2024 E1 Summit & Expo

Entrepreneurs and small business owners in southeastern Minnesota have the opportunity to learn, connect, and chart the next steps of their business journey at the 2024 E1 Summit & Expo. The event will be held from 8:30am to 4pm on Tuesday, October 22nd, at Cascade Meadow Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota Rochester Campus.

This year, thanks to Premier Sponsor Foresight Bank, this event is free for entrepreneurs and small business owners to attend! Your registration includes refreshments throughout the day as well as lunch from a local small business.

This dynamic, jam-packed, one-day event provides educational workshops and panel discussions, an expo with entrepreneur support organizations from across southeast Minnesota and a lunchtime keynote from successful entrepreneur Jazz Hampton. The 2024 Summit & Expo has everything you need to chart an actionable plan to scale and grow your business!

The Summit & Expo will feature three tracks throughout the day, featuring panel discussions and workshops including:

• Prepare to Scale: Industry-specific panels on preparing your business to scale, focused on medtech, food & ag businesses, and innovative product-based businesses.

• Show Me the Money: Actionable presentations and workshops on funding your business - using loans, equity, and non-traditional sources to grow, scale, or take the next step.

• Grow Strategically: Workshops and panels focused on specific, strategic skills you need to ensure that as your business grows, you are fully prepared. Workshops include focuses on brand strategy, when to hire fractional staff, and legally protecting your business as you enter into more complex business relationships.

In addition to learning sessions, attendees will have the opportunity to connect with other founders, business support organizations, mentors, and more. Intentional networking sessions will create many opportunities to make the next critical connection to help business owners and entrepreneurs reach new heights.

Jazz Hampton, CEO at TurnSignl and adjunct professional of entrepreneurial finance at the University of St. Thomas, will serve as the keynote speaker. TurnSignl is a Minnesota-based tech company that provides real-time legal guidance from an attorney to drivers, all while their camera records the interaction. Hampton has been featured on NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt, MSNBC, CBS, NBC Top Story, and was recently named one of Minneapolis-St. Paul’s 40 Under 40. Hampton will share his story, recounting the challenges, successes, winding roads, wins, losses, and everything in between as he developed TurnSignl into a national company with a deep commitment to social impact.

The 2024 E1 Summit & Expo is made possible by our Premier Sponsors, Foresight Bank and Destination Medical Center, as well as critical support from the U.S. EDA, LaunchMinnesota, Saint Mary's University of Minnesota, and the Entrepreneur's First (E1) Network.

Led by Red Wing Ignite, the E1 includes the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation, the Small Business Development Center the Collider Foundation, Rochester Area Economic Development Inc., the Owatonna Area Business Development Center, Austin Community Growth Ventures, GreenSeam, Workforce Development Inc., St. Olaf College, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, Minnesota State College - Southeast, LegalCORPS, Community and Economic Development Associates (CEDA), and Hispanic Advocacy and Community Empowerment through Research (HACER).

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Saint Mary's University of Minnesota - Rochester Campus, 2900 19th Street Northwest, Rochester, United States