MORTAR launching entrepreneurship conference in Walnut Hills

Cincinnati-based MORTAR is bringing a new national entrepreneurship conference to Walnut Hills this fall.

The inaugural “Our North Star – Destination Cincinnati” runs Oct. 8-10 in the Peebles’ Corner Business District. It’ll bring together entrepreneurs, creatives, nonprofits and business-support organizations to tackle some of the biggest challenges facing small businesses right now.

MORTAR has been doing that work since 2014, when the nonprofit was founded to support local entrepreneurs navigating systems of inequity. Its Entrepreneurship Academy has graduated more than 1,000 entrepreneurs, and the organization has awarded more than $1 million in grants to alumni through its Iron Chest Fund.

Now, MORTAR is expanding that work with a conference focused on issues affecting people across the country – economic hurdles, changes in government funding, tighter consumer budgets and shifting procurement practices.

“We cannot do this work in silos, especially right now,” said Allen Woods, a MORTAR co-founder and current CEO. “Whether you are a business owner fighting for your dream or an organization standing alongside them in the trenches, Our North Star is where we come together to recharge, realign, and pave the path forward.”

Inside the event

The conference will have two tracks: one for founders and another for the organizations that support them. Founders will get practical business strategies and resources, while “ecosystem builders” will share ideas and work on ways to better support diverse entrepreneurs.

It’ll also include physical and financial wellness activities. 

Registration is open through MORTAR’s website, with attendees getting 75% off registration at checkout as part of Black Business Month.