Auxilium, chamber to launch StartUp Week Worcester

A man in a suit stands in front of an audience with a brick wall and screen behind him

Photo | Eric Casey Worcester Bravehearts General Manager Dave Peterson served as MC for the first ever WooTank Intercollegiate Showdown in 2024. This year's WooTank will take place as part of the new StartUp Week Worcester.

Write a Comment

By Eric Casey

Looking to bring more attention to the city’s growing startup environment, the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce and a newly-formed entrepreneurship hub have teamed to launch StartUp Week Worcester, a multi-day event in April featuring tours, workshops, and a collegiate pitch competition.

Auxilium, a new venture launched by Worcester Railers and Worcester Palladium owner Cliff Rucker in January, is teaming up with the chamber to host the event. Programming will run from April 8-10.

"Auxilium is pleased to partner with the Chamber to launch the first StartUp Week Worcester," Auxilium Executive Director Zachary Dutton said in a Thursday press release announcing the event. “This will set the groundwork for what will become an annual tradition, highlighting Worcester's past, present, and future as an entrepreneurial hub. This week is about celebrating what already exists and creating pathways for even more founders to succeed right here in Central Mass."

StartUp Week Worcester will kick off on April 8 with an innovation crawl featuring a number of prominent business- and innovation-related locations, including Polar Beverage’s headquarters and the Worcester Polytechnic Institute Innovation Studio.

The crawl will be followed by the Venture Forum’s WooTank Intercollegiate Showdown, a competition pitting entrepreneurial students from a number of area colleges against one another in a quest to receive funding and mentorship from established entrepreneurs. The first annual WooTank competition was held last April, resulting in a total of $14,500 in funding for eight student-founded businesses.

Panels held on April 9 and 10 will cover a variety of topics deemed essential for entrepreneurs, including discussions relating to demystifying AI and tips for first-time founders who are looking to raise capital.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Worcester Business Journal is a media sponsor of StartUp Week Worcester.

Eric Casey is the managing editor at Worcester Business Journal, who primarily covers the manufacturing and real estate industries.