The week of May 18-24, 2026 brings another strong showing of events and opportunities for St. Louis’s entrepreneurs, tech professionals, and marketers. From hands-on skill building to high-impact networking, there’s something to move everyone’s goals forward. Erik Lutenegger, our Founder, has curated this week’s guide to the best the local ecosystem has to offer.
ESO, Accelerator, and Funding Opportunities
Apply Now // Square One Ignite | Cortex
Built for idea-stage founders, this fast-paced four-week program helps entrepreneurs pressure-test their business ideas, validate assumptions, and start building a real path forward. Participants work through the business model canvas, connect with mentors, and plug into the local startup ecosystem as they prepare for next-stage growth opportunities. (Bootcamp)
Due May 18 // Verizon Small Business Super Pitch
A three-month, sector-agnostic accelerator is committed to advancing world-class startups from Japan and abroad, focused on emerging technologies across industries. Participants receive mentorship, funding, and access to a global network to scale their businesses. Applications are now open for Techstars Tokyo Accelerator. (Accelerator)
Due May 26 // Fast 50 2026 | St. Louis Business Journal
The region’s fastest-growing private companies are getting recognized. This annual ranking highlights high-growth businesses across the St. Louis area based on three-year revenue growth, giving standout companies major visibility through a special publication and live awards event.(Community Award)
Due June 7 // Inno Under 25 2026 | St. Louis Business Journal
St. Louis’s next generation of startup talent is getting recognized. This annual list spotlights founders, innovators, student entrepreneurs, and community builders under 25 who are already making an impact across the region’s tech and entrepreneurial ecosystem. (Community Award)
Due June 10 // Techstars Accelerators
This global network of three-month accelerator programs provides early-stage startups with seed capital, world-class mentorship, curated workshops, and access to a vast ecosystem of investors and alumni. Founders receive strategic resources, Demo Day exposure, and lifetime access to Techstars’ network. Applications are now open for: ABN AMRO + Future of Finance, AI Health Baltimore, Alabama EnergyTech, Anywhere, Boulder, Columbus Powered by The Ohio State University, Future of Food Powered by Ecolab, Healthcare Powered by Permanente Medicine Mid-Atlantic States, New York City, and Space. (Accelerator)
Startup, Tech, and Marketing Events
May 18
G.R.I.T. Leadership Expo – 4rd Annual
Celebrate interactive speaker sessions that cover real estate accessibility, financial empowerment, technology recycling, strength training for longevity, and wealth-building behaviors, alongside an expo of local entrepreneurs and booths designed for networking, learning practical strategies, and showcasing company offerings. (In-Person | Maryville University)
AI Agents That Don’t Break Under Pressure | Microsoft Reactor
Discover practical .NET patterns and real-world architectures for resilient, scalable AI agent systems on Azure and NVIDIA GPU infrastructure, including automatic state persistence, workflow orchestration, recovery strategies, and integration with Foundry IQ as a trusted knowledge source illustrated through a Travel Planner demo. (Virtual)
Rock Star MBA – Untapped Lessons on Marketing from Artists | NY Public Library, Thomas Yoseloff Business Center
Embark on a focused hour with Martin J. McDermott exploring how artists’ approaches inform branding, storytelling, and customer value, including AI-assisted content creation, persona development, and strategic use of advertising, PR, sales promotion, and social media to strengthen audience engagement. (Virtual)
Small Business Networking Mixer | IKEA
Connect with fellow small business owners at IKEA’s networking mixer, where local entrepreneurs can swap ideas, build relationships, and share experiences in a relaxed retail environment designed to foster community conversation and practical exchange. (In-Person | IKEA)
The AI Edge: Supercharge Your Startup Vision | Silicon Networks
Explore how AI can shape your startup vision and accelerate growth, with practical strategies for early-stage founders looking to leverage emerging tools, refine product direction, and streamline operations as they scale. (Virtual)
May 19
May 19-20 // U.S. Census Bureau GeoForum | U.S. Census Bureau
Enhance your geospatial knowledge during a free two-day virtual conference featuring Census geographers and partners presenting sessions on TIGER geography, mapping products, and geographic partnership programs, including tools like GDPP and GUPS Web and discussions on updating and maintaining modern census geospatial data. (Virtual)
May 19-20 // Microsoft Ability Summit 2026 | Microsoft
Learn from a lineup of accessibility professionals and technology leaders as sessions explore AI-driven solutions, product accessibility practices, strategic partnerships, and skills development, offering practical guidance to improve digital experiences and drive organizational change toward greater inclusion. (Virtual)
May 19-20 // Google I/O 2026 Keynote | Google
Be part of two days of livestreamed keynotes and sessions showcasing product launches, engineering insights, and platform innovations, with curated recommendations from your developer profile, community group connections, interactive puzzles, and opportunities to join user research and engage with peers. (Virtual)
Get Press Ready: Modern PR Strategies for Small Business Growth | Digital Boost
Explore modern PR techniques in a focused one-hour session that explains how to create newsworthy narratives, build expert credibility, use social platforms strategically, secure podcast and speaking slots, form partnerships, sidestep typical mistakes, and execute low-cost campaigns tailored to smaller brands. (Virtual)
Supply Connect: How to show strong cyber security in tenders and bids | Enterprise Nation
Appreciate how this webinar explains why cyber security matters for contract success, exploring baseline resilience, relevant standards and frameworks, and practical steps to evidence your security posture, all delivered by a consultant experienced in making resilience practical and human-centred. (Virtual)
Smart Automation: AI, Imaging, and Your Digital Transformation | Automate
Discover how AI-driven imaging and smart automation are reshaping operations, with practitioner perspectives on integrating computer vision, machine learning, and process automation into broader digital transformation initiatives across manufacturing and industrial environments. (Virtual)
Introduction to Individual Giving | Candid
Admire a structured walkthrough of individual giving fundamentals where you will identify key program steps, learn how to diversify funding with donor-centered tactics, and leave equipped to draft an actionable plan to launch or improve your organization’s annual individual giving efforts. (Virtual)
AI Search Hacks for 2026 | Moz
Take in expert tactics for adapting SEO strategy to AI-powered search, covering how to optimize content for generative answer engines, leverage emerging discovery patterns, and stay visible as search behavior continues to shift through 2026. (Virtual)
Your customers have outsmarted your marketing. Learn how to keep pace. | Martech
Connect with proven tactics to detect and respond to strategic abandonment and promo-timing behaviors, using behavioral signals to trigger adaptive, next-best actions. The session translates report findings into concrete steps for building AI-driven personalization across orchestration, messaging, and timing. (Virtual)
Perform data science using Apache Spark in BigQuery Studio | Google Cloud
Dive into hands-on demonstrations of data science techniques powered by Apache Spark inside BigQuery Studio, covering dataset preparation, feature engineering, model training, and evaluation, with emphasis on interactive notebooks and scalable processing to accelerate exploratory and production-ready analytics. (Virtual)
Pitch Deck Review & Feedback | TechStars
Attend expert-led workshops that guide founders through pitch deck structure, financial and market storytelling, and memo-first strategy, then provide a framework for crisp elevator pitches, concluding with selected live presentations critiqued by experienced managing directors for concrete improvements. (Virtual)
Social Media Foundation & Content Creations for Small Businesses | SLDC
Kickstart your content strategy with a structured workshop that teaches stepwise content creation, effective storytelling techniques, and hook development, paired with easy AI tools to streamline production, so participants leave with actionable tactics and a customized plan to elevate their digital presence affordably. (In-Person | NEEC at the William J. Harrison Education Center)
Introverted Women Founders: The Vacation Your Business Won’t Let You Take | Building Her Dream
Venture into an intimate, peer-led session featuring a concise lesson from an experienced founder, then join candid group discussions with fellow introverted owners to unpack why you can’t unplug, identify what’s holding you back, and design small changes that enable true time off. (Virtual)
May 20
PitchSTL | Presenters: Suzie’s Treasure Trove & ES Biodesign
Marvel at a community-focused startup gathering offering a warm, shark-tank-style experience: brief six-minute pitches, in-depth twenty-minute feedback sessions, ample networking, access to professional resources, sponsor opportunities, and open invitations to apply, donate, or join the supporting board. (In-Person | Northside Economic Empowerment Center)
Google Marketing Live 2026 | Google
Admire expert-led segments that reveal new releases and advertising strategies, interwoven with demonstrations of AI capabilities on platform tools, practical how-tos for marketers, and a live Q+A that invites real-time questions from a global audience. (Virtual)
The Geospatial Pipeline Doesn’t Build Itself | Geo Week News
Attend a focused conversation featuring practitioners who outline field education models, firm mentoring systems, and community engagement techniques, reviewing low-cost, actionable onboarding methods and sharing success stories that demonstrate how deliberate talent development benefits both individuals and organizational capacity. (Virtual)
SC Nexus eiX Venture Studio Info Session | FedTech
Learn about a free startup studio designed to help teams build companies around advanced energy innovation, including the program structure, candidate profile, application review process, participant commitments, prize opportunities, and direct answers from the team guiding the experience. (Virtual)
Unlock the Power of AI for Your Business | NYC Department of Small Business Services
Experience a free, interactive webinar that demystifies AI for nontechnical entrepreneurs, covering key concepts, cost-effective tools, and step-by-step approaches to integrate automation and insights into daily business operations, plus time for questions to address participants’ immediate concerns and goals. (Virtual)
Top Trends Transforming Food Innovation in 2026 | Institute of Food Technologists
Gain a forward-looking view of food innovation as experts examine consumer behavior, flavor trends, health and wellness priorities, sustainability pressures, regulatory scrutiny, labeling expectations, and practical considerations shaping product development, formulation, and market strategy in 2026.(Virtual)
Below the Waterline: The Hidden Engineering That Decides Agentic AI ROI | ODSC AI
Immerse yourself in a focused exploration where Nikki Rouda outlines the critical engineering beneath agentic AI: optimizing the developer experience for enterprise deployment, implementing robust agent identity and authorization, and creating token economics that align spend with utilization for measurable ROI. (Virtual)
The Brief Is Broken: How to Get What You Actually Need From Internal Teams | American Marketing Association
Transform how your team handles requests by adopting brief templates, intake standards, and approval practices shared by experienced speakers; expect concrete steps to cut friction, speed approvals, and improve creative output, with the session recorded and accessible on-demand for six months. (Virtual)
How To Get 5-10 New High Paying Clients In 90 Days Using AI | Network After Work
Take part in a focused training that reveals seven digital-selling tactics for winning remote conversations, the ‘Time Hack’ follow-up system to stay top-of-mind, and a streamlined tech recommendation for 2026, all illustrated with practical examples you can adapt immediately. (Virtual)
Professional Headshots | Saint Louis County Library
Participate in a scheduled headshot session offering complimentary professional photography focused on creating polished images for small business owners, job applicants, and personal branding; adults should register in advance to secure placement during the 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. appointment window. (In-Person | Clark Family Branch)
AI for Small Businesses: Practical Tools, Use Cases, and What’s Next | Start Small Think Big
Get a practical introduction to AI for small business owners covering accessible tools, real-world use cases across marketing, operations, and customer service, plus a look at what’s coming next so attendees can identify where to start. (Virtual)
Community Collaboration Lab: Let’s Build Our Food Future Together | The Wedge
Unite around shared goals in a facilitated session where small groups generate ideas for a food hub, evaluate logistics and supply chains, prioritize equitable programming, and outline measurable milestones, ensuring collaborative commitments and a timeline for implementing agreed-upon pilot activities. (In-Person | The Wedge)
Geospatial User Group | T-REX
Unveil key trends in GeoAI as Mark Munsell breaks down highlights from this year’s GEOINT Symposium, discusses industry impact, and offers actionable perspectives; the session concludes with relaxed networking and complimentary drinks for attending geospatial users and allies. (In-Person | T-REX)
Build & Protect: Small Business Protection & Opportunity Overview | Porscha Anderson
Embrace a targeted, one-hour session that demystifies legal protections like contracts and trademarks, outlines tax support avenues, and explores plausible side-income strategies, giving small business operators practical steps to secure their ventures and diversify revenue responsibly. (In-Person | Cortex @ 20 S Sarah)
May 21
MAC Business Development Group Meeting
Connect with fellow business owners at a two-hour morning meeting featuring award-winning speaker Jenn Whitmer presenting the Joy Ratio framework. Learn how joy influences productivity, engagement, and retention, and take away practical strategies leaders can apply to improve team performance and results. (In-Person | Missouri Athletic Club)
Coffee Connections – Client Experience in the A/E/C Industry | SMPS Saint Louis
Unite with fellow A/E/C professionals for a relaxed monthly meetup focused on Client Experience, exploring the client journey, feedback strategies, and building consistent firm-wide touchpoints. Enjoy a complimentary first drink, engage in practical discussion, and earn 1 CPSM CEU while networking. (In-Person | Coma Coffee)
Small Business Collider: How to Navigate Federal Contracting | The GEOINT Hub @ T-REX
Engage with subject-matter experts from NGA and industry in practical sessions offering SAM.gov walkthroughs, clearance guidance, beginner federal contracting panels, tutorials, and live Q&A, followed by an industry perspective and networking with refreshments to help small businesses access contracting resources and tools. (In-Person | T-REX)
Taking Back Control: Affordable Health Insurance for Small Businesses | Enterprise University
Gain practical insight into navigating affordable health insurance options for small businesses, with guidance on coverage choices, cost-control strategies, and what owners need to know to provide benefits without straining cash flow. (Virtual)
How to Identify, Fund and Measure High-Value AI Use Cases | Gartner
Hear Gartner analysts walk through frameworks for identifying high-value AI use cases, securing internal funding, and establishing metrics that demonstrate measurable impact, helping leaders prioritize investment and accelerate adoption across the organization. (Virtual)
Beyond Vibe-Coding with GitHub Copilot | Datacamp
Move past surface-level AI coding with a Datacamp session on using GitHub Copilot intentionally, covering prompt strategy, code quality, debugging workflows, and practical techniques to build software faster while maintaining engineering rigor. (Virtual)
How to Find Your Startup Valuation | Slidebean
Partake in a focused, one-hour master class exploring how valuation ranges are shaped, what founders can influence, and practical ways to sanity-check investor assumptions, capped by an interactive modeling exercise where participants get coaching to sketch a basic forecast and funding plan. (Virtual)
Women’s Entrepreneurial Group | Kirkwood – Des Peres Area Chamber of Commerce
Take part in a supportive chamber women’s group meeting offering networking, member spotlights, and an educational program. Historian Samantha Smith will highlight overlooked St. Louis suffragists and Virginia Minor’s impact, while attendees share business resources and tips in an informal, lunchtime setting. (In-Person | Kirkwood Community Center)
The Creative Reset – Fueling Focus & Sustainable Performance | Cortex
Network during a Lunch & Learn where Rachel King illustrates how maker-centered creative activities quiet mental clutter, sharpen attention, and strengthen resilience, emphasizing the supportive role of creative communities and providing participants with hands-on ideas and immediate strategies to sustain focus and performance. (In-Person | Cortex @ 20 S Sarah)
Content Planning for Creatives Who Hate Planning | CreativeMornings
Discover a focused, practical workflow: bring your niche and a 30-day content goal, learn how to centralize scattered ideas into a single PDF Space, spend guided time mapping three pieces of content, and receive a recording and resources to continue creating consistently. (Virtual)
You’re Sitting on a Content Goldmine Nobody Can Find | Marketingprofs
Embark on a session that shows how to stop creating more and start maximizing what you already have, with concrete strategies to use AI for content discovery, seller enablement, message reinforcement, and visibility into which assets actually influence buyer decisions. (Virtual)
Dinks, Drinks & Networking | AMA Saint Louis
Participate in a two-hour social sports meetup combining quick pickleball games with drink breaks designed for professionals to connect. Expect mixed-skill courts, rotating partners, light competition, and ample time to exchange contacts, insights, and career stories in a fun setting. (In-Person | Arch City Pickleball)
Founders Lounge Global
Dive into conversational, collaborative sessions where attendees trade experiences and experiment with AI system design, model behavior, and deployment lessons, engaging in hands-on exercises and open knowledge sharing aimed at helping builders apply modern AI thoughtfully within their products and workflows. (In-Person | Aloft Hotel)
May Networking Mixer- Crowdfund your dream, change your life. | African Chamber of Commerce, St. Louis
Witness a focused mixer that introduces attendees to WEPOWER’s model for mobilizing community resources to address systemic challenges; the gathering combines informational segments about crowdfunding, practical advice, and structured networking to help participants explore funding and partnership possibilities. (In-Person | WEPOWER)
FOCUS Now 2026 | Focus St. Louis
Ignite connections at a celebratory graduation reception featuring a short program, refreshments, and intentional networking opportunities to welcome supporters and introduce newcomers to the organization; space is limited to one guest per graduate, with logistics sent to those who register. (In-Person | Risa Commons @ WashU)
May DC314 Event | DC314
Appreciate an inclusive meetup that begins with an expert presentation about Tor de-anonymization and finishes with a practical cracking exercise. Bring your laptop with Tor Browser installed to test methods hands-on, network with fellow hackers, and exchange knowledge across skill levels. (In-Person | OddiTeas)
Sip & Tour: The Future Is Female @ 21c St. Louis | 21c Museum Hotel St. Louis
Embrace a sensory experience blending visual art and mixology as guests sip a Parallel to None cocktail informed by Zoe Buckman’s Let Her Rave, then enjoy a guided exhibition tour, meet staff in the lobby, and access valet service for a seamless evening. (In-Person | 21c Museum Hotel St. Louis)
Business After Hours – Commerce Bank | Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan St. Louis
Delight in a community-focused networking mixer that brings together diverse professionals to foster partnerships and share opportunities. The event emphasizes connection over formality, allowing attendees to introduce themselves, exchange information, and explore ways to collaborate within the local Hispanic business ecosystem. (In-Person | Commerce Bank – Clayton)
The CPython API | PySTL
Soak up practical demonstrations of CPython internals by building a C extension without PyO3 or pybind11, tracing the language’s object and type model and implementing core systems like reference-counted smart pointers, dynamic dispatch, and memory-mapped file support. (In-Person | TechArtista CWE)
May 22
Pitch Deck Essentials | Women Founders Network
Enhance your pitching skills with a clear walkthrough of pitch deck structure and content, a live demonstration of an effective pitch, guidance on information density and multiple deck versions, practical financial reporting advice, and a real-time Q&A to address audience questions. (Virtual)
Bourbon Friday | Sponsored by Tenacity
Indulge in bourbon tastings paired with lively networking among founders and innovators, where participants trade startup advice, struggles, and wins. The event blends structured sips with freeform conversation, offering a friendly setting for making professional connections and sharing insights. (In-Person | TechArtista UCity)
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Anything exciting on your horizon this week? Share in the comments below! We’re dedicated to building a stronger St. Louis Startup, Tech, and Marketing Ecosystem, and your perspective is invaluable. If you have an event or deadline approaching, email us at [email protected].
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