There’s been a whirlwind of startup activity in our region these last few months! In fact, so much that we’re just now getting a chance to catch our breath and reflect on all of the great events that have taken place. In this issue of the StartupSac newsletter, we’ll give you the rundown on the most notable recent news in our startup ecosystem.
First of all, we’re extremely proud to announce that Laura has been selected as an honoree for the Sacramento Business Journal’s 2018 Women Who Mean Business. Come join us at the luncheon this Friday.
Impact Global Venture Summit
By far the largest event this year, the Impact Global Venture Summit held on May 8 at the Golden 1 Center was teaming with startups and investors as well as others interested in our innovation ecosystem. Over 1300 people registered for the day-long event which featured informative panel discussions on the convergence of policy and various technologies, Epic Office Hours and nearly 70 startup exhibit tables.
Graduations Galore!
May was startup graduation season in our region with three accelerator programs graduating their cohorts. The Sacramento Entrepreneurship Academy started it off with their 27th annual showcase on May 9 which included a keynote address from legendary Sacramento entrepreneurs Dale Carlsen who shared some insights on entrepreneurship and lessons learned on his journey in his keynote address. 16 fellows, working on six ventures, completed the 2018 program.
The very next day, Hacker Lab’s Startup Hustle bootcamp debuted their most recent cohort with 15 startups presenting to the crowd at a packed Warehouse Artists Loft. The following week, there was an encore pitch event at Hacker Lab in Rocklin. Many of the participants in the Spring Cohort came from one of two Startup Weekends held in February.
Finally on May 25, the 2018 UC Davis Big Bang! Business Competition Awards Ceremony & Finalist Presentations closed out the month. Over $100,000 in prize money was awarded as part of Big Bang! Business Competition and Little Bang! Poster Competition, including a $10,000 1st Place Award and a $5,000 2nd Place Award winner, as well as recipients of other cash prizes. Read about the winners and the great ideas being launched by this long-running program.
Congratulations to all the startup founders and entrepreneurs who worked diligently throughout the course of these programs. We look forward to seeing great things from all of these graduates!
StartupSac Happy Hour
If you haven’t been able to attend one of our recent StartupSac Happy Hour events, you’ve been missing out on some great stories and tips from our region’s successful startup founders. Most recently our guest was John Coss, founder and CEO of gov tech startup, Pondera Solutions. His company provies “Fraud Detection as a Service.” We recorded it as a podcast. Check it out.
StartupSac Happy Hour returns to Hot Italian in Midtown on June 26 with another impressive guest entrepreneur ready to answer your startup, innovation, and entrepreneurial questions. Our guest this month is Ken Ouimet, founder and CEO of Davis-based Engage3. RSVP Now!
Sacramento’s Economic Competitiveness
On May 31, the Greater Sacramento Economic Council convened a panel of speakers to discuss the findings of a recent report, “Charting a course to the Sacramento region’s future economic prosperity,” at its Competitiveness Forum. The event was a follow-up to a recent Brookings Institute report and assessment of the region’s economy. Read our high-level summary of Brookings’ Report on Charting a course to the Sacramento region’s future economic prosperity here.
Sacramento Region Innovation Awards
The Sacramento Region Innovation Awards is returning for its third year. The awards recognize the area’s vibrant innovation community — from startups to established companies — and their breakthrough creations. Nominations are now open through July 20. Both third-party and self-nominations are encouraged. Learn more.
Startup Summer Party
We’re teaming up with Startup Grind Sacramento and The Urban Hive for this year’s Startup Summer Party. Last year, over 300 people signed up for the Startup Grind Summer Startup Party! If you’re a startup, investor, or just someone enthusiastic about our startup community, we hope you’ll join us! We’re providing free food, drinks, and live music. In addition, we’ll also be highlighting the regions’ best startups. Come and join the fun! Get your tickets now!
If you are a pre-revenue startup, you’ll have a chance to exhibit at the party. Exhibition tables are just $50! If you’d like a sponsor table at the event, it’s $250.
