Atlanta, GA
December 7, 2026 · 10:00 AM EST
Valor VC Day - Founders Summit
Connect with the people and opportunities around Valor's founder community.
FoundersNetworkingConferences
Valor Community of Courage
Ecosystem Engagement Opportunities
The South is the fastest-growing emerging venture ecosystem in the country — the most dynamic, active, and engaging place to build. Valor curates the best events across the ecosystem, from our own gatherings to the conferences, demo days, and pitch competitions worth your time. Get engaged and RSVP directly.
Up next from Valor
Curated across the South
Valor Courageous Encounters in the Southern Startup Ecosystem
21 opportunities
Explore
State
Event type
Dallas, TX
NOV11
CodeLaunch
CodeLaunch World Championship 2026 — Dallas
Penultimate event of the 2026 cycle — local-market winners and standout finalists compete in Dallas.
November 11, 2026
FoundersInvestors
Dallas, TX
NOV12
SMU Caruth Institute for Entrepreneurship
SMU Big iDeas Pitch Competition
Up to $1,000 seed funding (student-scale).
November 12, 2026
FoundersInvestors
AL
NOV12
Alabama Launchpad (EDPA)
Alabama Launchpad Cycle 2 2026 - Life Sciences investor meetings / finals
Five Life Sciences finalists (InflammaNova Rx, Vanquish Biologics, Khaya Biosciences, Nanoxort, Celestia Life Sciences).
November 12, 2026
FoundersInvestors
Durham, NC
NOV12
CED — Center for Entrepreneurial Development
CED GRO12 Demo Day
the GRO Incubator is a proven yielder.
November 12, 2026
FoundersInvestors
Wrightsville Beach, NC
NOV12
GrepBeat
NC IDEA Ecosystem Summit 2026
Annual event for NC ecosystem leaders; GrepBeat is media partner.
November 12, 2026
FoundersInvestorsNetworking
Wrightsville Beach, NC
NOV12
NC IDEA
NC IDEA Ecosystem Summit 2026 — "This Thing of Ours"
The only statewide NC ecosystem conference; official Global Entrepreneurship Week activity.
November 12, 2026
FoundersInvestorsNetworking
Columbus, GA
NOV13
Hypepotamus Southeast Events Calendar (Tockify)
LaunchCon Pitch Competition (6th annual, StartUP Columbus)
Discover emerging founders and hear new companies make their case to the ecosystem.
November 13, 2026
FoundersInvestors
Louisville, KY
NOV16
Startup Week Louisville (Bet on Louisville)
Startup Week Louisville 2026
Five days of workshops, keynotes and demo days.
November 16, 2026
FoundersInvestorsNetworking
Louisville, KY
NOV17
Startup Week Louisville (Bet on Louisville)
Vogt Awards Demo Day (at Startup Week Louisville)
Tue Nov 17, 5:30–8:00 PM per the published Startup Week schedule (partner event, registration required).
November 17, 2026
FoundersInvestorsConferences
Tuscaloosa, AL
NOV17
The EDGE / Alabama Entrepreneurship Institute (Univ. of Alabama)
River Pitch Competition 2026
Ten $1,000 prizes; open to students, faculty, staff and West Alabama community members; early-stage original ideas.
November 17, 2026
FoundersInvestors
Louisville, KY
NOV17
Vogt Awards (Community Foundation of Louisville)
Vogt Invention & Innovation Awards Demo Day 2026
Six 2026 Vogt cohort founders pitch — each holds $25K non-dilutive, no equity taken.
November 17, 2026
FoundersInvestorsAI & Technology
Durham, NC
NOV17
Hypepotamus Southeast Events Calendar (Tockify)
Founders First (Durham)
Meet founders, investors, and ecosystem leaders at one of the South's high-value gathering points.
November 17, 2026
FoundersInvestorsNetworking
New Albany, IN
NOV18
Startup Week Louisville (Bet on Louisville)
The Next BIG Thing Pitch Competition (at Startup Week Louisville)
Wed Nov 18, 6:00–8:30 PM.
November 18, 2026
FoundersInvestorsConferences
Tuscaloosa, AL
NOV18
Techstars Founder Catalyst Alabama (Tuscaloosa — TCEDA + Univ. of Alabama)
Techstars Founder Catalyst Alabama — Fall 2026 Pitch Day
Culminating pitch day for the 10-week, no-equity Fall 2026 cohort.
November 18, 2026
FoundersInvestorsConferences
Roanoke, VA
NOV19
Roanoke Blacksburg Technology Council (RBTC)
Emerging Technology Conference (ETC) 2026
500+ attendees, six tracks including "Venture & Ecosystem".
November 19, 2026
FoundersInvestorsAI & Technology
Lexington, KY
DEC2
Awesome Inc
5 Across December Finals 2026
The year's five monthly winners compete for $5,000 cash plus an optional $50,000 SAFE from Keyhorse Capital.
December 2, 2026
FoundersInvestors
Nashville, TN
DEC3
Nashville Entrepreneur Center (EC)
Nashville Entrepreneur Day — Winter 2026
three cohorts graduate at once.
December 3, 2026
FoundersInvestors
Baltimore, MD
DEC3
Techstars AI Health Baltimore
Techstars AI Health Baltimore — Demo Day
13-week, $220K/company AI-health accelerator anchored by Johns Hopkins, CareFirst, MedStar, UMB and UMMS.
December 3, 2026
FoundersInvestorsAI & Technology
Atlanta, GA
DEC7
Valor Ventures
Valor EventVC DAY - 10th Anniversary
Connect with the people and opportunities around Valor's founder community.
December 7, 2026 · 10:00 AM EST
Founders
Baltimore, MD
DEC10
Techstars AI Health Baltimore
Techstars AI Health Baltimore — Fall 2026 Demo Day
Demo day for the fourth class.
December 10, 2026
FoundersInvestorsAI & Technology
Baton Rouge, LA
DEC14
Technical.ly
Nexus Technology Cup 2026 (Baton Rouge)
$150K prize pool; Open, College and High School tracks; projects must be at least prototype stage, faculty advisor required.
December 14, 2026
FoundersInvestorsAI & Technology
Fresh thinking
New on Valor's Blog
October 26, 2026
November 2026 Across the South: 14 Events Valor Highlights for Founders
November runs on closed-door investor meetings and cohort pitch days more than big stages — from Alabama Launchpad's two tracks of finals to Louisville's full Startup Week during Global Entrepreneurship Week. Here are the 14 events on Valor's curated calendar this month.
October 16, 2026
Selling to the AI on the Buying Committee: A Playbook for Founders
If an AI is the one member of every enterprise buying committee consulted at every stage, how does a startup get that AI to bring them forward? Here's a four step process.
October 13, 2026
AI Changes Everything About Closing Enterprise Customers: 3 Ways Founders Win Now
Enterprise buyers discover AI solutions in a chat window instead of on a trade show floor today. 94% of B2B buyers use LLMs during their buying process. AI informs every buying committee meeting. Here is how founders win enterprise now.
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