A note from our editor, Elizabeth MacBride:
Saturday, I walked down to the Lincoln Memorial. I wanted to get a sense of the size of the Trump rally. It was in the thousands, small as Washington, D.C., rallies go. The crowd at the Memorial was diverse and peaceful, and collected in surprising numbers around the Second Inaugural — “with malice toward none, with charity toward all, with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right .. “
Outside I saw woman in a MAGA hat walk up to a young Black police officer guarding a side street. “Thank you for your service,” she said, the flimsiest of olive branches. The officer stood motionless but the contempt in her eyes turned the branch to dust.
We have a lot of work to do. I’ve always seen business, especially entrepreneurship, as one arena for hope and change. That’s why I founded Times of E.
Now, it’s time to get back to work. But if you want one last dose of politics, here’s a podcast of me and other Americans talking to the BBC about the election: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct1cy7
Times of Entrepreneurship Stories of the Week
The Future Of Coworking Could Belong To Women
The rise of spaces targeting women points to a surprisingly strong future for the industry, despite what happened to WeWork.
A Farmer’s Insight Turns Into A Business, Thanks To An Expansion of Broadband In Missouri
The CARES Act pushed another small mountain of funds toward rural broadband in 21 states. It could open up new markets, especially in ag tech.
Opinion: We’re Taking Kamala Harris’s Words To Heart
Starting a fund focused on diverse founders is a start. Beyond that, Nishad Parmar, senior partner and CIO of LOUD Capital, believes VC firms should move beyond familiar networks and prepare to be a little uncomfortable.
What The Biden Administration Must Do For Entrepreneurs And The Economy
Nine leaders say restoring entrepreneurship starts with immediate fixes to get capital flowing to small business and continues with leadership on innovation, infrastructure and tax policy. (Updated)
Sponsored Content
Untapped Assets: Stillman College And The Landscape Of HBCUs
Can investment and development firms partner with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to use real estate assets to generate revenue, catalyze economic development and provide workforce training to students? An impact profile produced by Times of Entrepreneurship, working with the Beeck Center for Social Impact & Innovation at Georgetown University and supported by Lumina Foundation.
Important Stories from Elsewhere
We’re Never Going Back To Old Economy, Fed Chairman Says
Increasing use of technology, automation and telework will be beneficial in the long term, says Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, but the changes will hurt some workers in the immediate future.
Pelosi And Schumer Ask McConnell To Restart Stimulus Talks As Coronavirus Cases Surge
President-elect Joe Biden is urging Congress to approve legislation before he takes office.
The Biggest Psychological Experiment In History Is Running Now
What can the pandemic teach us about how people respond to adversity?
Biden’s Infrastructure Plans Could Boost Startups
America’s roads, bridges and other infrastructure hav been crumbling for decades. Much of what could be replaced will be upgraded with new technology.
Opinion: Deliver For The Heartland: Help Close The Divide
This year’s Chicago Council of Global Affairs report “A Vital Midwest: The Path to New Prosperity,” includes several possible steps for revitalizing the region.
Hundreds Of Companies That Got Stimulus Aid Have FailedRecipients of PPP loans have filed for bankruptcy after the money ran out.
“They Want To Be Part Of It: Root’s Big IPO Validate’s Drive Capital’s Midwest Thesis For Fellow VCs
The Columbus VC firm says the first initial public offering in Ohio by a venture-backed company is bound to attract bigger VC firms and more entrepreneurs to the state.
10 Female VCs Grooming The Next Generation Of Game-Changing Startups
Meet the venture investors whose early bets turned into unicorns or are showing promise.
Former United States CTO: Why Inclusive Work Leads To Better Outcomes
Ex-Google exec Megan Smith relies on the “scout and scale” method to find creative, passionate people solving society’s problems—and then helps them increase their impact.
Construction Tech Startups Are Poised To Shake Up A $1.3 Trillion Industry
Too many key processes involved in managing multi-million-dollar projects are carried out on Excel or even with pen and paper. That’s about to change.
Snickers Parent Buys KIND Bars For $5 Billion
Mars also owns Milky Way and M&Ms.
Opinion: California: Love It Or Leave It
Bad policy has made the state unlivable, so I moved my family and my venture-capital firm to Texas.
Utah Startup Aims To Be The Airbnb Of Storage Space For The COVID-19 Era
The firm converts vacant restaurants, offices and parking lots into storage space.
Does The Gig Economy Promote Entrepreneurship?
A new academic study finds that gig-work may help people make the leap to entrepreneurship and start their own businesses.
Co-founder Of Accelerator Spark Labs Attributes The Success Of Korean Startups To Global Mindset
The Seoul-based hub has invested in more than 170 companies since its inception and raised more than $600 million in follow-on funding.
You May Have Missed
HabitAware Helps With Often-Ignored Mental Illnesses
This SBIR-supported startup from the University of Minnesota uses detection and mental vibration to help people stop repetitive behaviors, like hair pulling.
This Business Owner Refused To Board Up Her Windows
Rhetoric at the national level has painted urban areas as zones of anarchy and lawlessness. Mandy Arnold wanted to show her community, York, Pa., that she believed in it.
VC Spotlight: Chingona Ventures Lands One of PayPal Investments For Its Overlooked Thesis
Chingona Ventures is one of the eight early-stage, Latinx and Black-led venture capital funds that will receive a portion of $50 million from PayPal Holdings.
Events
The Future of Fintech
Dates: Nov. 16-18
Location: Virtual
Information available here.
SEC Commissioner Hester Pierece, Plaid founder Zach Perret, Gusto co-founder and CEO Joshua Reeves and Anand Selva, CEO of US Consumer Banking at Citigroup are among more than 125 speakers at this event, organized by CB Insights.
Building A High-Revenue One-Person Business In Challenging Times
Date: November 19, 1 pm ET
Location: Virtual
Information available here.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, many freelancers found that their experience with remote work helped them keep their businesses going—and often, growing. Now many of these one-person businesses are raising their game. Learn how to grow your business from three seven-figure solo entrepreneurs and Alex Wilson-Campbell, founder of the Remote Work Life Podcast, in this free webinar.
Global Entrepreneurship Week
Dates: November 16-22
Location: Live, hybrid and virtual
Information available here.
This collection of thousands of events, powered by the Kauffman Foundation, takes place in more than 170 countries around the world. This year there will be more than 35,000 events, focused on making entrepreneurship available to all.
Path Forward: Your Money
Date: November 17, 2 pm.
Location: Virtual
Information available here.
Top experts in personal finance will provide advice at this CNBC conference on spending and saving and the psychology behind decision-making. Speakers include Suze Ormon and NFL New England Patriots linebacker and professor at University of Pennsylvanaia Brandon Copeland.
Startup Lehigh Valley Pitch Competition
Date: November 18 (Deadline to apply: October 28, 2020)
Location: Virtual
Information available here.
Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania entrepreneurs are invited to compete in this virtual competition. Only 10 spots are available. Prizes total $10,000.
Leap the Valley of Death: Making It Past SBIR Phase 1
Date: November 18, noon to 1 pm
Location: Virtual
Information available here.
Winning a Small Business Innovation and Research grant can be a critical milestone but it’s not a guarantee of long-term success in federal contracting. This workshop is focused on taking the next step to Phase 2 and from Phase 2 to long-term contracts.
Fundraising for Early Stage Founders in Emerging Countries
Date: November 19, 2020, 5 pm in Paris (GMT+1)
Location: Virtual
Information available here.
This webinar looks at how early-stage startups from emerging countries can find investors, offering guidance from Mélanie Keita, cofounder of Melanin Capital.
Hormel Business Plan Competition
Deadline: Nov. 30
Location: McCook Community College, Southwest Nebraska
Information available here.
Residents of seven counties in Southwest Nebraska can compete for $25,000 in prizes based on their business ideas or plans to expand an existing business. The Hormel Family Foundation, focused on education, entrepreneurship, and business development in the region, is sponsoring the competition.
Look Forward to Your Exit in 2021
Date: December 2, 2020, noon to 1 pm
Location: Virtual
Information available here.
Aimed at business owners who are looking to exit, this webinar focuses on maximizing the value of your business, the pros and cons of selling internally versus externally, leadership and succession strategies and avoidance of top deal-killers.
Sight Tech Global
Date: Dec. 2-3, 2020. Registration is free and opening soon.
Information available here.
This virtual conference is dedicated to fostering discussion among technology pioneers about how rapid advances in AI and related technologies will create a more accessible world for people with blindness and visual impairments.
LinkUp Conference Show
Date: Dec. 8, 2020
Location: Virtual
Information available here.
This digital networking conference is focused on providing opportunities for leaders in fintech and telecom. Speakers include venture capitalist Tim Draper and Dr. Roshwanna Ellis, founder and CEO of EnrichHER.
She Leads 2020 Online Conference For Women Leaders & Women Entrepreneurs
Date: December 8, 10 am to 2 pm EST
Location: Virtual
Information available here.
This event is aimed at women entrepreneurs and leaders who want to take their leadership and businesses to new levels of success. Speakers include J.J. Ramberg, founder of Goodpods and former host of MSNBC’s Your Business and Tanya Klitch, lifestyle and ecommerce reporter for Forbes.
[Re]Verse Pitch Competition
Deadline: December 9, 2020
Location: Austin, Texas
Information available here.
This program, which aims to reduce waste in Austin, Texas, invites businesses with waste byproducts and surplus materials to supply materials to competing innovators and entrepreneurs, who will use the excess materials to create a new product or business venture.
MIT Enterprise Forum Arab Startup Competition
Deadline for applications: December 15, 2020
Location: Virtual
Information available here.
This annual competition, founded in 2006, is designed to empower entrepreneurs and foster the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the Arab Region. The winners receive equity-free prize money.
Baylor New Venture Competition
Date: March 25-27, 2021; Applications open September 1, 2020
Location: Baylor University; Waco, Texas
Information available here.
Baylor New Venture Competition offers applicants business plan feedback, mentorship, and a chance to compete for more than $250,000 in prizes. Collegiate entrepreneurs from around the globe are eligible to participate in the competition, hosted by Baylor University.
Rolling:
MassCEC’s InnovateMass Program
Deadline: Rolling
Information available here.
This program offers up to $250,000 in grant funding and technical support to applicant teams deploying new clean energy technologies or innovative combinations of existing technologies with a strong potential for commercialization. Applicants must run Massachusetts-based companies or have a location in the state and have a technology that fits specific guidelines.
