This document describes Innovation Nights, which hosts monthly events featuring local startups. It seeks "franchisees" who can help expand the model to new cities. As a franchisee, one would be responsible for organizing local events, recruiting sponsors and participants. Innovation Nights provides support like online tools and training. The model has been successful in Boston since 2009, showcasing over 600 companies. Franchisees benefit by supporting innovation in their community and growing their professional networks.

2. Innovation Nights LLC
• In Boston area, InnoNights hosts
a free-to-attend event featuring
10 local startups the second
Wednesday of every month.
Events in other cities could be
quarterly, bi-monthly, etc.
• Event attendees help spread the
word about companies and their
product launches using social
media
• The model is ‘frictionless,’ there
is no cost to entrepreneurs to
exhibit or attend.
Innovation Nights was founded by
Bobbie Carlton, Carlton PR & Marketing

3. Innovation Nights LLC
• Since 2009, Mass Innovation Nights has hosted 60 events
in the Boston region showcasing 600+ local products
We want to bring Innovation Nights to your city!

4. Event Model
Event
Sponsors &
Hosts
Exhibitors &
Experts
Participants
& Guest
“Franchisee”
(You)

5. Sponsors
SPONSORS help defray the costs of InnoNights events
and/or provide a venue, refreshments, contribute to event
• Advertise through website, newsletters, event to reach
local innovation community
• Promote products or services to increase sales and
generate new business opportunities
• Target entrepreneurial community and small businesses

6. Exhibitors & Experts
EXHIBITORS and EXPERTS promote their products,
services, or themselves by tabling at InnoNights events.
• Opportunity to promote products and services,
generate buzz via social media
• Reach potential clients and users, business partners
and investors, potential hires
• Receive feedback to refine pitch or product

7. Participants/Guests
PARTICIPANTS represent a range of students,
entrepreneurs, investors, media and services providers
• Learn about exciting local products and companies
• Develop relationships and connections
• Promote their own businesses and services
• Support start-ups and local innovation with their
knowledge and social media/community influence

8. Local Franchisee
Local Franchisee
demonstrates a
commitment to local
innovation and act as an
advocate for start-ups and
entrepreneurs by hosting
regular events
Responsibilities
• Recruiting sponsors,
exhibitors, and participants
• Updating social media,
online and newsletter
• Organizing and promoting
the event

9. Support local innovation
Be part of furthering local
innovation and facilitating the
key partnerships that will help
companies generate buzz for
new products.

10. Build your reputation
Hosting Innovation Nights
in your city helps build
visibility, connections and
credibility within the
innovation community. It is
an opportunity to apply
your experience and
expertise for the greater
good while promoting
yourself or your business.

11. Develop revenue opportunities
Not only is Innovation
Nights a great way to
approach business
development, it is also
a platform for
additional revenue
opportunities such as
advertising, training or
promoting your own
products and services.

12. Benefit from our experience
Innovation Nights has
organized monthly
events since 2009.
Building upon our
experience, practices and
online platform, we can
make sure that you hit
the ground running and
avoid trial and error with
our process, technical
assistance and training.

13. Reach a wider audience
Increase your reach and exposure by joining us. Help
startups showcase their products on a local and national
scale. Put your city on the map as a center of innovation

14. Use our flexible event model
Our event model is flexible in format and frequency
and suitable for your needs and resources.

15. For your investment,
InnoNights will:
• Provide an exclusive license to
operate events in your region
• Promote your events and
products through Innovation
Nights website, social media,
newsletter and PR outreach
• Provide web platform, training
and expertise
• Coordinate content sharing
across regions
Franchise Agreement
•Easy to get
started
•Share of
sponsorships
•Time: approx.
20 hours/event

16. Promotional
• Promote events using your local network
• Build associated social media accounts
• Maintain the content featured on your
subdomain of the InnoNights website
• Create and distribute online newsletter
Event
• Coordinate exhibitors and experts for events
• Obtain sponsors and venues for each event
Franchise Responsibilities

17. 17%
11%
10%
8%
6%5%
5%
4%
Web-based
Software
& business
Food &
Grocery
Mobile
Marketing &
Advertising
Business
Services
Health &
Personal
Care
Clothing,
shoes,
accessories
Products

18. Half a billion+
vc, angel, investor, grants, and awards
Photo by Janet Egan

19. 91 have since launched
other new products

20. 18 Acquired or Merged

21. 395 Still In Business

22. Serious Tweet Reach
11,163 → 6,378,255

23. Testimonials
“Not only did we get great traffic and leads from
the Mass Innovation Nights website leading up to
the event but our lead generation program the
night of the event exceeded our expectations. Even
today, more than a month later, we continue to
see our most engaged and highest quality leads
coming from the site.”
Matthew Mamet, Marketing, EditMe.com

24. Testimonials
“We did Mass Innovation Nights in a quiet way –
we were last minute substitutions for a company
that couldn’t come but we still got six sign-ups in a
single night and ten qualified leads the next day.
Not only that, but one of our beta customers was
Rubbermaid, from Ohio. Since we hadn’t yet
launched, we knew that query must have come
through visibility we got at Innovation Nights.”
David Jenkins, VP of Sales, Conversion Associates

25. Gracious hosts get
visibility too
Charles River Museum of Industry, IBM Innovation Center, Clock Tower
Place, MassChallenge, Microsoft NERD Center, CCR ,
Continuum/VideoLink, Verizon Innovation Center, Cummings Center
Beverly, Tradecenter 128, Merrimack Valley Sandbox, VMware, Intrepid
Labs, SCVNGR / Level Up, The Boston Globe, Space with a Soul, Isabella
Products/the Wheelhouse, Fresh Tilled Soil

26. Thanks Sponsors!

27. Although events are free
to attendees, experts,
exhibitors, they generate
revenue through
• Event sponsorship
• Advertising
• Affiliate partners/fees
• Services
Revenue Stream

28. Innovation Nights can be a platform
for additional revenue streams
• Speaking and consulting opportunities
• Workshops, lecture and online
seminar series
• Premium video or podcast content
• Elite membership package, exclusive
content
• Market and audience data
• Media mentions and publications
Revenue/Benefits

29. Kristen Avini, Program & Events Manager
Bobbie Carlton, Founder
Tim Stansky, Business Development
info@innovationnights.com
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