7 Conferences for Entrepreneurs Under 30 Even if you've attended a conference that targets young entrepreneurs, perhaps it was run by a different age group and therefore came across as less than authentic. Try these events.
By Josh Steimle Edited by Dan Bova
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
If you're an entrepreneur under 30 years old and you've attended a few business conferences, you may have found them geared toward a different generation. Even if you've attended a conference that targets young entrepreneurs, perhaps it was run by a different age group and therefore came across as less than authentic.
Below are seven conferences that deliver the goods for young entrepreneurs, many of them managed entirely by young entrepreneurs.
1. HustleCon
HustleCon began in 2013 and is managed by Sam Parr, who is 25 years old. The crowd includes techies, but is geared toward non-techie founders. It follows a TED-event format, but is less uptight and more fast and loose, like a startup. Attendees learn how to start and run a business with practical advice from successful entrepreneurs such as Tim Westergren of Pandora, Arum Kang from Coffee Meets Bagel and Matthew Brimer from General Assembly.
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2. HOBY
Geared toward high school students, HOBY attendees are between 15 to 16 years old and get to experience three to four days of community building and leadership training, meet leaders from their regions and provide service. This event is geared less towards the business sense of the term entrepreneur and more to future leaders looking to create opportunities and solve problems.
3. Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization (CEO) National Conference
This event celebrates student entrepreneurship and teaches what isn't heard much from Silicon Valley, which is that it's OK to stay in school and still run your business. Scores of entrepreneurs share their stories about how they founded and grew their businesses and what they learned in the process.
4. TEDxTeen
TEDxTeen gets straight to the need for inspiration, and puts young people in a place to get juiced up about changing and impacting the world.
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5. Nexus Global Youth
Nexus Global Youth boasts an international dynamic with more than 2,000 young people from 70 countries focused on philanthropy and impact investing. Nexus breaks those barriers for young entrepreneurs who may have felt isolated from professional networks in their regions. If social entrepreneurship is your thing, this is an event you'll want to attend.
6. Thiel Summit
Founded by billionaire Paypal founder Peter Thiel and geared for those 25 years old or younger, the Thiel Summit brings together the brightest minds in technology and social entrepreneurship for community building. Speakers are attendees themselves, and the event crowdsources panel ideas. Attendees walk away as friends and the benefits of attendance continue after the conference is over through a private Facebook group and meetups.
7. Next Gen Summit
Next Gen Summit is managed by 19-year-old Justin Lafazan. At the 2015 conference, startups raised close to $1,000,000 from investors. The Next Gen Summit provides young entrepreneurs with resources they need to be successful, such as social capital, education, inspiration and investment. The oldest speakers are 25 years old.
Do you know of other events, regional or global, that young entrepreneurs should attend? Share them in the comments section below.
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