There’s a lot going on this week and next for entrepreneurs and startup founders. We’ve curated a short list below; for a full listing of everything that’s going on this week and next, 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 Week
Weekly Drop-in Office Hours with Growth Factory EIRs
Tue, Jan 14, 1 – 3 PM, In-person in Roseville
Growth Factory Entrepreneurs-in-Residence (EIRs) offer drop-in 1-on-1 office hours to provide guidance for startup founders and small business owners at various stages. This is an opportunity to get expert advice on getting started, accessing resources, and building momentum—not a pitch or sales event. Read more.
1 Million Cups Sacramento In-Person at the Roseville Venture Lab!
Wed, Jan 15, 8:30 – 10 AM, In-person in Roseville
A weekly meetup where 2 entrepreneurs present their early-stage businesses to an audience of their peers for advice and feedback. Read more. Interested in presenting? Submit an application here.
UC Davis Big Bang! Workshop: Legal Foundations: Understanding IP and Venture Law
Wed, Jan 15, 12 – 1:30 PM, Online
This workshop will cover the legal foundations for startups, focusing on intellectual property (IP) and venture law essentials to help entrepreneurs understand how to protect their innovations and structure their businesses properly. Read more.
MedStart: Regulatory Basics for Medical Startups
Wed, Jan 15, 6 – 8 PM, In-person in Folsom
This event covers essential regulatory requirements for medical startups, providing foundational knowledge to help founders navigate compliance and approval processes in the healthcare industry. Read more.
CleanStart’s Cleantech Meetup: Future of The Grid
Thu, Jan 16, 5:30 – 7:30 PM, In-person in Sacramento
Join cleantech innovators, startups, and industry leaders to explore the future of the grid. Gain insights from expert speaker Denji Sonoiki, Director of Utilities at Momentum, and participate in interactive discussions to share ideas and explore collaboration opportunities. Read more.
Plan Ahead
UCD Big Bang! Workshop: Business Canvas: Framing Your Approach
Wed, Jan 22, 12 – 1:30 PM, Online
This workshop guides you in developing a business model canvas to effectively frame your startup’s strategy. Learn to identify key components such as value propositions, customer segments, and revenue streams to strengthen your business approach. Read more.
SacTech Social January 2025 Meetup
Thu, Jan 23, 6 – 9 PM, In-person in Sacramento
Join an inclusive community of technology professionals and enthusiasts to discuss programming, design, and related topics. Network with peers, explore collaboration opportunities, and share knowledge in a welcoming environment. Read more.
SBDC Inclusivity Project Capital Summit: Unlock Your Business Potential
Fri, Jan 24, 9 AM – 1 PM, In-person in Sacramento
Gain financial empowerment and strategic expansion insights while connecting with supportive investors and lenders. Co-hosted by the California Black Chamber of Commerce, this event offers actionable strategies to fuel business growth. A light lunch will be provided. Read more.
Plan Way Ahead
Startup Challenge Spring 2025
Fri-Sun, Mar 21-23, In-person in Sacramento
Hosted by the Carlsen Center, this 3-day event is designed to help aspiring entrepreneurs explore, test, and launch their business ideas. Participants will collaborate, receive mentorship, and pitch their ideas in a supportive environment. Read more.
Applications
SBIR/STTR Cohort Program
Apply by Jan 24, 2025
Program Dates: Starts Feb 2, 2025
Deep tech startup with commercialization potential? The SBIR/STTR Cohort Program, led by Advocacy Chiefs and Scout Climate, provides expert mentoring, proposal development support, and networking to help you secure federal funding. Get personalized guidance through workshops, peer reviews, and mentoring sessions. Learn more.
Economic Gardening 2.0 Program
Apply by January 17
The City of Sacramento offers local businesses up to 40 hours of market research consulting and up to $50,000 in matching funds for growth. Eligible companies must be established in Sacramento for at least 5 years, have 5-99 employees, $1M-$50M in revenues, and generate 50% of revenue from outside the county. Learn More
Alchemist Microenterprise Academy
Apply by Feb 9, 2025
Alchemist Microenterprise Academy is a 12-week business training course designed to simplify the complexities of starting a food business. The next cohort runs from Feb 25 to May 14. Attendance at a mandatory information session is required before applying. Learn more.
2025 Circular Economy Innovation Competition
Apply by February 21
The Western Placer Waste Management Authority (WPWMA) invites you to apply for the 2025 Circular Economy Innovation Competition! Showcase your solutions for transforming waste into valuable resources, compete for $20,000 in cash awards, and receive mentorship to bring your vision to life. Learn more.
Traction Lab Venture Accelerator
Applications Open
Ready to accelerate your startup’s growth? The Traction Lab Venture Accelerator, powered by the Carlsen Center and The Right Box, helps pre-seed and seed-stage, tech-enabled startups with funding and traction reach their next fundraising round in half the time. Learn More.
NSF I-Corps Customer Discovery Course
Apply by January 27 for Next Session
Program Dates: Feb 10, 13, & 20, 5 – 8 PM, Online
Have a STEM-based startup idea? Join UC Berkeley’s free, remote NSF I-Corps course to validate your idea using Steve Blank’s Lean LaunchPad method. Learn to identify customer segments, value propositions, and accelerate product-market fit through customer discovery. Eligible teams may qualify for a $50,000 NSF customer discovery grant and $5,000 in AWS credits. Learn 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.
