Thrival Innovation
+
Music Festival
gears up
for an amazing
fifth year.
By Nicole Tafe
C
elebrating its fifth year, the Thrival Innovation +
Music Festival is gearing up for what promises to be
another year of spectacular events.
The Thrival Innovation + Music Festival is an annual,
Pittsburgh-based event featuring multiple days of
innovation-focused programming capped by a two-day
outdoor live music experience.
The festival started in 2013 as an initiative of
Ascender (known then as Thrill Mill), and was
founded by CEO Bobby Zappala, Chairman Luke
Skurman and a group of their friends. The original
concept goes even further back—almost 10 years
ago—when this group started a neighborhood
barbecue that served as an informal party for
young Pittsburghers, raising funds for local startup
companies.
This yearly block party eventually transformed
into a nonprofit, now called Ascender, a “start/build”
hub that offers an incubator program for early-stage
entrepreneurs, co-working space and free community
programs—and Thrival. Ascender produces Thrival
as the organization’s flagship initiative that promotes
and celebrates Pittsburgh’s innovation and creative
ecosystems. It has two parts: Thrival Innovation and
Thrival Music.
“Thrival is a Pittsburgh creation,” says director Dan
Law. “It has grown and scaled over the years with
the support of Pittsburghers, and it now welcomes
attendees from over 30 states and multiple countries.”
Continued on next page >
West Jefferson Hills | Fall 2017 | icmags.com 17