WHAT: Innovate Springfield, the University of Illinois Springfield’s business incubator, will host a two-part event featuring a pitch competition and a keynote address by Mark Achler, a venture capitalist and former senior vice president at Redbox.

WHEN: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 28

WHERE: Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum, 212 N. Sixth St., Springfield

DETAILS: The public is invited to attend an evening focused on innovation, entrepreneurship and networking. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about the successes and challenges of launching a startup, explore tech applications and connect with like-minded professionals.

The event will open with a pitch competition, where the top three finalists from Innovate Springfield will present their business ideas to investors for a chance to win $10,000 in seed funding.

Following the competition, Achler, a seasoned entrepreneur and author, will deliver a fireside chat. He will discuss his journey as a serial entrepreneur, sharing key lessons learned from his experiences. He is a managing director at MATH Venture Partners and has held executive roles at companies like Redbox, Kinesoft Development and Emmi Solutions. Achler is also a lecturer at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and co-authored the book “Exit Right.” Following the keynote, Innovate Springfield Director Ben Hage will lead a fireside chat.

This free event is part of Innovate Springfield’s new Founders, Failures and Fun series. Registration is required.