8 Virtual Startup Events to Get on Your Q2 Calendar
The good news as we approach Q2 2021: vaccines are rolling out around the country, and we’re seeing promising signs that they’ll be widely available before summer. The bad news: new COVID infections are still north of 50,000 per day, which means we’re far from out of the woods.
For now, many startup events are acknowledging this reality by remaining virtual. While that may not be your first choice for engaging with your peers, it does mean you have access – for at least another quarter – to events that might otherwise have been too far away or taken too much time to attend in person.
Here are eight upcoming startup events (all virtual!) we recommend getting on your calendar.
April 6: Meet the Midwest Startup Leaders
This event, hosted by Founder Institute, aims to demystify Chicago’s startup ecosystem. The speakers (including folks from Founder Institute, Future Founders, TechStars Chicago, and Founders Network Chicago) will offer insight into what resources are available to Chicago startup founders and how founders can navigate these resources in a post-COVID world.
When: Tuesday, April 6, 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm Central
Where: Online (register here)
Host: Founder Institute
Cost: Free
April 13: Midwest Startup & Tech Virtual Career Fair: Best Places to Work
This event is just what it sounds like: the virtual equivalent of an in-person career fair. Jobseekers can attend free with an RSVP, chat live with employers seeking talent, and apply to any job that catches their fancy with a single profile and application.
If your startup is hiring right now, you can RSVP to participate as an employer (also for free!).
When: Tuesday, April 13, 3:30 pm – 5:00 pm Central
Where: Online (register here)
Host: Purpose Jobs
Cost: Free
April 20 – 22: Collision
Collision is a three-day conference (virtual this year) that features hundreds of speakers and sessions geared specifically toward startups looking to grow.
You can book a general attendance ticket or apply to participate as a startup, which comes with additional perks. At the (more expensive) startup level, you’ll have access to mentor hours, investors, and other growth-oriented resources.
When: Tuesday, April 20 – Thursday, April 22
Where: Online (register here)
Host: Collision
Cost: $122 for general admittance, $245 for startups
April 22 – 23: Wharton FinTech 2021 Conference
This year’s conference is focused on the ways COVID-19 has changed every aspect of the fintech world: payments, lending, globalization and regulation, fraud, and banking as a service (BaaS).
The event includes dozens of panel discussions, plus a chance to pitch your startup and win $10,000. Tickets are $54.67 for general admission, $38.77 for students and faculty.
When: Thursday, April 22 – Friday, April 23
Where: Online (register here)
Host: Wharton Fintech, a student-run fintech group at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business
Cost: $38.77 (students), $54.67 (general admittance)
April 28 – April 30: Women Tech Founder Conference
Hosted by Women Tech Founders (WTF), the WTF conference promises to “connect today’s diverse female founder community with inspiring and innovative thought leaders who are changing the world.”
This year, each day has a different focus:
- Wednesday, April 28: Problems to Purpose
- Thursday, April 29: Purpose to Profits
- Friday, April 30: Your Superhero Legacy
According to the description, this event is intended for BIPOC founders and technologists, tech founders who want to build a better world, and those who consider themselves allies in the movement to equalize power.
When: Wednesday, April 28 – Friday, April 30
Where: Online (register here)
Host: Women Tech Founders
Cost: Free
May 21: Running Remote
Running Remote bills itself as the “world’s largest remote work conference.” It promises actionable tips that attendees can start using the next day to improve their remote work, whether they’re fully remote organizations, hybrid organizations, or remote temporarily.
Can’t make it to the live event? Check out the resources on the Running Remote blog.
When: Friday, May 21 (Note: this event has both live and on-demand sessions, as attendees are from around the world)
Where: Online (register here)
Host: Running Remote
Cost: Free – $179 (paid tickets get you access to more resources)
May 25 – 27: Digital Summit B2B Marketing
Digital Summit is offering several virtual, in-person, and hybrid events this year. The “fully interactive” B2B Marketing event in late May spans three days and offers insights on CRO, automation, ABM, SEO, content, social, and more.
While the first two days offer standard conference-type content, the (optional) third day involves four-hour master classes that provide deep dives into various topics.
When: Tuesday, May 25 – Thursday, May 27
Where: Online (register here)
Host: Digital Summit
Cost: $145 – $225 (though prices will go up at some point)
June 17: Where to Find Access to Capital for Black / Brown Women Founders
This event features Shelly Bell, Founder and CEO of Black Girl Ventures, offering guidance on how Black and brown women founders can get access to angel and VC funding. The two-hour event features a half hour of networking in breakout rooms before the chat itself begins at 6:00 pm Central.
When: Thursday, June 17, 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm Central
Where: Online (RSVP here)
Host: Startup Grind
Cost: Free
Got an Event Coming Up? We’ll Add It!
There are far more exciting startup events in Q2 than we have space to write about here. If you know of a good one we missed, let us know! We’ll add it here.