Five-City, Five Day Bus Tour Begins October 6th; Will Spotlight Emerging Entrepreneurial Ecosystems in the Midwest
Washington, D.C. – Today, Revolution, UP Global, Google for Entrepreneurs, Engine Advocacy and Startup Grind announced that they are teaming up for a second Rise of the Rest Road Tour to spotlight startup communities in the heart of the United States. The tour, spearheaded by investor and entrepreneur Steve Case, will kick off on October 6th and visit five Midwest cities: Madison, Minneapolis, Des Moines, Kansas City and St. Louis. The goal is to catalyze entrepreneurship and celebrate its progress by recognizing the critical role that startups play in growing our economy, driving innovation, and fostering community development.
As part of the Rise of the Rest Tour, The Atlantic will host and simulcast a conversation series led by Washington Editor-at-Large Steve Clemons, exploring the state of entrepreneurship in America today and its impact on our broader economic outlook.
“Entrepreneurship is the lifeblood of our economy. Now more than ever, I believe that our nation’s prosperity is contingent on having a robust and diverse startup economy that encompasses all regions of the country,” said Case. “Based on the resounding success of our first bus tour nearly 10 weeks ago, I am eager to hit the road once again and pleased to be joined by partners that share our vision for a resurgence of entrepreneurship across America.”
Along the way, Case will be joined by nationally-renowned entrepreneurs and civic leaders to shine a spotlight on the emergence of thriving entrepreneurial ecosystems and the companies leading the charge. He will also personally invest in each city’s startup community by hosting a series of pitch competitions in which one winner in each city will earn a $100,000 investment in their company.
The Rise of the Rest Road Tour will launch in Madison on October 6th, and the bus will travel to Minneapolis on October 7th, Des Moines on October 8th, Kansas City on October 9th and conclude in St. Louis on October 10th. The partners organizing the tour include Revolution, the Washington D.C.-based venture capital firm co-founded by Steve Case, UP Global, Google for Entrepreneurs, Engine, Startup Grind and Seed Here Studio. Within each city, premier startup hubs including gener8tor in Madison, CoCo in Minneapolis, Gravitate in Des Moines, KC Startup Village in Kansas City and T-Rex in St. Louis will anchor each day’s events.
Each stop along the route will feature:
- A startup tour, visits to promising growth companies, accelerators and incubators
- Fireside chats moderated by The Atlantic’s Washington Editor-at-Large Steve Clemons, featuring Steve Case and other entrepreneurial luminaries
- Local startups pitching a panel of all-star judges, with a $100,000 investment from Steve Case at stake
- Celebration and networking for local entrepreneurs
More information on the Rise of the Rest Road Tour, including times and locations for specific events in each city, is available at www.riseofrest.com and by following #riseofrest on Twitter and Instagram.
About Revolution
A Washington, DC-based investment firm founded by Steve Case in 2005, Revolution’s mission is to build disruptive, innovative companies that offer consumers more choice, convenience, and control in their lives. Revolution seeks to create significant value for companies that are attacking large, traditional industries with innovative new products and services. The Revolution team brings proven expertise in scaling up companies and helping to expand niche ideas into mass appeal. For more information, please visit: www.revolution.com or follow us on Twitter @revolution.
About Google for Entrepreneurs
Google for Entrepreneurs provides financial support and the best of Google’s resources to dozens of coworking spaces and community programs across 125 countries. We also create Campuses: physical hubs where entrepreneurs can learn, connect, and build companies that will change the world. To learn more about Google for Entrepreneurs, visit google.com/entrepreneurs or follow us on G+ (+GoogleForEntrepreneurs) and Twitter (@GoogleForEntrep).
About The Atlantic
Since its founding in 1857 as a magazine about “the American Idea” that would be of “no party or clique,”The Atlantic has been at the forefront of brave thinking in journalism. One of the first magazines to launch on the Web in the early 1990s, The Atlantic has continued to help shape the national debate across print, digital, and event platforms. With its news- and opinion-tracking site, TheWire.com, and CityLab.com on global cities, The Atlantic is a multimedia forum on the most critical issues of our times—from politics, business, urban affairs, and the economy, to technology, arts, and culture. The Atlantic is the flagship property of Washington, D.C.–based publisher Atlantic Media.
About UP Global
UP Global, the umbrella organization for Startup Weekend, Startup Next, Startup Digest, and Startup Education currently fosters entrepreneurship in 600 cities across the world, serving over 150,000 innovators. By 2016, the organization will support 1,000 communities through partnerships with local grassroots leaders and partnerships with organizations including Google for Entrepreneurs, the Case Foundation and Kauffman Foundation among others. For more information, visit up.co or follow us on Twitter @UPGlobalHQ.
Media Contact:
Allyson Burns
Revolution
Office: 202.467.2059
Mobile: 202.870.4750
allyson.burns@revolution.com
