I’ve got some good news for Folsom entrepreneurs! Rich Foreman, in partnership with Granite City Coworking, is launching Startup Folsom this month. Startup Folsom plans to host two events every month and you can stay informed about them on their Meetup Group. Hear from Rich about why he’s launching Startup Folsom here or read the Sacramento Business Journal article here.
Beer & Geeks
The first Startup Folsom event is Beer & Geeks, a free casual networking event. If you love startups or have a startup idea, then come mingle with like-minded people. The first one is scheduled for this Thursday, October 13, at Escape Folsom. RSVP here.
Fireside Chat
The second Startup Folsom event will be a lunchtime interview or educational seminar. The first one will knock it out of the park with a fireside chat with Sac Republic FC owner and investor Kevin Nagle. It’s on Thursday, October 27 at Granite City Coworking. RSVP here.
Last Chance!
There are a couple of imminent application deadlines on programs and contests you may have missed. StartupSac Warm-Up Pitch, a program that will teach you how to pitch to investors, closes applications on Monday, October 17. Learn more about StartupSac Warm-Up Pitch here.
The Spark Venture Competition, a program of the Carlsen Center at Sac State, is a pitch competion that will hand out $20,000 in prize money. It’s being held during Global Entrepreneurship Week, on November 16, but the deadline to apply is Friday, October 21. Learn more about the Spark Venture Competition here.
Update on Makerspaces
Monique Brown, entrepreneur-in-residence at Sierra College, wants to let people know that they just opened their new makerspace and all you need to do is take a class (can be a free and/or no credit class) to have access. They have an event planned at the Makerspace, Turning creative talent into entrepreneurial opportiunity, during Global Entrepreneurship Week on Nov 17.
Application Deadlines
- StartupSac Warm-Up Pitch – Apply by Oct 17
- Spark Venture Competition – Apply by Oct 21
- Global Diversity & Investment Summit – Black entrereneurs, apply to pitch at the October 28 event!
There’s a lot going on in our community! Check out the events I’ve highlighted below and for a full listing, check out this week’s Startup Digest! While you’re there, you can sign up to receive the digest in your inbox every Monday morning!
This Weeks’ Best Bets
Due Diligence Fundamentals for Startups Raising Investor Funding, Wed, Oct 12, 6 to 8 PM. In this seminar, attorney Douglas Bosley of Witan Law, will explain how to prepare for the Due Diligence process to meet the expectations investors have for your startup. StartupSac Scale-Up Seminars are for startups that have a working MVP, demonstrated traction and are investment-ready. In person at Capsity Oak Park in Sacramento
Folsom Beer & Geeks, Thu, Oct 13, 5:30 to 8:30 PM. Startup Folsom, in partnership with Granite City Coworking, is bringing back the casual startup networking event, Beers & Geeks. If you love startups or have a startup idea, then come mingle with like minded people. Make a connection and this could be the seeds for the next big thing. In person at Escape Folsom, 727 Traders Lane, Folsom
Entrepreneurship Toolkit 5-part Series, Oct 13-Nov 13, Thus 6 to 8 PM. The Carlsen Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship presents a series of workshops designed to teach participants about building the foundation of a new enterprise. This series guides participants through hands-on activities to build an understanding of proven startup tools and apply them to their own businesses. In the first session we’ll cover Customer Segments, Customer Problems, Culture and the Founding Team. Online
Plan Ahead
Traction Thinking Rapid Prototype Bootcamp, Oct 17 thru Nov 18. Josh David Miller’s Traction Thinking Cohort is a 30-day rapid prototyping bootcamp with real-time and asynchronous support that teaches you how to test ideas with real customers — by doing it. You’ll have weekly recorded instructional time, Q&A sessions, written and video content, gamification, resources, and more. BUT: less talk, more doing. Your job will be to actually create a prototype, put it in front of customers, and iterate. Four times in five weeks. Online
How Stories Can Move Your Startup Forward, Tue, Oct 18, 11:30 AM to 1 PM. Led by Karl Pontau, owner of Squash and Stretch Productions, this StartupSac Office Hours interactive webinar will cover the science behind how people actually make decisions. We’ll explore show how stories are the perfect way to communicate with and persuade people. Then, Karl will explain the four types of stories you need to share and how they work together to make your business shine. Online
UC Davis Big Bang! Competition Kick Off, Tue, Oct 18, 5 to 8 PM. Join us as we celebrate Aggie innovators and kick off key opportunities to help you launch or advance your entrepreneurial journey! The Big Bang! Business Competition provides a forum for innovators across California to collaborate, develop and test business ideas. Competiting teams must have at least one founder affiliated with an institution of higher education within the State of California. In person at UC Davis
Connect
Looking to connect with others? Join the StartupSac Community Facebook Group! Startup founders and those who support the growth of our startup community connect and exchange ideas in this private moderated group.
Resources
Check out the StartupSac Website for information on resources available to help entrepreneurs grow their businesses.