From BALSA Grants to the MTC ldea Fund to free Speed Optimizations for Non-Profits to SEO for Startups to Tech on Tap to the first Bourbon Friday of 2023, here’s a rundown from our Founder Erik Lutenegger of Events & Opportunities in St. Louis this week coming up the week of January 9-13, 2023!
ESO, Accelerator, and Funding Opportunities
Are you looking for Accelerators, Incubators or Funding? Here’s an excellent place to start!
Apply Now // Free WordPress Speed Optimizations – 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 – SLUStart I-Corps Application
This program is from the Research Innovation Group in Saint Louis University’s Office of the Vice President for Research. It is designed to help researchers, inventors, and innovators in the St. Louis region extend their focus beyond academia and the lab to create successful products and services that deliver real value through entrepreneurship. (Incubator)
Due January 15 // WashU Olin’s Big IdeaBounce®
This Award supports the vision and passion of Washington University in St. Louis students, postdoctoral researchers, and recent alumni who are creating Scalable, Sustainable, For-profit, and Quick-to-market ventures with proof of concept for a broad impact. (Pitch Contest)
Due January 24 // BALSA Grant
This program helps first-time entrepreneurs get their ideas off the ground. It’s a 1kay cash grant, a 10-week entrepreneur training program that includes one-on-one mentoring and up to $20,000 in In-kind professional services.
Due January 29 // Innovation in Philanthropy Awards 2023 | St. Louis Business Journal
Nominations are due for the Innovation in Philanthropy Awards 2023 from St. Louis Business Journal. This is to highlight the contributions St. Louis businesses have made to their communities by recognizing the combination of their cash and in-kind donations in the St. Louis region.
Due January 30 // Skandalaris Venture Competition
This program includes Mentorship and prizes up to $25k, and is for any current WashU students, and all WashU alums within one year of graduation with an early-stage startup are eligible. Teams will develop materials to explain the idea they are working on to a broad audience. (Incubator & Pitch Competition)
Due February 1 // Techstars Accelerator Applications
Accelerator applications are due for Build in Tulsa, Industries of the Future, Washington DC, Web3, Audi Denkwerkstatt Founder Innovation Lab (Accelerator)
Due February 8 // Innovation, Development, and Entrepreneurial Advancement (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 3 programs the TechLaunch for pre-seed, Seed Capital for the Seed stage, and the Venture Capital Program, which supports technology startups through matching equity or convertible debt investments up to $2,000,000. (Funding)
Startup, Tech, and Marketing Events
Events on January 9
SEO Basics for Startups with Nick Jordan – Founder Institute
Here you’ll learn what SEO is and how its works, why you need SEO for promoting your startup, how to utilize SEO practices on your website to achieve the best results possible, what type of content is relative to your audience, and why, and how to rank exceptionally on search engine results pages. (Virtual)
Events on January 10
Discover Data Analytics Preview Course | Savvy Coders
Stop by to learn some Python and dip your toes into the Data Analytics/Python pool. This free interactive class will give you an overview of the Savvy Coders Data Analytics Bootcamp. (Virtual)
Tech on Tap @ TREX
This event is for anyone from software developers to server admins, entrepreneurs to industry newbies, so if you work in tech and like beer, this would be an excellent event for you. There will be two presenters that night. Jonathan Leek will discuss Civic Data, and Devon Moody Graham will talk about Inclusive Tech. (In-Person)
Vetworking STL January 2023
Join this event at Dogwood Social in O’Fallon, IL for a night of networking with fellow veterans, organizations, and employers event. So if you are a transitioning service member or a job-seeking veteran, this is a fantastic opportunity to meet with fellow veterans and companies around St. Louis. (In-Person)
Events on January 11
How to set up your LinkedIn for success! – MrsKesh Speaks
LinkedIn guru, MrsKeshSpeaks will walk you through getting your profile up and running and the basics of getting to the money! (In-Person)
Events on January 12
State of Conferences 2023: Your guide to making the industry’s biggest events a home run for your brand. | PR Week
This event features senior-level leaders from the world’s biggest annual conferences, like South by Southwest and TED. These experts will give you counsel nobody else could about how you and your brands can make the most of these gatherings, not to mention conferences more broadly. (Virtual)
Cybersecurity and I.T. Tips for Small Businesses | New Growth Women’s Business Center
Dray Schenker, Senior Technology Director at West Central Missouri Community Action Agency, will take you on a tour of priority IT and Cybersecurity issues to understand and critical actions to take as a small business. (Virtual)
2023 Hottest Business Ideas, Trends & Markets | SCORE
Presenter Rieva Lesonsky, CEO of GrowBiz Media, will give you the rundown of the hottest business ideas, trends, and consumer behaviors on the rise and how to adjust your business, so you stay caught up. (Virtual)
Arch Grants Workshop
Learn how to better address Startup Competition application questions regarding business-related legal terminology and how to classify your startup for application purposes. And hear tips and best practices from Arch Grants’ staff and experts in legal language and applying and evaluating for the Startup Competition. (In-Person)
Venture Cafe St. Louis – Community Activations
Highlights include: Community Connections, The Calm Before (During & After) the Convening, It’s All Fun and Games Until…, and VenCaf Trivia! (In-Person)
Events on January 13
Future Trends Friday Forums | MarketingProfs
Program includes: Building a Community Strategy for a Web3 Future, The Future of Work: Data’s Role in Powering Decision-Making, and AI for B2B in 2023. (Virtual)
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. Don’t forget to help us select our Featured Bourbon of the Week by following us on Instagram! (In-Person)
What applications are you working on? What events do we need in St. Louis Startup, Tech, and Marketing Ecosystem? Let us know in the comments!
Have an event or important date coming up, please email us at events@bourbonfriday.show.