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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260311T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260311T130000
DTSTAMP:20260525T091748
CREATED:20260122T165959Z
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SUMMARY:Storytelling and Pitch Prep with AI: 2026 AI for Startups Sprint Series
DESCRIPTION:Bring your startup ideas to life with Storytelling and Pitch Prep\, the third session in SOAR Innovation’s 2026 AI for Startups Sprint Series. This one-hour virtual workshop is designed for Eastern Kentucky founders and aspiring entrepreneurs who want to explore how AI can help them rapidly prototype\, test\, and refine products or workflows.  \nIn this hands-on session\, you’ll learn practical ways to use AI in prototyping and product design:  \n\nStructure and refine your startup story for clarity and impact \nGenerate and test messaging for different audiences \nPractice pitch delivery with AI-assisted feedback \nBuild confidence in presenting your idea to investors\, partners\, or customers \n\nLogistics  \n\nSession 3: Storytelling and Pitch Prep with AI\nSpeaker: Rick West\nLocation: Virtual\nDate: March 11\nTime: 12:00 p.m. – 1 p.m. ET\n\nWhether you’re pitching your first idea or refining your investor presentation\, this session will give you actionable tools and AI-powered insights to tell your story with confidence. \nSave your spot now and join the AI for Startups Sprint Series! \nAbout Our Speaker \nRick West: Rick West\, an Eastern Kentucky native\, is an experienced CEO and co-founder of multiple startups with an emphasis in technology\, innovation\, and consumer packaged goods. He’s been an entrepreneur for 16 years and a leader in the international retail industry for 17 years. Rick currently serves as SOAR Innovation’s Entrepreneur-in-Residence\, and is also a speaker and mentor in the business community and research industry.
URL:https://soar-ky.org/soar-event-calendar/storytelling-and-pitch-prep-2026-ai-for-startups-sprint-series/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:AI for Startups,SOAR Innovation,Virtual and In-Person Trainings
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260323
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260324
DTSTAMP:20260525T091748
CREATED:20260224T230101Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260427T131828Z
UID:10000618-1774224000-1774310399@soar-ky.org
SUMMARY:Startup Appalachia Accelerator - Application Deadline – Spring 2026
DESCRIPTION:Applications Open for the Startup Appalachia Accelerator\nA business startup accelerator for founders in Eastern Kentucky\nBuilding a Tech or Tech-Enabled Business?\nIf you’re beyond the idea stage and actively working on a technology or tech-enabled business\, the SOAR Innovation Startup Appalachia Accelerator\, presented by Community Trust Bank\, is now accepting applications. \nThis is not a general small business class.It’s a focused program for founders in Eastern Kentucky using technology to build\, deliver\, or scale their business. \nYou’ll work directly with experienced entrepreneurs through cohort workshops and one-on-one coaching designed to help you move forward faster and avoid common startup mistakes. \nApplications close March 23\, 2026. \nWhat Participants Receive\n\nWeekly founder workshops\nPrivate coaching with SOAR Innovation’s Entrepreneur-in-Residence\nSmall group coaching and peer cohort support\nPractical skills in business technology\nPreparation for pitching and next-stage growth\n\nParticipants who successfully complete the program may also be eligible for a reimbursable grant of $3\,000–$5\,000. \nProgram Schedule\nProgram Dates: April 6 – May 18\, 2026Workshops: Mondays\, 6–8 p.m. ET (Virtual)Coaching: Bi-weekly private sessionsOne in-person workshop: Date and location TBDDemo Day Graduation: June 4\, 2026 \nProgram Roadmap\nWeek 1 – Product FocusWeek 2 – Product CoachingWeek 3 – Customer & MarketWeek 4 – Customer CoachingWeek 5 – Demand TestingWeek 6 – Validation CoachingWeek 7 – Pricing & RevenueWeek 8 – Demo Day Preparation & Next Steps \nApply to the Startup Appalachia Accelerator by March 23\, 2026
URL:https://soar-ky.org/soar-event-calendar/startup-appalachia-accelerator-application-deadline-spring-2026/
LOCATION:KY
CATEGORIES:SOAR Innovation,Virtual and In-Person Trainings
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260325T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260325T130000
DTSTAMP:20260525T091748
CREATED:20260122T170502Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260313T121512Z
UID:10000611-1774440000-1774443600@soar-ky.org
SUMMARY:Prototyping and Product Design with AI: 2026 AI for Startups Sprint Series
DESCRIPTION:Bring your ideas to life and communicate them with confidence in Prototyping and Product Design with AI\, the fourth session in SOAR Innovation’s 2026 AI for Startups Sprint Series.   \nThis one-hour\, virtual workshop is designed for Eastern Kentucky founders and aspiring entrepreneurs who want to craft compelling stories\, sharpen their messaging\, and prepare effective pitches using AI.  \nIn this hands-on session\, you’ll learn practical ways to use AI for storytelling and pitch preparation:  \n\nCreate simple product or workflow prototypes quickly \nTest ideas and gather feedback using AI-assisted approaches \nExplore design options and iterate efficiently \nApply AI to solve real startup challenges without technical coding skills \n\nLogistics  \n\nSession 4: Prototyping and Product Design with AI\nSpeaker: Justin Hall\nLocation: Virtual\nDate: March 25\nTime: 12-1 p.m. ET\n\nWhether you’re building a new product\, refining an existing service\, or just exploring possibilities\, this session will give you hands-on experience using AI to turn ideas into actionable prototypes.  \nAbout the Presenter:\n \n\nJustin Hall is a technologist\, product strategist\, and AI subject-matter expert with over 25 years of experience building software\, leading teams\, and coaching organizations through change. A former Fast Company 100 Most Creative People in Business honoree for his role in launching Bit Source\, Justin is now focused on AI-first product development—helping companies move beyond hype to practical\, human-centered systems that actually work. \nBased in Kentucky\, Justin works with startups\, agencies\, nonprofits\, and public-sector organizations to design AI solutions that align technology\, culture\, and real-world constraints. He recently appeared on the Secret Experts Podcast\, discussing AI adoption\, systems thinking\, and what it takes to build responsibly in an era of rapid automation.\n\n\nSave your spot now and join the AI for Startups Sprint Series!
URL:https://soar-ky.org/soar-event-calendar/prototyping-and-product-design-with-ai-2026-ai-for-startups-sprint-series/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:AI for Startups,SOAR Innovation,Virtual and In-Person Trainings
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260326T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260326T130000
DTSTAMP:20260525T091748
CREATED:20250725T170654Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260318T123619Z
UID:10000092-1774526400-1774530000@soar-ky.org
SUMMARY:Product MVP Bootcamp
DESCRIPTION:2026 Founders Fit Bootcamp Series\nSession 9: Product MVP Bootcamp\n📅 Date: March 26\, 2026🕒 Time: 12:00 p.m. ET📍 Location: Online Zoom Meeting (link provided upon registration)🎟️ Cost: Free \nJoin us for the ninth session of our Founders Fit Bootcamp Series\, a monthly webinar series from SOAR Innovation designed to equip early-stage entrepreneurs with practical\, actionable tools to build and grow their business in Eastern Kentucky and beyond. \nProduct MVP Bootcamp continues the series with a focus on developing a minimum viable product (MVP) for your tech startup. You’ll learn how to: \n\nImplement a process to determine MVP options\nUse a product roadmap to create your MVP\nWrite messaging about your MVP that resonates with your target market\n\nThis live Zoom session will be led by a local Eastern Kentucky software development firm. \nMeet Our Speakers:\nDamian and Dillon De Rozairo\n\nDamian is an Omaha-based technology entrepreneur and payments systems specialist with decades of experience in financial infrastructure and security innovation. He is the Founder and CEO of V2verify\, a voice-biometric authentication company focused on eliminating passwords\, PINs\, and security questions across web\, mobile\, contact center\, and in-person channels.\n\nIn addition to leading V2verify\, he serves Chairman/CTO of Paxus\, LLC\, where he oversees the development of application and middleware solutions for the global payments-processing industry along with fractional CTO/technical advisor roles at other startups/organizations.\n\nEarlier in his career\, Damian worked internationally as a software developer and consultant for major financial institutions and processors\, including State Bank of Victoria\, ANZ\, and ACI Worldwide\, specializing in ATM and POS networks and large-scale transaction processing systems.\n\nWidely regarded as a serial entrepreneur with deep technical and payments expertise\, Damian leverages his background in financial infrastructure to build next-generation identity and authentication technologies. \n\nSave your spot: https://soar-ky.org/soar-innovation/founders-fit-bootcamp/
URL:https://soar-ky.org/soar-event-calendar/product-mvp-bootcamp/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:SOAR event,SOAR Innovation,Virtual and In-Person Trainings
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