Carleton Student Demo: StartUp Drinks: Business Over Beers

StartUp Drinks: Business Over Beers

3rd & 7 37yd

This evening I'll be providing live coverage of StartUp Drinks Byward Market. This is a networking event for Ottawa entrepreneurs

by taylor.blewett 9/30/2015 8:54:17 PM
It's being held from 5-8:30 pm at the Aulde Dubliner Pourhouse in the Byward Market. The Eventbrite description invites attendees to "Come and network in a relaxed format, no name badges or speeches just good conversation and drinks overlooking George Street."

by taylor.blewett 9/30/2015 8:59:21 PM
A mix of about 50 men and women are mingling in the pub's upstairs area. Business casual seems to be the dress code of the evening

by taylor.blewett 9/30/2015 9:26:55 PM
Organizer Greg O'Donnell says this event has been happening for about a year. "We get all kinds of entrepreneurs from different industries - software, construction, training companies"

by taylor.blewett 9/30/2015 9:33:31 PM
Most attendees come to the event to meet other entrepreneurs or to find potential partners or financiers, says O'Donnell

by taylor.blewett 9/30/2015 9:35:00 PM
Jeffrey Slater works for Smart & Biggar/Fetherstonehaugh, a law firm that specializes in intellectual property and technology law. He says he's here in the hopes of meeting entrepreneurs with tech start-ups. He wants to talk to them about the importance of protecting their company's property from day one.

by taylor.blewett 9/30/2015 9:42:43 PM
Kylle Jordan and Kellen Winchell both for the Canadian government as assistants to the trade commissioner. In comparison to most events they're at, they say this one is pretty fun

by taylor.blewett 9/30/2015 10:05:04 PM
Kyrillos Mallity is a third year Carleton student. He's started his own business, Armada Marketing, a year ago. He says he's here hoping to find potential investors for his company

by taylor.blewett 9/30/2015 10:12:15 PM
Admission to the event is free, but attendees are invited to spend money at the cash bar. Most are socializing with a pint of beer in hand.

by taylor.blewett 9/30/2015 10:18:24 PM
Paul Vallee is founder and CEO of Pythian, a global IT services company. According the Greg O'Donnell, the event organizer, he's the most influential man in the room

by taylor.blewett 9/30/2015 10:45:19 PM
Here's a link to Vallee's LinkedIn profile.
https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=AAkAAABIpIYBG1Hkhb_8WAOUdkzeMsFWr7hhDas&authType=NAME_SEARCH&authToken=Y_fo&locale=en_US&trk=tyah&trkInfo=clickedVertical%3Amynetwork%2CclickedEntityId%3A4760710%2CauthType%3ANAME_SEARCH%2Cidx%3A1-1-1%2CtarId%3A1443653052232%2Ctas%3Apaul

by taylor.blewett 9/30/2015 10:46:44 PM
Vallee says the most important thing to notice about this event is the lack of women present. Most of the women that are here, he says, are service providers for other companies, not entrepreneurs. He says this is worrisome

by taylor.blewett 9/30/2015 11:16:17 PM
Vallee says the start up sector will suffer if it doesn't find a way to attract more women.

by taylor.blewett 9/30/2015 11:26:17 PM
The crowd is starting to thin quickly. There are about 12 people left.

by taylor.blewett 9/30/2015 11:27:01 PM
Organizer Greg O'Donnell introduces the few people remaining to one another. They discuss their various enterprises while others finish their drinks, pay up, and leave

by taylor.blewett 9/30/2015 11:30:57 PM
By 8 pm the event has finished. O'Donnell says he's happy with the turn out. The next StartUp Drinks will be in late October or early November.

by taylor.blewett 10/1/2015 12:04:45 AM