Coral Gables, FL
October 23, 2026 · 9:00 AM EDT
Courageous Capital: Coffee with Valor VC Founder Lisa Calhoun
Connect with the people and opportunities around Valor's founder community.
FoundersInvestors
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
22 opportunities
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State
Event type
Frisco & McKinney, TX
OCT21
Dallas Innovates
North Texas Connected Innovation Pitch Competition
New regional initiative from Frisco + McKinney EDCs and NTXIA.
October 21, 2026
FoundersInvestorsAI & Technology
Frisco, TX
OCT21
North Texas Connected
North Texas Connected Innovation Pitch Competition 2026 — Finalist Pitch Events
Applications closed 31 August 2026; finalists pitch Wednesday 21 October 2026 across Frisco and McKinney.
October 21, 2026
FoundersInvestorsAI & Technology
Dallas, TX
OCT22
Venture Dallas
Venture Dallas 2026
DFW's flagship venture conference — multiple stages, curated networking and startup pitches.
October 22, 2026
FoundersInvestorsNetworking
Atlanta, GA
OCT22
Hypepotamus Southeast Events Calendar (Tockify)
TAG Invest Connect: Meet, Pitch & Partner (4th annual)
Discover emerging founders and hear new companies make their case to the ecosystem.
October 22, 2026
FoundersInvestors
Washington, DC
OCT23
Battle of the Regions (DMV)
Battle of the Regions — DMV Tri-State Final at DC Startup and Tech Week
Tri-state final of the DMV Battle of the Regions at DC Startup and Tech Week.
October 23, 2026
FoundersInvestorsAI & Technology
Little Rock, AR
OCT26
Onward FX (Northwest Arkansas Council)
Onward FX Fall 2026 Founder-Funder Exchange
First sector-focused Onward FX cycle, run by the Northwest Arkansas Council.
October 26, 2026
FoundersInvestors
Baltimore, MD
OCT27
TEDCO (Maryland Technology Development Corporation)
TEDCO 2026 Entrepreneur Expo
TEDCO's flagship annual convening for the Maryland innovation ecosystem, drawing attendees internationally.
October 27, 2026
FoundersInvestorsAI & Technology
AL
NOV5
Alabama Launchpad (EDPA)
Alabama Launchpad Cycle 2 2026 - Technology investor meetings / finals
Five Technology finalists: Vacavision, CuraTech, Respondr Technologies, PowerBox Technologies, Trudy Health.
November 5, 2026
FoundersInvestorsAI & Technology
Miami, FL
NOV5
Refresh Miami
GatorPitch Miami 2026
UF Innovate's pitch event putting startups in front of South Florida investors.
November 5, 2026
FoundersInvestors
Knoxville, TN
NOV6
UT Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (ACEI)
Graves Business Plan Competition — Fall 2026
$20,000 in startup capital awarded to UT students.
November 6, 2026
FoundersInvestors
Flowood, MS
NOV10
Innovate Mississippi
Accelerate Conference 2026 (27th annual)
Mississippi's flagship technology-innovation conference.
November 10, 2026
FoundersInvestorsAI & Technology
Jackson, MS
NOV10
Innovate Mississippi
CoBuilders Accelerator Cohort 5 Pitch Day (opens Accelerate Conference 2026)
Pitch Day finale of Innovate Mississippi's fifth CoBuilders cohort — a 12-week statewide accelerator, up to 10 companies, each receiving investment via SAFE agreement.
November 10, 2026
FoundersInvestorsConferences
Flowood, MS
NOV10
CoBuilders.ms
CoBuilders Pitch Day 2026
the highest-value Mississippi artifact.
November 10, 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
Louisville, KY
NOV16
Startup Week Louisville (Bet on Louisville)
Startup Week Louisville 2026
Five days of workshops, keynotes and demo days during Global Entrepreneurship Week.
November 16, 2026
FoundersInvestorsNetworking
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
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
Atlanta, GA
DEC7
Valor Ventures
Valor EventValor VC Day - Founders Summit
Connect with the people and opportunities around Valor's founder community.
December 7, 2026 · 10:00 AM EST
FoundersNetworkingConferences
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
Fresh thinking
New on Valor's Blog
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.
September 25, 2026
October 2026 Across the South: 7 Events Valor Is Watching
October is front-loaded with Venture Atlanta and Venture Dallas back to back. Here are the seven events on our list founders and investors in the South should check out, in date order.
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