MARQUETTE — Peak26 is a two-day conference co-hosted by Innovate Marquette and SISU: The Innovation Institute March 26-27 at Northern Michigan University.

This year’s event is focused on helping you climb towards success, develop your skills, and elevate your potential. Designed for students, career professionals, entrepreneurs, and lifelong learners, Peak26 offers a platform to build practical, transferable skills while gaining inspiration from real people doing meaningful work. 

Peak is free and open to the public. Registration is open now at https://bit.ly/Peak26Registration.

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS: 

Alex West Steinman: Crowdfunding Your Way to Launch

Alex West Steinman is a nationally recognized speaker, entrepreneur, and dynamic leader helping people and organizations turn purpose into power. As the co-founder and CEO of The Coven, a fast-growing network of inclusive coworking spaces and communities across the U.S., Alex leads with a mission to make work better for everyone. After raising $350,000 via crowdfunding, Alex knows the ins and outs of building a successful crowdfunding campaign and will share her insight on crowdfunding your way to launch in this session.

Bill Hawker

Bill Hawker is the director of business development at Elevate97 in Green Bay where he helps organizations build their brands and strategy through interior branding, vehicle graphics, printing and more. Prior to Elevate97, Hawker spent 20 years developing corporate partnerships for the Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions.

What to expect: 

• Keynote speakers Alex West Steinman of The Coven Community Space and Hawker who will describe previous work with the Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions


• Breakout sessions exploring financial clarity for business growth and strategies for building customer loyalty, decoding entrepreneurship, designing for all, and more


• A Design Jam and Makers Fair


• Two pitch competitions 


• Kicking Your Fear in the Face with Nancy Lyons 


• Innovation Party & Founders Networking at Ore Dock Brewing Co.