There’s lots of options for session hosts this year at Twin Cities Startup Week 2021! Below you’ll find information on types of events, how to submit, how to decide whether you should do in-person or virtual, and more.
Types of Events
TCSW 2021 will consist of three main types of productions:
- Track / main stage sessions
There will be five tracks at TCSW, one every day of the week from Monday through Friday. Each day will cover a specific topic, such as healthcare or sales and marketing, be coordinated by the TCSW team, and have a sponsor.
- Signature events
TCSW signature events are partner events taking place each day or night of the week, that we are promoting but not producing. This includes the MNCup, Minnedemo, and MEDA Million Dollar Challenge.
- Community sessions
Community sessions are what members of the community can apply for! These sessions can be both virtual or in-person, but will not be part of mainstage content or necessarily be associated with a specific track. This means that hosts will be coordinating all aspects of their session — venue, food, promotion if in-person, and content. For in-person events, BETA will provide signage and have your event on the calendar, but the main aspects are up to you!
If virtual, BETA will provide Hopin (the virtual platform) and record the session to live on our Resource Library. This is an added benefit if you are trying to reach an audience outside the Twin Cities, or want to use your session for collateral after the event.
Some community sessions may be invited to present on the main stages as part of the five main tracks at TCSW 2021.
How to submit a session
Here is the form to submit a session, but here are some things to think about before you do.
- Is this content relevant and something that people are wanting to learn about?
- Will it be informative, engaging, and timely, and not a sales pitch? You can be salesy by showcasing your expertise, but please don’t host a session and just sell your product or service.
- Do you have a network of your own to promote to? TCSW puts events on our calendar and provides basic promotion through the schedule and association, but we prioritize promotion of mainstage and signature events.
Session submissions are due June 20th. We’ll reach out with any questions we may have, and notify you by June 24th if your session was accepted or not. Final details are due July 23rd: this includes speaker info, content summary, location, and length. Our schedule will be announced August 2.
We will have an event host webinar on July 15 on how to prepare, dress rehearsals taking place in late August and early September, and an event host happy hour on September 16!
What you need for each type of session
- Virtual: For a virtual session, you’ll need details such as time length, the industry your session most closely aligns with, and the times and dates you’d prefer to host. You’ll also need a good internet connection, and to commit to a 20-minute Hopin dress rehearsal.
- In person: For an in-person session, you’ll need to know details such as event venue, preferred times and dates, industry your session aligns with, and time length. Come event-time, you’ll be coordinating venue, food, and promotion, and will also need to commit to the TCSW COVID-19 safety protocols, that are still being developed.
Pros and Cons of each
Still undecided on whether you should host your session virtually or in person? Here’s some pros and cons of each, along with situations in which you would want to do one or the other!
Virtual:
- Pros:
- Less preparation time and coordination
- Can reach a broader and bigger audience
- Recorded and lives on the TCSW Resource Library
- Live chat feature on Hopin
- Cons:
- Don’t have the energy of an in-person event
- Chance of technical difficulty
In-person:
- Pros:
- Vibe of an in-person event, reconnection after COVID
- Networking with the community
- Opportunity to showcase the Twin Cities at a cool venue
- Cons:
- Lots of coordination and details involved
- Weather could affect attendance
Got a new office space you want to showcase? Do it in-person! Are you not the best with technology? In-person it is! Stressed by the logistics of finding a venue, or think your topic is pretty niche? Try virtual.
If you have a venue that you think would be a great fit, apply to be a venue partner here!
We’ll be compiling a list of venues that will be participating in Twin Cities Startup Week — stay tuned for an updated list or reach out to kelly@beta.mn with any questions.
