Midsummer is here, and so is a vibrant slate of events for St. Louis entrepreneurs, technologists, and marketing professionals the week of July 13-19, 2026. Whether you’re looking for inspiration, education, or new partnerships, this week has you covered. Our Founder, Erik Lutenegger, has curated the events and opportunities you need for networking, growth, learning, and fun.
ESO, Accelerator, and Funding Opportunities
Apply Now // Square One (SQ1) Bootcamp | Cortex’s Square One
Ready to move beyond the idea stage? This intensive 10-week accelerator helps entrepreneurs transform early traction into a fundable business through expert-led instruction, hands-on coaching, and practical deliverables like financials, a business model, and a polished pitch deck. (Bootcamp)
Due July 19 // 40 Under 40: Class of 2026 | St. Louis Business Journal
Tomorrow’s business leaders are making their mark today. This annual recognition honors 40 rising professionals under 40 who are driving business success, leading in their industries, and creating lasting impact throughout the St. Louis community. (Community Award)
Due July 27 // BALSA Grant | The BALSA Foundation
Turn your business idea into a real venture with funding, mentorship, and hands-on training. Designed for first-time entrepreneurs in the St. Louis region, this program provides a $1,500 non-dilutive grant, a 10-week learning series, one-on-one mentoring, and the opportunity to compete for additional follow-on funding. (Grant & Entrepreneur Training)
Due July 31 // Changing the Game Grant | Stanley 1913 & TOGETHXR
Five entrepreneurs will each receive a $20,000 grant to create or expand community-focused food and beverage spaces where women’s sports take center stage. The program supports founders building inclusive, wellness-oriented destinations that bring fans together while reimagining the traditional sports bar experience. (Funding)
Due August 4 // IDEA Fund | Missouri Technology Corporation
The IDEA Fund makes direct equity-based investments in Missouri’s most promising emerging companies to promote growth and encourage additional future investment. They have 4 programs: Proof of Concept for early-stage entrepreneurs; TechLaunch for pre-seed; Seed Capital for the Seed stage; and the Venture Capital Program, which supports technology startups by matching equity or convertible debt investments up to $2,000,000. (Funding)
Startup, Tech, and Marketing Events
July 13
Paradigm: Applied AI for Business Owners | Dharma Events
Unveil how AI is actually used in service businesses through seven-minute operator case studies, live audience ranking and voting to steer content, a question-led panel from top-voted speakers, small-group connections, plus post-event access to the recording and a detailed insights report. (Virtual)
The art of effective networking | Enterprise Nation
Connect with a seasoned entrepreneur who outlines how to approach networking with purpose: identify event types, prepare your introduction, capture contacts efficiently, and arrange post-event one-to-ones, using intentional follow-up to turn conversations into opportunities for collaboration, referrals, and career progression. (Virtual)
Esri User Conference Plenary Session | Esri
Kickstart your skills with hands-on training; attend over 150 technical sessions and numerous user presentations; participate in live and recorded streams; meet Esri experts at the Showcase; and enjoy networking events, special interest groups, and wellness activities. (Virtual)
How Much Energy Do Pruned LLMs Actually Save? | PyData St. Louis
Partake in a practical session covering why pruning is used, how it affects model size and performance, and surprising energy trade-offs, illustrated by Llama 3 experiments, then join an open discussion and networking time to share lessons for efficient AI systems. (In-Person | Spark Coworking)
Investing in Wellness: AI, Longevity & the Future of Health | NY Public Library, Thomas Yoseloff Business Center
Dive into a focused discussion led by Meifan Shi that examines the $7 trillion wellness economy, reveals what the data show about investment themes in AI, longevity, and food innovation, and illustrates how these technologies are translating into practical wellness and hospitality applications. (Virtual)
July 14
The Future of D&A Governance | Gartner
Examine how data and analytics governance is evolving as Gartner looks at where formal oversight, accountability, and policy are heading. The session frames the shifts leaders should anticipate and offers guidance on adapting governance practices to a more data-driven, AI-influenced enterprise. (Virtual)
How to Get Your First Customers Without a Marketing Team or Budget | Founder Institute
Savor a focused hour of startup tactics where instructors break down how to locate overlooked customers, write a three-sentence outreach that converts, perform validation sales to de-risk ideas, design a simple referral loop, and apply AI to halve discovery time without losing quality. (Virtual)
Go Viral with Content Strategy | Freelancers Union
Experience a hands-on online workshop focused on pattern recognition in viral content, with step-by-step instructions on high-performing tactics across social platforms, trend selection, and crafting a tailored posting framework that immediately strengthens personal brands and client-attraction strategies. (Virtual)
The Outer Loop: Code Reviews in Cursor | Cursor
Learn concrete patterns for shifting review earlier, as Tomas Reimers demonstrates Bugbot’s upgraded performance, pre-push /review usage, incremental reviews that limit scope, syncing results with GitHub and GitLab to prevent duplicate work, plus a preview of Origin and the future of AI-powered review. (Virtual)
Webflow AEO: From insight to action, at scale | Martech
Explore Webflow’s proprietary research and learn which factors determine visibility in answer engines, how to implement best practices across content and technical SEO, and how to build closed-loop measurement and execution processes that drive repeatable AEO improvements at scale. (Virtual)
The CEO Stack: Branding + Automation + Intelligence | Small Business University
Gain a practical framework linking branding, automation, and intelligence to create stable, scalable growth. This webinar delivers tactical guidance on systemizing processes, clarifying brand positioning, and using insights to make smarter decisions, plus resources to convert speaking opportunities into revenue. (Virtual)
The Art of Self-Promotion: Marketing Yourself as a Creative Professional | CreativeMornings
Sharpen how you present and market yourself as a creative professional in this CreativeMornings session on self-promotion. Expect a practical perspective on visibility, positioning your work, and talking about what you do without discomfort, aimed at creatives who want to grow their audience and opportunities. (Virtual)
Teamwork, Team-building and Emotional Intelligence | Nonprofit Marketers Network-STL
Understand how to structure team-building efforts and embed emotional intelligence into everyday work through guided discussions of real-life scenarios, evidence-based techniques, and intentional connection principles presented by a leader experienced in student, staff, and organizational development. (Virtual)
Midsummer Classic Social: A Networking Reception | The Westin St. Louis
Embark on a two-hour hospitality mixer tailored for business professionals and travelers, featuring a complimentary beverage, delicious taphouse-style bites, live game coverage starting at 6:00 PM, and a raffle with hotel and loyalty rewards, all designed to encourage authentic networking. (In-Person | The Westin)
Using Podcasts to Reach Global Markets | Orange County Inland Empire SBDC
Enjoy a practical workshop focused on using podcasts to expand your business internationally, covering how to position expertise for global audiences, optimize platforms for discovery, employ distribution tactics, collaborate as a guest, repurpose content for new regions, and receive the recording and slides. (Virtual)
July 15
PitchSTL | Presenters: Rosa Cafe & Tono Technologies
Partake in a recurring weekly morning forum where one or two startups present six-minute pitches, followed by 20 minutes of audience-driven questions and feedback, plus networking with local founders, sponsor engagement, resource showcases, and invitations to support or present at future meetings. (In-Person | Northside Economic Empowerment Center)
How CMOs are rethinking marketing in the AI era | Webflow
Uncover what senior marketers are doing to evaluate AEO and integrate it into broader strategy, as an experienced CMO addresses prioritization, stakeholder alignment, and change management. The discussion offers candid examples of how to lead a marketing organization through an AI transition. (Virtual)
Focus or Fail: Fixing the Priority Problem | American Marketing Association
Explore a practical session led by marketing operations and industry GTM experts that demonstrates how to distinguish meaningful projects from busywork, implement a repeatable prioritization framework, secure stakeholder buy-in, and offer tactical communication tips for saying no with confidence and diplomacy. (Virtual)
Building the AI Monetization Stack | Twill
Absorb practical guidance on tracking token consumption, building usage governance, and implementing runtime billing for autonomous agents. The workshop highlights metering architectures, cost attribution strategies, anomaly detection, and actionable steps platform teams can use to forecast usage and avoid surprise bills. (Virtual)
Snapchat SVP of Engineering on How Everyone Ships Without Breaking Quality | The Product School
Hear how Snapchat’s SVP of Engineering keeps quality intact while enabling the whole team to ship in this Product School session. The conversation covers the practices and guardrails that let engineering organizations move quickly without sacrificing reliability, with takeaways relevant to product and engineering leaders. (Virtual)
Selling Online: The Contract Basics Every Micro-Business Needs to Know | Start Small Think Big
Get up to speed on the contract fundamentals that micro-businesses selling online need to understand, hosted by Start Small Think Big. The session covers the everyday agreements behind selling products and services and what small operators should watch for before signing or drafting them. (Virtual)
Cortex Panel | Skandalaris Center
Enjoy a focused discussion with founders active in Cortex that moves beyond pitches to explore motivations for staying local, the mentorship and infrastructure that propelled early-stage growth, and concrete takeaways shared for Launchpad founders and SkIP interns seeking insight into startup development in St. Louis. (In-Person | Cortex Havana Room)
Protection and Income Strategies for Small Businesses | Porscha Anderson
Learn during a weekly one-hour virtual class that combines legal and financial guidance for small businesses, including contract and formation best practices, brand protection through trademarks, tax support resources, employee benefits solutions, and curated ideas to diversify and boost income opportunities. (Virtual)
July 16
MAC Business Development Group Meeting | Missouri Athletic Club
Join fellow entrepreneurs for a two-hour in-person meeting combining networking with an expert presentation on publishing options. Cathy Davis outlines DIY, DIWY, and DIFY approaches, helping attendees choose the most efficient path to grow credibility, preserve legacy, or create new revenue streams. (In-Person | Missouri Athletic Club)
AI Panel: Good Vibes / Bad Vibes | Arch Data Network
Explore how data and AI architectures are evolving through a rapid-fire expert roundtable, followed by an interactive discussion on real-world adoption. Topics include app-building accessibility, model changes, MCP-enabled agents, semantic structure, context strategy, and the ongoing pursuit of ROI. (In-Person | Microsoft Innovation Hub)
Coffee Connections – Grounds for Discussion (MO) | SMPS St. Louis
Bask in a community-driven meetup that emphasizes conversation and practical takeaways, where members present challenges, share victories, and offer peer advice, all while enjoying a complimentary first beverage. The session supports networking, welcomes prospective members, and grants one CPSM CEU. (In-Person | Coma Coffee)
Did AI Kill Cybersecurity? | Datacamp
Investigate the provocative question of whether AI has upended cybersecurity in this webinar. Expect a look at how AI is reshaping both attacks and defenses, what has genuinely changed for practitioners, and how security teams can adapt their approach as the threat landscape evolves. (Virtual)
The Site AI Playbook: Vendor Tools, Homegrown Solutions & What’s Working | CRIO
Discover an expert-led session that outlines a clear framework for choosing among in-house AI, existing platforms, and niche tools, featuring case studies demonstrating tangible improvements in documentation accuracy, regulatory compliance, and financial processes for clinical research sites. (Virtual)
Scale AI, not your bill: Managing model cost | Google Cloud
Witness a focused exploration of cost management for high-traffic AI: learn token-reduction techniques, model-cost trade-offs, and how to implement budget guardrails; the session also covers leveraging caching discounts and tagging strategies to achieve precise, actionable cost visibility. (Virtual)
Introducing AI in Contact Centers Without Compromising Security | Webex
Learn how contact centers can adopt AI without weakening their security posture in this Webex session. The discussion examines where AI adds value in customer service operations and the safeguards, data handling, and governance considerations that help protect sensitive interactions along the way. (Virtual)
From built to found: SEO-ready websites with Lovable + Semrush | Semrush
Take part in a hands-on session that shows how to build SEO-friendly pages in Lovable, leverage Semrush insights to optimize content, publish updates and monitor outcomes via Google Search Console, and explore how search and AI discoverability signals combine to drive ongoing visibility. (Virtual)
How to ship and scale agents with Claude Managed Agents | Anthropic
Embark on a step-by-step session that demonstrates how to create an agent with six functions, stream runtime events, and wire custom tools; you’ll leave with a working agent, a clear server-loop mental model, and guidance for adding production-ready features and scaling. (Virtual)
Building Websites with Codex Sites | OpenAI Academy
Enhance your web-building confidence during a guided session where instructors showcase how Codex simplifies layout creation, content drafting, and deployment. The event walks participants through each phase, offering practical demonstrations and prompting attendees to run the same steps with Codex installed. (Virtual)
Thriving In Team Environments | The Global Center For Cybersecurity
Explore a monthly, skill-focused gathering that blends structured instruction and peer networking, featuring introductions, training partner spotlights, a team-oriented tabletop exercise, live mentor feedback, and dinner conversations designed to help participants practice communication and present themselves more confidently. (In-Person | Cortex @ 20 S Sarah)
BOSS BIA Happy Hour | Come & Go Women’s Networking | Nicole Ingram
Unite with fellow women in business for a relaxed, come-and-go happy hour, featuring signature cocktails, happy-hour pricing, and casual conversation in a low-pressure environment with no formal agenda. Bring a friend and enjoy community and connection. (In-Person | Saucy’s Pizzeria – High Ridge)
Dress Up, Speak Up Exhibition Celebration | 21c Museum Hotel St. Louis
Connect with artists and fellow visitors at a free opening reception showcasing multimedia works that interrogate identity through dress and performance, complemented by light bites, a cash bar, curator remarks, and a concise artist panel reflecting on aesthetics, protest, and cultural visibility. (In-Person | 21c Museum Hotel St. Louis)
2026 Business After Hours – Facilitec | Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan St. Louis
Admire a lively networking evening designed for building professional connections with the Hispanic Chamber membership, where members and non-members mingle in an open, friendly setting, enjoy light refreshments and beverages, and expand community ties during a relaxed two-hour after-work gathering. (In-Person | Facilitec)
Context Driven Code Analysis with Python AST | PySTL
Attend a technical talk demonstrating how AST-backed analysis, enriched with context such as imports and function calls, can reveal subtle behavioral and security issues. The program includes real-world examples, community announcements, networking opportunities, and a brief farewell to close the evening. (In-Person | TechArtista CWE)
July 17
July 17-19 // Music at the Intersection
Revel in a civic-led gathering that pairs major live performances with conference sessions, artist showcases and cultural takeovers. Programming includes genre nights, a soul tribute, Latinx-curated events, brunch-release celebrations and activities designed to expand access and nurture the regional arts ecosystem. (In-Person | Grand Center Arts District)
July 17-18 // MATI Conference
Explore focused sessions that include investor pitching practice, a founders’ lunch spotlight, in-depth research on gig work and the creative economy, monetization tactics for creators, film industry conversations, short-film showcases, intimate artist lunches, poetry dialogues, style talks, and a live podcast taping. (In-Person | .Zack & High Low)
July 17-18 // The Caribbean AI Summit
Unite with Caribbean and diaspora practitioners for a two-day online program of clear, non-technical guidance on integrating AI into business processes, learning simple automations, identifying profitable opportunities, and walking away with an actionable plan and access to session recordings. (Virtual)
Wavelength: Leadership Reflection, Reimagining, and the Ripple Effect | Filament
Embrace deep reflection and collaborative imagining as the program invites participants to revisit leadership assumptions, co-design alternative approaches, and study how small shifts propagate outward, fostering thoughtful decision-making and a clearer sense of influence across organizational and social systems. (In-Person | Filament)
St. Louis VCP Veteran Resource Fair | New South Associates
Understand how program staff, veteran representatives, and local agencies collaborate at a friendly resource fair to provide face-to-face guidance, share contact information, enroll interested participants in services, highlight programs, and foster networking that can lead to ongoing community support and practical next steps. (In-Person | Robert A. Young Federal Building)
Pipeline Growth & Alignment: Practical Playbooks for Unified Revenue Teams | MarketingProfs
Discover practical playbooks to align marketing, sales, and revenue teams on pipeline growth in this MarketingProfs forum. The session focuses on the coordination and shared priorities that help unified revenue teams work together more effectively and turn alignment into measurable pipeline results. (Virtual)
Sharing the Why: Exonerated Nation | Justine PETERSEN
Immerse yourself in a powerful, personal discussion led by Obie Anthony alongside community leaders that addresses the gap between legal exoneration and practical recovery, reveals the social and economic hurdles survivors confront, and proposes community-driven supports, employment pathways, and housing solutions for renewed stability. (In-Person | Elevator St. Louis)
Bourbon Friday | Sponsored by Tenacity
Join a friendly weekly gathering focused on community building, conversation, and curated bourbon samples. Over three hours, you’ll meet founders and local professionals, participate in tastings, exchange insights, and benefit from nearby parking and transit, while adhering to age and drinking policies. (In-Person | TechArtista UCity)
July 18
Da Link Up Series on Mental Health & Wellness | Da Hood Connect
Take in a lively program beginning with networking and onsite activations, followed by a recorded podcast discussion with community voices on mental wellness, then small-group reflection to generate three priority actions, plus free resources, childcare options, and light refreshments. (In-Person | Delmar Divine)
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What’s driving your week? Let us know in the comments! We’re passionate about improving the St. Louis Startup, Tech, and Marketing Ecosystem, and your feedback is essential. Got an event or important date? Please email [email protected].
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