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 7, 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.
Folsom AI Meet Up Featuring “Zappy AI Innovator of the Year” Aaron Watkins
Tue, Jan 7, 6 – 8 PM, In-Person in Folsom
This monthly AI meetup offers pizza and casual discussions on artificial intelligence, featuring a local AI startup or AI expert each session. Open to developers, students, and anyone curious about AI. Read more.
Sac Valley SBDC: How To Apply For A Business Loan: 3-Part Series
Thu, Jan 9, 4 – 5 PM, Online
Join this 3-part online webinar series designed to help business owners and entrepreneurs confidently prepare a complete business loan package. This session is about how to prepare and create your business plan. Read more.
Growth Factory Founder First Fridays
Fri, Jan 10, 10 AM – Noon, In-person in Roseville
This monthly gathering provides a collaborative space for founders who have previously met with Growth Factory EIRs to share insights and work toward product-market fit. Participation requires completing the Growth Factory intake form in advance. Read more.
Plan Ahead
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.
CHOOSE FOLSOM: NCID Pitch Nights
Thu, Jan 16, 5 – 6:30, In-person in Folsom
Join the Northern California Innovation District’s monthly event to hear local startups present early and mid-stage investment opportunities. Network with entrepreneurs and investors, and discover innovative ventures in the region.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 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
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.
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
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.
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.
