OPO Startups

Last night’s One Main Spring Gathering & Awards was a huge success! With 150+ attendees, we came together to celebrate the businesses, property owners, and volunteers who make Historic Main Street St. Charles such a vibrant community. Congratulations to our 2025 award winners! ?? Preservation Award (Design): Droste Construction for 108 South Main Street ?? Promotion Award (Promotion): Greater Saint Charles CVB for 50 years of Christmas Traditions ?? Volunteer Awards (Organization): Lindenwood University Baseball for Pumpkin Glow Event Volunteers, AND Lindenwood University Rugby for Supper Club Event Volunteers ?? Community Development Award (Economic Vitality): Walters Jewelry for 100 years in business Again, we owe a huge thank you to our sponsors who made this event possible! Your support helps preserve and grow our historic district: First Capitol Trading Inc. Droste & Sons Construction SSM Health (St. Joseph Hospital – St. Charles) Barklage Brett and Haamill Attorneys at Law First State Bank of St. Charles Munibit OPO Startups (venue sponsor) St. Charles Main Street Foundation (host) We are grateful to everyone who joined us for this incredible evening. Here’s to another year of growth, community, and celebrating all that makes Main Street St. Charles so special! #STCmain #OneMain #DiscoverSTC www.stcmain.org

AI adoption is no longer a choice—it’s a necessity. But how do you integrate it strategically? On Feb 12 at OPO Startups, James Hutson, PhD, PhD will lead a discussion on the critical inflection point in Generative AI and its impact on businesses, education, and industry. With deep expertise in AI, XR, and human-centered innovation, Dr. Hutson will outline actionable steps to navigate the future of AI responsibly and effectively. This is a must-attend event for anyone looking to stay ahead in the AI revolution. RSVP today! ?? OPO Startups | ?? Feb 12, 5-7 PM | ?? https://lnkd.in/gpaZHgnv #ConfluenceTechHub #GenerativeAI #AIEducation

Our mission is to help exhausted parents and restless children around the world with zPods.?? ??? But it’s not just a bed, it’s much more than that.??? The bed is a vessel that has created a new story in so many homes since we started our adventure.??? ? We firmly believe that everyone in this world is living a story. However, every person’s story is different.??? ??? And since we started introducing the zPods Bed to restless children, the feedback that we received from so many families had something different about it.??? ??? There was a new type of emotion that became attached to their words. Almost as if their lives were going to change, forever.??? ??? At every turn, many people may not recognize this, but we are all living incredible stories. And just like your favorite book, there are chapters.??? ??? With each delivery of a zPods Bed, we feel like pages are turning and new chapters are beginning.??? ??? As a parent, imagine a time where you’ve seen your child struggle.?? ??? The emotion of the struggle could be crushing for many of you. ?? ??? It’s hard or us to see our child struggle… especially when we feel powerless and do not have the answers.??? ??? We’ve heard so many stories about the pain of seeing a child struggle with sleepless nights.??? We’ve seen children sleeping in their closets, under their beds, or barely at all.??? ?? And when you’re child doesn’t sleep well, you don’t sleep well.??? ??? After receiving our beds, we have children that went from sleeping only 3 hours a night to 11 hours per night.? And not just 1 child but many.??? ??? These stories are real, We feel them everyday as so many parents are looking for answers.??? ??? We feel the answers are not necessarily in our beds, but the stories that surround the changes that come along with our beds.??? ??? A new chapter begins as a family finds belief that something different can happen.??? ??? And, as this belief continues to grow, it gives other families all over the world a belief that they can begin a new chapter as well.??? ??? If you feel our beds can start a new chapter for you, please message us if we can be helpful.??? ??? -The zPods Family

The deadline for the next IDEA Fund application is just around the corner—only 4 weeks left! Start your application now to position yourself for a strong submission that highlights both your funding needs and your potential economic development impact. Don't miss this opportunity! You can apply for either the IDEA Fund or the newly launched Proof of Concept program. Please remember that applicants are permitted to submit only one application per cycle for these programs. ?https://lnkd.in/gcBxAGfv