In less than one month, Ashland, Ky. will play host to the first ever 5 Across east of I-75. Now, I know that I-75 doesn’t carry the same “wow” factor as the Mississippi River, but this leap over the interstate demonstrates a tremendous opportunity for growth in Kentucky’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. 5 Across Ashland will be hosted by Ignite, an up and coming coworking space on a mission to spread entrepreneurship across Appalachia.

Ignite opened its doors in downtown Ashland in May 2014, hoping to give light to a region burdened with the economic hardships of a diminishing coal industry. Marty Myers, the founder of Ignite, is an Ashland native and entrepreneur who believes Ashland can successfully grow and sustain a vibrant startup community.

For years, Marty frustratingly watched as recent graduates left his hometown to pursue jobs in larger cities. The exodus of talent made it clear that the community’s stance on entrepreneurship needed to change.

“A problem in this area is young people grow up and ask, ‘What big company am I going to go work for?’ I want to break that mold a little bit,” said Marty. “I want them to ask, ‘What kind of company or product can I create to create jobs?’”

Since launching Ignite, Marty has opened a collaborative co-working space in downtown Ashland, partnered with the Kentucky Innovation Network to host the Entrepreneur Pitch Competition, and led a variety of entrepreneurial networking and training meetings. He is building a community that supports innovative thinking and risk-taking. The next addition to his pipeline of community events will be 5 Across Ashland.

“5 Across is a great event. It is high energy, fast paced, and informal, which meshes well with the culture of most startups. By bringing 5 Across to Ashland, we hope to encourage more entrepreneurs to share their ideas, collaborate, and build new businesses here in Ashland.”

Frogger your way over I-75 to Ashland, Ky. on May 26th at 5pm to celebrate the first ever 5 Across Ashland! Apply to pitch or register to attend at 5across.org.