Clear your schedule, Denver Startup Week is days away.
Denver is set to transform into a bustling startup hub beginning on Sept. 16, with hundreds of unique events set up across the city.
In this post, we'll do our best to show you the events we think are most interesting. Admittedly, it's subjective, but we want to showcase some of the top events during a busy week.
We've featured fireside chats, panels, workshops, rallies, meet-ups and so much more across the five day schedule. Also, we'll tell you where to find free food and drink, and puppies.
Let's dive in...
Monday, September 16
Why: theSkimm co-founders and co-CEOs Danielle Weisberg and Carly Zakin are set to share insight into growing successful businesses and infusing innovation and creativity into everything you do.
- When: 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
- Where: Ellie Caulkins Opera House, 1400 Curtis St.
- Need a ticket? Yes, get one here.
Why: This workshop will help build your knowledge of inclusive hiring practices, biases and self awareness. You’ll leave equipped with concrete resources, solutions to hire effectively, diversify your staff and create a more inclusive team.
- When: 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
- Where: Capital One Café, 1550 Wewatta St.
- Need a ticket? No
Fix Your Startup's Story and You'll Get Funded
Why: You may have the best idea in the world, but if your story doesn't connect, inspire and move people, you won't get the traction you deserve. In this informative, hands-on workshop, you'll learn the secret to re-crafting your presentation for maximum impact.
- When: 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
- Where: Commons on Champa, 1245 Champa St.
- Need a ticket? No
What Dating Taught Me About Raising Capital
Why: Dating and raising capital? Yes, you read that right. Come hear from Stacy Taubman, founder and CEO of RISE Collaborative, and a panel of founders on the lessons learned from raising capital at all stages and how it parallels dating.
- When: 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- Where: Woods Boss Brewing Company, 2210 California St.
- Need a ticket? No
PR 101: Capturing the Right Media Attention to Drive Growth
Why: Public relations can play a significant role in supporting business growth, but kicking off a PR program, especially if unfamiliar with the rules of PR, can feel like a goliath task. This session will provide an intro to PR, while exploring strategies to help you identify the right media targets and develop a story that stands out. Also, Colorado Inno is on the panel!
- When: 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
- Where: Spaces - Denver Ballpark, 2301 Blake St., 100
- Need a ticket? No
Denver Startup Week Opening Block Party
Why: There's nothing like closing a busy first day of Denver Startup Week with a party featuring 2,000 of the brightest people in the Denver entrepreneurial community. Close out your Monday with this can't-miss party!
- When: 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
- Where: Basecamp, 1600 Arapahoe St.
- Need a ticket? No
Tuesday, September 17
Why: Coffee and venture capital. 20+ investors each have 45 seconds to introduce themselves, their firm and focus – and you have an hour to meet them, discuss your venture and put people behind the firms that are fueling Colorado.
- When: 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
- Where: Basecamp, 1600 Arapahoe St.
- Need a ticket? No
Denver Women in Tech: Disrupting a Male-Dominated Industry
Why: Denver's most respected women in tech will use this session to discuss their journeys in a career in technology, outlining the roadblocks as well as the burgeoning opportunities for women to join this multibillion-dollar industry.
- When: 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
- Where: Slack, 1681 Chestnut Place, Suite 700
- Need a ticket? No
Why: In its third year as a headline event, the event will showcase well-established and fledgling physical product companies across many fields, including tech for you or your pets, sustainable clothing, outdoor recreation, creative food companies, health tech, energy and everyday consumer products that enhance Colorado's thriving maker community.
- When: 1 p.m to 5 p.m.
- Where: Dairy Block Alley, 1800 Wazee St.
- Need a ticket? No
Why: The eight student-led Project X-ITE teams spent their summers toiling and tinkering, attending workshops, meeting with mentors and business leaders and pushing themselves and their companies for the past 10 weeks. They will demo their companies to an audience.
- When: 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
- Where: Basecamp, 1600 Arapahoe St.
- Need a ticket? No
Women Who Mean Business With Lindsey Vonn
Why: The winningest female skier in history, Olympic gold medalist, founder of the Lindsey Vonn Foundation supporting girls through scholarships, education, and athletics and now bringing her unrelenting toughness and bold outlook on life to the world of entrepreneurship: Lindsey Vonn.
- When: 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.
- Where: Basecamp, 1600 Arapahoe St.
- Need a ticket? Yes, get on the waitlist here.
Why: The Startup Crawl will take place on two nights as it features some of the hottest startup pads around Denver. Participants embark on a route of their choosing throughout Downtown Denver stopping at quintessential Denver startups to eat, drink and celebrate our homegrown startup culture.
- When: 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
- Where: Various locations
- Need a ticket? No
Wednesday, September 18
From Pong to AI: Nearly 50 Years of Tech in Everyday Life
Why: In this session, the father of computer games, Nolan Bushnell, and tech entrepreneur turned governor of Colorado, Gov. Jared Polis, ask: Is technology moving too fast or not fast enough?
- When: 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
- Where: Basecamp, 1600 Arapahoe St.
- Need a ticket? No
Launching Physical Products - Don't Sheet the Bed
Why: In this session, you'll learn how to strategically launch and scale a physical product company from a panel of amazing Colorado consumer brands, moderated by Natty Zola of Techstars Boulder.
- When: 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
- Where: HomeAdvisor-The Hub, 3601 Walnut St.
- Need a ticket? No
Connect to the Resources You Need to be Successful
Why: This session connects participants to a roadmap for success on how to navigate the thriving entrepreneur ecosystem in Denver. Learn the best public and private channels, resources and networks available to help your business achieve the success you want.
- When: 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
- Where: Commons on Champa, 1245 Champa St.
- Need a ticket? No
Why: Puppies, that's it. In this tail-wagging happy hour you'll gain paw-some insight from the industry's best Labradors, Retrievers, Spaniels, Terriers and more. Drinks, snacks and snuggles will be provided.
- When: 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- Where: Choozle, 3513 Brighton Blvd. Suite 510
- Need a ticket? No
Why: The DSW Job Fair & Showcase is the largest event of its kind in the region. In 2018, over 125 companies and 3,500 job seekers came together for an evening of connections, drinks, music and mingling.
- When: 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
- Where: McNichols Building, 144 West Colfax Ave.
- Need a ticket? No
Why: The 7th Annual Women Who Startup Rally celebrates and spotlights entrepreneurs of Colorado and the leaders, investors and community who support them. The stacked panel of guests includes Amy Nelson of The Riveter, Danielle Shoots of The Daily Boss Up and many more.
- When: 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
- Where: Industry RiNo Station, 3858 Walnut St.
- Need a ticket? No
Thursday, September 19
Why the Top VCs Are Taking an Interest in Colorado
Why: Join top out-of-state VCs including Lightspeed Ventures, Cowboy Ventures, Drive Capital and others to talk about what's happening in Colorado and how it compares to the coasts.
- When: 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
- Where: Basecamp, 1600 Arapahoe St.
- Need a ticket? No
Scoring Big in Business With John Elway
Why: John Elway, Hall of Fame quarterback, GM and President of Football Operations for the Denver Broncos and entrepreneur, discusses how managing a football team is similar to running a business – and the secret to succeeding at both.
- When: 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.
- Where: Basecamp, 1600 Arapahoe St.
- Need a ticket? Yes, get on the waitlist here.
Bootstrapping to Success in the Era of VC
Why: Going after venture capital isn't for everyone. Come listen to a panel of startup founders that have grown their side projects into profitable businesses, without giving up equity. They'll share tips on idea validation, launching, pivoting and working with tight budgets.
- When: 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- Where: Denver Place (Lobby Stairs), 999 18th St.
- Need a ticket? No
Why: Six finalists will be competing for cash prizes, products and services. The grand prize will be awarded to first place, but companies placing up to sixth will receive awards.
- When: 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
- Where: Basecamp, 1600 Arapahoe St.
- Need a ticket? No
Why: The Startup Crawl will take place on two nights as it features some of the hottest startup pads around Denver. Participants embark on a route of their choosing throughout Downtown Denver stopping at quintessential Denver startups to eat, drink and celebrate our homegrown startup culture.
- When: 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
- Where: Various locations
- Need a ticket? No
Denver Startup Week Closing Bash
Why: The DSW Bash is an evening full of tasty food, drinks, games and music - all alongside your newest friends from the week. After a successful week of learning, meeting new people and helping us celebrate Denver's entrepreneurial community, you deserve this celebration.
- When: 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
- Where: Dairy Block Alley, 1800 Wazee St.
- Need a ticket? No
Friday, September 20
The Nuts and Bolts of an Aerospace Startup
Why: In an aerospace startup there are different challenges and benefits that affect us all. As the entrepreneurial aerospace industry explodes in Colorado, come and learn about what it is like to have an aerospace startup and why Colorado is the right place to do it.
- When: 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
- Where: Galvanize, 1644 Platte St., Lower Level, Classroom #1
- Need a ticket? No
Open Call for Pitches to a New Seed Stage Venture Fund
Why: The University of Denver is launching a student-led venture fund this fall, and are looking to grow its pipeline of potential investments. If you’re an early-stage startup seeking seed funding of up to $25K, please register to pitch your company to this new fund.
- When: 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
- Where: The Riveter, 2734 Walnut St.
- Need a ticket? No, but send your pitch deck to Nina.sharma@DU.edu to pitch.
Why: The number of active angels and venture investors in Colorado continues to grow. While the startup community is tight-knit and works hard to connect founders with investors, it's always great to hear from them directly and meet the new ones in town.
- When: 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
- Where: WeWork Wells Fargo Center, 1700 Lincoln St., 17th Floor
- Need a ticket? No
The Hospital of the Future: Digital Technology Revolutionizing Healthcare
Why: As the landscape of healthcare continues to change, digital technology will be at the forefront of innovation. Join the innovation teams at UCHealth and CU Anschutz Medical Campus in discussing how providers see technology making an impact on medicine, and what hospitals will look like in the next 10 years.
- When: 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
- Where: Catalyst Event Center, 1881 35th St.
- Need a ticket? No
From Stealth to Acquisition in 10 Months
Why: Elastic Beam emerged from stealth in 2017 and 10 months later was acquired by Ping Identity. This is a story of grit, hustle, luck and serendipity. Learn how to prep for a killer launch, solidify your product market fit, craft a go-to-market strategy, secure your first customer and, with chance on your side, get acquired by one of Denver’s best.
- When: 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- Where: Denver Place (Lobby Stairs), 999 18th St.
- Need a ticket? No
Bands and Brands: How Music & Design Make the Perfect Pair
Why: From posters, vinyls and merchandise, to the concerts themselves, there is a multitude of ways music can interact with the audience in ways we couldn’t before. This intimate concert will be broken up by fireside chats and samples of topics such as merchandise strategy, poster design and the concert experience itself. Attendees will get a chance to learn how each impacts the next.
- When: 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
- Where: DIME Denver, 800 Kalamath St.
- Need a ticket? No
