Thrival Innovation
+
Music Festival
gears up for an
amazing fifth year.
By Nicole Tafe
C
elebrating its fifth year, the Thrival Innovation + Music Festival is
gearing up for what promises to be another year of spectacular events.
The Thrival Innovation + Music Festival is an annual, Pittsburgh-
based event featuring multiple days of innovation-focused programming
capped by a two-day outdoor live music experience.
The festival started in 2013 as an initiative of Ascender (known then
as Thrill Mill), and was founded by CEO Bobby Zappala, Chairman
Luke Skurman and a group of their friends. The original concept goes
even farther back—almost 10 years ago—when this group started a
neighborhood barbecue that served as an informal party for young
Pittsburghers, raising funds for local startup companies.
This yearly block party eventually transformed into a nonprofit, now
called Ascender, a “start/build” hub that offers an incubator program
for early-stage entrepreneurs, co-working space and free community
programs—and Thrival. Ascender produces Thrival as the organization’s
flagship initiative that promotes and celebrates Pittsburgh’s innovation
and creative ecosystems. It has two parts: Thrival Innovation and Thrival
Music.
“Thrival is a Pittsburgh creation,” says director Dan Law. “It has grown
and scaled over the years with the support of Pittsburghers, and it now
welcomes attendees from over 30 states and multiple countries.”
Continued on next page >
Women in Bio team up with Thrival.
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