STL TechWeek, a weeklong event to spotlight the St. Louis technology sector, is returning next week for its second iteration.
TechSTL, the St. Louis industry group that stages TechWeek, says this year’s event will offer more programming and is expected to draw more attendees compared with last year’s inaugural event. TechWeek, which runs from April 8-12, includes 50 events at 30 venues. The events are free to attend.
Launched in 2022, TechSTL is a membership-based technology council that focuses on providing the metro with a forum to advance St. Louis’ technology and innovation sectors. It initiated TechWeek in 2023 as a celebration of local technology, offering programming and networking events focused on technology topics.
TechSTL Executive Director Emily Hemingway said the agenda for this year’s TechWeek was built on observations from last year’s event that “the community wants killer content and ample time to network.” That led TechSTL to craft a schedule focused on quality programming across a range of topics and allowing more time for networking, Hemingway said. TechWeek’s programming is divided into 18 “innovation tracks” with topics including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, startups and small businesses, among others. TechSTL turned to its members to help determine programming, Hemingway said.
“We spent a lot more time talking with TechSTL members and thought leaders within each of the innovation tracks to really try and get a sense of what are the trends and topics that are most relevant right now, or that you see will be relevant this spring,” she said.
TechWeek events this year will be held at more venues across the region compared to last year’s iteration. TechSTL, initially launched through the St. Louis Development Corp., recently spun out as its own independent, 501(c)(6) nonprofit and has focused on expanding its footprint locally.
“We really tried to get more of a presence in Metro East and get outside of St. Louis city and county,” Hemingway said of TechWeek’s events.
TechWeek will begin Monday, April 8, with an opening event at Washington University’s Charles F. Knight Executive Education Center. It will include several panels, including conversations with state lawmakers about technology and innovation; economic development executives on their priorities; and higher education leaders on workforce initiatives. Other significant events during TechWeek include a fintech summit that includes speakers from Mastercard and Edward Jones; a closing ceremony at The Hawthorn; and an extended reality-focused event at 24:1 Cinema in Pagedale. A full list of TechWeek events can be found here.
TechSTL’s TechWeek events last year drew more than 5,000 attendees across all its event. Hemingway said about 8,000 attendees are expected this year, and that event registrations so far are on pace with that projection. Hemingway said having already staged TechWeek once has helped give it more visibility to draw more attendees and higher-profile speakers to its events.
