MetroWest Start Up Week

Sunday

26th

Thomas M. Menino Convention & Exhibition Center

10 am – 5 pm

New England Bar & Restaurant Show

The region’s largest restaurant, bar, and foodservice event serving both the foodservice and retail sectors. Please make sure to purchase your ticket on the website, this event is not organized by the EIC.

Monday

27th

9 am – 12 pm Thomas M. Menino Convention & Exhibition Center

New England Bar & Restaurant Show

The region’s largest restaurant, bar, and foodservice event serving both the foodservice and retail sectors. Please make sure to purchase your ticket on the website, this event is not organized by the EIC.

1:30 pm – 2:30 pm McCarthy Center 1839

Reimagining Food Systems

EquiTable is a food justice nonprofit working to transform how food systems are built through community-driven design, policy advocacy, and sustainable infrastructure. Join us to explore how social impact framings can create more just and regenerative food futures.

3 pm – 5 pm FEDC 1661 Worcester Rd 01701

All About Framingham

Framingham is the home to many corporate HQs including TJX, Bose and Staples. But there is more to this region of innovation and entrepreneurship. Learn all about Framingham in this session.

5 pm – 7 pm Renaissance Framingham Hotel & Conference Center

The Taste of MetroWest

Representatives from the area’s finest restaurants, caterers, gourmet and ethnic markets, gift boutiques, wineries and brew houses will offer delicious samples of food and rereshments. Please make sure to purchase your ticket on the website, this event is not organized by the EIC.

Tuesday

28th

FSU Entrepreneur Innovation Center

9 am – 10 am

Registration

10 am – 11 am

On Legal for Start Ups

Learn about startup legal structures from the get-go with Michael Gatlin

11 am – 12 pm

Why Failing Upwards Is the Only Way

A look into the importance of iteration by Peter Andrei

12 pm – 1 pm KEYNOTE

Sales for Entrepreneurs

Join Lou Shipley, Former Technology Company CEO, Author and HBS Professor who teaches sales will deliver a keynote talk on selling. Learn more about it in this session. The first 25 attendees will receive a copy of Lou’s newly published entrepreneurship stories book “Unlikely Entrepreneurs” which can be signed. 

1 pm – 2 pm

Lunch 

2 pm – 3 pm

Growing a Restaurant Company

Learn about a local MetroWest restaurant company, how it started and grew, and overcame challenges too with Sunil Kolli Bawarachi’s owner.

3 pm – 4 pm

Tea & Talk: Innovation Challenge

Join the Rotary Club for a Tea and Coffe Session on Innovation Challenge and Skill Development Program

4 pm – 5 pm

Understanding the Aging Process

Planning is Critical to Affordable and Safe Aging; navigate this growing industry alongside with Alex Wong “MY CARE COMMUNITY” founder.

5pm – 6 pm

Non-profit Arts and Music Startups

Sesión en español. Associacion Latinoamericana de Musicos y Artistas is local non-proft founded and led by Z. Learn about its mission, challenges and transformation. A great session for our social entrepreneurs at MWSW26, especially those that are interested in the arts and culture

After Hours

7 pm – 9 pm TEMAZCAL RESTAURANT

Music with Z

Wednesday

29th

FSU Entrepreneur Innovation Center

9 am – 10 am

Registration

9 am – 10:45 am

Entrepreneurship Through Acquistion Workshop

Learn how to idenfiy companies for sale, value them and finance the acquisition using equity and debt. On a workshop guided by Michael Clouser. Get ready to buy a company next!

11 am – 12 pm Keynote

Leverage Your Local Chamber

How can startups best work with and leverage the benefits of their local chamber of commerce? Learn about how to do such, and also about our local MetroWest Chamber of Commerce from the MWCC Director Reyad Shah

12 pm – 2pm

Day in the Life of an Amazonian Bevtech

Making Your Own Functional Beverage, Join the interactive workshop leaded by Marina Andreazi

1 pm – 2 pm

LUNCH 

2 pm – 3 pm

The Vision Behind Jan Scan

Join Marcus Clark and Connor and Goodreau to introduce the story behind Jan Scan, the problems it aims to solve, and the vision driving its future growth.

3 pm – 4 pm

Start up Your Online Presence Like a Hotshot

Protect Your Ideas, Own Your Brand, and Stand Out Everywhere You Show Up.This isn’t another generic workshop about social media tips. It’s a high‑energy, no‑nonsense session that shows attendees how to build an online presence with intention, confidence, and unmistakable Hotshot attitude.

4 pm – 5 pm KEYNOTE

Repositioning Commercial Real Estate in Cambridge

Join Will Weiner for an inside look at how small office buildings in Cambridge are being reimagined through strategic acquisition, operations, and upgrades. Ideal for anyone interested in real estate, entrepreneurship, and urban development.

5 pm – 6 pm

Emprende con Propósito

This session will be held in Spanish: Emprender con propósitos es conocer los aspectos básicos al iniciar un negocio, desarrollar una mentalidad emprendedora que apoye su visión, identificar las necesidades con la cual quiere desarrollar su negocio.

After Hours

6 pm – 9 pm

Danforth Museum Night 

Network while sharing good music,art and food. Featuring DJ Matilda

Thursday

30th

FSU McCarthy Center Alumni Room

9 am – 10 am

Registration

10 am – 11 am

Startup Hospitality

FSU Professor John Palabiyik will explain the ins and outs of the hospitality startup scene

11 am – 12 pm

The Story of the Fireside Tavern and Inn

Learn about an exciting hospitality startup and growth company, and awesome restaurant that is adding lodging to its mix of offerings here in the MetroWest region with Laura Robbins.

12 pm – 1 pm KEYNOTE

Acquiring Startups: A Big Company Perspective

Join Jeremy Segal from Progress and learn from a software industry M and A veteran about the thinking, analysis, decision-making, and deal-making behind buying software companies as a conglomerate.

1 pm – 2 pm

LUNCH

2 pm – 3 pm

PANEL: Starting and Growing a Cafe

Be inspired by Neelu and Julia, two local cafepreneurs who have started and grown businesses in the region in this panel discussion.

3 pm – 4 pm

The Missing Link in AI: Real-World Data at Scale

AI breakthroughs are increasingly constrained not by models, but by access to high-quality, real-world data. In this talk, Ramesh Annavajjala explores why scalable, multi-modal data is the missing link in AI and how turning everyday environments into continuous data sources unlocks new capabilities and business models.

After Hours

5 pm – 7 pm 50 Speen St Ste 202, Framingham, MA

Sincere.com Event

Happy Hour for networking and learning more about an exciting B2C consumer internet company.

6 pm – 8 pm

Hardware Meetup

Friday

1st

FSU McCarthy Center Alumni Room

9 am – 10 am

Registration

10 am – 11 am Alumni Room

Boston globe media

10:30 am – 11:30 am McCarthy Center 520

The Greater MetroWest Economy in Context

MERC, a unique and specialized research center at Framingham University, will provide an overview of the economy of the MetroWest region. Data scientists, business leaders, and students alike will enjoy this data-driven presentation of the stats and what they mean, by Luis and Fahlio

11 am – 12 pm Alumni Room

Branding Yourself in Today’s Economy

12 pm – 1 pm Alumni Room

Ideas to Impact: Defining Your Purpose and Building Your Brand

Hosted by the Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization (CEO) Chapter of Framingham State University alongside Liz Robinson from LRob Inspired. In this interactive session, you’ll learn how to define your purpose, align your message, and begin building a brand that stands out and connects.

1 pm – 2 pm ANNEX

LUNCH

2 pm – 3 pm KEYNOTE ANNEX

The Blueprint for creating a Social Media Strategy

Join Jenny Li Fowler to explore the trends and content strategies driving real engagement and impact on social media in today’s digital landscape.

3 pm – 4 pm ANNEX

The Modern Marketing Playbook: Brand, Strategy & Growth

This panel explores how modern marketing connects brand, strategy, and customer insight to drive measurable business growth and long-term impact. Featuring: Matt Douglas and Ginny Caggiano.

4 pm – 5 pm ANNEX

What’s Driving Results on Social Media Today

Hear from Roshni Patel, Armaya Doremi and Emerson McManus about the trends and content strategies driving real engagement and impact on social media in today’s digital landscape.

After Hours

5 pm – 9 pm

TechStars Start Up Boston

​Join us for Techstars Startup Weekend Boston 2026 — a 54-hour sprint where ideas become startups. Over one weekend, you’ll pitch, form a team, build a prototype, and showcase your progress to seasoned judges. The event goes from FRIDAY-SUNDAY.

7 pm – 9 pm

FSUDT Event

FSU Fashion Show