As an entrepreneur, techie, or marketer based in St. Louis, you’ll find abundant opportunities within our thriving ecosystem. From networking and business assistance to skill development and enjoyable experiences, there’s something for all. Our Founder, Erik Lutenegger, shares a comprehensive list of events and opportunities in St. Louis during the week of April 17-21, 2023!
Funding, Accelerator, and ESO Opportunities
Are you looking for Accelerators, Incubators, or Funding? Here’s an excellent place to start!
Apply Now // Free WordPress Speed Optimizations from SwingSpan
Tenacity has officially launched SwingSpan, a Digital Divide program that provides free WordPress Speed Optimizations for Non-profits. So if you are part of a non-profit or know someone who is, and they use WordPress for their website, apply at Swingspan.app. (Free Help)
Open Now // TechWeek St. Louis Sign-ups | TechSTL
Techweek St. Louis is just around the corner, and if you want to be part of the action? There are three ways to get involved Partner or Sponsor, apply to Speak or Host, or Join the Planning Committee.
Sponsorship Kit
Apply to Speak
Volunteer
(Community Opportunity)
Open Now // STL Startup Week
Planning for St. Louis Startup Week has begun, and we are looking for people to join the organizing committee. You can apply to be part of the committee right now. Applications are due on the 20th, but positions will remain open until filled. (Community Opportunity)
Due May 9 // MIT Solve’s Global Challenges
Seeking social entrepreneurs using technology to solve today’s most pressing problems. Those selected will join a nine-month support program and receive access to over $1 million in funding, grants, and investments. (Accelerator)
Due May 10 // Techstars Accelerator
Techstars applications are due for Future of Finance, Austin, Berlin, London, New Orleans, Sustainability Paris, Toronto, and Alabama EnergyTech.
(Accelerator)
Due May 12 // Startup Exit & Fire Awards 2023 | St. Louis Inno
Nominations are due for Startup Exit Awards and Lifetime achievement award. Also due are the Fire Awards nominations, which honor companies and organizations setting the local innovation economy ablaze.
(Community Recognition & Awards)
Marketing, AI, and Startup Events
Events on April 17
April 17-18 // Midwest Digital Media Conference
This event is guaranteed to fuel your 2023 marketing campaigns and beyond! Day 1 will include deep-dive workshops. Day 2 will consist of featured keynote speakers and over 20 breakout sessions led by industry experts in digital marketing, social media marketing, email marketing, data and analytics, and more!
(In-Person)
April 17-19 // ASU+GSV Summit
This event connects leading minds around digital learning and workforce skills to ensure a new era where ALL people have equal access to the future.
(Virtual)
Hiring Your First Employees as a Startup Founder | Founder Institute
At this webinar, learn startup hiring strategies from experts Abby Goldstein and Adam Gellert, both experienced in tech recruitment. Topics include hiring order, talent sourcing, cultural fit, and legal employment frameworks.
(Virtual)
Events on April 18
April 18-19 // NSF SBIR Interactive Workshop | Missouri SBDC
This day and half-event guides technology startups and businesses on applying for NSF SBIR Grants and STTR funding for R&D. This hands-on course focuses on preparing competitive NSF Phase 1 submissions by addressing customer problem-solving, market research, project team composition, technical approach, and budget considerations.
(Virtual)
Demystifying Raising Capital from Angels with Angel Capital Association | Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center
Here attendees will gain insights into the benefits and challenges of angel investing, how angels make decisions, and factors to consider when deciding if it suits their business.
(Virtual)
Five Ways to Use Social Media to Build Brand Reputation as an Expert | MarketingProfs
Here you’ll learn how to harness your social media channels to strengthen your brand, proven ways to showcase your brand’s unique expertise, and get tips for connecting with clients through social.
(Virtual)
Olin’s Spring Entrepreneurial Awards Night | Olin Business School
This will be a night of celebration, as they will announce the winners of the Hatchery Olin Cup and the winners of Olin’s BIG IdeaBounce® Competition.
(Virtual)
MEDLaunch Demo Day 2023 | SLU Chaifetz Center for Entrepreneurship
This event features five student teams presenting their medical innovation projects to faculty, students, staff, and investors. These projects span surgical devices, health IT, and medical diagnostics. The event includes poster presentations, a guest speaker, and final pitches, culminating in the Tom Dooley Award announcement.
(In-Person)
Events on April 19
1 Million Cups St. Louis
This event is for local entrepreneurs to meet and present their startups to the innovation community here in St. Louis.
(In-Person)
Mastering Innovation: Disrupt the Standard Model and Transform Your Company | Social Media Club St. Louis
At this interactive event, learn from experts Dan Reus and Chris Copeland how to activate innovation within yourself and your organization. And discover the keys to identifying opportunities, building a culture of creativity, and developing disruptive strategies for business transformation.
(In-Person)
Financing Your Small Business | St. Louis County Library
Here you can discover financing options to start, grow and succeed with your small business. This webinar will familiarize you with SBA loan programs, requirements, and what constitutes a successful small business loan application.
(Virtual)
Small Business Certifications for Federal, State & Local Government Contracts | Missouri Procurement Technical Assistance Centers
This virtual seminar discusses small business certifications for federal, state, and local government contracts, which set aside a percentage of spending for small, women, and minority-owned businesses. These programs aim to help businesses access the $500 billion government market.
(Virtual)
Leading and Communicating with Style | Enterprise University
Here you’ll learn how to modify your behavior based on other’s work styles, create best practices to achieve desired outcomes from meetings and develop a toolkit to improve the effectiveness of everyone you attend
(Virtual)
Geosaurus Unleashed: Maps to Metaverse | T-REX
This event will build on concepts explored in this year’s GEOINT Symposium. Stay tuned for more information about our panelists, including experts from NVIDIA, LP3, Purina, and Deloitte.
(In-Person)
Events on April 20
Corporate Philanthropy Awards | St. Louis Business Journal
Corporate giving is one of the qualities that makes St. Louis unique. At this year’s Corporate Philanthropy Awards, they’ll highlight the companies and individuals making corporate giving shine. There will also be a special panel discussion of our Innovation in Philanthropy honorees!
(In-Person)
Bridging the Startup Funding Gap for Women & Underrepresented Minorities | WashU Olin Brookings Commission
This event addresses the imbalance in startup funding for women and underrepresented minorities. It will present policy recommendations for venture capital, founders, and government policymakers.
(In-Person & Virtual)
AMA St. Louis Luncheon: Sketch Your Thinking
This event focuses on enhancing the marketing design process through creative drawing. Attendees will participate in an interactive session led by Manuel Herrera, a renowned education consultant, speaker, and illustrator.
(In-Person)
Conversation, personalization and humanization: How our marketing must change in 2023 | ON24 + MarketingProfs
Here you’ll learn to create engaging, personalized, and humanized experiences by shifting to active content, focusing on audience voice, embracing conversational marketing, and scaling personalization.
(Virtual)
Creating Webinar Experiences That Increase ROI as Part of a Content Strategy | AMA & Jugo
The key takeaways from this event are How to build a winning content marketing strategy, How webinars are key for inbound marketing and How to create impactful webinars.
(Virtual)
ChatGPT and Generative AI Panel | Insider Intelligence
At this event, you’ll gain insights into the remarkable influence of ChatGPT and Generative AI across sectors, the journey to widespread adoption of Generative AI, and strategies for leveraging ChatGPT to boost productivity and achieve goals.
(Virtual)
#SheCan Connect Networking Meet Up
SheCan Connect is a growing community for female leaders, entrepreneurs, side hustlers, and creatives. If you are a woman of faith seeking growth, strategy, resources, and inspiration by combining spiritual and professional development, this event is for you.
(Virtual)
Collider Event: Preparing To Do Business With The Department of Defense | The GEOINT Hub @ T-REX
The NGA and TEC are hosting an event to help small businesses prepare for federal government contracts in geospatial intelligence. Attendees will learn about federal programs, resources, and opportunities, understand the role of small businesses in supporting the NGA and DoD, and receive guidance on pursuing contracts and grants.
(In-Person & Virtual)
The Washington University Innovation and Entrepreneurship Awards | Skandalaris Center
Come celebrate the Spring 2023 Global Impact Award and Skandalaris Venture Competition participants with up to $75,000 in funding awarded. While congratulating awardees, you’ll enjoy drinks and hors d’oeuvres and mingle with students, faculty, staff, and friends.
(In-Person)
Venture Cafe St. Louis | Corporate & Community Partnerships
Highlights include Community Connections, How to Communicate with Clarity, as well as Office Hours to Get Tips To Build Relationships On Social Media.
(In-Person)
Events on April 21
Bourbon Friday | TechArtista Downtown
It’s Friday, and it’s not Friday without Bourbon Friday. And you can join us at Techartista Downtown for our weekly social gathering celebrating the St. Louis startup scene. Stop by for 3 minutes or 3 hours for more great drinks and better conversations. (In-Person)
AIGA St. Louis Design Show 26
Over the last 25 years, this has been the premier showcase for local creatives and agencies to share their exceptional work. So come celebrate the pieces selected for this year’s show with friends and colleagues from around St. Louis.
(In-Person)
Events on April 22
April 22-23 // Earth Day Festival
Whether you are coming for the food, the music, the activities, or just the people watching, this event promises to leave you a little more inspired about real progress to preserve our planet and a little more connected to those on the front lines!
(In-Person)
A Bit Further Out… Techweek!
April 24-28 // STL Techweek
This promises to be one of the year’s biggest happenings; with more than 40 individual events, there is something for everyone. Guess what? We’re hosting the Closing Celebration. So go RSVP for all of the great programming.
(In-Person)
Join us on Meetup or Tiktok
Share with us in the comments what’s got you pumped for this week. We always look for ways to improve the St. Louis Startup, Tech, and Marketing Ecosystem. If you have any ideas, please let us know!
For those with upcoming events or important dates, feel free to contact us at events@bourbonfriday.show.