In 2013, Rebecca Ryan, one of the world’ preeminent scholars in community and economic development, challenged our community.

She flew in from Madison, WI, and, speaking to 300+ Gainesville regional leaders at the 2013 iG Forum hosted at the Santa Fe College Fine Arts Hall, she left us with a challenge:

As we move from winter to spring, this is a sacred moment. You have a tailwind… What will you do with it, to ensure that your next generations inherit a community that they can be proud to call home?

On August 20th, Innovation Gainesville will gather to answer the challenge as we present the 2014 iG Forum + Business Showcase.

The Event

Hosted and emceed by Doc Waller (known best for his TEDxAtlanta talk, "Getting Antigravity," and "Becoming Possible"), we’re featuring 8 local stories that reflect the authentic, real life experience of the folks working to craft a community worthy of Gainesville’s next generation.

We’ll bring them and 250 of your neighbors from across age, demographics, professions, and experiences, together at The Hippodrome main stage. There, they’ll share their passions and aspirations for their work in the Gainesville community; the opportunities Gainesville has given them, and  challenges that may be holding them back from learning moments on the path to achieving their dreams and putting Gainesville on the map.

We’ll use those stories and your feedback, through a new platform we’re launching, to drive the work of Innovation Gainesville for years to come to "ensure our future generations inherit a community they can be proud to call home."

We’ll then close out the evening down the street and celebrate Gainesville’s opportunities over food, drinks, beer, and wine with 70+ local neighbors and companies at the 2014 Business Showcase at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center, at the University of Florida.

We’ve worked hard to interlace two signature Chamber events ensuring folks can engage both audiences relatively seamlessly with the right investment. If you have any questions about our ticket, booth, or sponsor packages, just drop us an email. We’ll be happy to help.

We're looking forward to a fantastic event with you all this August.

How to Get Involved

​Many of the 2014 sponsor packages include a booth or a block of tickets. Be sure to visit www.gainesvillechamber.com/2014iGForum make sure you get the most impact for this year's event.