Twin Cities Startup Week Edition (Oct 6th-10th) Don't Miss the Biggest Event of the Year for MN Businesses
What’s happening each day, who’s speaking (me!), and what to expect at this year's big event!
🚀 Twin Cities Startup Week Takeover Edition
Hey friends — this issue is a special one because it’s all about Twin Cities Startup Week (Oct 6–10, 2025)!
If you’ve never heard of it, Twin Cities Startup Week is a five-day festival of entrepreneurship, innovation, and community. It’s run by BETA, a local nonprofit that supports early-stage startups here in Minnesota. This year, they’ve teamed up with Communiful, a creative hub and coworking community, to really level up the experience. They’re the driving forces behind this year’s event, and you can tell — the energy is high, and the promotion has been everywhere.
I’ve been attending TCSW for eight years now (hard to believe!), and this is my fourth year speaking. Every year I leave with new connections, new ideas, and a renewed sense of why I love being part of the entrepreneurial community here.
And here’s the thing: you don’t have to be a startup founder to get something out of it. Startup Week is an incredible way to network with other local businesses, meet creative people, and learn about entrepreneurship even if you’re just curious. With so many new folks expected this year, it’s going to be an amazing chance to connect.
✨ Quick heads up: tickets are running out — so if you’ve been on the fence, now’s the time to grab one!
🌟 Big Announcement: My Talk at TCSW
I’m so excited to share that I’ve been selected as a speaker at this year’s Startup Week — and only about 7% of applicants were chosen based on fan votes. 🎉
My session is on Tuesday, Oct 7 at 1:00 p.m. at LaSalle Plaza.
🔁 Talk Preview:
The Repeat Method
In this session, I’ll share my framework for streamlining your business through repeatable systems. We’ll dive into:
Why repetition is your best friend for growth
How to build templates and systems that save time
Practical examples of applying the Repeat Method to content creation & workflows
I’d love to see some familiar faces in the audience — come hang out, ask questions, and say hi!
🎤 Keynote Speakers
This year’s lineup features some amazing voices from food, media, and innovation:
Yia Vang — Chef & Owner of Vinai / Union Hmong Kitchen
Steve Grove — CEO & Publisher of the Star Tribune
Nancy Lyons — Co-Founder of Clockwork
Each keynote brings a unique perspective on culture, creativity, and the future of business in Minnesota.
📚 Workshops (Tue–Thu)
Beyond the big talks, TCSW runs daily workshops Tuesday through Thursday. These are smaller, hands-on sessions where you can learn practical skills, swap ideas, and walk away with tools you can apply right away.
📅 Day-by-Day Highlights
Monday, Oct 6 – Kickoff Day
🧖 Sauna Day — wellness + networking to start the week
🏁 MN Cup Grand Finale — Minnesota’s biggest startup competition
Partner events sprinkled in to get things rolling
Tuesday, Oct 7 – Full Steam Ahead
🎤 I’m Speaking! → 1:00 p.m. at LaSalle Plaza (would love to see you there!)
🍹 Launch Minnesota Happy Hour at 5:00 p.m.
🚶 Innovation Crawl + Naturally MN Food & Beverage Showcase in the evening
Workshops + core sessions running all day
Wednesday, Oct 8 – Pitch & Showcase Day
💡 Groove Pitch Series
🩺 Mega Med Social
🚀 BETA × gener8tor Showcase
Founder panels, workshops, and lots of networking
Thursday, Oct 9 – Demo Night
🎤 Minnedemo — a flagship showcase of local startups
🏛️ Resource Fair (11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. in St. Paul, hosted by DEED)
Daytime workshops + deep dives into growth and scaling
Friday, Oct 10 – Closing Day
🎉 Closing Party — a big celebration to wrap up the week
Final networking + reflections before heading into the weekend
Also — a quick heads-up: I’m in the process of moving the Twin Cities Collective website directly to this Substack. That means if you head to TwinCitiesCollective.com right now, it might be down. Everything will live here soon!
I also have a new episode up over on my other Substack “The Optimization Toolbox” with local Time Management Coach Erica Dirkes, check that out here
Hope you can make it to TCSW this year otherwise make sure to put it on the calendar next year!
Jenna Redfield