From staff reports

On Thursday, several local entrepreneurs at the Innovation Expo will share how they began their businesses.

The event at the Orpheum Theater Center in downtown Sioux Falls is organized by the Enterprise Institute.

Local speakers and panelists include:

• John Berdahl, a partner at Vance Thompson Vision.
• Blaine Crissman, founding partner of South Dakota Equity Partners.
• Addie Graham-Kramer, founder of The Event Company.
• Chad Hatch, co-founder and managing partner of Bird Dog Equity Partners.
• Andy Jorgensen, founder of Fire Bros. Fireworks.
• Matt Paulson, founder of MarketBeat and chairman of Falls Angel Fund LLC.
• Tyler Remund, director of enterprise director of research commercialization at Sanford Health.
• Jodi Schwan, founder of Align Content Studio, publisher of SiouxFalls.Business.

They will join other regional speakers who will address a variety of entrepreneurial topics.

The Innovation Expo also features a student idea competition for higher education students in South Dakota who will compete for prize money. The annual Spirit of Enterprise Award winner also will be announced.

For information and to register, click here.