The following is a list of networking events in Northwest Arkansas that will be happening in 2018. Events are added and updated weekly as new information becomes available, so check back often! (For a list of B2B networking groups that meet regularly in and around Northwest Arkansas visit our B2B Networking Groups page. And if we've missed any events (or you spot one that needs a correction), shoot us an email via our contact form!
Free with Chamber Membership
Fayetteville Chamber Membership Required
Chamber members and guests are invited to join the Fayetteville Chamber for this Fayetteville Professionals Night Out networking event. Complimentary snacks and drinks, door prizes, and networking with other members of the Fayetteville Chamber!
Free
Avg. Attendance 50 - 60
NWA Venture MashUp is a bi-monthly event that brings our entire entrepreneurial community together for networking, local beer, and an opportunity to learn from some of the fantastic scaling companies we have here in Arkansas. At this month's special event, you will be introduced to the participants of a recently-launched innovative accelerator program, FIS FinTech Accelerator. Come ready to hear pitches from the participants of the FIS FinTech Accelerator and network with the founders.
Schedule:
• 5:30 p.m. – Networking
• 6:00 p.m. – Introductions
• 6:10 p.m. – Start of FIS FinTech Accelerator pitches
• 6:25 p.m. – Networking
Cost: Free
Gig Coffee Socials are a monthly in-person gathering hosted by The Gig Community. We like to get together to bond over the unique triumphs and woes that being a gig worker bring. Our events are open to any 1099/contract worker in the 4-county Northwest Arkansas area! Even if you earn just a bit of income from self-employment/contract work, we want you to join us!
$10 Members | $20 Non-Members
Some days are too short, some seem unending, and there are times when you’ve barely made it through one set of rapids before another set begins; you need calm waters to reset. This session will help you find ways to rest in the chaos and paddle back in with confidence. Every river has an eddy, you just must pull into it. During this first session, you will walk away with a clear picture of where you are going and how to find rest while you are on the path.
Cost: Free
Avg. Attendance 300
The IdeaFame Live Contest, brought to you by Startup Junkie, is an event created to promote startups & new ideas, and to increase "creative collisions" in emerging entrepreneurial ecosystems. Come pitch your new business, product, service, or solution for a chance to win BIG! This event is open for anyone to attend! Bring your co-founders, friends, family, fiancé – anyone! (Attendees vote for the $1000 People’s Choice Prize.)
The competition is open to entrepreneurs, innovators, and dreamers who want to share their idea for a chance to win $1,000! You have 60 seconds to pitch your idea, no more. No slides. No notes. Only one contestant can speak per pitch.
Cost: Free
Join Grit Studios distinguished panel of experts for a moderated discussion on how software defined programmable networking can help enterprises realize the true potential of emerging technology trends and enable the next generation of the digital ecosystem. Moderator will be Ed Wood, CEO of Dispersive Networks. Panelists will include: Rick Conklin, CTO, Dispersive Networks and Ben Murray, Founder of Pulse Labs.
Cost: Free
The Foreman will be creating a special cocktail for leisurlist After 5, and the first 100 people to check-in will have their first drink* covered by leisurlist. Come alone or come with friends and hang out with leisurlist to meet like-minded young professionals! All you need to do is register for your free ticket, show up and make friends--it's that easy! They'll have conversation cards laying around to help break the ice, and if you're new in town, they can introduce you to folks at the event--just let 'em know when you check in. As an added bonus, Onyx Coffee Lab is generously offering non-alcoholic options for attendees, if you want to mingle, but would prefer a non-alcoholic beverage.
*Drinks included in the event are beer, wine, the specialty cocktail provided by The Foreman, or a non-alcoholic beverage from Onyx Coffee Lab at The 1907
The Business After Hours business-building networking event keeps growing in popularity, with close to 100 business networkers attending on average at each event. One of the main reasons is that you get to mix and mingle with other Northwest Arkansas business professionals and find out what other businesses have to offer. This event is Presented by Chambers Bank and Cherokee Casino & Hotel and Hosted by House of Webster and Indigo Sky Casino at the Rogers Experimental House. It's a fun way to make new contacts, generate business leads, and find new vendors!
Cost: $25.00
Back for its second year, the Springdale Chamber has partnered with the Downtown Springdale Alliance to bring you an exciting opportunity: Invest Springdale, a meeting to share ideas, opportunities and resources promoting accelerated investment and development in Downtown Springdale. The event promises to be educational and informative for people who are interested in learning about investing in Springdale.
Note: It's unclear whether or not this event is for women only.
Join Dress for Success Northwest Arkansas for an opportunity to network with new people and to learn more about Dress for Success NWA's partners.
Pre-registration required
LinkedIn is one of the fastest growing online platforms for promoting your business’s services and products to targeted business professionals and for business networking. This platform can be used to showcase your expertise and knowledge. Come learn how to make sure your public profile is most effective, how to use free LinkedIn features to research and find prospects in your area or nationally, navigate LinkedIn’s basic systems to take advantage of all it offers, recruit quality talent for your business and how LI helps customers find your products and services in search engines. The speaker will be Martha Londagin of Legacy National Bank, and a complimentary lunch will be provided.
Cost: Free
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning are rapidly reshaping the world that we live in, with profound implications for the future of work and exponential improvement in solving many kinds of problems. But how do we go about harnessing this power to solve real world problems? Where do we start?
Colin Shaw is an expert practitioner in this space with a unique ability to make these technologies accessible and practical. He has coached organizations large and small in expanding their vision for the use of this technology, and he will explore this topic with us.
Join Northwest Arkansas Home Builders Association and Franklin Heating & Air for some networking and a Patio Party!
The LPGA, Network of Executive Women, and sponsor Kimberly-Clark present the Women's Empowerment Summit. More details to come!
Chamber Membership + WalStreet Membership Required
The Bentonville Chamber's WalStreet Speaker Series provides opportunities for Walmart and Sam’s Club executives to engage with front-line supplier employees. Monique Picou, SVP Flow & Fashion Supply Chain at Walmart US, will be the featured speaker for this event.
Cost: Free
Join the Northwest Arkansas Woman-Run group on June 27th to hear from Stephanie Funk as we talk about business transitions.
Membership + Registration Required; Women Only
Join for a fun pick-me-up from the weekend and start the week out right! An early morning networking event is a great opportunity to connect with other business minded women in NWA. Coffee and breakfast snacks will be provided.
Free with Chamber Membership
Chamber Membership Required
Caffeinate is a monthly networking event for members and guests. You can count on making some valuable connections, delicious food, great coffee, and door prizes.
Cost: Free
Gig Coffee Socials are a monthly in-person gathering hosted by The Gig Community. We like to get together to bond over the unique triumphs and woes that being a gig worker bring. Our events are open to any 1099/contract worker in the 4-county Northwest Arkansas area! Even if you earn just a bit of income from self-employment/contract work, we want you to join us!
Note: It's unclear whether or not this event is for women only.
Join Dress for Success Northwest Arkansas for an opportunity to network with new people and to learn more about Dress for Success NWA's partners.
The Business After Hours business-building networking event keeps growing in popularity, with close to 100 business networkers attending on average at each event. One of the main reasons is that you get to mix and mingle with other Northwest Arkansas business professionals and find out what other businesses have to offer. It's a fun way to make new contacts, generate business leads, and find new vendors!
Free with Chamber Membership
This informal event being put on by the Bentonville Chamber will allow you to showcase your company, meet with other members of the business community and network in a casual atmosphere. Refreshments and food will be provided.
Members: $30 | Non-Members: $40
34 new people are moving to NWA each day, with Bentonville being one of the fastest growing cities. Investing in quality of life is vital to the growth of our community, there is no shortage of things to do in northwest Arkansas; where nature meets art, meets music, meets food, meets education; so on. These intersections are what make the region so unique. (The topic for discussion is currently TBD - check back for updates!)
Tables: $80.00 Members | $110.00 Non-Members; Individual cost has not been posted
Check back soon for more details!
The event that celebrates local teachers who are making a big difference in the world. Teachers give our children so much and use their classrooms as the first steps in educating the next generation of workforce that will keep our businesses and our community thriving well into the future. Though we can never thank them enough, this event is an opportunity to let them know how much we appreciate all that they do.
In this interactive session you will outline the priorities in your life by using a ‘wheel of life.’ This diagram will serve as a visual representation of what is important to you and will reveal how you are doing in each area. Upon completing the exercise, you will be able to identify the areas to take actionable steps in to successfully integrate your life and your work.
Free with Chamber Membership
Chamber Membership Required
Caffeinate is a monthly networking event for members and guests. You can count on making some valuable connections, delicious food, great coffee, and door prizes.
Note: It's unclear whether or not this event is for women only.
Join Dress for Success Northwest Arkansas for an opportunity to network with new people and to learn more about Dress for Success NWA's partners.
The Business After Hours business-building networking event keeps growing in popularity, with close to 100 business networkers attending on average at each event. One of the main reasons is that you get to mix and mingle with other Northwest Arkansas business professionals and find out what other businesses have to offer. It's a fun way to make new contacts, generate business leads, and find new vendors!
Cost: Free
Gig Coffee Socials are a monthly in-person gathering hosted by The Gig Community. We like to get together to bond over the unique triumphs and woes that being a gig worker bring. Our events are open to any 1099/contract worker in the 4-county Northwest Arkansas area! Even if you earn just a bit of income from self-employment/contract work, we want you to join us!
Free with Chamber Membership
Chamber Membership Required
This informal event being put on by the Bentonville Chamber will allow you to showcase your company, meet with other members of the business community and network in a casual atmosphere. Refreshments and food will be provided.
Free with Chamber Membership
Chamber Membership Required
Caffeinate is a monthly networking event for members and guests. You can count on making some valuable connections, delicious food, great coffee, and door prizes.
Cost: Free
Gig Coffee Socials are a monthly in-person gathering hosted by The Gig Community. We like to get together to bond over the unique triumphs and woes that being a gig worker bring. Our events are open to any 1099/contract worker in the 4-county Northwest Arkansas area! Even if you earn just a bit of income from self-employment/contract work, we want you to join us!
$65 - $149
Avg. Attendance 1,500
The NWA Business Women's Conference is the premier women's conference in the region. Known for its outstanding keynote speakers and networking opportunities, more than 1,500 of northwest Arkansas' most accomplished business women attend the conference each year.
Cost: $30.00 - $40.00
Avg. Attendance 40 - 60
Rogers-Lowell Chamber Membership Required
This may be the best networking bang for your networking buck! Six business representatives sit at a table and each participant at the table has two minutes to promote their products and services. Then, we rotate to two other tables and rinse and repeat, which means you get to network with at least 18 participants. That's a lot of networking! So be sure to bring plenty of business cards, brochures, product samples, and promo items to hand out.
Note: It's unclear whether or not this event is for women only.
Join Dress for Success Northwest Arkansas for an opportunity to network with new people and to learn more about Dress for Success NWA's partners.
Cost: $100.00 - $150.00
Great developers aren’t just found in the Valley, or Seattle, or New York. They’re right here in Arkansas, in the heart of America. In the middle of “nowhere.” The name, Nowhere Developers, is our way of tipping our hats to all the incredible developer talent in our region. For this reason, our mission is to provide a platform for industry professionals to engage in top-notch, pure-tech events in the state of Arkansas.
The Nowhere Developers Conference will star local, regional, and national speakers that will talk about the state of technology, software engineering, machine learning, and our region’s technology ecosystem. The conference will feature various expert-led sessions tailored to our attendees technological interests. Local food will be provided to foster community and attendee interaction. Additionally, attendees can look forward to networking, appetizers, and drinks at the afterparty.
Chamber Membership + WalStreet Membership Required
The Bentonville Chamber's WalStreet Speaker Series provides opportunities for Walmart and Sam’s Club executives to engage with front-line supplier employees. Steve Breen, SVP Merchandising at Walmart, will be the speaker for this event.
$20.00
Avg. Attendance 150 - 300
GiveCamp is a weekend-long event where technology professionals and creatives including designers, developers, database administrators, marketers, content creators, and web strategists donate their time to provide technology solutions for non-profit organizations. We have volunteers who come to Northwest Arkansas from all over the state to make a major difference for the weekend!
Team Cost: $350.00 Members | $450 Non-Members
Registration Required
This is a fun opportunity to engage with others in the community, promote your business and encourage economic development of the area through networking. This event is open to both Main Street, WalStreet and non Chamber members. In addition to golf, there are also various sponsorship packages available offering you the opportunity to promote exposure for your brand in a relaxed environment.
Free with Chamber Membership
Chamber Membership Required
Caffeinate is a monthly networking event for members and guests. You can count on making some valuable connections, delicious food, great coffee, and door prizes.
Cost: Team - $400.00
Rogers-Lowell Chamber Membership Required
Back for its third year, this popular event offers members a unique and fun opportunity to network with other business professionals and conduct business on the range at Gunsmoke Sporting Clays in Garfield. Sponsors may invite special customers/clients to join them as a gesture of thanks or reward employees with a day of team building. Shooters receive continental breakfast, lunch, snacks, ammo, goodie bags and beverages. Experienced and novice shooters alike are welcome!
Cost: Free
Gig Coffee Socials are a monthly in-person gathering hosted by The Gig Community. We like to get together to bond over the unique triumphs and woes that being a gig worker bring. Our events are open to any 1099/contract worker in the 4-county Northwest Arkansas area! Even if you earn just a bit of income from self-employment/contract work, we want you to join us!
Note: It's unclear whether or not this event is for women only.
Join Dress for Success Northwest Arkansas for an opportunity to network with new people and to learn more about Dress for Success NWA's partners.
Free with Chamber Membership
Membership Required; Registration Not Required
This month's Business After Hours features "Networking with a Purpose," a nonprofit showcase hosted by the Northwest Arkansas Emerging Leaders and the Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce. This event is set up so you can meet and network with contacts from a variety of local nonprofit organizations. You'll find out how you can volunteer and contribute, learn what services are provided by nonprofits, and discover what products and services these organizations need.
Cost: TBD
Avg. Attendance 1,000
The Northwest Arkansas Technology Summit brings together small businesses, entrepreneurs, C-level executives, retail and suppliers, technology, academia and communication and social media professionals to celebrate technology, innovation and the power of digital in shaping our future. Forward-thinking and practitioner-driven general session speakers and high value breakout sessions deliver ways to effectively collaborate on innovative solutions to common business challenges and learn how technology is powering change and leveling the playing field.
Members: $30 | Non-Members: $40
34 new people are moving to NWA each day, with Bentonville being one of the fastest growing cities. Investing in quality of life is vital to the growth of our community, there is no shortage of things to do in northwest Arkansas; where nature meets art, meets music, meets food, meets education; so on. These intersections are what make the region so unique. During this lunchtime discussion, you will hear from business representatives about the growth of Bentonville's entreprenurial scene and how it impacts your business.
Free with Chamber Membership
Chamber Membership Required
Caffeinate is a monthly networking event for members and guests. You can count on making some valuable connections, delicious food, great coffee, and door prizes.
Cost: Free
Gig Coffee Socials are a monthly in-person gathering hosted by The Gig Community. We like to get together to bond over the unique triumphs and woes that being a gig worker bring. Our events are open to any 1099/contract worker in the 4-county Northwest Arkansas area! Even if you earn just a bit of income from self-employment/contract work, we want you to join us!
Cost: $30.00 - $40.00
Avg. Attendance 40 - 60
Rogers-Lowell Chamber Membership Required
This may be the best networking bang for your networking buck! Six business representatives sit at a table and each participant at the table has two minutes to promote their products and services. Then, we rotate to two other tables and rinse and repeat, which means you get to network with at least 18 participants. That's a lot of networking! So be sure to bring plenty of business cards, brochures, product samples, and promo items to hand out.
Free with Chamber Membership
This informal event being put on by the Bentonville Chamber will allow you to showcase your company, meet with other members of the business community and network in a casual atmosphere. Refreshments and food will be provided.
This informal event being put on by both the Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber and the Bentonville Chamber to allow you to showcase your company, meet with other members of the business community, and network in a casual atmosphere. Refreshments and food will be provided.
Note: It's unclear whether or not this event is for women only.
Join Dress for Success Northwest Arkansas for an opportunity to network with new people and to learn more about Dress for Success NWA's partners.
Chamber Membership + WalStreet Membership Required
The Bentonville Chamber's WalStreet Speaker Series provides opportunities for Walmart and Sam’s Club executives to engage with front-line supplier employees. Simon Belsham, President at Jet.com, will be the speaker for this event.
Free with Chamber Membership
Chamber Membership Required
Caffeinate is a monthly networking event for members and guests. You can count on making some valuable connections, delicious food, great coffee, and door prizes.
Cost: Free
Gig Coffee Socials are a monthly in-person gathering hosted by The Gig Community. We like to get together to bond over the unique triumphs and woes that being a gig worker bring. Our events are open to any 1099/contract worker in the 4-county Northwest Arkansas area! Even if you earn just a bit of income from self-employment/contract work, we want you to join us!
The Business After Hours business-building networking event keeps growing in popularity, with close to 100 business networkers attending on average at each event. One of the main reasons is that you get to mix and mingle with other Northwest Arkansas business professionals and find out what other businesses have to offer. It's a fun way to make new contacts, generate business leads, and find new vendors!