Two events are on the calendar this week for Baltimore-area entrepreneurs who are seeking to network and maybe meet like-minded professionals, potential investors and/or professional service providers.

:: First, we've got Capital Connection 2010 at the Hilton Baltimore (401 W. Pratt St.) kicking off Wednesday, May 19, at 9 a.m. It's a big event for dozens of entrepreneurs and startups to pitch their wares to the business community and potential investors. There are also panels geared toward top-level executives. The keynote speaker is Howard Schmidt, the Obama Administration's cybersecurity "czar." The conference goes until Thursday early afternoon. This is the kind of event you want your company to pay for: registration is more than $1,000 a pop.

:: Second, a more casual -- and free -- evening gathering, Innovate Baltimore, is holding its latest extended happy hour on Wednesday night, starting at 6:30 p.m., at Langermann's in Canton. The event draws denizens of Baltimore's entrepreneurial startup community and is open to the public, but registration is encouraged. This is a growing event -- over 120 people attended the last one.