Each year, entrepreneurs gather to pitch their companies to the people who hold the money. These venture conferences, as the gatherings are called, are sponsored by the Council for Entrepreneurial Development and attract hundreds. This year's, headlined "Where Great Minds Meet Smart Money," will be Tuesday and Wednesday at the Pinehurst Resort in Pinehurst. The keynote speaker is Ray Kurzweil, an inventor, entrepreneur and author of "The Age of Spiritual Machines, When Computers Exceed Intelligence." There will be onsite registration. For more information, see www.cednc.org.

MEETINGS

FISTICUFFS NETWORKING GROUP: "Put Some Punch in Your Networking Efforts," 7:30 a.m. Fridays, The Executive Center office building. Contact: David Churn at dchurn@equitysrvs.com or 855-0909, ext. 14.

OPEN NETWORKING MEETING: 8:15 a.m. Fridays, Carolina Cafe & Bakery, Westin Parkway, Cary. Contact: Jim, 787-7601 or jbowdish91@yahoo.com.

SCORE: Raleigh Chapter: free consultations offered by the Service Corps of Retired Executives in partnership with the Small Business Association, 9 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday, Century post office building, Salisbury and Martin St., Suite 306, downtown Raleigh. SCORE also manages offices in Cary from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Wake Technical Community College, and Morrisville from 4 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday at the Chamber of Commerce. To schedule an appointment, call 856-4739. SCORE for Orange and Chatham counties: 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays, Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce, 104 S. Estes Drive, Chapel Hill. To schedule an appointment, call 968-6894 or 967-7075.

RALEIGH NETWORKING GROUP: 8 a.m. every other Tuesday, Brigs Restaurant, 8111 Creedmoor Road, Raleigh. Business-to-business referrals. Contact: Barbara, 524-2916.

BUSINESS LEADS III: 7:30 to 8:45 a.m. Wednesday, Capital City Club, top floor of the Progress Energy Building, Raleigh. Breakfast costs $8.95, but it is free for members of the Capital City Club members and Cardinal Club Triangle Society. Reservations required, Thomas Griggs, 844-1990 or tsgriggs@earthlink.net.

REFERRAL EXCHANGE NETWORK: 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Wednesdays, 2501 Blue Ridge Road, Suite 150, Raleigh. Contact: 266-0954.

WOMEN BUSINESS OWNERS NETWORK OF CARY: 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, The Matthews House, 317 W. Chatham St., Cary. Laura Coats will present "Promote, Inspire, Encourage and Support Visual Arts for Uplifting The Human Spirit." Reservations: Ruth Drum, 424-3801 or www.wbon-cary.org.

DOWNTOWN RALEIGH TRIANGLE BUSINESS BUILDERS: 11:45 a.m. Wednesdays at Hi5. For more information, contact Gary at gary@ruizagency.com or 484-0225.

GREAT EXPECTATIONS BUSINESS REFERRAL EXCHANGE: 11:45 a.m. Wednesdays, North Raleigh. Reservations: Jan Wynns, 876-5777 or ge.janwynns.com.

THE TRIANGLE BUSINESS EXCHANGE: business networking group, 11:45 a.m. on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month, Golden Corral in Fuquay Varina. Contact: www.trianglebusinessexchange.com or 577-6364.

CAPITAL CITY TOASTMASTERS: 7 a.m. Thursdays, Room 8, YMCA, 1601 Hillsborough St., Raleigh. Contact: www.capitalcitytoastmasters.net/ meeting or dilillo@pcxcorp.com.

RETIREMENT AND BEHAVIOR IN OUR DEFINED-CONTRIBUTION SOCIETY: presented by CFA NC Society, noon Thursday, Capital City Club, 411 Fayetteville St., Suite 2100, Raleigh. Guest speaker is Michael S. Falk, vice president, chief investment officer of ProManage. Free for members, guests $25. Registration: 676-3577.

TOBACCO ROAD TOASTMASTERS: noon on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month, Fuquay-Varina. Contact William at 624-3252 or see tobaccoroad.freetoasthost.org/ index.html.

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