Provided by Denver Startup WeekCasey Neistat, an American film director and Youtube celebrity, was named Denver Startup Week’s 2017 kick-off keynote speaker. Entering its sixth year, Denver Startup Week is trying something a little different when it opens in downtown Denver on Sept. 25. It’s hosting YouTube celebrity Casey Neistat as its kick-off keynote speaker. While Neistat may not be the typical speaker for the event that has swelled in attendance — past keynoters include Colorado native Ryan Wood, who started Under Armour and Sweetwood Cattle Co.; author and entrepreneurial marketing expert Seth Godin; and Dave McClure, founder of 500 Startups — the Connecticut native is very much an innovator, said Erik Mitisek, co-founder of Denver Startup Week and President at IMAgine. “Casey Neistat is consistently setting a new standard of innovation for digital creators, and has carved out a niche for himself as a well-respected filmmaker, technology developer and digital native influencer,” Mitisek said in a statement. Neistat dropped out of high school, became a teenage father and moved into a trailer park, according to his Wikipedia profile.