Announcing the 2018 Denver Startup Week Call for Session Submissions

April 4, 2018

On Wednesday, April 4th, Denver Startup Week—co-founded by the Downtown Denver Partnership—announced its 2018 Call for Submissions. The Call for Submissions invites the community to submit sessions that will educate, inspire, and showcase Denver’s thriving entrepreneurial community during Denver Startup Week 2018 which will take place September 24 – 28, 2018. Session submissions should fall into one of six tracks- Maker, Founder, Growth, Product, Developer and Designer- and will be accepted until April 30th.

The community is deeply involved in the creation of Denver Startup Week’s world-class program. Proposed sessions will be voted on by the public between May 2nd and May 18th. Those who have submitted sessions will receive a decision on their proposed session at the end of June. Last year, over 1,200 sessions were submitted for just over 300 spots. The Denver Startup Week Organizing Committee is careful to choose the highest-quality sessions in order to create a week packed full of outstanding content for attendees.

Before submitting a session, be sure to have:

  • The official title of your presentation
  • The single track selection that the topic fits into best
  • Your contact information
  • Any collaborators you would like to include in your presentation
  • A public-facing description
  • The target audience you are trying to reach
  • Acknowledgement of the official code of conduct for DSW

The Denver Startup Week Organizing Committee has four main criteria that those submitting should strive to hit:

  • Sophistication: a good variety of 100, 200, and 300-level sessions (i.e. Business 101) will ensure that all types of attendees will find something in their area of learning.
  • Industries/topics: you can choose which path to take here — they’re looking for a good balance of widely applicable topics paired with a similar amount of niche ones, as well as a harmony of on-trend and timeless topics to get the best variety possible.
  • Format: if every session was the same format, things would get a tad mundane. Try to hit one of these three to bring a good mix to the table: skill-building, storytelling, or aspirational sessions. Get creative!
  • Presenter(s): if every presenter had the same background and was from a similar industry to the next, attendees wouldn’t be able to broaden their knowledge beyond a certain point. Diversity is something worth celebrating in all aspects of life, and entrepreneurship should not be an exception. If you have a unique background, work in an uncommon industry or brand, or have something else that’s different to bring to the discussion, they’d love to have you to bring a fresh perspective to the table.

Click here to read more submission tips on the Denver Startup Week Blog.

The Downtown Denver Partnership co-founded Denver Startup Week in 2012, and it is now the largest free entrepreneurial event of its kind in North America. In 2017, 18,900 people registered to attend 376 free sessions, and the week-long event drew participants from 48 states, furthering Downtown Denver’s reputation as the best place in the country to start and grow a business. With 100 million social media impressions, Denver Startup Week also elevates us on a national – and global – stage. The seventh annual event will take place Sept. 24 – 28, 2018. Learn more at www.denverstartupweek.org.