There’s a lot happening this week for entrepreneurs and startup founders. We’ve curated a short list below focused on startup-relevant events. For the full rundown, check out this week’s Startup Digest and consider subscribing to get it every Monday morning.
Featured
How to Use Influencers to Grow Your Business
Wed, May 27, 5:30 – 7:30 PM, HUMANBULB Innovation Center in Sacramento
Learn how to approach influencer marketing strategically to build partnerships that drive real business results. This workshop covers how to identify the right creators, structure effective collaborations, and measure what actually converts. Read more.
SacTech Social Meetup
Thu, May 28, 6 – 8 PM, Hop Gardens in Sacramento
Connect with Sacramento-area developers, technologists, founders, and tech-curious community members at this casual networking meetup hosted by SacTech Social. It’s a welcoming space to meet collaborators, exchange ideas, and build relationships across the local tech ecosystem. Read more.
Vibecoding 101 for Startups: Build Your First App w/ Mark Montalban
Mon, June 1, 9:30 – 11 AM, Online
This beginner-friendly workshop teaches non-technical founders how to use AI-powered tools like Replit to build and prototype apps using plain language prompts instead of code. Learn practical workflows for turning startup ideas into MVPs without needing a technical co-founder. Read more.
This Week
How to Start a Unicorn as a Solo Founder, with Adeo Ressi
Tue, May 26, 11 AM – 12:30 PM, Online
Learn how experienced professionals can use AI tools to build and scale startups without a traditional founding team. Founder Institute Chairman Adeo Ressi will cover how to identify startup opportunities, use AI for research and prototyping, and map out the first 90 days of building a company. Read more.
1 Million Cups Sacramento with Baseball Therapy and LeaseBase
Wed, May 27, 9 – 10 AM, Online
Hear two early-stage companies present their businesses and get live feedback from the community at this weekly founder meetup. This session features Baseball Therapy, a youth baseball coaching business, and LeaseBase, an AI-powered property operations platform for independent landlords and small property managers. Read more.
Roseville Venture Lab & SBDC: Accessing Capital
Wed, May 27, 12 – 1 PM, Roseville Venture Lab in Roseville
Learn the fundamentals of startup and small business financing, including how lenders evaluate borrowers, what to expect during the loan process, and ways to strengthen credit to improve funding opportunities. This session is designed for founders looking to better understand capital access and financial readiness. Read more.
Weekly Startup Reality Check with JDM
Fri, May 29, 12 – 1 PM, Online
Bring your toughest startup questions to this live AMA session hosted by Traction Lab and Josh David Miller. Founders can get direct feedback on traction, customer discovery, fundraising readiness, and other early-stage startup challenges in a candid, no-fluff discussion. Read more.
Plan Ahead
Let’s Master Claude (w/ The AI Collective)
Tue, June 2, 6 – 8:30 PM, Sacramento
Explore practical ways to use Claude, Claude Code, and collaborative AI workflows in this hands-on session hosted by The AI Collective. The event features live demos, real-world use cases, and community discussion designed for both beginners and experienced AI users. Read more.
Drop-in Business Advising with Sacramento Valley SBDC
Thu, Jun 4, 10 AM – 2 PM, In-Person at the BBB in Sacramento
The SBDC offers free, confidential advising at the BBB office the 1st Thursday of each month to help businesses launch, grow, market, fund, manage, and plan ahead. Schedule a meeting or drop-in for office hours today and take your business further! Read more
AgStart Learn From A Local: Leandro Ravetti, Cobram Estate Olives
Thu, June 4, 5:30 PM, AgStart Event Center in Woodland
Hear from Cobram Estate Olives Joint CEO Leandro Ravetti as he shares insights on scaling operations, managing brand portfolios, and building one of the world’s largest vertically integrated olive oil companies. This AgStart speaker series is geared toward entrepreneurs and innovators in the AgriFoodTech sector. Read more.
Applications
NorCal AngelCon 2026
Applications due this Wednesday, May 27
A multi-month investor program culminating in a $100K investment. Open to startups across sectors with additional support for deep tech companies. Read more.
UC Davis NSF I-Corps Customer Discovery Program
Applications due May 28
A short program for STEM founders to validate ideas through customer discovery and refine their value proposition. Read more.
SMUD Clean Tech AI Startup Accelerator
Applications due June 1
Program runs June 15 – Aug 8
Organized by HUMANBULB, this 8-week accelerator helps founders build AI-enabled clean tech solutions focused on energy efficiency, electrification, and affordability. Participants will work through customer discovery, MVP development, and live product validation while building toward a demoable prototype and traction plan. Read more.
FourthWave 2026
Applications due June 5
Program runs Aug 5 – Nov 10
Apply for this accelerator supporting women-led technology startups with mentorship, startup education, and investor access. The hybrid program combines an in-person kickoff in Sacramento with virtual programming designed to help founders scale and raise capital. Read more.
Pitch Elk Grove 2026
Applications due June 8 by 5 PM
Apply to Northern California’s premier startup pitch competition, open to tech-driven startups across the Greater Sacramento region. Up to eight finalists will compete live for a $20K prize pool, plus exposure, feedback, and connections to help accelerate growth. Read more.
Roseville Rising Food Founders
Apply by Jun 21
Apply for this 10-week program supporting food entrepreneurs ready to launch or scale. Open to restaurateurs, chefs, and food product founders, the program offers mentorship, practical tools, and a final pop-up showcase. No cost to participate. Read more.
Traction Lab: Investment Readiness Engine
Applications Open
Apply for this 9-month go-to-market acceleration program supporting Sacramento-area founders with B2B sales development, enterprise pilot strategy, investor readiness, and traction-building support. Led by Traction Lab in partnership with Right Box and the Carlsen Center, the program includes $20K in non-dilutive funding and culminates in a $100K SPV Investment Showcase. Read more.
GFN Office Hours – Apply for 1:1 Mentorship
Applications Open | Roseville + Sacramento
Apply for a free one-on-one session with a GFN Entrepreneur-in-Residence and get personalized feedback on your startup idea or business challenges. Sessions are held at the Roseville Venture Lab or Connect Labs at Aggie Square. 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.
