Whether you’re looking to network, get help with your business, learn new skills, or just have a good time, there are plenty of opportunities in our ecosystem. there’s something for everyone. If you are an entrepreneur, techie, or marketer, here’s a rundown of everything you need to know about from our Founder, Erik Lutenegger of Events & Opportunities in St. Louis this week, coming up the week of March 13 – March 17, 2023!
Accelerator, ESO, and Funding 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 March 20 // Washington University Innovation & Entrepreneurship Award Nominations
These awards recognize outstanding achievements and contributions. Nominations are open to students, faculty, staff, and community members. They can be made in four categories: Excellence in Innovation – Student, Excellence in Entrepreneurship – Venture, Outstanding Mentorship – Faculty or Staff, and Outstanding Mentorship – Community. (Community Awards)
Due March 24 // Inc. 5000 (Early Rate)
This is a yearly list of the fastest-growing private companies in the US based on their revenue growth over a three-year period. This prestigious recognition compiled by Inc. Magazine of entrepreneurial success has helped to launch many companies into the national spotlight. (National Awards)
Due March 31 // 2023 Arch Grants Startup Competition
It’s that time of year again, and Arch Grants is now a $75,000 non-dilutive grant with tons of resources, and all you have to do is get selected and agree to headquarter your business in St. Louis for at least one year. They also provide $25k in moving expenses if you are moving here. (Pitch Competition)
Startup, Tech, and Marketing Events
Events on March 13
March 13-18 // Color Creative Week
This online event features the latest in color and AI tools. The week-long event includes daily events showcasing Colorlab Ai and Look Designer talent and the Winter Look Academy finalists. The event concludes with an exclusive office hours session with Jeff Greenberg, “Mr. Green,” revealing his secrets for creating stunning color effects. (Virtual)
Events on March 14
Marketing New Realities: The Most Human Company Wins with Mark Schaefer | Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center
With consumers swamped with information and choices, businesses must develop a sustainable and repeatable process to understand how their customer segments process information and make choices. Mark Schaefer, Executive Director at Schaefer Marketing Solutions, will explore today’s marketing challenges and offer actionable steps to stand out and achieve positive business outcomes. (Virtual)
AWS Innovate Conference: Data and AI/ML Edition
This event focuses on data and AI/ML services, with sessions for technical and non-technical attendees. Learn from speakers about building, training, and deploying machine learning models, democratizing data analytics, disaster recovery design patterns, and more. Explore seven tracks, from building data-driven organizations to securing and governing all your data. (Virtual)
LinkedIn Deep Dive: Jump-start Your Profile Today | Enterprise University
Here you’ll learn how to research prospects effectively, understand why LinkedIn requires regular use and interaction with other users to be effective, and discover how LinkedIn can be woven into your sales efforts. (Virtual)
Data science for funded startups: How AI can get you to the next level | The Tesseract Academy
Startups can create a stronger business by utilizing AI and data science to optimize operations and generate new revenue streams. You’ll learn how startups can leverage both to take your business to the next level. And discover innovative ways to make smarter decisions, gain a competitive edge, and grow your business through real-world examples and case studies. (Virtual)
Fortune Favors the Curious | AMA
This event emphasizes the importance of curiosity in the current challenging economic landscape. It features a discussion between Eric Johnson, Momentive’s CMO, and Adam Grant, Organizational Psychologist & Bestselling Author, who will share insights on how individuals can position themselves to thrive by embracing what they don’t know, being flexible, and pursuing understanding. (Virtual)
VOICES – STL Inclusive Entrepreneurship Affinity Group at Heydays
If you are a woman, person of color, foreign-born, or LGBTQ+ in the St. Louis Startup Ecosystem, this is a chance to share your voice, connect to peers and resources in the entrepreneur ecosystem, and lead change within your community and organization. This month’s event is hosted by Keisha Mabry Haymore at her new Coworking space Heydays! (In-Person)
STL101: A Discussion with the Saint Louis Art Museum & Foreign Born Artists | St. Louis Mosaic Project
At this event, you’ll learn about the Immigrant artist’s journey and how the Art Museum works with the immigrant community to emphasize the importance of narrative and belonging. Presenters: Artists Mee Jey, Luisa Otero Prada, and Renée Brummell Franklin, the Chief Diversity Officer at the Museum, will share their experiences and discuss other artistic communities, resources, and networks available in St. Louis to support Immigrant artists. (In-Person)
314 Day – Pizza in the Park! | Pocketparks
In honor of 314 Day, come to the DUC Park at the corner of 10th and Locust for some delicious pizza! (In-Person)
Vetworking STL
Join them for a night of networking with fellow veterans, organizations, and employers. 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 March 15
How Artists Use Social Media | Social Media Club Saint Louis
This event includes a panel discussion with two St. Louis artists, Jessica Hitchcock, and Janessa Williams, to discuss how they use social media to promote and sell their art. The discussion will cover social media trends, wins, and conversions in the art industry and beyond. (In-Person)
Finding Your Vision | Missouri SBDC
At this webinar, they’ll dive into how your business can define a clear vision for success and implement an actionable game plan. (Virtual)
Futures Fund 2023 Info Session | The Luminary
Futures Fund is a regranting initiative organized by The Luminary and funded by the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts to support innovative, experimental, and forward-focused artistic projects throughout the St. Louis region. This is where you can find out how to score grants ranging from 2500 to eight grand. (In-Person)
For the Women! | Cortex
This event is aimed at creative, powerful, and amazing women and includes a lunch and learn called cycle syncing, a midday mingle with chair massages, floral arranging, and facilitated conversation, and a women’s panel discussing how to define success, leverage power, and harness energy in everyday life. (In-Person)
Events on March 16
TechStrong Con
This conference will address the gap between innovative digital ideas and their execution and share how to build digital resilience into organizations’ infrastructure. The event will explore the finance, healthcare, retail, and IT industries’ experiences with digital transformation and offer tracks focused on leadership, developers, SREs, platform engineers, and secure transformation. (Virtual)
Social Pulse Summit: ROI Edition
This is a free event aimed at helping marketers measure the impact of social media on their businesses. The summit will feature live keynotes, breakout sessions, workshops, and networking opportunities with social media experts and CMOs. Attendees can learn how to drive traffic and sales from social networks, measure the results of their activities, position their brands, and prove ROI. (Virtual)
How Marketing Teams Can Tap Into Their Superpowers | MarketingProfs
Here you’ll learn how to make automation your trusty sidekick to keep prospects and customers engaged, what to consider to consolidate your utility belt to ensure you’re getting ROI, and how to laser-focus on a targeted approach for better conversion. (Virtual)
AI Next Generation Architecture | Carnegie Mellon University
At this webinar, Mike Mattarock, from AI Division at Software Engineering Institute, discusses the challenges facing AI engineering and the need for modular solutions to promote interoperability and facilitate future integration. Attendees will learn about considerations for facilitating modularity and reuse in design. (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. (In-Person)
EQ 2023 Pitch Competition | UMSL Accelerate
In this event, UMSL student entrepreneurs will pitch their businesses to an esteemed panel of judges for a chance to win up to $3,000. (In-Person)
Maps to Metaverse | Geosaurus Unleashed
This will be the 2nd of 3 Geosaurus Unleashed events leading to GEOINT. The topic for the evening is Maps to Metaverse. The panel will include experts from Washington University and Riverside Research (In-Person)
Venture Cafe St. Louis | COLLIDE: Extended Reality
This is a special one and is part of a monthly collaboration with TechSTL called Collide. 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 Extended Reality. (In-Person)
Events on March 17
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)
Events on March 18
mastHERclass 2023 by Keisha & Friends
This full-day event features 6 mastHERclasses, and 2 panels focused on sales, marketing, and funding resources for success. Attendees will hear from subject matter experts on topics such as brand partnerships, small business funding, WBE/MBE certification, delegation, email marketing, SOPs, and 360 marketing plans. The event includes brunch, hand massages, sound bowl meditation, headshot activation, and an after-party. (In-Person)
Events on March 19
St. Louis Code and Coffee
If you are interested in coding at any level and want a community to connect with and share ideas, this is an informal meetup for anyone to work or hack on their project. (In-Person)
The Noticed Arts Expo
The event features live music, art, poetry, vendors, food, and a rooftop bar and includes special guests, local entrepreneurs, and exclusive event apparel available for purchase. (In-Person)
Join us on Meetup or Tiktok
What are you excited for this week? What 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.