Brews & Geeks: A Tale of Two Entrepreneurship Scenes

Tags: Entrepreneurship

To view the video, click here.

Brews and Geeks: The Rise of the Craft Brewing Scene

5280 Graphic of Craft Beer Equipment Hand-Me Downs

The quality of life of Colorado’s Front Range and rich entrepreneurial history are among the powerful advantages the area has in attracting creative talent to its ever-growing startup scene. The Front Range boasts world class entrepreneurship scenes across several sectors. Yet different scenes often operate independently of one another.

This begs the question whether disparate startup scenes, such as the software and craft brewing sectors, might be able to learn from one another. With approximately 160 breweries currently fermenting (12 of which are in Boulder), Colorado boasts one of the best (if not the best) craft brewing scenes in the country. This network of breweries, like the multitude of tech companies that call Colorado home, make up a unique community with its own history, customs, ethos, and culture. However, though many in the tech community, including those at Silicon Flatirons, may enjoy a beer after a hard day of work, the interesting stories of the craft brewing scene are largely left outside our network.

Join Silicon Flatirons on June 20 for Brews & Geeks: A Tale of Two Entrepreneurship Scenes. This event will provide perspective about the origins and key moments of the software and craft brewing histories in the area. Moreover, it will compare and contrast norms and key ingredients of the software and craft brewing scenes in the Front Range today (e.g., what is the role of information sharing? How competitive are companies within the scene? Who are the leaders and what are their roles?). And finally, the event will compare and contrast what it takes to start and run a brewery versus what it takes to run a tech startup, including consideration of the process of creation and innovation in software and craft brewing.

Join us for an evening of interesting content, great networking, and, of course, beer.


Sessions

Welcome & Introductions
  • Brad Bernthal
    Associate Professor, University of Colorado Law School
A Brief History of Beer & Tech
  • Jim Deters — Presenter
    Managing Director and Founder, Galvanize
  • Kirk Holland — Presenter
    Managing Director, Access Venture Partners
  • Julia Herz — Presenter
    Craft Beer Program Director, Brewers Association
  • John Carlson — Presenter
    Executive Director, Colorado Brewers Guild
Panel: Comparing the Ecosystems as they relate to a Startup's Needs
  • Brad Bernthal — Moderator
    Associate Professor, University of Colorado Law School
  • Ingrid Alongi
    General Partner, Stage Fund
  • Matt Cutter
    Founder, Upslope Brewing Company
  • John Eckstein
    Director, Fairfield and Woods, P.C.
  • Anda Lincoln
    Co-Founder, Funkwerks Brewery
  • Linsey Cornish
    Brewer, Odell Brewing Company
Reception and Networking

Know What’s Next