s IDEA Week innovation festival. IDEA Week will take place at the university and other South Bend locations and is open to the public.
IDEA Week is now in its fifth year. Over the past six months, planners have developed a program to engage students, business people and locals interested in entrepreneurship. Here is just a sample:
Walker Hayes with Ingrid Andress and Breland IDEA Week Concert, 6 p.m., Saturday, April 15, Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center at the University of Notre Dame. Start the weekend with a concert featuring country music stars Walker Hayes, Ingrid Andress and Breland. Tickets are on sale now via Ticketmaster, ranging from $39 to $129 plus taxes and fees. Doors will open at 6 p.m. and the show will begin at 7 p.m. with Ingrid Andress and Breland opening for Walker Hayes.
Leading the Way: A Conversation on Indiana’s Changing Industry and Manufacturing Landscape with Secretary Bradley Chambers and Fredrick Cartwright, 4:45 p.m.-5:45 p.m., Monday, April 17, at the Embassy Suites of Notre Dame. With its central location, strong workforce and thriving business environment, Indiana has long been a manufacturing and industrial hub. During this session, Indiana Secretary of Commerce Bradley Chambers and Conexus Indiana President and CEO Frederick Cartwright will provide their perspectives on the challenges and opportunities facing Indiana’s manufacturing sector. ‘Indiana. Whether you are a business leader, policy maker, or industry professional, this session will provide you with valuable insights into the future of industry and manufacturing in Indiana.
Migration trends and the moral and practical challenges of meeting the needs of displaced people, 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., Tuesday, April 18, Embassy Suites in Notre Dame. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, 100 million people have been forcibly displaced, and this figure is expected to reach 250 million by the end of the decade. War, civil unrest, economic collapse and the effects of climate change are among the causes. How will we respond to needs on this scale with humanity and compassion? What are we called to provide? Hear Archbishop Borys Gudziak, Metropolitan Archbishop of Philadelphia of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, speak about the plight of displaced Ukrainians in the United States and refugees around the world.
Archbishop Gudziak will participate in this session virtually via Zoom.
Nashville Nights – Songs and Stories Writers for the Biggest Names in Country Music, 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., Tuesday, April 18, The Armory, South Bend. Spend an evening in an intimate setting listening to Nashville’s top songwriters perform their biggest hits and the stories behind them. The show will feature Ira Dean and CJ Fields, who have written for the biggest names in country music, such as Montgomery Gentry, Trace Adkins, Rascal Flatts, Colt Ford, Ashley Bride and many more. This event will be an enhanced live music experience. For a small fee, guests can request songs and tip songwriters using the app Juke, a Notre Dame startup. Admission costs $50 per ticket and includes one drink. Tickets are on sale now via Eventbrite.
Fail Forward with keynote speaker Jacob Brown, from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Wednesday, April 19, Studebaker building. Fail Forward is more than just a hashtag, it’s a way of life. The concept was created by Jacob Brown, a former professional athlete turned businessman, entrepreneur and inspirational speaker. In this session, Brown will discuss the meaning of failure and using failure, adversity, and the difficult times we inevitably go through to learn lessons, develop thicker skin, and help others.
How to Create Your Dream Community for Your Big Idea, from 4 p.m. to 4:45 p.m., Thursday, April 20, Studebaker building. One of the most critical and often overlooked keys to launching, building and scaling your big idea is making sure it has a “community”. This community, which is not necessarily the same thing as customers, will “feature” your big idea, be your first adopters, reduce your marketing costs by orders of magnitude, and keep you motivated and inspired when you feel overwhelmed. session, Radha Agrawal will provide the tools and foundation needed to design your dream community for your big idea. This is a conference to benefit from your entrepreneurial journey!
Registrations to participate in IDEA Week are open. Free entry. The full list of all events, along with details of dates, times and locations, is available here. For more information about IDEA Week, visit website.
