Innovate Pasadena Boots Up Connect Week

^{First published in the Oct. 6 print issue of the Pasadena Outlook.}

Innovate Pasadena, a nonprofit community organization dedicated to advancing greater Pasadena as a hub of technology and design innovation, announces Connect Week 2022, a provocative and stimulating annual event series taking place Oct. 9-15.
As a precursor to Connect Week, Innovate Pasadena will host a special edition of Friday Coffee Meetup on Friday, Oct. 7, 2022 at 8:30 a.m. FCM co-organizer Evan Tsang has invited Dr. Aditya Rajagopal, CTO and co-founder of ChromaCode, to talk about the challenges of building and scaling a diagnostic business in the middle of a global pandemic.
During Connect Week, Innovate Pasadena will partner with AI:LA (Artificial Intelligence Los Angeles) to host an amped-up version of its popular Pasadena Tech Happy Hour meetup on Tuesday, Oct. 11, from 6-9 p.m. at Ixtapa Cantina in Old Pasadena. A monthly event created by software engineer Hermino Garcia, Pasadena Tech Happy Hour provides attendees a casual social environment to meet, network and discover their next big opportunity. AI:LA founder Todd Terrazas is joining Garcia in organizing the event to maximize networking opportunities, celebrate Connect Week and salute Pasadena’s innovation community.
With more than two dozen events being planned by individual collaborators, Connect Week will showcase the wide array of technology, design, science and entrepreneurship that takes place in the greater Pasadena region. Connect Week also allows Innovate Pasadena to encourage, increase and spotlight diversity in the technology and innovation industry through education and resource exchange. Some of the other individuals and companies participating in Connect Week 2022 include:
● The Green Economy Conference, spearheaded by Greg Apodaca, vision holder and CEO of Community 2.0, provides a forum for grassroots organizers and city officials and forward-thinking stakeholders to share innovative climate solutions.
● Allen Edson, president of the Pasadena branch of the NAACP, is collaborating with Innovate Pasadena to host a Tech Crawl in Old Pasadena, inviting attendees to explore tech-related companies and identify potential career opportunities.
● Lynn Foster, chairman of the Caltech Entrepreneurs Forum, will host a seminar on quantum computing.
● Sonya Lee, founder of Genuine+Kind, will take burned-out entrepreneurs on a guided mindfulness and meditation journey.
● Michelle Matthews, the executive director of Arlington Gardens, and garden designer Mayita Danos, will encourage attendees to think globally and act locally, with tips on creating climate-appropriate spaces, implementing water-wise gardening and nurturing environmental stewardship.
● Zenobia Millet, proprietor of The Funding Boutique, hosts “Tea, Tech and Tequila,” a virtual and in-person immersive salon, showcasing emerging tech inclusive of women and people of color.
● Eric Eide, managing director of the Alliance for SoCal Innovation, is organizing an invitation-only event for local venture capitalists and innovation experts focused on fundraising in the current post-pandemic environment.
From virtual tours and in-person networking opportunities to hackathons and pitch sessions, Connect Week has something for everyone. To view the full list of #Connect2022 events, dates, times and locations, as well as how to register, visit connectpasadena.com.
Connect Week is made possible by a network of collaborators who are passionate about sharing their knowledge with the community, as well as sponsors. Primary sponsors include the city of Pasadena, Spokeo, ArtCenter College of Design, Pasadena City College, Caelux and Vynyl. Innovate Pasadena is also partnering with Stellar, a streaming and ticketing platform for premium events, to manage attendees for Connect Week.