After a pandemic hiatus, a weekly St. Louis entrepreneur networking event that provides founders with a chance to showcase their companies has returned to an in-person format.
1 Million Cups St. Louis this month again began hosting its weekly event in-person for the first time since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in early 2020. With its return, 1 Million Cups has also taken on an expanded structure that will feature additional startups in its programming.
Launched in 2012 by the Kansas City-based Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, 1 Million is an entrepreneur networking event that allows founders the opportunity to present their startups to members of their local community. The program has operations in more than 160 locations, according to the Kauffman Foundation. Local chapters are operated by volunteers within those communities.
In St. Louis, the 1 Million Cups chapter in March 2020 pivoted to host its weekly events virtually due to the pandemic. On Nov. 3, the local organization relaunched its in-person programming.
With its return to an in-person format, 1 Million Cups has also expanded to feature additional startups each week. It now includes two startups presenting their company compared to just one in the past. Emily Breedlove, lead organizer of 1 Million Cups St. Louis, said the change provides the two founders an opportunity to learn from each other and creates a more engaging experience for attendees.
“It gives the audience more to connect and learn about than just a single presentation. It helps make it more dynamic,” said Breedlove, who is executive director of TechSTL.
1 Million Cups is currently hosting its weekly gathering at the Spark St. Louis coworking facility in Ballpark Village. Starting in January, it will host its weekly programming at the Center for Emerging Technologies in the Cortex innovation district.
In addition to expanding its roster of companies pitching each week, 1 Million Cups St. Louis has plans to add other new components to its programming. Beginning in January, it will include pitches from college and high school students on a monthly basis. That will involve having up to five students giving two-minute pitches one week per month. In addition to the Wednesday gatherings, Breedlove said beginning next month she will offer a monthly pitch training workshop for entrepreneurs on the second Tuesday of each month.
Breedlove the relaunch of in-person programming came after organizers heard from entrepreneurs about their desire to connect with each other within the same room.
“We were getting a lot of feedback from the community that people were ready to start re-engaging at networking events. The adjustment period right now is awkward in getting back to face-to-face networking. But an event like 1 Million Cups, where it’s already structured and it’s very casual, makes it a little bit easier for people to come and to connect with other people in the room and not feel so overwhelmed in the way it is presented,” Breedlove said.
Startups interested in presenting at 1 Million Cups St. Louis can apply here.
