A showcase of resources available to help launch Milwaukee’s next great business ventures, and an opportunity to connect with established local professionals, the MKE Business Now Entrepreneurship Summit will take place Saturday, January 27 at the Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School, 3275 N. 3rd Street.

Now in its seventh year, the event is sponsored by Milwaukee Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs and the City of Milwaukee, and runs from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. as vendors and organizations showcase the resources they can provide to local entrepreneurs.

The event will also include multiple workshops throughout the day. The first workshop, A Seat at the Table: How to Contract with the City of Milwaukee begins at 10:30 a.m., Business Basics: From Idea to Reality at 11:15 a.m., How to Secure the Bag: Options for Business Financing at 11:15 a.m., and Power to the People: Using Social Media to Build Your Brand at noon, and a panel discussion with Historic King Drive BID at 1 pm featuring Moderator Amanda Porterfield and panelist Que Elimin, Principal at Scott Crawford, Inc. and Co-Founder of Young Enterprise Society (YES), Dr. Robert (Biko) Baker, Owner, Render Tech, Teddy Tsitiridis and Anne Marie Tsitiridis, Co-owners of Pete’s Fruit Market, and Baboonie Tatum and Larina Hightower, Co-owners of Rise & Grind Cafe.

“Small businesses are the economic engine of the City of Milwaukee and this summit is one way to aid in creating and sustaining the growth of those businesses,” Alderwoman Coggs said. “We also need entrepreneurs who are dedicated to growing the City of Milwaukee’s economy in unique and innovative ways. This event should bring together top talent, ideas and resources into one location.”

On top of workshops and a panel discussion, representatives from the following organizations will be present to answer questions and share resources:

-US Bank
-Prism Technical Management & Marketing Services, LLC.
-RiverWorks BID
-African American Chambers of Commerce -Board of Zoning Appeals
-C. Renee Consulting and Management Group – Center Street Bid 39
-Historic King Drive Bid
-WWBIC
-Wisconsin Black Chambers of Commerce
-Scale Up
-Hudson Business Lounge + Café
-Law & Entrepreneurship Clinic
-License Department
-Me 2
-MEDC
-Networx
-Office of Small Business Development
City of Milwaukee Permits
-Dept. of City Development-Commercial Corridor -Dept. of Neighborhood Services
-Health Department

Alderwoman Coggs said, “This venue allows our city’s entrepreneurs to be able to connect with so many critical assets and sources of expertise.”

Event sponsors are MLK BID, Westcare, Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs, and the City of Milwaukee. Attendees can register through Eventbrite at https://mkebusinessnowsummit.eventbrite.com.

Reasonable accommodations can be made with at least 72-hour notice before the event by calling (414) 286-2233. The entire event is free and open to the public.