Know Theatre was packed with a standing room only crowd last week, all waiting to see a different kind of performer - the entrepreneur - at the first Ignite Cincinnati.
Ignite Cincinnati is a fast-paced idea presentation event where 14 people have five minutes each to talk about any topic they want. The presentations are backed by 20 slides that auto advanced after 15 seconds.
"We tried to talk about innovative things sometimes fun, sometimes educational," said co- organizer Chris Ostoich Founder and CEO of Blackbook EMG. He organized Ignite along with Blackbook CTO Joe Pantuso.
The speakers were chosen through online voting. The top vote getters got to speak - you can take a look at the speakers from the Jan. 20 event at the
Ignite Cincinnati web page where videos and photos are being rolled out this week.
Ignite Cincinnati is just one Ignite event across the country and globe. There are Ignite communities in New Orleans, New York City, Cambridge, Denver, Detroit, and dozens of others. The concept was created in Seattle by local entrepreneurs.
Ignite offers people from varied backgrounds a place to share and perhaps find support for their ideas.
"The IT Martini's and Public Relation Societies of America are great and I'm glad we have them. But more often than not people are networking inside of their own network. This is a chance for all kinds of different people to come together. We had a 22-year-old college grad who'd just started his own company, and a 78-year-old retiree and his wife. People of every color and every background were there," Ostoich said.
The first Ignite Cincinnati won't be the last; a series is scheduled for the year. The next one is set for March 3, at
Know Theatre, 1120 Jackson St., Over-the-Rhine. VIP tickets are $10, include two drink tickets and guarantee your spot at the event. Regular tickets are free but do not guarantee a spot if the event exceeds capacity.
Writer: Feoshia Henderson
Source: Chris Ostoich Founder and CEO of Blackbook EMG
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