Emerson to Host Startup Institute’s Talent Expo

On Thursday, August 13, more than 40 individuals who recently completed Startup Institute’s eight-week course geared toward entrepreneurial-minded professionals, will have 60 seconds each to “pitch” themselves to an audience of Boston-area founders, company leadership, and hiring managers. Presentations will take place from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm at the Paramount Center, including time for networking after the pitches.

Trish Fontanilla, who graduated from Emerson in 2005, as a Writing, Literature and Publishing major, has followed her own entrepreneurial path that landed her a job at the Startup Institute, a Boston-based company now in its third year.

“Our main goal is to help people find careers that they love,” said Fontanilla, who is the Global Director of Community. “I’m thrilled that this year’s Talent Expo is at my alma mater. As a student at Emerson, I was involved with so many activities on campus, which helped me develop a variety of skills and instilled in me a passion for innovation and entrepreneurship.”

 Fontanilla ’05 (third from left) and the StartUp Institute's Program Team.

Startup Institute’s eight-week programs have attracted individuals ranging from ages 17 to 67, looking for their dream jobs—people just starting out and those who want to make a career change. Selected applicants learn skills in one of four tracks (marketing, web development, web design, or sales and account management) while also developing leadership and culture skills and building a powerful network in Boston’s innovation community.

The program culminates in the Talent Expo, where participants pitch — in 60 seconds — how their skills would be beneficial to prospective employers. “The presentations are exciting; they’re a result of a lot of hard work, personal and professional development,” said Fontanilla.

Fontanilla also highlights that hiring managers and entrepreneurs who come to the Talent Expo looking for prospective additions to their organizations range from two-person startup teams to larger, more established corporations such as John Hancock and Eastern Bank, which have innovation labs. While the sizes and structures of these companies vary, they all value innovation and being passionate about the work one produces.

The Talent Expo is free. To register, visit the event site.