Twin Cities Startup Week 2021
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.
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.
If You Build It Will They Come? How To Hire and Retain Your First Employees
Tuning in virtually? Watch live on Hopin on the Stage here.
Building a successful business requires bravery, tenacity, and a commitment to crafting a top-flight workplace that doesn’t let your imagination get stifled. It also hinges on getting the foundational stuff right – things like payroll, policies and procedures, employee benefits and employer-related compliance. The best way to attract investors to your startup is to demonstrate operational credibility to prove that your company is ready to maximize their investment dollars.
Start-up superstar Matt Meents joins Human Capital advisor Courtney Howard for a fireside chat to discuss the 10 foundational principles of building a well-established HR infrastructure to make sure you hire the right talent in the right way.
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.
How is the MN Startup Market Perceived by Out of State VCs?
Tuning in virtually? Watch live on Hopin on the Stage here.
Ever wonder how out-of-market investors perceive the Twin Cities startup community? How do we stack up to other markets they regularly spend time in? What makes us unique? We'll have a panel of out-of-market VCs and take questions from the audience.
Growing Your Business: Do I Raise Money to Fund my Startup? - A Lunch Discussion Presented by Traction Capital
Tuning in virtually? Watch live on Hopin on the Stage here.
Are you considering whether or not to raise funding to grow your business? If so, you won’t want to miss this lunch discussion featuring four accomplished Minnesota investors and entrepreneurs: Andrew Duneman, Barb Stinnett, Matt Meents, and Shane Erickson. This panel of Traction Capital investors possess the knowledge and experience needed to navigate the often-tricky process of raising capital to grow your business (and whether you should). Mark your calendars for this insightful lunchtime conversation!
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.
Come meditate! A mindfulness break.
Tuning in virtually? Watch live on Hopin on the Stage here.
Come to do a short meditation to get yourself recharged for the rest of the day. This meditation session is easy to do, so whether you are new or experienced at meditation, you'll feel right at home with it.
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.
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.
Your Strategic Playbook for Growth & Execution
Tuning in virtually? Watch live on Hopin on the Stage here.
Vision tells everyone where you are going, strategy tells everyone how you will get there. An excellent business growth strategy outlines a unique path that provides its customers truly differentiated value. This is what increases a company's value. The execution is sometimes underestimate and execution is what clears the way and puts structures, processes and capabilities in place to make strategy effective. This workshop style session will provide guidance and tools to creating strategic initiatives to get strategic execution and results.
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.
Rethinking “Best Practices”
Tuning in virtually? Watch live on Hopin on the Stage here.
The short phrase “best practices” has become a defining factor within the private equity industry, from due diligence processes for potential investments to vetting fund managers. In this session, Dr. Chris Brooks will explore how this single phrase has led to billions of dollars of missed opportunity, and he will propose steps to think differently moving forward.
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.