8:00a - 9:00a
REGISTRATION & BREAKFAST
Northern Center Ballrooms 1 & 2
9:00a - 9:50a
KEYNOTE | CROWD FUNDING YOUR WAY TO LAUNCH
Northern Center Ballrooms 1 & 2
Alex West Steinman is a nationally recognized speaker, entrepreneur, and dynamic leader helping people and organizations turn purpose into power. As the co-founder and CEO of The Coven, a fast-growing network of inclusive coworking spaces and communities across the U.S., Alex leads with a mission to make work better for everyone. After raising $350,000 via crowdfunding, Alex knows the ins and outs of building a successful crowdfunding campaign and will share her insight on crowdfunding your way to launch in this session.
10:00a - 10:50a
WOMEN IN BUSINESS PANEL DISCUSSION
Join us for a conversation with three local business owners who are helping shape Marquette’s entrepreneurial community: Lucy Seitz, professional hairstylist, social media creator, and beauty entrepreneur who has built a national audience through her work and online content about cosmetology and the beauty business. Brooke Grondin, owner of Girly Pop, a popular custom beverage business that grew from a pop-up to its own drive-thru storefront in Marquette. Nikki Odom, owner of Read My Lips Bookshop, a romance-focused independent bookstore that has become a beloved community destination During this panel, we’ll hear how these women turned their ideas into real, thriving businesses and what it takes to be a small business owner. They will share insights into overcoming challenges, finding opportunities in community support, and the role that storytelling and social media play in growing their brands and connecting with customers.
Northern Center Ballrooms 1 & 2
11:00a - 11:50a
Morning Breakout Sessions
ANYONE CAN BE AN INNOVATOR
Peninsula ll Room
Jason A. Williams is an innovation strategist and ecosystem builder who helps organizations and communities turn insight into action. He serves as CEO of the Society of Innovators at Purdue Northwest, where he leads initiatives that advance innovation, entrepreneurship, and talent development across Northwest Indiana. Jason is also the founder of Spycomps, a business intelligence platform that helps consumer and retail-focused organizations better understand their markets, competitors, and opportunities for growth. Previously, Jason spent more than a decade in corporate leadership roles within global consumer products manufacturing, including serving as U.S. Marketing Director for one of the world’s largest household and garden brands, working closely with major mass-market retailers. Drawing on experience across corporate strategy, community leadership, and market intelligence, Jason works at the intersection of people, insight, and opportunity. He is the creator of the Six Building Blocks of Innovation framework and is deeply engaged in regional and national innovation networks.
SELECTION PRESSURE: WHY GREAT FOUNDERS RUN TOWARD THE HARDEST PROBLEM
Peninsula lV Room
Startups are difficult not simply because entrepreneurship is risky, but because founders operate in environments with intense selection pressure. Markets, technology constraints, capital limitations, and time quickly expose weak assumptions and force teams to adapt. The most successful founders learn to recognize these pressures and move toward the hardest problems instead of avoiding them. In this session, we’ll explore how breakthrough companies identify the bottlenecks that unlock real value and why the path to innovation is rarely straightforward. We’ll also discuss how startup ecosystems like Innovate Marquette support founders through that process, helping them navigate challenges, learn quickly, and keep moving forward when things inevitably get hard.
11:30a - 12:30p
Lunch
Northern Center Ballrooms 1 & 2
1:00p - 1:50p
Afternoon Breakout Session #1
EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES FOR BUILDING CUSTOMER LOYALTY THAT YOU CAN ACTIVATE TODAY
Strong communication is one of the most powerful tools a business has for building trust and lasting relationships with customers. But understanding how public relations, marketing, and strategic communication work together can often feel confusing for business owners and leaders. In this session, we’ll break down what strategic communication really means and why it matters for your business. You’ll learn practical ways to activate communication strategies, strengthen your messaging, and walk away with three key approaches you can start using right away to build stronger customer loyalty.
Northern Center Ballrooms 1 & 2
FINANCIAL CLARITY FOR BUSINESS GROWTH AND FINANCING
Your financials tell the story of your business, and understanding them can unlock real growth opportunities. In this session, you’ll learn how to confidently read profit and loss statements, understand balance sheets, and see why your business structure matters. We’ll also break down what lenders look for when reviewing loan applications and how strong financials can position you for approval. Walk away with practical insights and a clearer path to funding and future growth.
Peninsula l Room
2:00p - 2:50p
HOW TO LEAD A MORE INCLUSIVE DESIGN PROCESS
This interactive session will introduce inclusive design as a best practice and offer practical recommendations and tools for adopting the process in the development of programs, places, products and systems. The information and exercises shared can be applied universally to any government, academic, business or community work.
Founders Room
3:00p - 4:30p
MAKERS FAIR
Get hands-on at the Peak26 Makers Fair! Led by the Innovate Marquette Protolab, this interactive session lets you craft a custom wooden birdhouse with 3D printed elements while learning the basics of design thinking. Bring your friends and family for a fun, creative afternoon. Plus, everyone who participates will be entered to win a 3D printer! 80 spots available, first come first serve.
Northern Center Ballrooms 1 &2
Join us for an evening of networking after Peak at Ore Dock Brewing Company.
5:00p - 7:00p
INNOVATION PARTY