What I gained from Twin Cities Startup Week

Christopher Genco
Nov 6 · 2 min read

Earlier in October, I had the privilege of attending Twin Cities Startup Week, and let me tell you, it was inspirational. I won a VIP pass from the committee for participating in their social media challenge (to any of you who think that those are all hoaxes, I am proof that there are some real ones still out there). I was on the train between Minneapolis and St. Paul for events at the early start of the week and stumbled upon the competition. I didn’t think it would mean much to have a VIP pass (I thought the free swag was super dope), but the connections I made through it all were so much more valuable. I met entrepreneurs young and old, Minnesota natives and soon-to-be transplants alike who have chosen Minneapolis and St. Paul as the cradle for their innovative idea.

As a transplant to this metro area, I really appreciated how spread out this event was. How much Minneapolis and St Paul’s Midwestern hospitality was on display. Additionally, I found a lot of value in making new friends in the startup world here, and those seeking to move here from other places. I got to meet founders who are saying “the [San Francisco] Bay area is just too expensive for my company. I need a new home”. It was invigorating to hear people who have not been here before calling our cities comparable with well-known startup hubs.

Twin Cities Startup Week highlighted all the sectors of interest in the Minnesota startup world, and that’s quite a feat when you think about it. Healthcare, Fintech, education, and more were showcased. What I found more unique was that this event was not in a boring convention hall, but all across the cities. It highlighted spaces that people outside the startup world only vaguely heard about as ‘coworking spaces’, ‘incubators’ or ‘accelerators’. These places, WeWork locations, Impact Hub, CoCreat, FINNOVATION, to name a few, opened themselves to all participants and presenters to showcase what a community centered on collaboration looks like.

The entrepreneur presenters at TCSW were awesome. The experience meeting with founders cannot be replicated. They possess a passion for solving a problem. The closing ceremonies at the Minnesota Science Museum were exciting and energetic. They showcased the top start-ups in the area, which did not limit itself to the Twin Cities and gave participants one last chance to make memories with our new friends.

If you haven’t been exposed to this world, it’s not typical that you get to step out into this world and see what that looks like. I would strongly recommend you mentioning to your manager that you would like to put attending Twin Cities Startup Week on your growth plan next planning cycle.

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