IDEA Week will take place over the coming days in South Bend and Elkhart. The annual event is focused on innovation and business development, with presentations, panel discussions and concerts.
“We have companies that are tech startups. We have local mom and pop shop businesses. We have people who have ideas that they just haven’t quite acted on yet, but they’re thinking about it,” said Liz Folkerts, director of marketing and communications at the South Bend-Elkhart Regional partnership, which organizes the event with help from dozens of businesses and organizations.
Folkerts said IDEA Week also welcomes people looking for ways to support local businesses – or those who simply want to see what’s new.
New this year is a day of programs in Elkhart on Tuesday, with a focus on manufacturing in the morning and the “creative economy" in the afternoon. “So these are artists, musicians – just building that portion of our economic impact here in our region,” Folkerts explained.
Wednesday will feature workshops for business leaders, including a discussion with Elevate Ventures CEO Toph Day, South Bend-Elkhart Regional Partnership President & CEO Bethany Hartley and South Bend Mayor James Mueller exploring how local policies can drive regional growth. Thursday is focused on inspiration, featuring a fireside chat with Notre Dame Professor Kate the Chemist and NASA Aerospace Engineer Aprille Ericsson.
IDEA Week has typically included a big concert, but Folkerts said this year’s event will feature a number of smaller performances Friday. “This year, we’re doing something called, ‘The City is a Stage,’ with multiple venues with multiple artists performing at each one, and then that will culminate with two larger concerts,” Folkerts said.
A complete schedule and registration information can be found at IdeaWeek.com.
