It’s nearing the Christmas and New Year’s Holidays and traditionally, this is a very slow time for startup programs and events. However there are a couple of virtual workshops from Fourthwave happening this week – check them out below.
But since this time of year is ripe for traditions, I’m going to regale you with StartupSac’s 10-year tradtion — the annual sharing of my “Startup Christmas Story” poem. I hope you have fun with it! Read this to the cadence of A Visit from St. Nicholas (‘Twas the Night Before Christmas) by Clement Clarke Moore.
A Startup Christmas Story
‘Twas the night before Christmas and all through our town,
Startup founders were sighing and feeling beat down.
Entrepreneurship’s hard, it’s no 9 to 5;
It takes massive energy just to survive.
Eric Ries wrote their bible, schooled them on lean.
They quickly became validation machines!
Founders hustled and bustled to build, measure, learn.
They collected data that caused them concern.
“Do we pivot or not? What should be chucked?
What secret sauce makes an idea disrupt?”
“Oh how can we scale?,” they were heard to exclaim.
“We need a growth hacker and a killer domain.”
“Our vision is clear: we are the next Unicorn,
Or The Uber of X, but we’re feeling forlorn.”
Although waxing dismayed as the year end approached,
They leveraged their networks to be refreshed and coached.
With passions ignited and their spirits uplifted,
The sound we now heard was of attitudes shifted.
“With our roadmap in hand to show us the way,
We’re setting our caps for a fat Series A!”
Written by Laura Good on December 19, 2015
This Week
FourthWave Forum: High Performance Without Burnout
Mon, Dec 22, 11 AM – 12 PM, Online
High performance shouldn’t cost your health. Join executive wellness coach Allison Tibbs for a fireside chat on preventing burnout, setting boundaries, and building sustainable energy with simple, evidence-informed routines that actually fit a founder’s day. Moderated by Mariah Lichtenstern, with live Q&A and practical take-home micro-habits. Read more.
FourthWave Forum: Bio to IPO with Dr. Pam Marrone
Tue, Dec 23, 12 – 1 PM, Online
Hear National Inventors Hall of Fame inductee Dr. Pam Marrone share playbooks from founding and scaling ag-bio companies—from angels and VCs to a NASDAQ IPO. Topics include product-market fit for biologicals, go-to-market partnerships, IP and regulatory strategy, and practical fundraising tips. Moderated by Mariah Lichtenstern with live Q&A. Read more.
Plan Ahead
MIX: Monthly Innovation Exchange
Thu, Jan 8, 5 – 7 PM, Connect Labs by Wexford in Sacramento
Kick off 2026 with MIX’s January theme, Powering Sacramento: Clean & Affordable Energy Futures. Join founders, policymakers, researchers, and community leaders for lightning talks, roundtable conversations, and networking focused on advancing equitable, sustainable energy solutions across the region. Read more.
Startup-Tech Connect
Mon, Jan 12, 5:30 – 7:30 PM, Hop Gardens in Sacramento
Connect with founders, technologists, and innovators at this casual networking event where startups and tech collide. Enjoy genuine conversations, meet potential collaborators, and tap into Sacramento’s tech community over pizza and beer. Read more.
Applications
NSF I-Corps Customer Discovery Course
Multiple Sessions – Ongoing, Online
Validate your startup idea inNorthwest Region NSF I-Corps Hub courses. Use Lean LaunchPad to explore customers and value. Eligible teams may qualify for a $50K NSF grant and $5K in AWS credits. Learn more.
UC Law SF Startup Legal Garage
Apply Now for Free Legal Assistance!
The Startup Legal Garage is accepting applications for its Spring 2026 cohort. Spots are limited and filled on a rolling basis—apply early. Visit Startup Legal Garage to learn more and apply.
Traction Lab Venture Accelerator
Applications Open Now
Fast-track your startup’s growth! This accelerator, powered by The Right Box and the Carlsen Center, helps pre-seed and seed-stage founders in tech-enabled sectors reach product-market fit and get funding-ready—twice as fast. Read more.
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. Also check out the NorCal Entrepreneur Hub. From capital to connections and training to talent, find the resources you need to build your business in NorCal.
