Smith Students Host Food Entrepreneurship Conference

On Nov. 16, 2015, students at the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business will host the 2015 Entrée’preneurship Conference at the Universities at Shady Grove. Building on last year’s successful inaugural conference that drew 250 participants to the event, students in Smith's Entrepreneurship Fellows program will again organize a colorful event around upcoming food and beverage businesses.

The Washington, D.C., region has become a hub for new food businesses and there is a strong demand for new culinary minded business start-ups. The conference aims to promote local food vendors and others involved in the industry. As entrepreneurs, the organizers aim to promote local food start-up’s and help promote their business and network with other people involved in the industry and potential customers.

The conference will feature distinguished industry experts, successful food entrepreneurs and new delicious start-ups. The conference is designed to those who want to start their own food venture, join an early stage company or just enjoy tasting new great food. Participants will have personal access to experts in small discussion group. The conference also features a food start-up competition with experts weighing in the business ideas and audience members voting with their taste buds.

Attendees will enjoy a large tasting buffet from start-ups and growing food businesses in the region. A small $10 donation will give participants more than a dinner’s worth of specialties. All proceed will be donated to a regional food related charity. The conference raised $750 last year for the Food Recovery Network, a company founded by UMD alumnus Ben Simon that unites students at colleges to fight food waste and hunger by recovering excess food from their dining halls, sports events and other venues, and donating it to people in need. 

Follow on Twitter for additional details at @SmithFoodSummit