Startup Grind

Startup Grind is one of the biggest communities of entrepreneurs in partnership with Google for Startups. Our mission is to help every entrepreneur in the world. We do so by hosting a monthly recurring event to inspire, educate, and connect entrepreneurs.

The Speaker

Adam Knapp has been president and CEO of the Baton Rouge Area Chamber (BRAC) since 2008. BRAC is responsible for economic development in the nine-parish Capital Area of Louisiana and is ranked by Site Selection as one of the top 10 regional economic development organizations in the United States. BRAC's team leads business development efforts for the region in collaboration with a network of strategic partners. At the same time, it leads efforts to enhance the region's competitiveness and improve the conditions for additional business investment.

Knapp started his career in the private sector in Chicago and Silicon Valley as a consultant for Accenture, a global management consulting firm. After Accenture, he returned to Louisiana to serve Gov. Mike Foster (R-LA) and Kathleen Blanco (D-LA) as economic development adviser. He worked at Louisiana Economic Development, and, after the 2005 hurricanes, as deputy director of the Louisiana Recovery Authority.

Knapp serves on the boards of Teach for America, the Center for Planning Excellence, New Schools Baton Rouge, and the Mayor's Healthy City Initiative.

A native of Lake Charles, Louisiana, Knapp attended Davidson College near Charlotte, North Carolina, and studied at Julius-Maximillian University in Germany and at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government. He and his wife, Megan, have three young children, Sadie, Hattie, and Nicholas. 

Agenda

6:00 PM - A give first opportunity to get help with your startup. You'll have the opportunity to be introduced to and connect with the right people.

6:30 PM - A fireside chat with Adam Knapp / Q&A

7:30 PM -  A networking session in which attendees talk to each other freely over drinks and delicious snacks. There's no Startup Grind where you don't leave with new friends and exciting connections.

Come out for a great night of networking, food, and stories. Be sure to use the #startupgrindBR when posting about the event.