Chicostart

10/15/2026

💚THANK YOU, GROWTECH FEST 2026 SPEAKERS!💚

GrowTECH FEST wouldn’t be the same without the incredible voices, ideas, and experiences shared by our amazing speakers!

Thank you for showing up, sharing your entrepreneurial journeys, offering valuable insights, and inspiring the next generation of innovators and business leaders across the North State. Your knowledge, passion, and willingness to empower others are what makes our entrepreneurial ecosystem so special.

Together, we’re celebrating and elevating the entrepreneurial spirit in the North State!

Thank you for being part of GrowTECH FEST 2026!

10/15/2026

AI Coffee Hour + Lunch & Legal for Founders are coming to ChicoSTART!

Join us Wednesday, October 21, for two opportunities to learn, ask questions, and connect with local experts! Both events are now HYBRID, so you can join us in person or virtually.

🤖 AI Coffee Hour | 10:30AM –11:30AM
How to Build an AI Employee for Your Business

Join AI expert Ciaran Thompson for a relaxed, interactive session on building an AI employee to support your business. Bring your AI questions, share ideas, and learn alongside fellow entrepreneurs. No AI expertise required!
🔗https://www.eventbrite.com/e/chicostart-ai-coffee-hour-tickets-2003435744242?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true

💻 Please have Claude or ChatGPT ready for this session!

⚖️Lunch & Legal for Founders | 12:00PM –1PM
Have business legal questions? Bring your lunch and join local attorney Jessica Henman for an opportunity to ask questions, navigate common legal challenges, and gain insights to help your business move forward.
🔗https://www.eventbrite.com/e/chicostart-lunch-and-legal-for-founders-tickets-2003436642930?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true

📍 Location: ChicoSTART, 430 Broadway Street, Downtown Chico
💻 Virtual option: Google Meet links will be sent in your email confirmation.

Whether you're exploring AI or navigating the legal side of entrepreneurship, there's something for you!

🔗 Register and see you us in person or online!

10/14/2026

💚 THANK YOU TO OUR GROWTECH FEST 2026 SPONSORS! 💚

GrowTECH FEST wouldn’t be possible without the incredible support of our sponsors! Thank you for investing in our entrepreneurial community and helping us bring together founders, innovators, investors, and a community of leaders from across the North State.

Your support helps us create opportunities for connection, collaboration, and growth while celebrating and elevating the entrepreneurial spirit in our region.

From all of us at ChicoSTART + GrowTECH, thank you for being part of GrowTECH FEST 2026!

10/13/2026

📣 ¡Próximo seminario web de Grow with Google en español!

🚀 Usa YouTube para hacer crecer tu negocio

¿Quieres promocionar tus productos y servicios, atraer nuevos clientes y aumentar el reconocimiento de tu marca? Aprende las mejores prácticas para crear un canal de YouTube y desarrollar contenido de video atractivo para tu negocio.

🎥 En este taller aprenderás a:
✅ Comprender los diferentes formatos de video.
✅ Configurar un canal de YouTube para tu negocio.
✅ Crear contenido atractivo, llegar a tu audiencia ideal y medir tus resultados.

📅 Fecha: Jueves, 22 de octubre
⏰ Hora: 10:00 a. m. – 11:00 a. m.
💻 Lugar: Google Meet (virtual)

🤝 Organizado por ChicoSTART, socio de Grow with Google.

🔗 ¡Regístrate hoy! Es necesario registrarse para recibir el enlace de Google Meet.

10/09/2026

DAY 2 OF GROWTECH FEST IS COMING IN HOT!⁠
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We’re taking things downtown at the Westport Event Venue with two hands-on workshops designed to help you learn, build, and take action.⁠
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PLUS, our Luncheon + Breaking Entrepreneurial Barriers Panel featuring an incredible lineup of entrepreneurs and community leaders speaking on the barriers to start a business. ⁠
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Want to know what’s happening and when? 👀⁠
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📲 Download the EventMobi app and enter code: growtechfest2026⁠
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Day 2. Let’s keep the momentum going! 💚⁠
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10/08/2026

**DAY 1 IS HERE! 🚀**

GrowTECH FEST kicks off October 8 with a full day of speakers, founder stories, panels, workshops, startup pitches, and plenty of opportunities to connect.

From our opening remarks to the **Startup Showcase** and our evening after-party, there’s a lot happening — so make sure you know what’s on your schedule!

📲 **Download the EventMobi app and enter code GROWTECHFEST2026** to view the full agenda, build your personalized schedule, connect with attendees, and find everything you need for the conference.

**Two Days. One Fest. Let’s go! 💚**

10/05/2026

Attend After Party + Startup Showcase for $40! 💚

Unwind at the GTF After Party and Startup Pitch Showcase where 10 startups from the NorCal region will compete for the top prize of $5,000 in front of judges and the community.

The audience gets a vote too! Each startup will have a rapid-fire 3-minute pitch + Q&A with our judging panel.

Guest will also enjoy networking and refreshments.

GTF all day passes include this side hustle option!

⮕ If you would like to come to the After Party ONLY Purchase Tickets HERE!

🔗🎟️https://reg.eventmobi.com/growtech-fest-2026

10/05/2026

Meet Max Fitzpatrick, our moderator of our Founder Story Fireside Chat with, Shari Fitzpatrick, at GrowTECH FEST 2026!

Max will lead a candid conversation with Shari about the journey behind building Shari’s Berries 🍓🍫, from a $1,500 credit card and a big idea to a multimillion-dollar brand.

Together, Max and Shari will unpack the risks, setbacks, sacrifices, lessons, and moments that shaped Shari’s entrepreneurial journey.

📍 Day 1 October 8 Chico, CA
🎟️ Secure your pass!
🔗 https://reg.eventmobi.com/growtech-fest-2026

10/05/2026

Come watch our startups compete for cash prizes at the Startup Showcase on Day 1 at 5:30p.m. at The Westport Event Venue in downtown Chico.

Register for side hustle event: https://reg.eventmobi.com/growtech-fest-2026

MEET THE GROWTECH FEST 💚2026 STARTUP SHOWCASE FINALISTS!⁠
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After an incredible round of applications, we’re excited to introduce the startups taking the stage at GrowTECH FEST 2026 for the Startup Showcase!⁠
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These founders are bringing bold ideas, innovative solutions, and entrepreneurial spirit to the stage as they compete for cash prizes. 👏⁠
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✨️Meet the Finalists:⁠
Invasive Species Corporation - Developing two microbial natural products for resistant weeds that we think can compete with chemicals on ease of use, price and performance but are much safer and more environmentally friendly.⁠
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Purple Door Finders -is an easy-to-use platform that helps seniors, families, and caregivers find and compare senior living and care communities with current vacancy information. ⁠

Pheronym -using a new kind of pheromones to control agricultural pests in the soil.⁠
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Trust Terra -ease of access and affordability⁠
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Forager Fuels -has developed a relocatable, containerized biorefinery that deploys directly to where biomass accumulates⁠
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Krokos Bio - grows real saffron plant cells in controlled bioreactors to produce a food-grade saffron powder designed to deliver the color, flavor, and aroma customers expect from traditionally grown saffron.

Resilient Infrastructure -AI-powered orchestration platform designed to improve the resilience, coordination, and operational awareness of critical infrastructure.

Tetard, Inc. -is developing Deuteromycin, a next-generation antibiotic designed to become the first single oral treatment capable of addressing the three most common bacterial causes of these infections.

isoSenses - using IoT sensors they optimize trash collection routes
saving time, money, and reducing CO2.

👉️Come see these founders pitch Day 1 October 8th at 5:30pm

📍 Westport Event Venue Chico, CA
📅 October 8
🎟️ Register now and be in the room!
🔗 chicostart.com/growtech-fest-2026

Celebrating + Elevating the Entrepreneurial Spirit in the North State. 💚

entrepreneurship

10/05/2026

You have a chance to WIN Startup Grind tickets at GrowTECH FEST! Must be in attencance and stay for full day 1 program.

Good Luck!