A good return on investment: RIT Entrepreneurs Conference Oct. 19

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Austin McChord

You’re the boss at RIT Entrepreneurs Conference because you get to decide your agenda—whether you want to learn about Start-Up 101 tips, social media, building your entrepreneurial team, finding customers, or how to fund your venture.

The ninth annual event, sponsored by Toshiba and hosted by RIT’s E. Philip Saunders College of Business, begins with registration from 7 to 8 a.m., followed by sessions through 3 p.m. Oct. 19 in Louise M. Slaughter Hall, Center for Integrated Manufacturing Studies.

The keynote speaker at 11:15 a.m. is 27-year-old Austin McChord, a 2009 RIT alumnus who graduated with a degree in bioinformatics. He will talk about “Inspiring a New Wave of Entrepreneurship” and his success as founder and CEO of Datto Inc., recognized as the No. 1 Fastest Growing Backup and Security Business in the U.S. by Inc. 500.

The afternoon session will feature “Shark Tank” at 1:30 p.m. in Student Innovation Hall. Five teams of students will take the plunge and pitch their business ideas to “biting judges” to win nearly $5,000 in cash prizes.

The conference is open to the public and the cost, including a boxed lunch, is $25. The event is free for RIT alumni, students, faculty and staff—with a box lunch fee of $10. Spaces are limited; online registration is available by calling Dana Pierce at 585-475-2199.