This Week in 757 (Events) August 18, 2025

A curated list of upcoming business and innovation events in the 757.

August 18, 2025

Need a Ticket? We’ve Got You Covered.

Thanks to our generous sponsors, we have a limited number of sponsored tickets available for the Startup World Cup Virginia Regional Finals.

If the $10 ticket cost is a barrier for you, just reply to this email. No questions asked — we’ll add you to the list, first come, first served.

We don’t want anyone to miss this opportunity to connect, learn, and grow.

FEATURED EVENTS
August 21 @ 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Startup World Cup Pre-Party Celebration

The excitement is building for the Startup World Cup Virginia Regional Finals—and the celebration starts early! Join us from 3:00 to 5:00 PM at The Hive in Virginia Beach for a pre-event networking gathering ahead of the main event just down the road at the Sandler Center. [Register]

August 21 @ 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Startup World Cup Virginia Qualifier

Join us for an exciting evening of high-energy pitches, dynamic networking, and opportunities to connect with mentors, startups, investors, and innovation leaders — all in a relaxed, out-of-the-box setting. Whether you’re a startup founder, investor, or just curious about the future of entrepreneurship, this is the event you don’t want to miss. [Register]

TUESDAY August 19
9:00 am - 12:00 pm: HR BizConnect: BizTools Workshop [Register]

6:00 pm - 7:30 pm: The AI Collective • Hampton Roads: Automate smarter with Make [Register]

WEDNESDAY August 20
10:00 am - 11:30 pm: Coffee Connect | Virginia Beach: Black BRAND [Register]

B-Force Accelerator | Now accepting applications!

Description:
A 12-week intensive for black and latinx businesses that are at least 2 years old to prepare them for capital access.

The Info Sessions for the new cohort of B-Force Accelerator occur at Black BRAND Headquarters in Norfolk, every Tuesday in August at 6pm.

Click the REGISTRATION LINK.

THURSDAY August 21
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm: Business Finance Basics: The IncuHub [Register]

FRIDAY August 22
1:00 pm - 4:00 pm: SBSD: Hampton Roads Small Business Summit [Register]

Be sure to explore our full event calendar for upcoming happenings. CLICK HERE to check out everything coming in the future.

FERVENT FOUR

Episode #275: From $200 to Millions: How Emblem Olive Oil is Changing Health and Food Access in America

Chasity Pritchett, Certified Olive Oil Sommelier and founder of Emblem Olive Oil, shares how she grew a faith-driven business from just $200 into a company supplying millions of dollars in olive oil to Native American reservations through USDA contracts.

Based in Chesapeake, Virginia, Emblem is 100% American-made and on a mission to change how America sees olive oil.

In this conversation, Chasity dives into the health benefits of extra virgin olive oil, her nonprofit Let’s Fight Back Foundation supporting food insecurity and chronic illness, and the journey of building a woman-owned business rooted in wellness, equity, and flavor.

PARTNERS

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