 Date: March 24, 2026
Time: Doors Open 5:30, Competition starts at 6
Location: Kirkland Performance Center | 350 Kirkland Ave, Kirkland, WA 98033
đ About the Event: Join us for an electrifying evening of innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit at the Kirkland Pitch Competition! This is not just an event; it's a platform where aspiring entrepreneurs showcase their groundbreaking ideas, and the community comes together to support and celebrate innovation.
What to Expect:
đ€ Pitch Presentations: Watch as passionate entrepreneurs take the stage to present their business ideas in a format that's both engaging and informative.
đ Networking Opportunities: Connect with like-minded individuals, industry professionals, and potential collaborators. Build relationships that can propel your business forward.
đ Judges Panel: A distinguished panel of industry experts will evaluate the pitches, providing valuable insights and feedback to participants.
đ€ Community Support: Be part of a supportive community that values innovation and believes in the power of local businesses to drive positive change.
đ Live People's Choice award voting
Why Attend: Whether you're an entrepreneur looking for inspiration, an investor scouting for the next big opportunity, or a community member eager to support local innovation, this event is for you! Join us in fostering a culture of entrepreneurship and collaboration.
How to Participate: Be a part of the audience cheering for local talent, mark your calendar, and secure your spot today. Don't miss this chance to be part of a transformative event that could shape the future of our community!
Register to attend here.Â
When:Â 2nd Wednesday of the Month, from 11 AM to 2 PM
Where:Â Kirkland City Hall
Who:Â All are welcome! We have a quiet space and an option for business advising
Join us for the entire time or pop in at the times that work best for you. Instead of working from your house, office, or local coffee shop, join us at City Hall!
Need some one-on-one assistance? Sign up below!
Business Advising 1:1 Sign Up with Shawn Palmer
Business Advising 1:1 Marketing, Branding, Strategy with Jonathan Blanco
Created specifically and exclusively for entrepreneurs, founders, and business owners in the beautiful city of Kirkland. Startup and Small Business Co-Working is designed to foster collaboration, inspire innovation, and provide valuable resources to help you thrive in your entrepreneurial journey along with fellow entrepreneurs, founders, and business owners.
Hosted by the City of Kirkland, Startup425, and OneEastside. Learn more here.Â
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Disasters can take many forms and the financial cost of rebuilding after a disaster can be overwhelming. If youâre prepared for emergencies, youâll be in a better position to recover and continue operations should disaster strike. This edition of the SBA Disaster Preparedness series focuses on prevention tips and planning checklists specific to flooding and mudslide events, and SBA disaster loan programs to help with recovery and losses to individuals, homeowners, and small businesses.
Tuesday, March 3 | More Information here.Â
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Date: March 6, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Location: Hyatt Regency Bellevue | 900 Bellevue Way NE, Bellevue, WA, 98004
What is the Small Business AI Jam?
In conjunction with OpenAIâs office opening in Bellevue, Washington, OpenAI is teaming up with the City of Bellevue, Bellevue Chamber of Commerce, and Washington SBDC to host a Small Business AI Jam on Friday, March 6th.
The Jam is an in-person, hands-on workshop that helps small business leaders learn practical ways to use ChatGPT in their day-to-day workâfrom writing marketing copy and organizing schedules to handling customer messages or bookkeeping.
Building on successes of OpenAIâs Small Business Jam in November 2025 across 5 cities, we will convene the business community in Bellevue to spend the day learning side-by-side with ChatGPT mentors, with support from community partners and local leaders. By the end of the day, small business owners will walk away with at least one ready-to-use AI solution tailored to your business.
For example, a café owner might build a daily specials planner that drafts social posts, or a salon owner might create a ChatGPT assistant to manage appointments and client follow-ups.
The Jam is designed for âMain Streetâ businesses with 1-100 employees, including restaurants, shops, service providers, and online sellers who want to save time, reach more customers, and grow with AI.
Register here.Â
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Date: April 8, 2026
Are you seeking to radically enhance both your knowledge base and your business trajectory? Would you like the curriculum of an accelerator, the personal guidance of 1-on-1 mentorship, and the best practices and pragmatic feedback of peer learning? What if we made the duration shorter, the cost lower, and results more practical?
Small Business Group Advising is now available through our partnership with OneEastside. Led by the curator of the Entrepreneursâ Roadmap workshop series, Shawn Palmer, the spring cohort classes up on Wednesday, April 8, 2026.
Topics covered include marketing and branding, Â pricing strategies, resource management, research methods, and finances. You choose your training deliverable based on your business need: by the end of the sixth session, you will have crafted either a Summary Business Plan, Marketing Plan, or Pitch Deck.
Important to know:
- In person, Wednesday evenings for 6 weeks, 5:30-7:15p.m., at the Opportunity Building, Redmond, WA
- The $119 curriculum fee is waived for Kirkland residents
- Registration required; seats will be limited
Aspiring entrepreneurs and business owners operating for fewer than two years are encouraged to inquire at ShawnP@OneEastside.org for availability. Next cohort: October 2026
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Event: Business Information Workshop
Presented By: City of Kirkland and Kirkland Chamber of Commerce
Date: March 27, 2026
Time: 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Location: Northwest University | 5520 108th Ave NE, Kirkland, WA 98033
World Cup is coming to the Seattle region in the summer of 2026. Seattle is a host city for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with matches taking place at Lumen Field. The upcoming World Cup is set to be the largest in history. Staged across three host nations, the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the tournament features 16 host cities, 48 teams, and 104 matches. The tournament will take place from June 11 - July 19, 2026.
The City of Kirkland wants to keep residents and businesses informed and ready for the festivities. Join us for an in-person Information Workshop where we will have multiple speakers, resources, and information on how your business can engage with the influx of visitors this summer.Â
More information here.Â
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Are you a retail vendor interested in a small kiosk space at the airport? Check out "Diversity in Contracting," featuring staff from the SEA Airport and Dining Retail program for recorded online webinar about the SEA Sparks Incubator Program and the Specialty Retail Kiosks openings.
Request for Information (RFI) responses will close on 3/19.Â
Learn more here.Â
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While doing business in Kirkland, you may occasionally be impacted by construction projects. Keep up-to-date on projects as they are planned and happen by visiting the City of Kirkland's construction project webpage using this link.
Highlighted ProjectsÂ
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Want to stay up-to-date with everything happening in Kirkland? Sign up for our Events Guide Newsletter here or check out the calendar here. |
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