Twin Cities Startup Week 2021
Technology
Saturday, September 18, 2021
VIP Walk and Talk
Start your morning taking in the beauty of Lake Harriet while getting to know your peers. We'll meet at the Lake Harriet Bandshell for a casual stroll around the lake. Let's get to know one another while getting our steps in.
Event will be limited to the first 20 people who register.
*VIP ticket required to attend this event*
Code Switch: Reimagine 911 on the National Day of Civic Hacking
Code Switch is a civic hackathon in which community members work on data and technology projects to create positive change.
Techies AND non-techies are welcome — entrepreneurs, artists, educators, developers, business professionals, and concerned residents. Projects can use coding, data, storytelling, and more! Ideas and solutions can be proposed by anybody (yes, anybody). You don’t need a detailed plan, only a desire for change.
This year’s theme is Reimagining 911, from Code for America’s National Day of Civic Hacking.
More details and free registration can be found at:
Hack the Gap API Hackathon Kickoff
Register HERE for the Online Kickoff.
Hack the Gap API Hackathon is a 1 week long hackathon aimed at creating a high-energy week where women and non-binary people from all backgrounds and experience levels can enjoy an accessible, approachable, positive experience.
SCHEDULE
**Kick-off (will be Virtual):**
September 18: at 1pm- 3pm CT
- 1-:30pm Connect and pick projects
- 1:30-2:30pm Connect with teams and ideate on working plan
- 2:30 onward - Connect with team members and start ideation process- We’ll also connect you with your own technical mentors and help you schedule your team check ins
Sign up for Demo Day: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/api-hackathon-demo-day-tickets-168346862999
“Hack Your City” - Creatives in Tech
From music, to art, to marketing, technology is transforming the way we work and create. The intersection of technology and art play a crucial role in creating new possibilities for diverse communities. On this panel, creative professionals from multiple industries will be discussing how they use technology in their work, and how they envision creative technology contributing to a more inclusive and abundant future.
Immediately following the panel, attendees will have the opportunity to experience immersive media first hand, with the VR social justice exhibit “One City, Two Realities,” put on by Rem5 VR Lab.
During the event, Smart North will be announcing the launch of a design contest entitled “Hack Your City.” We are calling upon MN based artists, designers, developers, and creatives to craft submissions that envision an abundant future for the Twin Cities, or one of its diverse communities. Further details on the contest will be revealed during the announcement.
Dating? Test Out A New Dating Guidance App
Can you have the right date with the right person, regardless of the many mis-steps and false impressions along the way?
Modern dating is frustrating. The games. The mind reading. Who knows what a "relationship" even means these days? CanWe.app is a new relationship guidance tool that helps modern daters meaningfully cut to the chase with a potential partner with safe and fast intentionality.
Join our demo! Bring your friends, bring a date, or journey alone; and we'll all practice together in a fun and low pressure adventure in St Paul’s Cochran Park (rain or shine).
Monday, September 20, 2021
Future of Our Cities Track
Tuning in virtually? Watch live on Hopin on the Stage here.
The Future of Our Cities Track of Twin Cities Startup Week is being hosted by Smart North and sponsored by MnDOT. Prepare to be inspired as we discuss the future of Livability, Mobility, Sustainability, and Workability and all the opportunities that exist for disruptors in the space. Food and beverage will be provided during the event.
Attend this track in person or participate from the comfort of your home or office through Hopin. IN-PERSON CAPACITY: 35 people.
SCHEDULE
7:50 am - Opening Remarks
8 AM - Reimagining Our Cities in the Post-Pandemic World (Hybrid)
9 AM - Transforming Livability and Equity Through Technology (Hybrid)
9 AM - Reimagining Partnerships in Placemaking and Urban Planning (In-person)
10 AM - Digital Equity - The Next Great Equalizer (Hybrid)
11 AM - Tackling the Affordable Housing Crisis Through a New Investment Strategy (Hybrid)
11 AM - Future of Mobility Tech & Research Showcase (In-person)
12:30 PM - Shark Tank Reverse Pitch Competition (Hybrid)
2 PM - The Re-emergence of Place-based Entrepreneurship (Hybrid)
2 PM - Entrepreneurial Roundtable (In-person)
3 PM - Investing in Our Collective Futures! (Hybrid)
4 PM - Bringing the Future Forward, Fast! (Hybrid)
4:45 PM - What's your Blueprint for becoming Future Ready? (Hybrid)
MENTOR MORNING by Minnesota Innovates
Minnesota Innovates invites Founders, whose problem solution has a technology component, to participate in a special offering of its signature Mentor Mornings. At TCSW, Founders will meet in small groups to share their concerns with mentors who have experience in various fields of technology, as well as, legal, financing, starting and scaling, marketing, sales, data analysis, customer validation and strategic development experience. The casual and welcoming setting provides opportunities to glean helpful insight and fosters enhanced access to people and resources that can support a Founder’s startup journey.
Winthrop Accelerator - Office Hours
REGISTER HERE TO RESERVE AN APPOINTMENT
We will provide Startup Week participants with an opportunity to meet with attorneys from the firm’s “Winthrop Accelerate” program, which is specifically designed to counsel Founders on issues commonly encountered by growth-stage companies. Each meeting will be 30 minutes and will take the format best suited to the needs of the particular participant (e.g., discussion of questions or issues facing a particular company, initial review company organizational documents, address options for capital and governance structures and/or other topics necessary to provide a solid foundation to successfully operate and raise capital). After the meeting, Founders will also have access to our suite of complimentary agreements specifically tailored for Founders and their growth-stage ventures, including non-disclosure agreements; sample employment, independent contractor and advisor agreements; and/or confidential information and inventions assignment agreements.
Non-Dilutive Federal Funding for Novel Early Stage R&D Projects
The annual $4 billion in federal, non-dilutive funding offered through the SBIR/STTR programs is often a critical milestone in moving an entrepreneur’s research idea from concept to commercial product/services. Small business (startups and existing) across the country engage with the programs to de-risk their innovations toward new products, services and/or processes. The Small Business Administration and the 11 federal agencies are committed to making sure innovators – particularly women and minorities are aware of the SBIR and STTR programs and gain a higher percentage of that funding moving forward.
The Minnesota SBIR/STTR Accelerator™ facilitates the commercialization of deep tech ideas, concepts and projects by leveraging federal research and development funding to small business in collaboration with government, industry, and academia.
SBIR/STTR funding is all about commercializing a novel product, service or process for domestic and international markets. There is no limit to the amount of funding or awards a small business can be awarded. The funding is awarded via a federal grant or contract, based on the agency.
Get started today to learn if your novel idea or project is a good fit with the programs. These programs are HIGHLY COMPETITIVE. Forming a research collaboration with other entities (academic, medical, federal laboratories, etc.) are highly encouraged.
Preparing For a Capital Event
Whether you are seeking to raise debt, secure equity financing, sell your business or partner with a strategic investor, you will need to be prepared. Hear from four successful entrepreneurs on their experiences raising capital and the keys to being adequately prepared.
Emergent Africa Forum (EAF)
The EMERGENT AFRICA FORUM (EAF) is the signature event of the Africa Chamber of Digital Commerce (ACOFDC Inc.), a non-profit organization headquartered in Minnesota; a gateway to the community (Diaspora) and the continent (Africa).The EAF is a Digital confluence of elevated ideas and mindset; a solution focused event that seeks to accelerate tech Investments in Africa and Diaspora community in strategic and impactful ways. The EAF seeks to bring together professionals, founders, investors and the public sector from Africa and the diaspora nations to showcase innovations, celebrate accomplishments, seal deals and foster a private-public partnership ecosystem.
Futureproof and Thrive
New York Times technology journalist and bestselling author, Kevin Roose, will discuss the age of automation in a conversation with leadership from local venture studio DNT BLNK. They will explore how we, as humans, can be happy and successful in a world built by and for machines. Kevin’s most recent book, “Futureproof: 9 Rules for Humans in the Age of Automation'' addresses the pervasive impact of artificial intelligence on our lives and jobs. In a discussion with attendees, Kevin will examine the uniquely human skills - creative, inspiring, and meaningful things - that differentiate people from machines.
Tech Job & Opportunities Fair
REGISTRATION REQUIRED, please RSVP here.
Looking for a new gig or way to plug into the MN tech ecosystem? Join us at the Job & Opportunities Fair during Twin Cities Startup Week!
With 55% of people currently considering looking for a new job, it's time to connect community members and job seekers with some fabulous companies and organizations. During Twin Cities Startup Week we are putting on our first ever Job and Opportunities Fair - enjoy free food & drinks, get plugged into your community and learn about job opportunities at some of the best companies around.
Participating Companies
- Livefront
- SPS Commerce
- Total Expert
- OST (Open Systems Technologies)
- Kipsu
- SportsEngine
- Buzzfeed
- Granicus
- Soona
- Wagento
- SDG (Solution Design Group)
- Lone Wolf Technologies
COVID Guidelines
This will be hosted at Malcolm Yards - in a private space room with ample air flow (garage doors open to outside). In accordance with Twin Cities Startup Week guidelines we are requiring proof of vaccination or negative COVID test for all attendees, and will ask folks to mask up while indoors (and not eating/drinking).
Looking forward to seeing you at this awesome event!
Taking the First Step with Tech
Planning to launch a new app or platform? Here's what you need to know before you hire a developer or start to code.
In this session, Software for Good's Director of Product Strategy, Liz Tupper, will share stories and lessons from our work developing products for mission-driven startups. We'll also feature founders' insights and what they wish they'd known sooner about building software to support a new initiative. Non-techies whose ventures need tech can learn how to get off the ground — from understanding a target audience to testing early versions to launching a minimum viable product.
Reducing Tech’s Digital Carbon Footprint: Do Good for the Earth and Your Bottom Line
As investors actively support companies with climate pledges, reducing your tech’s digital carbon footprint is one way to help your ESG score. But striving for tech that is also sustainable is more than a feel-good goal.
This virtual talk between a tech expert and a sustainability expert will explore the tangible cost-saving benefits to making your tech stack eco-friendly with a Q&A session at the end.
Discussion on the Future of Work in a Hybrid Model
Join us for a panel discussion and networking event with Venture Capitalists, Business Leaders, and Startup Founders around how the Future of work will look including how benefits and incentives are provided to employees in companies. This will be an opportunity to see what other companies are looking at for strategies around work to attract and retain talent in their organizations. Food and beverages will be provided at the event that will take place in the West End at the TeaWomen/Twin Cities Film Fest new offices. Free parking is available in the West End. Please join us for this event on Monday of Startup Week!
Interactive Gaming Night ( Football x Prize BONANZA )
Join us in Dinkytown after the MN Cup Awards for an evening of networking & playShotCaller Night!
Watch ‘Packers vs Lions’, Make Game Picks via our app, & WiN Prizes for playing!
** $500 in Local Prizes (Free-to-Play)
** TCSW Participants 21+ receive a drink ticket for a free Miller Lite Draft
** Back section reserved for event participants
*** Virtual participation is also HiGHLY encouraged (if unable to join in-person)
Play Now & WiN Prizes > Play Now Link
More about ShotCaller: ShotCaller is a social gaming platform that lets fans make sports predictions without the complex betting jargon, & users win rewards from local partners for playing
Tuesday, September 21, 2021
Winthrop Accelerator - Office Hours
REGISTER HERE TO RESERVE AN APPOINTMENT
We will provide Startup Week participants with an opportunity to meet with attorneys from the firm’s “Winthrop Accelerate” program, which is specifically designed to counsel Founders on issues commonly encountered by growth-stage companies. Each meeting will be 30 minutes and will take the format best suited to the needs of the particular participant (e.g., discussion of questions or issues facing a particular company, initial review company organizational documents, address options for capital and governance structures and/or other topics necessary to provide a solid foundation to successfully operate and raise capital). After the meeting, Founders will also have access to our suite of complimentary agreements specifically tailored for Founders and their growth-stage ventures, including non-disclosure agreements; sample employment, independent contractor and advisor agreements; and/or confidential information and inventions assignment agreements.
Coffee & Closers: How to Land your Next 3 Customers
As a founder, whether you are funded or self-funded, the pressure to bring in new customers consistently can cause a ton of stress. And as an investor, to see a return, your portfolio has to have companies that excel at selling.
We'll cover ways to create consistent sales opportunities that not only make your investors happy but also give you the confidence and capital needed to build your vision.
Featuring perspectives from Founders, Investors, & Closer's Sales Guru Mickeli Bedore, you will walk away with tangible knowledge you can put to work immediately.
See you there!
VC 101: A Roundtable Discussion
Interested in learning more about venture capital? Or maybe you just want to brush up on the topic. Either way, this event is for you. Join us for a panel discussion where we'll discuss FAQs surrounding venture capital with experts on all sides of the table, including representatives from venture capital firms, startups, and a business law firm. Did we mention there's going to be free breakfast?
Building & Scaling Your Community
From the early days of the Web, Bulletin Board Systems (BBSs) to social networks, meetups, and open source software, community is a way to build an authentic connection with your customers, provide support, gather product feedback, and scale. Join us for an AMA-style session to learn more about what it takes to build a community around your product, why you should be thinking strategically about one, and how to get started.
How Experimentation in a Consumer Business Improves Both Business and Customer Outcomes
Hear about how experimentation can deliver significant customer and business value. While the concept of A/B testing is commonly talked about, learn practical advice about how to get started in executing on experiments to drive near-term results, accelerate learnings, and define future strategies. You will hear from people across product, growth, and marketing who have executed on experimentation across both consumer and B2B businesses. Learn how OurFamilyWizard, the market leading co-parenting application, has implemented the right technology, operational framework, and strategic approaches to accelerate business results while reducing customer friction and improving customer satisfaction. We’ll walk through several examples of experiments, how hypotheses are formed, what we needed to get started, what we learned along the way and ultimately the business and customer outcomes we achieved. If you’ve always wondered if experimentation and a / b testing is right for your business then this session is for you. We’ll plan to answer the following questions: Is experimentation right for my business? What business and customer outcomes can I expect? What do I need to get started?
Get More Clients with Sales Funnel Automation
During this bore-free training, I will share everything you need to know on how to get more clients with ease even if sales is your kryptonite. **In less than 30 minutes, you'll: ** (1) Learn about what a sales funnel is & why it's important in your business (it’s so much simpler than you think & yet not a lot of people are doing this right) (2) Get a step-by-step process you can follow to get your offer in the hands of more clients ASAP. These are the Critical Success Factors you need to focus on instead of fumbling around like some entrepreneurs wind up doing (3) Walk away from the training equipped with a list of tools you can leverage for your business so you can wake up to a list of new clients waiting to work with you every single day!
Creative Video to Tell and Sell Your Story
We will share some tools and tips on how to easily create video that stands out. These will include lighting, audio, 360 video, live video and drones. This is an active sessions and questions are a big part.
Fundraising AMA w/ VC
Ryan Broshar & Natty Zola - Partners at Matchstick Ventures - will open the mic and answer any and all questions founders have about pre-seed and seed stage fundraising for startups in this "ask me anything" format. Come with questions and look forward to a lively dialogue amongst the partners and participants.
How to Wake Up Your B2B Content
Join Liz Giorgi the ceo & co-founder of soona, the fast casual content experience, share 3 ways you can wake up your B2B content and stop putting your customers to sleep. Liz will be breaking down the B2B (aka boring to boring) box to teach you the basics to👇 ✨inject joy into the voice of your brand ✨identify ways to go from industry speak to human speak ✨how to get your leadership team on board to a new approach to marketing
How to Scale Tech Marketing with Purpose: Elevating Minority Founders' Platforms, and Reaching Underserved Communities through Thoughtful Communications
Many startups lack access to the brand, marketing and communications skills that help ensure their product reaches the right people who need them. This is especially true for founders of underserved communities. The Hotwire Ignite Possibility Program (HIPP), launched in 2020, has committed to providing $1M in pro bono brand, marketing, and public relations services to qualifying tech and tech-enabled organizations that are minority-led or providing a product or service benefitting minority communities. In this panel you’ll hear from some of the founders in the first cohort of HIPP on how they are tackling their business challenges and meeting their goals through brand, marketing and public relations in order to bring technology innovation at scale and succeed in today’s competitive tech sector.
Kotlin Multiplatform Mobile: Real World Lessons Learned
Kotlin Multiplatform Mobile (KMM) is a great new approach to sharing code across mobile platforms. There are lots of elementary examples to teach developers the benefits and basics of usage. However, there isn't much material that guides developers through the choices they'll encounter as they start to use KMM in real, diverse apps. We'll highlight some of the most common choices developers will encounter, propose framing to help them understand their options and make strong, informed decisions, and give some examples of decisions that have worked well for us at Parsyl.
Science Behind Testimonial Marketing - Learnings from +2,500 Customer Cases
Everybody does testimonial marketing but nobody knows what kind of results they are getting.
Please join to find out answers at least for these questions and ask your own in the Q&A:
Are testimonials important?
What makes a testimonial good?
How to use received testimonials?
How to measure results?
What kind of results you can expect?
Arttu Haho, CMO and Co-Founder of Trustmary, answers these with exact numbers and shares insights from the field with some real business examples.
Building a Tech Stack to Grow With Your Business
Given all of the options out there when it comes to marketing, sales, and customer service technology, it can be challenging for businesses of any size to build a scalable solution. In this session, we'll provide a process for evaluating your current tech stack, identifying gaps, and creating a solution that can grow with your business over time.
In addition to the presentation, the event will include time for networking (snacks and beverages included).
Happy Hour Discussion: Privacy & Marketing - Why privacy changes everything and how you can adapt
Join us for a relaxed, happy hour discussion about a serious topic, privacy. It may not be flashy, but it's critical to your business and the success of your marketing plans.
April 2021, Apple introduced App Tracking Transparency, upending modern digital marketing and forcing marketers to adapt. ATT wasn't the first significant change to privacy in recent years (👋 GDPR), and it won't be the last.
This fall, with the release of iOS 15, Apple will release Mail Privacy Protection which will dramatically impact how you measure the success of your email marketing campaigns. Open rates for email will essentially become a meaningless and unreliable measurement.
Government regulations, device maker policies, and consumer awareness about privacy are changing rapidly, and the impact is not limited to just tech companies. For example, if you're a coffee shop with an Instagram and an email list, you need to consider consumer privacy as part of your overall marketing strategy.
In this session, we'll discuss the current state of privacy, what has changed in recent years, and how you can adapt to the changing world and ensure your marketing dollars are still generating a return.
Meda Million Dollar Challenge – After Party
Meda and its partners are hosting the fourth Meda Million Dollar Challenge – an exciting business-plan competition modeled on the television show Shark Tank. During Twin Cities Startup Week, BIPOC-owned businesses will make their best case to a panel of judges regarding why their companies are poised for growth. Finalists from around the country will travel to Minnesota for the final pitching event, which will award at least $1 million in financing. Be our guest at this party as we celebrate the finalists and announce the winners at 6:15 PM.
Wednesday, September 22, 2021
Founder Track presented by Samsung Next
Tuning in virtually? Watch live on Hopin on the Stage here.
Samsung Next is proud to present the Twin Cities Startup Week Founder Track. Please join us as we explore the entrepreneurial journey from how to start your own startup to funding options to how to grow and scale. We’ll hear from seasoned entrepreneurs, local investors, and other community leaders that want to ensure the next Fortune 500s are started in our own backyard. If you’re a founder or interested in starting a company - this track is for you! Breakfast and lunch provided.
Attend this track in person or participate from the comfort of your home or office through Hopin.
SCHEDULE
9:00 AM - Opening Remarks
9:15 AM - Lessons from Black Tech Leaders
10:30 AM - If You Build It Will They Come? How To Hire and Retain Your First Employees
11:25 AM - How is the MN Startup Market Perceived by Out of State VCs?
1:15 PM - Come Meditate! A Mindfulness Break.
1:45 PM - Understanding your startup funding options
2:55 PM - Your Strategic Playbook for Growth & Execution
4:00 PM - Rethinking Best Practices
PARKING / ENTRANCE INSTRUCTIONS
- Parking options: Gopher or Maroon Lots.
- The entry point for the event is the Premium Entrance which is located under the Benton County sign.
Emergent Africa Forum (EAF)
Theme: Illuminating Africa And The Diaspora.
The EMERGENT AFRICA FORUM is the signature event of the Africa Chamber of Digital Commerce (ACOFDC Inc.). A non-profit organization headquartered in Minnesota and serves as a gateway to the Africans in diaspora community and the continent of Africa. The EAF is a Digital confluence of elevated ideas and mindset. A solution focused event that seeks to illuminate and accelerate tech Investments in Africa and Diaspora community in strategic and impactful ways. The EAF seeks to bring together professionals, founders, investors and the public sector from Africa and the diaspora nations to showcase innovations, celebrate accomplishments, seal deals and foster a private-public partnership ecosystem.
Lessons from Black Tech Leaders
Tuning in virtually? Watch live on Hopin on the Stage here.
Join us for a powerful and insightful session as Black leaders in the Minnesota tech community share their journey to success. Our panel of technologists, entrepreneurs, and investors will share their experiences in tech and insights on how to break into and thrive in the space. We'll also hear thoughts directly from leading venture capitalists on how the increase of BIPOC VCs can impact the growth and successes of diverse-led startups.
This session is for all aspiring BIPOC professionals that want to learn lessons, resources, and insights to making an impact in tech.
Attend this event in person or participate from the comfort of your home or office through Hopin.
PARKING / ENTRANCE INSTRUCTIONS
- Parking options: Gopher or Maroon Lots.
- The entry point for the event is the Premium Entrance which is located under the Benton County sign.
Startup success for non-technical founders
There has never been a better time for non-technical founders to launch successful tech companies. Come learn tips and strategies in areas including product management, validation, no-code tools, founder friendly funding, and getting traction.
11 Clues That Your Project Might Be In Trouble
Shipping a software product (Website, app, a hardware device) is hard! It takes vision, teamwork, communication, talent, and a little magic. I'm sorry to say you are also going to run into problems. These problems will cost you time and money. Both killers for startups. The good news is that I have developed a sixth sense in identifying these problems. I will be sharing my top 11 clues that your project might be in trouble. I have gathered these clues over my 30+ years in software development. The goal of this presentation is to help you learn to identify these clues before they happen. After this presentation, you can take these clues and share them with your team, or software partner to make sure you stay on track. Let's explore these clues together at TCSW 2021.
Accessible Startups: Simple Tips for Digital and Social Inclusion
Every startup wants to be diverse and inclusive, but few understand that the digital needs of people with disabilities is part of reaching that goal. Websites, software, social media, videos, presentations, emails and documents that are accessible to people living with cognitive, hearing, mobility and sight-related disabilities is not only possible, it's essential in the current legal landscape, for companies engaged in startup and beyond. This lunch time session will give Startups knowledge, tools and empowered next steps to understand the "why" of digital accessibility AND begin to include clients, employees and the public, who live with disabilities, from the start. Each attendee will receive an "Accessible Startup Tips" digital guide and a free accessibility assessment of their website or mobile application.
This presentation will include live audio description and closed captioning. All materials in this presentation are structured for digital accessibility. Advance copies of the handout materials are available upon request at: [email protected]
ZOOM INFORMATION:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82211331619
Meeting ID: 822 1133 1619
One tap mobile
+16468769923,,82211331619# US (New York)
+13017158592,,82211331619# US (Washington DC)
Dial by your location
+1 646 876 9923 US (New York)
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 408 638 0968 US (San Jose)
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
Meeting ID: 822 1133 1619
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kd4vEx8IQ5
Preparing Your Startup for Investment
Topics will include: Selecting the type of business entity and forming your company, Protecting your intellectual property, Employment matters including classification as independent contractors and non-compete agreements, How to use equity to attract, retain and motivate team members, Rules of Fundraising, including private placements, federal and state crowdfunding and networking events. With time to answer your questions!
Basic Financial Modeling: Create Powerful Budgets, Forecasts, and Projections for Your Startup
Excel is a simple yet powerful tool you can use to build a financial model for your company. As you start or grow your business, building a financial model will help validate your business plan, set performance goals, provide critical insight into cash needs, and forecast various scenarios.
We’ll walk you through the process of how to identify and document your modeling assumptions, build drivers, and organize outputs so you can build a functional model to use in your business. Attendees will also receive free access to a downloadable modeling template to use as a starting point.
Crowdfunding: What You Should Know Before You Start
In-person Location: FINNOVATION Lab: 817 Fifth Ave S UNIT 400, Minneapolis, MN 55404
Crowdfunding may seem simple, but a successful campaign requires building a crowd, and a smart funding strategy: which platform is right for you, what you’re giving in exchange for money, and how these choices can help you identify your strongest target audiences. Whether you are a social impact company looking to mobilize your community, or an innovative start-up willing to experiment with equity crowdfunding, we've got you covered. We will share the legal basics and business best practices for improving your chances to successfully crowdfund your company.
A collaborative project from FINNOVATION Lab, Avisen Legal and the University of Minnesota Law School.
Overcoming Burnout with Mindful Productivity for Entrepreneurs
To be most effective as entrepreneurs, we need something better than the currently broken systems of productivity. The Mindful Productivity paradigm is the answer to achieve a state of flow, greater focus, and clarity throughout the day.
Research also demonstrates that burnout and work-related stress have increased during the pandemic and meditation has been the most fruitful solution (Microsoft - Sept 2020 *).
In this hands-on workshop, you will take away tangible hacks designed to help you implement a Mindful Productivity routine for yourself and your team.
*https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/blog/2020/09/22/pulse-employees-wellbeing-six-months-pandemic/
Negotiating Collaboration Agreements with Large Companies: What to Expect
This presentation will discuss five different types of collaborative arrangements commonly used by large strategic life sciences companies to collaborate with start-up companies, either as part of strategic transactions, venture capital investments or joint ventures. The discussion will address issues and strategies for product development, patent and technology licenses, data sharing arrangements, distribution agreements and joint steering committee agreements.
Answers to 10 of the Biggest Employment Law Questions Facing Startups and Emerging Companies
Startups and small businesses are not immune from employment laws - learn how to establish a legally compliant framework that saves you money and headaches down the road.
You’re Necessary and Next: How a Brief History of Everything Will Inspire You to Think Big and Take Action
One of the most exciting discoveries of the last 100 years is the emerging, data-driven research on how people grow and adapt to changing conditions. We are in the midst of massive, economic and cultural changes unlike anything we've seen before. This session is for Founders - and their advisors, teams, consultants, and investors. From marketing and innovation to strategic leadership and decision-making, without these paradigms and frameworks, we are at risk of creating things built for yesterday, not tomorrow. Join us to learn why all of this is good news for your startup, career, community, family, and life. We'll build and “unfold” the model in the room, discuss it, and then integrate everything with what we already know, exploring the multitude of ways that we can apply it to our contexts. Along the way, expect to contribute and discover new ideas, as well as meet the kind of people who come to workshops like this. Tim Schuster is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is Co-Founder of LegalQ and Founder of Popup Think Tank.
Platform Cooperatives
Can startups foster a more equitable gig economy? Platform cooperatives are collectively-owned, democratically managed alternatives to tech companies like Uber or Airbnb. In New York City, the Drivers Co-op is on track to double their driver's take home income. Given the potential to provide a sustainable path toward economic equality for the growing, diverse gig-worker community, what can be done to foster the development of platform cooperatives in Greater MSP?
Beyond the Core - The magic of product ecosystems
Elevate your product offering by exploring the idea of a product ecosystem! Learn how to analyze your core business through the eye of a product manager and identify expansion opportunities. We’ll share Field Nation’s journey of expanding our product ecosystem through our successes and failures. Hosted by Gokul Muralidharan, a Senior Product Manager at a local software company called Field Nation.
What Every Startup Needs to Know about Building/Deploying Custom Software
Who is this for? The focus of this presentation & material is aimed at non-technical founders but will be useful for technical founders as well. It assumes you are an entrepreneur with a technical feature or working in a tech startup. Most of the advice in this presentation leans towards software featured startups but will still be relevant for any startup because most will end up having business software living in the cloud.
Understanding Your Startup Non-dilutive Funding Options
Tuning in virtually? Watch live on Hopin on the Stage here.
Early Stage Founders must be diligent about financing growth and need to be aware of all funding options. Founders are looking for ways to finance their growth with non-dilutive capital options and extend runway for equity raise. This helps founders retain control, align their business growth to their core values, preserve equity and raise future equity at higher valuations.
PARKING / ENTRANCE INSTRUCTIONS
- Parking options: Gopher or Maroon Lots.
- The entry point for the event is the Premium Entrance which is located under the Benton County sign.
Making Healthcare More Affordable for Everyone
How to save money on your doctor visits and prescriptions medications
Red Bull Basement
Red Bull Basement gives wiiings to student innovators in all areas of study to kickstart their ideas using technology to drive positive change. This global program aims to connect students and inspire them to innovate at university today and disrupt the world tomorrow. We will have local innovators speak to share their experiences and how they took their idea to the next level. This will be followed by open conversation, questions, and potential pitch practice for students. The goal is to inspire students to move forward with their own ideas and solutions.
SCHEDULE
- Introduction & Welcome 2:00 PM - 2:10 PM
- Bharat Pulgam - 2:10 PM - 2:40 PM
- Amy Helgeson - 2:40 PM - 3:10 PM
- Q&A and Workshop 3:10 PM - 3:30 PM
LOCATION
The Toaster Innovation Hub: Walter Library BO4, University of Minnesota Libraries - 117 Pleasant St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55445
Pivot or Perish
The session explores the power of the pivot, in business and in life. Panelists will tell their stories of successful pivots and failures where pivots were required. Moderated by Club Entrepreneur chief Rick Brimacomb, this session features three business leaders who have been involved in numerous pivots. They will teach how early to look, when to keep going on the existing road and when to jump off it. The art and science of maneuvering with limited resources. Being disciplined about “failing fast” but not throwing out the baby in the bathwater.
LinkedIN Event Page https://www.linkedin.com/events/6842559799880663040/
Facebook Event Page https://www.facebook.com/events/371593624429690
AI in Healthcare
The main focus for AI applications in healthcare has been towards Diagnostic & Treatment, or Patient care. Ai is making a real impact in other areas of healthcare with a huge impact on the bottom line for companies that think outside the box. We will look at the medical device Manufacturers - how can Ai make their manufacturing data Readable, Searchable and Analyze-able? An educational panel showcasing the power of Ai in the medical manufacturing field
Challenges of Building a Developer Tools Startup
Join us for an interactive panel discussion with experienced founders and founding engineers of successful Developer Tools startups like TrackJS, Frontend Masters, Akita Software, and Touca. We will speak about common challenges of building products for software developers, ranging from marketing and sales to product development. We will share our experiences and offer our vision for the future of software development.
Find Out if You've Outgrown your Friend or Freelance Tech Team
The goal of the session is for startups to identify when they need to consider a tech partner, why they need a team that includes technical, design, product, and user expertise, and finally, how they begin to choose the right team to work with.
All attendees will be entered into a drawing for a free Strategy Sprint with our team. A Strategy Sprint is a workshop in which we work with the founder to refine a business's goals and start to define the ideal next step in alignment with those goals. Perhaps it's a prototype, website, or some other solution... The end product is a clearer idea/plan of what will set the company up for success.
Doing good while doing well: How being mission and values driven can change lives and drive returns while rapidly scaling
Are you building a mission-driven business? Do you believe that defining core values is a critical piece to achieving your mission? Learn from OurFamilyWizard and Upsie about how a deliberate and inclusive approach to defining mission, vision, and values can pull out the true ethos of a culture, lead to stronger strategy, better and faster decisions, and more empowered execution across the organization. Having both recently received major funding from world class investors, building mission, vision, and values into the foundation of the organization has been key for an accelerated phase of growth.
With a mission to help families living separately thrive, every decision at OurFamilyWizard starts by thinking through the implications on co-parents, their children, and their support system as they grow their market leading co-parenting application.
With a mission to reinvent extended warranties with superior, selfless coverage and service, Upsie is taking the warranty industry by storm in a more affordable, transparent, and customer-centric way.
This session will be both aspirational and practical with advice on how to build a mission and culture that scales while a business faces rapid growth, investor pressures, and changing market dynamics. Learn how to stay true, stay strong, and remain authentic to why your business exists to help the world.
Using No Code Tools to Launch Faster, Save Money, and Streamline Your Startup
So you're building your company, but you don't have a technical expert on your team. The good news is that you don't *need* one. No code tools are quickly changing the way businesses operate and how web and mobile products are being released. In this session, you'll learn about some of the most popular No Code tools and explore several use cases for applying them to your business. You'll walk away with ideas for using No Code Tools to launch faster, save money, and streamline your startup.
Fall 2021 BETA Showcase - VIP Event
REGISTRATION REQUIRED, click the following link to RSVP
Please join us for a special VIP Reception sponsored by Twin Ignition prior to the Fall 2021 BETA Showcase on September 22 at Huntington Bank Stadium! (formerly TCF Bank Stadium).
The BETA team invites you to meet and mingle with distinguished guests, community ambassadors, thought leaders, executives and others from the Twin Cities community prior to the BETA Showcase.
The VIP reception will roll right into Showcase, starting at 6:00pm. Stick around for demos from startups from our last 3 virtual cohorts!
PARKING / ENTRANCE INSTRUCTIONS
- Parking options: Gopher or Maroon Lots.
- The entry point for the event is the Premium Entrance which is located under the Benton County sign.
XR Happy Hour
Join us for a happy hour dedicated to celebrating and connecting the MN XR Industry. Connect with others in AR (Augmented Reality), VR (Virtual Reality), MR (Mixed Reality) over drinks and food to catch up, network, and learn what others are doing in the space. This event is for anyone in or interested in XR - developers, product, designers, enthusiasts, business folks, students - anyone.
Fall 2021 BETA Showcase powered by JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Michael Gietl
J.P. Morgan, Industry Executive - Midwest and Canada Life Sciences and Healthcare ServicesREGISTRATION REQUIRED, click the following link to RSVP
BETA Showcase is a science fair for startups, where tech enthusiasts, reporters, investors, and the general public meet with founders from a dozen of the top emerging companies.
For the first time, the event will feature startups from our past THREE cohorts that were forced to showcase virtually due to COVID, along with the Fall 2021 BETA Cohort teams. Get excited for the biggest and best Showcase yet!
PARKING / ENTRANCE INSTRUCTIONS
- Parking options: Gopher or Maroon Lots.
- The entry point for the event is the Premium Entrance which is located under the Benton County sign.
Thursday, September 23, 2021
Education & Training Track presented by AWS
Tuning in virtually? Watch live on Hopin on the Stage here.
AWS is proud to present the Twin Cities Startup Week Education and Training Track in partnership with EdNorth. Prepare to be inspired as we discuss the future of Education & Training and all the opportunities that exist for disruptors in the space. Breakfast and lunch provided. Breakfast and lunch provided.
Attend this track in person or participate from the comfort of your home or office through Hopin. IN-PERSON CAPACITY: 50 people.
SCHEDULE
8:00 AM - Doors open / breakfast
8:30 AM - Opening Remarks
8:40 AM - Be the Change: Youth Workforce Development through Social Entrepreneurship
9:30 AM - Do Well by Doing Good: Making a Positive Impact in EdTech
10:30 AM - Too Many Children Left Behind: Improving Equity in Education through Innovation
11:30 AM - OnRamp Education & Workforce Innovation Accelerator Premiere (virtual event / lunch)
12:30 PM - Getting Technical About the Challenges of Ensuring Everyone Has Access to STEM Programming
1:25 PM - EdTech Startup Guide published by AWS
2:30 PM - Preparing Your Startup For Fundraising
3:25 PM - Early EdTech Founders Panel
4:15 PM - Managing Fast-paced Growth for Emerging EdTech Companies
5:00 PM - Closing Remarks
PARKING INSTRUCTIONS
There is a large paid parking lot right next to the T3 building (323 N Washington Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55401).
The Art of Tech: Unlocking Creative Possibilities
We’re often lumped into two categories: creative or technical. But we’re here to prove that wrong. With the combination of art and tech, new categories are possible! From making high-quality media accessible to all to helping creatives focus on the essential parts of their roles, we’ll use real examples of how creativity + tech play together at soona. We’ll walk through what’s possible with the combination of these two arts and give you tips on how to incorporate them into your work.
OnRamp Education & Workforce Innovation Accelerator Premiere
This Premiere Event is a celebration of the latest OnRamp Education & Workforce Innovation Accelerator class of innovative startups and entrepreneurship.
Join us and meet this amazing cohort!
Watch this virtual event in person or participate from the comfort of your home or office through Hopin.
Growing your startup with Open Scout and AWS University Scout Program
The OpenScout and AWS University Scout Program is a university program that helps student entrepreneurs scale their ideas with resources from AWS and other providers. The program recently added University of Minnesota to their network and are excited to help student entrepreneurs in the Twin Cities. Come tune in as we have student scouts from the University of Minnesota, Drexel University, and Yale University talk about student entrepreneurship and the AWS Scout Program on their respective campuses.
Getting Technical About the Challenges of Ensuring Everyone Has Access to STEM Programming
Tuning in virtually? Watch live on Hopin on the Stage here.
A panel discussion around the challenges high schools are facing getting everyone access to solid STEM programming and the innovative approaches companies are taking to attract, hire and retain diverse tech talent.
Attend this event in person or participate from the comfort of your home or office through Hopin.
PARKING INSTRUCTIONS
There is a large paid parking lot right next to the T3 building (323 N Washington Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55401).
Customer Experience (CX) Strategy for Startups
How can startups deliver world-class experiences to their customers while still working to scale and find a foothold? As AI and automation becomes ubiquitous, good brands are using a mix of technology and human touch to help customers succeed, make them happy, encourage referrals, and reduce churn. You don't need expensive tools or large teams to deliver great experiences, though. This talk with show you how with intentionality, planning, hard work, and dedication to the customer across your whole business, your startup can deliver amazing experiences.
Tips For Hiring Developers and Designers in 2021
Having trouble hiring developers and designers?
So is everyone else. Come to this session for actionable advice, strategies, and recommendations to set yourself up for success when hiring devs and designers in 2021 and beyond.
Unveil the Right Relationship with the Right Person
Let’s explore the social tools to answer: “What relationships can we really have?"
Relationships mean different things to different people! And even the same relationship can mean different things, to the same people. CanWe.app introduces new relationship guidance theories and several social tools to quickly define and navigate our honest social potential with other people.
Breaking Into Tech Panel Discussion
Looking for a possible career change? Want to know how to break into the tech industry? Join this panel for a discussion on how they did just that and landed their dream job! We guarantee you'll walk away feeling inspired!
EdTech Startup Guide published by AWS
Tuning in virtually? Watch live on Hopin on the Stage here.
Join us for an overview of the EdTech Startup Guide, published by Amazon Web Services' EdStart team. During this presentation we will cover industry advancements, identify emerging trends, and discuss how you can integrate solutions/features into your products using advanced cloud technologies to help revolutionize education globally. We will talk about the current state of the EdTech startup market, and forward-looking trends that early stage EdTechs should be aware of, such as, fundraising best practices, technology trends to consider, and some tips from industry experts.
Q&A will follow.
Download the EdTech Startup Guide and learn valuable cloud insights from EdTech founders.
Connect with us: pages.awscloud.com
PARKING INSTRUCTIONS
There is a large paid parking lot right next to the T3 building (323 N Washington Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55401).
Future of Venture with Atland Ventures
Atland Ventures is a student run Venture Capital firm based at the University of Minnesota that focuses on investing in early stage startups innovating within the Gen Z space. Come hear from a panel of current Atland Ventures partners, recent alum, and portfolio company CEO on emerging trends in the Gen Z space.
Reacting to Crisis: Maintaining Customer Base & Loyalty
In almost every way, 2020 turned the world on its head. We invited five leaders who successfully navigated their organizations through crisis while maintaining their customer base to share their stories.
Headshot Happy Hour @ soona
We are excited to open up our Minneapolis studio to the TCSW attendees to receive one FREE headshot. We believe in the power of a photographic first impression. A great headshot can be the difference maker. Land the interview. Attract the new client. Scare the competition. This event will allow time for attendees to network, try out soona's fast casual content experience, & set the TCSW community up for success to achieve their goals! (plus free food & bev 😉 )
Early EdTech Founders Panel
Teresa Marchek
Be the Match operated by National Marrow Donor Program, Senior Director of Provider Marketing
Tuning in virtually? Watch live on Hopin on the Stage here.
Panel of founders of education startups will explore topics such as: How they identified and refined the education problem they are trying to solve? What progress have they made? What have been their biggest challenges so far? What advice do they have for other founders?
Attend this event in person or participate from the comfort of your home or office through Hopin.
PARKING INSTRUCTIONS
There is a large paid parking lot right next to the T3 building (323 N Washington Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55401).
Launch Minnesota: "Ask the Board Anything"
Lindsey Hillesheim
ATP - Bio I Skylark Science, Director of Strategic Partners & Innovation at ATP-Bio | Principal at Skylark Science
Christine Beech
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota, Executive Director of the Kabara Institute of Entrepreneurial Studies
Launch Minnesota is proud to present "Ask the Board Anything" with the Launch Minnesota Advisory Board members.
Launch Minnesota empowers and elevates Minnesota’s innovation ecosystem. We connect, convene, and catalyze efforts to support entrepreneurs statewide by bringing together public and private organizations from diverse sectors and industries. Join this session to learn the insight and perspective from our board members who represent founders, investors, higher education, corporate and entrepreneurial support organizations.
Technovation[MN] Inspiring Young Women for a Future Role in Your Business
Since its creation, Technovation[MN] has inspired over 1300 girls in Minnesota to develop technology and entrepreneur skills. In 2020, we hired our first two alumnae interns (one high school and one college level) and it was a huge success. The pandemic has showed us that technology is more critical than ever to our communities. In this session, you will hear directly from participating girls about their experience and skill development. You will hear from a supporting business about how they have engaged with Technovation[MN] to grow this diverse talent. You will hear from mentors on how they have provided guidance and support in building out this future tech workforce pipeline in Minnesota. We also want to hear from you! Your next intern or employee could come from Technovation[MN] and we would love to hear about your technology and entrepreneur needs.
Managing Fast-paced Growth for Emerging EdTech Companies
Tuning in virtually? Watch live on Hopin on the Stage here.
How have edtech founders been able to deal with rapid growth? What challenges have they encountered? What has worked? What lessons have they learned?
Attend this event in person or participate from the comfort of your home or office through Hopin.
PARKING INSTRUCTIONS
There is a large paid parking lot right next to the T3 building (323 N Washington Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55401).
Leveraging Immersive Technology for Social Justice
The pandemic has accelerated the evolution of human interaction and information consumption towards digital platforms. Now add a global social justice movement. What challenges and opportunities can emerging technology bring to bear in the fight for a more just world?
Both RFTP and REM5 are rooted in leveraging technology and data to reimagine diversity, equity and inclusion education. In this session, we will cover how RFTP is creating authentic experiences that allow people from different perspectives to better connect with each other, how REM5 is using high-end virtual reality to democratize learning experiences, and how the two organizations are collaborating to create cutting-edge, digital learning experiences. This session will include a short presentation with Q&A, social time (including hosted food and beer/wine) and VR demos.
Founders Live Minneapolis - Pitch event
REGISTER HERE FOR THE EVENT.
The Ultimate Entrepreneurial Experience and Pitch Competition Show.
Showcasing Founders of: Cherry Hoggs, Company of Women Travel, ZeSa Fitness, CoyaBlu, InControl Health
Friday, September 24, 2021
Food & Agriculture Track
Laurie Kleinbaum Fink, Ph.D.
Science Museum of Minnesota, Chair of Science at Science Museum of Minnesota
Tuning in virtually? Watch live on Hopin on the Stage here.
TCSW is proud to present the Twin Cities Startup Week Food & Agriculture Track. Prepare to be inspired as we discuss the future of Food & Ag and all the opportunities that exist for disruptors in the space.
Attend this track in person or participate from the comfort of your home or office through Hopin.
SCHEDULE
8:00 AM - Reimagining Supplier Diversity - Invite Only Breakfast
10:00 AM - Opening Remarks
10:10 AM - How to Build a CPG Brand
12:30 PM - Customer Obsession Creates Restaurant Resiliency
1:45 PM - State of Startup + Enterprise Partnerships in MSP
2:40 PM - To fund or not to fund…the founder’s dilemma from an investor perspective
3:40 PM - The Real Pitch MN
PARKING INSRUCTIONS
Science Museum of Minnesota - Parking Map & Instructions.pdf - Parking in the museum lot is $5.
9 Ways to Fail as an Entrepreneur: How to Avoid Going to Court (Private Session)
Few startups budget for attorneys. Most entrepreneurs prefer to rely on their own common sense, research, and creativity to avoid legal problems. Small business owners tend to wait for problems to escalate before getting legal help.
We get it. A combination of limited budget and ignorance-is-bliss leads most of us to want to stay away from those pesky lawyers. Until we have to. Self-help will take you so far and that's OK.
We find that many businesses shutdown unnecessarily in large part because entrepreneurs underestimate the intricacies of the law. After all, it only takes one slip to get into hot water.
We are here to help you! We want you to thrive.
Come learn 9 common mistakes entrepreneurs make when starting and running their business!
How the State Supports Startups
Attendees can learn about the many resources DEED offers startups and entrepreneurs.
Restaurant Tech For The Win and For The Future
Restaurant Operators were relentless and fierce, battling through the pandemic to keep all of us fed. Learn about the technology they used to keep the tacos hot and the ice cream cold all while being delivered to your doorstep.
Food Upcycling: Eating Our Way Out of Climate Change
Come hear, see and taste how food that would otherwise be wasted can be upcycled in to new food ingredients that can feed more people better and eliminate food waste. Learn about the innovative ag & food technologies that are behind this new industry of food upcycling.
Location, Privacy, and Craft Breweries
The Craft Experience is a new craft brewery and taproom focused application that is built upon the latest features and capabilities on iPhone, iPad and more. Learn how we are building an intelligent location-aware app without sacrificing user data privacy in the process.
Data privacy is a rapidly changing landscape for mobile apps and technologies all over the world. So many companies provide their services at the cost of users giving up their data and privacy, but it doesn't have to be that way.