News Release
Atlantic Entrepreneurship Expo set for here April 9 (News)
March 2, 2010
Fredericton entrepreneurs will have the chance to share ideas, learn and network this spring at the 2010 Atlantic Canadian Entrepreneurship Expo.
The event started out last October as the Greater Moncton Entrepreneurship Expo. Conceived by Moncton entrepreneur Brad LeBlanc, the goal of the event was to provide an outlet for entrepreneurs to educate and learn from other entrepreneurs.
LeBlanc announced some of the details of the Fredericton event on Thursday. He said he was inspired to expand based on the success of the first expo.
"It was said that if we got 100 people out to the event and 20 tradeshow booths, we'd be doing quite well," he said. "We ended up with 176 people at the event and sold out of tradeshow booths in three weeks. We said, 'Well maybe we have something here.'"
This year, expos will be held around the Maritimes, beginning in Fredericton on April 9. Events will also be held in Halifax on April 22, Charlottetown on May 12, Moncton on Oct. 19 and Saint John on Oct. 22.
Atlantic Lottery Corporation is the title sponsor of all five events. Other regional sponsors and provincial partners include BellAliant, Business New Brunswick, Staples Business Depot and New Brunswick Securities Commission.
Richard St. John, a self-made millionaire born in Halifax, will be the keynote speaker.
Enterprise Fredericton will host the expo at the Delta Fredericton from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
The day will consist of a networking lunch, a Business2Business tradeshow, an educational component with a keynote speaker and mainstage speaker and a breakout session where expo attendees can choose from workshops ranging from social media to hiring practices to accessing capital.
LeBlanc said the event is open to everyone from high school students to CEOs with established companies. He said it has the potential to be a great learning experience for all entrepreneurs.
"Our goal is to motivate, educate and inspire entrepreneurs," LeBlanc said. "It's all about walking out of there having met some new people, feeling confident in whatever it is that you're doing and feeling proud of what you've already done."
Doug Motty, president of Enterprise Fredericton, said the expo connects well with the goals of the city's economic development group.
"To be able to participate in an event where we can help create awareness of the opportunities around entrepreneurship is wonderful for us," he said.
"For every 14 people that live in Fredericton, there's one business. We have more businesses per capita than most regions across North America. Entrepreneurship is alive and well here in our community. We're really just trying to fan the flames a little bit to engage more people in that kind of thinking."
For more information about the entrepreneurship expo, visit www.atlanticexpo.ca.