TCSW ’26Twin Cities
Startup Week

Field guide · Wednesday, September 16 · Innovation Day

Minneapolis College of Art and Design.

Where to go.

Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD)

8:00 AM – 4:30 PM

Main Building

2501 Stevens Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55404
Basecamp + check-in
1st Floor, underneath the stairs between Auditorium 150 and Auditorium 140 — just inside the entrance from MCAD Parking Lot C, also known as the south entrance.
Parking
  • First choice: MCAD parking lot — all-day parking available for $6/day
  • Backup: Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia) parking — immediately nearby
  • Street parking: Available, but likely to be limited or full.
Accessibility
The main-floor entrance is flat and accessible. An elevator is available onsite for access to 2nd-floor programming. Restrooms are on the far north and south sides of each floor, indicated with green signs.

While you’re there.

Lunch

12:00 – 1:30 PM. Food trucks will be onsite. There is also a cafe on the 2nd floor with food available for purchase, and restaurants within walking distance, though they may be busy during lunch.

Sponsor Alley

In the hallway between the gallery and the auditoriums.

  • Tables: 8-foot tables
  • Power: extension cords available
  • Sponsor setup may begin as early as 7:30 AM
  • Sponsor breakdown after programming ends at 4:30 PM
  • A TCSW volunteer is assigned to Sponsor Alley to answer sponsor questions

Professional headshots

2:00 – 4:00 PM on the lawn just outside the MCAD entrance on the Gallery side. Available at a special $50 TCSW group rate — reserve your spot ahead of time.

Coworking and calls

Attendees can work or take calls from the College Center or elsewhere around campus.

The day.

29 sessions, in order. Rooms and times come straight from Luma, so this list and the calendar always agree.

  1. 8:00 – 10:00 AM

  2. 8:00 – 9:20 AM

    ILT Startup Connect @ Twin Cities Startup Week 2026

    Networking will be in the Gallery on the 1st Floor by the front entrance. — Founder Talk will be in Auditorium 140

  3. 9:00 – 9:50 AM

    Building with Cybersecurity In Mind: How Companies Will Survive Their Own Speed

    Auditorium 150 · Minneapolis College of Art and Design

  4. 9:30 – 9:55 AM

  5. 9:30 – 9:55 AM

    The Crowdfunding Pathway to Grow Your Reach and Revenue

    Auditorium 140 · Minneapolis College of Art and Design

  6. 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

    Founders Founding: Work Zone

    College Center · Minneapolis College of Art and Design

  7. 10:00 – 10:50 AM

    Nobody Cares About Your Startup (Yet): The Founder’s Guide to PR & Media

    Auditorium 150 · Minneapolis College of Art and Design

  8. 10:00 – 10:50 AM

    What Does It Take to Bring Deep Tech to Market?

    Auditorium 140 · Minneapolis College of Art and Design

  9. 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

    Create ‘n Chill: Vibe Coding Co-Working Session

    Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD)

  10. 11:00 – 11:50 AM

    Building a Business Without Losing Yourself

    Auditorium 140 · Minneapolis College of Art and Design

  11. 11:00 – 11:50 AM

    Pitch Like a Performer: Your Story on Stage

    Auditorium 150 · Minneapolis College of Art and Design

  12. 1:30 – 3:00 PM

  13. 1:30 – 2:20 PM

    Federal Funding Mechanisms You Didn't Know You Had Access To

    Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD)

  14. 1:30 – 1:55 PM

    Workshop: A Go-To-Market Playbook to Find Your First 10 Customers

    Classroom 119 · Minneapolis College of Art and Design

  15. 1:30 – 2:20 PM

    How To Make Better Product Decisions Before, During, and After You Build

    Auditorium 140 · Minneapolis College of Art and Design

  16. 1:30 – 1:55 PM

    Lust for Life: What Rockstars Teach Us About Leadership

    Classroom 201 · Minneapolis College of Art and Design

  17. 2:00 – 4:00 PM

    Speaker Office Hours

    Classroom 201 · Minneapolis College of Art and Design

  18. 2:00 – 4:00 PM

    Headshots at TCSW: Egobee at MCAD

    Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD)

  19. 2:00 – 2:50 PM

  20. 2:30 – 3:20 PM

    What Breaks When AI Goes to Production?

    Auditorium 140 · Minneapolis College of Art and Design

  21. 2:30 – 3:20 PM

    Federal Networking Meet & Greet

    Minneapolis College of Art and Design

  22. 2:30 – 3:20 PM

    When Are You Ready For A Lawyer? Lessons from an Entrepreneur & His Lawyer

    Auditorium 150 · Minneapolis College of Art and Design

  23. 3:00 – 3:25 PM

  24. 3:30 – 4:20 PM

    The Sustainable Edge Panel

    Auditorium 140 · Minneapolis College of Art and Design

  25. 3:30 – 4:20 PM

    Beyond the Algorithm: The Future of MarTech, AI & Human Creativity

    Auditorium 150 · Minneapolis College of Art and Design

  26. 3:30 – 4:20 PM

  27. 4:00 – 6:00 PM

  28. 4:00 – 6:00 PM

    BETA Showcase

    College Center

  29. 8:00 – 10:00 PM

Every day.

Basecamp

Basecamp is your central TCSW resource for registration and check-in, volunteer support, and general questions. Volunteers may leave belongings there, but please don't leave valuables — these spaces may not be continuously staffed.

Charging

We do not have dedicated charging stations. Attendees are welcome to use available outlets throughout our venues.

Emergency

Campus or building security will be onsite each day and available for emergency and first-aid needs.

If you’re speakers

  • Bring the computer you plan to present from.
  • Bring any dongles or adapters your computer needs to connect to HDMI.
  • Download an offline copy of your presentation before arriving. Campus Wi-Fi is shared, so please don't rely on it exclusively.
  • A TCSW volunteer is assigned to session rooms to assist with timing and attendee flow.

If you’re sponsors

  • Sponsor Alley is available Tuesday through Friday. Location, setup, table and power details are listed under each day.
  • Table sizes vary by venue based on what each venue has available.
  • If you have one, we recommend bringing an extra extension cable.
  • Bring an offline version of any presentation or demo materials you plan to use.

If you’re volunteers

  • Share all event questions in the TCSW-volunteers channel of the BETA Slack.
  • Check in for your shift at Basecamp each day.
  • Please wear a black shirt during your shift.
  • Volunteers are identified with a bright orange lanyard.

If something goes wrong.

MCAD Campus Safety
612-874-3801
Emergency
911

Still stuck? Start at Basecamp — that is what it is for. Or get in touch.