Events Roundup: Fill your June calendar with Baltimore Pride and tech gatherings

Happy Pride Month, Baltimore! Celebrate this vibrant occasion with the plethora of entrepreneur-focused opportunities available throughout June.

Among them: UpSurge Baltimore offers master classes for budding entrepreneurs, Open Works hosts maker markets and workshops and local public speaking expert Quinn Conyers provides a unique opportunity to refine your pitching skills. Embrace the spirit of Pride Month while exploring these avenues for entrepreneurship support in Baltimore: 

UpRise Masterclass: Is an Accelerator Right For You? (Tuesday, June 6)

UpRise is an UpSurge Baltimore program that aims to bring together experts, advisors, investors and other constituents in service of addressing local founders’ needs. Conscious Venture Partners General Managing Partner Jeff Cherry and Novella Center for Entrepreneurship Program Director Marianna Pappas present this latest UpRise Masterclass. This session will shed light on the advantages of participating in an accelerator program, provide strategies to enhance your application and offer valuable insights into Conscious Venture Labs/Novella Center for Entrepreneurship’s offerings. 

Register for UpRise Masterclass

Equitech Tuesday @ Guilford Hall Brewery (Tuesday, June 6)

Equitech Tuesday is a weekly in-person happy hour to foster connections, networking and meaningful conversations within Baltimore’s tech community. This gathering welcomes all individuals interested in participating. Follow UpSurge Baltimore for updates on the Equitech Tuesday venue.

Stay in the loop with UpSurge Baltimore

Techstars Fundraising Series (Tuesdays, June 6, 13 and 20)

Techstars presents an exclusive three-part series designed to equip early-stage startup founders with the necessary knowledge and tools to raise capital successfully. Led by industry experts, these sessions provide insider tips on preparing for investor meetings, including crafting the perfect pitch and creating a compelling investor pitch deck. Each session offers actionable insights and practical advice to boost confidence and readiness for the fundraising process. The series includes workshops on investor readiness and prepping fundraising materials, as well as a mock investor interview for feedback and pitch improvement.

Register for Techstars fundraising series

Energy and Environment for Maryland Manufacturers Summit (Wednesday, June 7)

Maryland Manufacturing Extension Partnership and the Regional Manufacturing Institute are collaborating to host the inaugural Energy and Environment for Maryland Manufacturers Summit. This event aims to address the evolving needs of the manufacturing industry in terms of energy efficiency, greenhouse gas reduction and sustainable practices. With a focus on reducing environmental impact and exploring renewable energy opportunities, this summit is a must-attend for manufacturers seeking to enhance their environmental stewardship and capitalize on green manufacturing practices. The half-day event will provide interactive mini-sessions, networking opportunities and a platform for exchanging ideas on the latest solutions to achieve sustainability targets. Additionally, the program will showcase available energy and environmental programs, incentives and services that can support Maryland manufacturers in their sustainability endeavors.

Register for the summit

Design Thinking for Entrepreneurs (Wednesday, June 7)

Gain the essential tools to navigate ambiguity within entrepreneurship and move forward with confidence in a four-part seminar led by Vance MacEwen, co-founder of Greatest Possible Good. Explore the power of design thinking, practice customer interviews, collaborative research synthesis, rapid prototyping and user testing, all in a low-stakes environment. With access to your instructors’ calendars and free one-on-one sessions, apply what you learn in real-time and build products your customers truly want.

Get your design think on

Open Works’ Pride Maker Mart (Saturday, June 10)

Open Works is hosting a unique market in its parking lot, featuring queer-identifying maker vendors and community resources. This inclusive event provides an opportunity for vendors to showcase their products and services. Those interested in participating as vendors may sign up through the link below.

In addition to the market, Open Works is also organizing a free Safe Zone training during the pop-up shop, ensuring a safe and welcoming environment for all attendees. 

Become a vendor

Register for safe zone training

Attend Open Works’ Maker Mart

CCBC’s B’more Bold Conference (Sunday-Monday, June 11-12)

The Community College of Baltimore County’s (CCBC) Center for Business Innovation’s 3rd annual B’more BOLD Conference is designed for Baltimore-area entrepreneurs and innovative business owners who seek insights and practical guidance to start, grow or fund their businesses. With a lineup of thought-provoking speakers and successful business owners — including Seth Goldman, Ali von Paris, Pava LaPere, Justin Baer, April Richardson and Luke Cooper — participants can expect to gain valuable knowledge and inspiration. Attendees can also anticipate sessions on topics like marketing and advertising, pitching, alternative funding, recruiting, employee development and leadership strategies. 

Technical.ly lead reporter Alanah Nichole Davis will moderate one of these sessions: a breakout on lending for businesses on Monday, June 12 at 11 a.m.

Register to attend B’more BOLD

Philanthropy Tank Baltimore (Wednesday, June 14)

Philanthropy Tank Baltimore hosts its 3rd Annual Virtual Finals Event at 6 p.m. at the Double Tree by Hilton Hotel in Pikesville. This event will feature student finalists presenting their community impact ideas to a panel of mentors. Finalists have the chance to receive funding and mentorship for a year. 

Register to support student entrepreneurs

#MakeItInMD Tour Talks (Wednesday, June 14)

Although this event is technically in Southern Maryland, attendees from Baltimore may still find some value in the insights and conversations with manufacturing industry players the #MakeItInMD Tour Talks, a component of the Make It In Maryland Program, offer. These talks present a unique opportunity for peer dialogue, focusing on best practices, challenges and solutions to drive a manufacturing enterprise forward. Participants will get to hear from the hosting company, the Hollywood, Maryland-based Platform Aerospace, as well as explore their facility through a guided tour and network with fellow Maryland manufacturers. Made in Baltimore is an affiliate of #MakeItInMD.

Attend the talk

Baltimore Regional Tech Council’s First Anniversary Celebration (Wednesday, June 14)

The Maryland Tech Council’s Baltimore metro-focused constituent entity celebrates a year of work to uplift the region’s tech sector with a special evening at Union Craft Brewing in Baltimore’s Hampden neighborhood. The ticketed event’s attendees can learn more about what the Baltimore Regional Tech Council has planned for its second year, as well as network with other members of the Baltimore area’s tech and innovation economy.

Get Tickets

Empower Baltimore: Live Website Audits (Thursday, June 15)

Impact Hub Baltimore and GoDaddy team up once again to present the Empower Baltimore program, featuring a few virtual workshops this spring. If you want feedback on your website’s initial impact, join them this June for mini-website audits conducted by a GoDaddy team member. These rapid audits will concentrate on the design and user experience of your website while offering practical tips to enhance the overall visitor experience.

Get that website audit

Sharpen your Pitch w/ Quinn Conyers (Thursday, June 15)

If you’ve ever dreamed of auditioning or appearing on “Shark Tank,” this is your golden opportunity to learn how to best pitch the show. Presented by entrepreneur Quinn Conyers, who has competed on “Shark Tank,” this valuable session is designed to enhance your pitching skills.

Perfect your pitch

Open Works’ Pride Flag-making workshop (Saturday, June 17)

This maker workshop will provide participants all the materials needed to create their own Pride flags. Registration is $30, and each covers materials for two participants.

Get your maker on

LGBTQ+ Social Impact Gathering (Tuesday, June 20)

Come together with Baltimore’s LGBTQ+ changemakers and entrepreneurs to celebrate Pride and the resilience and joy found within our local queer community. Impact Hub Baltimore hosts this evening of connection and intended relaxation with queer social impact leaders. Refreshments will be provided as we gather to strengthen our community. This event is made possible through partnerships with esteemed organizations such as the Maryland LGBT Chamber of Commerce, Red Emma’s Coffeehouse and Bookstore, StartOut Baltimore-Washington, Greater Baltimore Urban League and Kingdom Vision Consulting. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with fellow community members and celebrate the vibrancy and strength of our queer community.

Register to attend

Pride Parade (Saturday, June 24)

Get ready to celebrate and honor the contributions of sexual and gender minorities at Baltimore Pride. With the theme “One Heart, One Love, One Pride,” this event, hosted by the Pride Center of Maryland, promises a week of joy, recognition, and festivities. Pride 2023 is expected to draw a crowd of 100,000 individuals from across the region to Baltimore. As part of the celebration, the Open Works staff and member community will proudly march in the Pride Parade on Saturday, June 24. Join in the fun and support of this inclusive and vibrant event that embraces diversity and unity.

Learn more about or attend the Pride parade

The Baltimore Banner’s Legacy Builders Panel (Wednesday, June 28)

Join The Baltimore Banner for an afternoon of conversations on race and culture. Engage in panel discussions covering a range of topics including building generational wealth; LGBTQ issues; mental health; diversity, equity and inclusion; Black history; and creativity in Maryland. Like many of the events listed in this article, a happy hour and networking session follows the panels. The event will be moderated by John-John Williams IV, a diversity, equity and inclusion reporter at The Baltimore Banner. This event is sponsored by the University of Maryland, Baltimore County; Baltimore Community Lending; United Way of Central Maryland; TEDCO; and The Baltimore Banner. 

Register to attend

Atomic Goal Setting for Microbusinesses (Thursday, June 29)

Learn about the power of micro-goals and how they can help you achieve your business objectives. Led by Empower Program Manager Bakari Jones, this workshop will guide participants through the process of breaking down big projects into manageable tasks. Learn the benefits of setting micro-goals, gain insights from James Clear’s book, “Atomic Habits,” and explore strategies for tracking progress and celebrating successes. Through interactive exercises and group discussions, attendees will have the opportunity to set micro-goals for their own projects and discover ways to stay motivated.

Register to attend