I will be celebrating a family birthday – but if you’re in the area I think the Red Wing Ignite party will be fun. As part of US Ignite, Red Wing Ignite is representing for Minnesota and rural areas. I think they’re doing a good job. You can get a look at what they are doing from the video of the Hackathon they hosted last spring…

Red Wing Ignite invites the public to their one year celebration on September 18 at the Ignite building. Join the festivities, take a self-guided tour of the facilities and co-working space and meet and learn about local tech startup companies.

Red Wing Ignite is part of a national community of cities across the US demonstrating the importance of innovative approaches to building better business and supporting entrepreneurs. “Red Wing is one of the smaller cities in the US Ignite program. We are more rural than our counterparts but we are showing the big cities that innovation can happen anywhere” says Executive Director Neela Mollgaard.

Seven startups will be showcasing their businesses on September 18; providing demos. The applications they have developed could benefit you, your worksite and community. Also available will be entrepreneurs and community organizations who have taken advantage of the collaborative co-working space.

“We look forward to showing off local Red Wing talent and hope to meet some new prospects. And of course we’ll have refreshments and smart people. You can’t underestimate the importance of gathering and good conversation to spur innovation,” explains Mollgaard.

What: Red Wing Ignite Open House
When: 4:00-6:00 pm on Thursday September 18
Where: Ignite building, 419 Bush St, Red Wing