Photo Credit: Susana Bates for Drew Altizer Photography
This Saturday, March 10, the Bay Area’s elite, from real estate bigwigs to tech titans, will gather at the 8th Annual Build Gala. The event takes place at the Westin St. Francis at 6:00 p.m. with a cocktail reception and student marketplace, followed by a seated dinner and after party. Build was founded in 1999 by Suzanne McKechnie Klahr with a mission of preparing students for the innovation era. Build envisions a world where all students have the opportunity to develop the necessary skills for personal and professional success. Build uses entrepreneurship to influence youth in under-resourced communities.
Photo Credit: Susana Bates for Drew Altizer Photography
The organization has a huge support system in the Bay Area and co-chair committee members include Jack Dorsey, Gayle and Ron Conway, and Cathie and Pitch Johnson. Johnson was an early investor at Build and each year the nonprofit presents The Pitch Prize to an individual or group that embodies the spirit of entrepreneurship that Build stands for. This year’s honorees are Aaron Levie and his companies Box and Box.org.
The stars of the gala, however, are the students who benefit from Build’s programming. McKechnie Klahr explains it like this, “the gala provides an opportunity to see the potential of youth who are often left behind. Build’s youth entrepreneurs will take action at the student marketplace where guests can purchase unique products, all designed and crafted by Build students. During the dinner program, three student teams will “pitch” their businesses to a panel of celebrity judges for a chance to be the Building the Dream Grand Prize Winner. This gala will be unlike others you’ve seen! Where else would you see these luminaries interact with low-income students entrepreneurs?”
Tickets are now on sale for Saturday’s gala.
