Who Won Startup Challenge? + Events

The Startup Challenge this past weekend at the Carlson Center at Sac State was EPIC! A record-setting 33 companies particiated in launching and/or gaining traction over the 3 days of intense focus! And this organizer of the event is tired out but so stoked about the results of the weekend! Here are the final results.

Catalyst Winners

In the Catalyst Cohort (brand new ideas), six startups were launched and created their teams on Friday night. Yes, strangers came together, formed teams around brand new ideas and created a company over the weekend! The first place team, We Connect Us, won $1000 cash, plus valuable in-kind prizes. We Connect Us is an app for college students to trade favors (pick up a meal, ride share, etc.) for tokens that they can redeem for favors from others. The second place team, InTactus, won valuable in kind prizes. InTactus is an AI platform and e-card that helps entrepreneurs manage their ever growing network.

Traction Winners

In the Traction Cohort (exisiting businesses), 27 companies identified one big step they could take to move their startup forward and worked on making that happen. The first place team, Buzly, won $1500 in cash, plus valuable in-kind prizes. Buzly makes it easy for students to connect with their peers, build communities and get tailored updates directly from universities. The second place team, Myne, won valuable in-kind prizes. Myne uses technology to turn short term rentals into staged furniture and home furnishing showrooms, enabling big box stores to create an immersive, interactive guest experience that leads to more satisfied transactions and reduces return rates associated with online shopping.

Feel like you missed out? If you weren't there, you did! But we've already started talking about offering this experience again in the spring -- stay tuned!

ICYMI Spark Venture Competition - $20K in Prizes

The Carlsen Center just announced that applications are open for this year's Spark Venture Competition. This startup pitch contest is held every year during Global Entrepreneurship Week in November. There are two tracks -- one for early-stage for-profit startups and one for social impact ventures (for-profit or non-profit). Learn more about who can apply to compete here.

ICYMI Sacramento's Inno Under 25 - Nominate Someone!

The Sacramento Business Journal’s Inno Under 25 program will recognize founders, entrepreneurs, innovators, scientists and leaders under 25 years of age in the Sacramento regional startup ecosystem. More info/Nominate.

There's a lot going on in our community! Check out the events I've highlighted below and for a full listing, check out this week's Startup Digest! While you're there, you can sign up to receive the digest in your inbox every Monday morning!

Application Deadlines

• Intro To Lean Startup: NSF I-Corps Method - Apply by Sep 30
• Spark Venture Competition - Apply by Oct 21

This Week’s Best Bets

Startup Happy Hour Fall Social, Thu, Sep 29, 5-7PM In Person. Plan ahead to join with other startup founders at Startup Happy Hour's Fall Social at the Red Rabbit Kitchen and Bar in Sacramento! There's no agenda -- just an opportunity to meet some new folks in the greater Sacramento region's startup community while enjoying appertizers and your favorite beverage! Appetizers sponsored by Stoel Rives. No host bar. In person in Sacramento

NASA Space Apps Challenge Sacramento: Make Space, Sat-Sun, Oct 1-2.?The NASA International Space Apps Challenge is a hackathon for all aged coders, scientists, designers, storytellers, makers, artists, builders, technologists, students and others in cities around the world.Teams engage NASA’s free and open data to address real-world problems on Earth and in space. The Sacramento region has a FREE local event in Folsom this year. Bring yourself, then join a team there, or bring your team ready to go! In person in Folsom.

Plan Ahead

MADE Studio Soft Opening, Fri, Oct 7, 5 PM – 9 PM,?Community partners and friends! Thank you for the years of support! Hacker Lab is so grateful! Please join us in celebrating our newest creation MADE STUDIO, a maker studio and business incubator in Oak Park,focusing on creatives, artists, makers, and our BIPOC community. In Person at 3519 Broadway, Sacramento.

growTECH FEST Presented by ChicoStart, Oct 5-6. growTECH FEST is the largest and only entrepreneurial regional conference north of Sacramento leveraging the growTECH industry sector-led partnership, to celebrate and elevate the entrepreneurial and tech culture that is fresh, pervasive and on the rise in the North State. If you are a techie, startup, small business, community leader, student or just someone with an idea, this conference is where you need to be! In person in Chico

Connect

Looking to connect with others? Join the StartupSac Community Facebook Group! Startup founders and those who support the growth of our startup community connect and exchange ideas in this private moderated group.

Resources

Check out the StartupSac Website for information on resources available to help entrepreneurs grow their businesses.

Photo Credit AZ Nicdao