Throughout the week of June 26-30, 2023 entrepreneurs, tech buffs, and marketers in the St. Louis area can benefit from many opportunities to thrive and form connections within the local environment. Erik Lutenegger, our Founder, has prepared a lineup of events and opportunities for the week, addressing diverse interests like networking, business mentorship, skill cultivation, and recreational enjoyment.
Funding, Accelerators, and ESO Opportunities
This is the best place to start if you need funding, community awards, or anything else to accelerate your business.
Due June 28 // NASA Entrepreneurs Challenge 2023
The 2023 NASA Entrepreneurs Challenge recognizes and supports entrepreneurs and visionaries working on technology that advances the agency’s science goals, particularly in lunar exploration and climate science with prizes totaling $1 Million. (Pitch)
Due June 29 // xTechSBIR Autonomy
The U.S. Army is inviting entities to join the xTech Small Business Innovation Research Autonomy competition. This is a chance for eligible small businesses to present their innovative technology solutions directly to the Department of Defense, with the opportunity to win prize money and potentially receive a Phase I SBIR award of up to $250,000 each. (Funding)
Due June 30 // Champions for Diversity & Inclusion Awards 2023 | St. Louis Business Journal
Nominations are due for Champions for Diversity & Inclusion Awards 2023 from St. Louis Business Journal, which will honor individuals and organizations advancing diversity, inclusion, and equity in St. Louis. (Community Awards)
Due July 2 // NSIN Forge
In partnership with FedTech, this program matches cutting-edge DoD tech with early-stage startups for an intensive, twelve-week cohort. Companies work closely with various subject matter experts to assess the technologies’ market viability and commercialization potential. Successful ventures license the tech and develop solutions that impact the DoD and the private sector. (Entrepreneurship Program)
Apply Now // Free WordPress Speed Optimizations for Non-Profits
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)
Startup, Tech & Marketing Events
Events on June 26
June 26-30 // TechSTL Takeover – Spark St. Louis
TechSTL is hosting a series of events for its members where they will have free access to co-working spaces in the top innovation district hubs in St Louis. There will be a Networking Breakfast on Tuesday and a Takeover Mixer on Friday; more on that in a bit. This is a members-only event. But there’s still time signup. (In-Person)
June 26-30 // Pride Coworking Week! | CIC St. Louis
In honor of Pride Month, CIC St. Louis is opening their doors to the LGBTQIA+ Community! So stop by to work! (In-Person)
Why Founders Should Care About Branding | Founder Institute
In this online session led by Ana Pessanha, Head of Brand Voice & Creative Strategy at VMLY&R Branding, attendees will gain insights into the importance of branding for startups, learn where to start, the basics of brand building, and what a successful brand looks like. (Virtual)
Events on June 27
The Standout Summit | Superside
This event offers in-depth sessions with expert leaders in video marketing, social hooks, AR, and more. With a strong focus on developing distinctive content, attendees can learn new perspectives and strategies to stand out in a crowded digital landscape. (Virtual)
Turn Your Webinars into Lead-Generating Machines | Kaltura
In this webinar, Kaltura’s Lisa Bennett and Roi Kaufman will share insights on optimizing webinars for lead generation. Topics include boosting brand awareness, increasing registration, converting attendees into leads, scaling webinar programs, and a survey on peer strategies. (Virtual)
Events on June 28
June 28-29 // AppSecCon 2023
This is the World’s Leading Virtual AppSec Conference. You can explore software security’s top challenges, best practices, and case studies with trusted leaders here. And engage in dialogue and workshops to help you on your Journey to AppSec Maturity. (Virtual)
1 Million Cups St. Louis | Presenters: Process Feedback
This event is for local entrepreneurs to meet and present their startups to the innovation community here in St. Louis. The presenters are Process Feedback. (In-Person)
Video Marketing Revolution: Steal Our Roadmap to Accelerate Your Success | Connect Video
This session provides strategies for effective video marketing. Learn to create engaging videos, know the right time to hire a professional, and gain insights into content distribution. Attendees will leave with a ready-to-implement video marketing roadmap. (In-Person)
Leveraging Strategic Partnerships | Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center
In this online session, Julie Shen, Founder of Springstead, shares valuable insights on leveraging strategic partnerships for business growth. Attendees will learn how to identify the right time for a partnership, source, and close strategic alliances, and use these partnerships to enrich their brand. (Virtual)
The Future of Creativity at Scale: How Automation is Future-Proofing Digital Creative Production for Marketers | AMA
At this enlightening webinar, you’ll learn how automation can help marketers manage multiple campaigns effectively, optimize resources, and dramatically scale content production. (Virtual)
AI in Startups: Unleashing Opportunities and Overcoming Challenges | EquityMatch.co
Discover how Artificial Intelligence reshapes the startup ecosystem at this insightful live panel discussion. Experts will discuss how to transform startups with AI, seize opportunities, navigate challenges, and leverage AI to enhance customer experiences. (Virtual)
Franchising: Start a business – Keep your day job! | SCORE
This webinar will discuss semi-absentee franchise ownership as a way to start your business. Given our challenging times, they will discuss some recession-resistant and/or essential service models that franchising has to offer. (Virtual)
Conversations on Equity: Economic Challenges and Opportunities for LGBTQ+ Individuals | St. Louis Federal Reserve
During this virtual conversation, you’ll hear more about Potential definitions for what economic equity entails, The business case for LGBTQ+ economic equity, How income, wealth, financial stability, and mental well-being vary for those who identify as LGBTQ+ relative to their straight or cisgender peers, and How shortcomings in data visibility can limit our understanding of the outcomes for and needs of LGBTQ+ individuals (Virtual)
Summer with Skandy at Delmar Divine | Skandalaris Center
At this gathering, you’ll hear from Maxine Clark, Chief Inspirator at Delmar DivINe, on her experiences in the St. Louis ecosystem. She’ll discuss the city’s allure, ongoing progress, and the impact of Delmar DivINe, a hub stimulating the work of top St. Louis social services. (In-Person)
Geosaurus Unleashed – DevGlobal | T-REX
Spanning Africa, India, and the United States, DevGlobal supports the world’s leading non-profits, companies, philanthropies, multilateral agencies, and government agencies on their innovation and sustainability initiatives using geospatial technology. There will be a presentation followed by a Q&A. And as always, there will be beers and light bites. (In-Person)
Events on June 29
Fast and Furious: How to Optimize Your Marketing Automation to Outpace the Competition | MarketingProfs
Here you’ll learn how to fully integrate your tech stack so no leads fall through the cracks, go from simple lead scoring to qualifying, predicting, and increasing conversions, and use automated experiences that show prospects a compelling road forward. (Virtual)
Power Lunch & Learn: Careers in Innovation and New Ventures | Olin Business School
At this event, you’ll hear from experienced alumni panelists. They’ll share their insights about what it takes to succeed in innovation, the qualities needed, and how organizations manage innovation effectively. They’ll also discuss exciting trends in the innovation space across various industries. (Virtual)
Venture Cafe St. Louis | COLLIDE: Agtech Entrepreneurship
This is the next in the Collide series from TechSTL. COLLIDE hosts bold tech startups, mind-blowing university research projects, and frontline corporate innovation, all tied to the TechSTL Big 15 emerging technologies. This month’s focus is AgTech, so there’s Expo, a Startup Panel, as well as Getting to Know 39North and Exploring the Yield Lab Institute presentations. (In-Person)
Events on June 30
AMA Saint Louis Annual Golf Outing
So make sure to take advantage of this day of camaraderie, networking, and FUN at Creve Coeur Golf Course. (In-Person)
Bourbon Friday at Spark St. Louis
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)
Join us on Meetup or Tiktok
We’re excited to hear about your plans for the week! What do we need in the St. Louis Startup, Tech, and Marketing Ecosystem? Drop us a comment below!
And for those with events or important dates on the horizon, email us at events@bourbonfriday.show.