Your First Time at Colorado Startup Week?
Colorado Startup Week isn’t your typical conference. There’s no single stage, no one-size-fits-all schedule, and no pressure to attend everything.
Instead, think of it as a choose-your-own-adventure for Colorado’s startup community.
Here’s what to expect—and how to make the most of your first CSW.
First Things First: How Does CSW Work?
Colorado Startup Week is a free, decentralized conference made up of talks, panels, workshops, networking events, happy hours, and more.
You don’t need to belong to a particular organization or association. Just register, explore the schedule, and choose the events that interest you.
Many events happen within the same general area, so you can park, walk between venues, grab some food, meet people, and build your day around what sounds useful.
The short version:
• Register for CSW
• Browse the schedule
• Pick the events that interest you
• Show up
• Meet some great people
Build Your Own Experience
One of the best—and initially most confusing—parts of CSW is that there isn’t one prescribed way to do it.
You might attend a keynote in the morning, walk to an industry-specific panel afterward, grab lunch, take a break, and finish the day at a networking event.
You don't have to fill every hour.
Choose sessions based on where you are in your business, what you're trying to learn, and who you want to meet.
Pro tip: Read more than the session title. Check out the speaker and description to make sure it’s a good fit for you.
Start With the Main Keynotes
If it’s your first CSW, the main keynotes are a great place to start.
They tend to be some of the larger, higher-energy gatherings of the week and give you a taste of the broader CSW community.
You'll find bigger crowds, speakers, vendors, and plenty of people to meet.
If you only attend a few things, put a keynote on your list.
Get Specific
After choosing a keynote or two, look for sessions that are particularly relevant to your business, industry, or current challenges.
Starting a company? Look for founder-focused sessions.
Trying to grow? Find conversations around marketing, sales, funding, or operations.
Exploring AI? There will probably be plenty to choose from.
The goal isn't to attend the most sessions. It's to find the ones where you can learn something useful, meet someone who knows more than you, and ask good questions.
Don't Skip the Networking Events
Some of the best parts of CSW happen outside the presentations.
Networking events, happy hours, and sponsor-hosted gatherings give you a chance to meet founders, CEOs, entrepreneurs, creatives, investors, and other people building things across Colorado.
And they’re fun.
Grab a drink, introduce yourself, exchange contact info, and ask people one easy question:
“What have you gone to this week that was really good?”
You may discover your next session—or make one of your most valuable connections of the week.
Expect to Move Around
CSW doesn't feel like sitting in a hotel ballroom for eight hours.
Different events have different locations, speakers, crowds, and vibes. You'll move around throughout the day and experience different corners of the startup community.
That variety is part of what makes the week interesting.
Wear comfortable shoes. Seriously.
Food, Drinks & the Good Stuff
Keep an eye out for sponsor-hosted events.
Many offer food, drinks, or other perks, and some of the larger networking events can be experiences in themselves.
You may be able to grab lunch or dinner along the way—but don't assume every event will feed you.
A Simple First-Timer Game Plan
1. Pick a main keynote.
Get the big CSW experience and meet the broader community.
2. Choose 2–3 sessions that directly relate to you.
Prioritize your industry, business stage, or a problem you're currently trying to solve.
3. Add a networking event.
Give yourself time to actually meet people instead of spending the entire week listening to presentations.
4. Leave some breathing room.
You don't need a session every hour. Grab coffee. Follow up with someone you just met. Explore. Change your plans.
5. Ask people what they've enjoyed.
Some of your best CSW recommendations will come from other attendees once you're there.
Not sure where to begin? Try this:
What I Wish I Knew My First Time
You don't need to understand the whole thing before you show up.
You don't need to attend everything.
And there's no “right” way to do Colorado Startup Week.
Hit a keynote. Find a few sessions that matter to you. Go to a networking event. Meet people. Ask questions.
Then build the rest of the week as you go.
That's kind of the point.
