Ascender

Tech & Law Office Hours with Wei Yu
2025-09-18 13:00 - 16:00, 2025-10-23 13:00 - 16:00, 2025-11-20 13:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Ascender, 6401 Penn Ave 3rd Floor, Pittsburgh, PA, 15206, United States
Navigating legal stuff in the AI era Book a FREE 30-minute session with Wei, an Intellectual Property Attorney. Use this link to schedule a session with Wei.

Ascender's Big Burrito Benefit Dinner at Soba
2025-09-23 18:00 - 20:00 | Soba, 5847 Ellsworth Ave, pittsburgh, PA, 15232, United States
Join Ascender at Soba, a cozy neighborhood Asian fusion spot, for an evening of conversation and community as we share dinner and celebrate our mission to empower Pittsburgh’s founders. Guests will enjoy unique dinner and beverage pairings while hearing about the vision of Ascender’s entrepreneur hub and the future of Pittsburgh’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Seating is limited to 25 for this intimate evening.
The restaurant and lounge are located in a richly appointed brick Shadyside rowhouse. With its cascading waterfall, glass staircase, and hand-painted murals, this beautiful space draws guests into plush comfort and a gentle mystery. Please note that dinner takes place in an intimate upstairs dining room, and due to its architecture, Soba does not have an elevator.
RSVP HERE

People and Culture Office Hours with Ginny Nemchick
2025-09-30 10:00 - 12:00, 2025-10-21 10:00 - 12:00, 2025-11-11 10:00 - 12:00, 2025-12-16 10:00 - 12:00 | Ascender, 6401 Penn Ave 3rd Floor, Pittsburgh, PA, 15206, United States
Need help with job descriptions, equitable hiring, or management tips? Ginny’s got you. Use this link to schedule a session with Ginny.

Product Strategy Office Hours with Mike Capsambelis
2025-10-07 11:00 - 13:00, 2025-10-21 11:00 - 13:00, 2025-11-18 11:00 - 13:00, 2025-12-02 11:00 - 13:00, 2025-12-16 11:00 - 13:00 | Ascender, 6401 Penn Ave 3rd Floor, Pittsburgh, PA, 15206, United States
Book a FREE 30-minute session with Mike, Director, Product Management, Google.

Mario Kart Tournament and Happy Hour
2025-10-07 16:00 - 18:00 | Ascender, 6401 Penn Ave 3rd Floor, Pittsburgh, PA, 15206, United States
Missed the member picnic? Don’t worry—we have another member event right around the corner! Join us in the event space to race against your fellow members on the big screen. The winner takes home a trophy!

Monthly Workshop Series: The Art of Pricing Strategies
2025-10-14 18:00 - 19:30 | Ascender, 6401 Penn Ave 3rd Floor, Pittsburgh, PA, 15206, United States
Join Ascender for a deep dive into the art and science of pricing with an all star cast: Ascender’s Board Members, Jim Gibbs, Founder and CEO of Meter Feeder, and Jeanette Thomas, former CTO of Govenda and Ascender’s Entrepreneur Success Manager, Donald Robinson, and Lara Huber, former Chief Revenue Officer at Govenda.
This session will explain how to set the right price for your product or service, navigate discounting and negotiations, and test what works in both B2C and B2B markets. Whether you’re launching something new or refining an existing model, you’ll walk away with practical strategies to boost adoption, revenue, and long-term success.
Who Should Attend:

Startup founders and small business owners setting or revisiting their pricing model
Product leaders preparing to launch new offerings
B2C entrepreneurs exploring competitive pricing approaches
B2B teams navigating complex sales cycles and stakeholder negotiations
Service providers seeking to balance value delivery with profitability
Business advisors or support organizations helping clients strengthen pricing strategies

🍢🥂 FREE FOOD & DRINKS
Enjoy refreshing beverages and bites while learning and connecting with other business owners, coworking members, and community leaders.
REGISTER HERE

Executive Coaching & Business Strategy Office Hours with Erin Bestic
2025-10-15 10:00 - 13:00, 2025-11-12 10:00 - 13:00, 2025-12-11 13:00 - 16:00 | Ascender, 6401 Penn Ave 3rd Floor, Pittsburgh, PA, 15206, United States
Bring your toughest business challenges, half-baked ideas, and “we need this done yesterday” problems. In these candid, action-focused sessions, you’ll get practical, no-fluff guidance from Erin Bestic, a strategist who’s led billion-dollar sales portfolios, overhauled operations, and coached leaders at every stage of growth.
Book your Free 30-Minutes

Strategic Planning Office Hours with Coach Donald
2025-10-16 10:30 - 12:30, 2025-10-23 10:30 - 12:30, 2025-10-30 10:30 - 12:30 | Ascender, 6401 Penn Ave 3rd Floor, Pittsburgh, PA, 15206, United States
Whether you’re preparing for a big decision, rethinking your business model, or just trying to get unstuck, these office hours are designed to meet you where you are. Bring your business challenges—big or small—and walk away with clarity, a sharper path forward, and tools you can reuse.
Register Here!

¡Avanza! Pittsburgh: Ascender's Annual Latine Mini-Grant Celebration
2025-10-18 15:00 - 21:00 | Trace Brewing, 4312 Main St, Pittsburgh, PA, 15224, United States
Event Details

Avanza Pittsburgh is Ascender’s annual celebration of Latine entrepreneurship, culture, and community. Hosted at Trace Brewing in Pittsburgh, this vibrant event raises funds for Ascender’s Latine Mini-Grant Program, which awards grants to multiple Latine-owned small businesses each year.
Open to the public, Avanza brings together Latine entrepreneurs, artists, civic leaders, and community members for an unforgettable afternoon of connection and celebration. Guests will enjoy a curated vendor market featuring Latine-owned businesses, a taco bar from El Sabor, and desserts from past grant winner Panadería Jazmín.
The event will be emceed by Melanie Boyer, CEO of the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, whose mission is to develop, promote, and advocate on behalf of Hispanic businesses and professionals in our region.
With live music from DJ Bamboo and the inspiring check presentation to this year’s grant recipients, Avanza is more than an event—it’s a movement toward economic equity, powered by community. Trace is generously donating $1 from all drink purchases from 5-9 PM to Ascender. Guests are welcome to come for part of all of this event.

Vendor Market | 3-7 PM
Happy Hour, Networking, Taco Bar, and Dessert Station 4-6 PM
Winner Presentations | 4:30-5 PM
DJ Bamboo | 5 -9 PM

GET YOUR TICKETS

Legal Office Hours with Eryn Correa
2025-10-22 13:00 - 15:00, 2025-11-19 13:00 - 15:00, 2025-12-17 13:00 - 15:00 | Ascender, 6401 Penn Ave 3rd Floor, Pittsburgh, PA, 15206, United States
Got questions about formation, equity, or fundraising? Eryn’s your person. Use this link to schedule a session with Eryn.

Member’s Spooky Breakfast
2025-10-28 09:00 - 10:00 | Ascender, 6401 Penn Ave 3rd Floor, Pittsburgh, PA, 15206, United States
We’ll have both healthy and unhealthy options for those who want to indulge and some spooky movies on the projector all morning. Costumes not required, but wouldn’t it be fun if you wore one?
RSVP w/ Sam

Member Potluck
2025-11-18 12:00 - 13:30 | Ascender, 6401 Penn Ave 3rd Floor, Pittsburgh, PA, 15206, United States
Join us for our annual Fall Potluck in the Flex Lounge! We’ll provide the entrée, but feel free to wow us with your best sides, appetizers, or desserts.
Please RSVP by emailing info@ascenderpgh.com and let us know of any allergies or dietary restrictions.

Mid-point Presentations: Members Only
2025-11-18 17:00 - 20:00 | Ascender, 6401 Penn Ave 3rd Floor, Pittsburgh, PA, 15206, United States
Hey members! You may already know, Ascender’s Incubator is a year-long coaching program designed to help early-stage entrepreneurs develop strong strategies and build the confidence to move forward from idea to launch. The program hosts an annual Mid-Point Presentation, where participating companies present their businesses to panelists, receive real-time feedback, and showcase their progress.
You’ll hear from 11 companies as they deliver their presentations, followed by feedback and Q&A. If you’re interested and can join us, please email Ummey@ascenderpgh.com by Monday November 10, 2025.

📅 Date & Time: Tuesday, November 18th, 2025 from: 5:15 PM – 8pm | optional dinner available at 5:00 PM
📍 Location: Ascender – 6401 Penn Ave, 3rd floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15206
👶 Childcare: No childcare will be provided.

Member Holiday Party
2025-12-04 17:30 - 20:00 | Ascender, 6401 Penn Ave 3rd Floor, Pittsburgh, PA, 15206, United States
We’re closing out 2025 the best way we know how—by celebrating YOU and our entire community of entrepreneurs! Now let’s have some fun!

Snack & Test with The Mosaic Institute
2025-12-09 18:00 - 20:00 | Ascender, 6401 Penn Ave 3rd Floor, Pittsburgh, PA, 15206, United States
Help Test the CurioCity Play Symposium
Dec. 9th | 6-8 PM
The Mosaic Institute is testing its new program MVP, the CurioCity Play Symposium a creative experience for Teaching Artists and Creatives working with justice-involved youth. Participants will walk through the program and share quick feedback on what’s most valuable.
Incentive:
All participants will receive a thank-you gift for taking part.
REGISTER HERE
