Spark Week | Startup Siouxland

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Nov 10 - 13, 2026
Sioux City

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Strike Something Bigger

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What is Spark Week?

Every business has a spark. Let's find yours.

Spark Week is a four-day regional conference for entrepreneurs and small business owners across the Siouxland tri-state area (western Iowa, northeast Nebraska, and southeast South Dakota).

Most business owners are sitting on possibilities inside their own companies they haven't yet recognized, and Spark Week is built to help you find them.

You'll hear from keynote speakers, dig into hands-on breakout sessions, watch the Venture School pitch competition, and connect with entrepreneurs and resource partners from across the region.

This is where possibility starts. Join us November 10-13 in downtown Sioux City.

What's on the Schedule?

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5 - 8 pm: Evening Resource Mixer

at Design West

The week opens locally with a free Resource Mixer that connects business owners with the organizations that support them. Open to the public.

5 - 8 pm: Welcome Reception at Sioux City Distilling Company

Join our Welcome Reception at Sioux City's brand-new distillery and hear from owner Austin Foster as well as a panel of local brewery owners (Austin Foster, Niki Werner of Jefferson Beer Supply, Ben Sitzmann of Wise I Brewery, and Erik Martin of Marto Brewing Company) - moderated by Lindie Stauder (The Warp Zone Bar & Arcade).

8:30 am: Breakfast begins at The Warrior (Ballroom)

9 am: 30 Questions in 30 Minutes with Bill Menner of the Iowa Rural Development Council

Everyone comes to a conference hoping to find something out. In 30 Questions in 30 Minutes, attendees can share the question they’re hoping to answer while they’re at Spark Week, so the whole room hears what everyone else is looking for. If you have an idea, a connection, or an answer, you’ll know exactly who to find over the rest of the week.

9:30 am: Optional self-guided tour of The Orpheum Theater)

10 am: Keynote Address with Kaylee Williams of Iowa Startup Week at The Orpheum Theater

Kaylee’s keynote at The Orpheum starts from the idea that where you are is a good place to build something, whether you’re in Sioux City or a town of 500. It sets the tone for the week: whatever you’re hoping to do with your business, it’s possible here.

11:30 am: Lunch on your own

Food trucks will be available outside of The Warrior.

1 - 2 pm: Breakout Sessions at The Warrior

Accessing Capital: Ask Me Anything - Eric Engelmann (ISA Ventures)

Most business owners assume funding means a bank loan. This session looks at four ways to pay for a business, so you can see that debt isn’t the only option and what each path asks of you in return. It also covers how investors think and what it takes to have that conversation, whether you’re ready for it now or just want to know what’s involved.

What if We Built It? - Rose Hedges (UnityPoint Health - Generate Lab)

Rose shares the story of building generate, the first hospital-based makerspace in the Midwest. From getting the idea off the ground to building community partnerships, she'll share the challenges, successes, and lessons learned along the way. Attendees will hear how bringing people with different skills and experiences together can turn everyday problems into new opportunities and real solutions.

Selling Beyond Your Front Door - Jason Hamer (Moderator - Hamer Business Toolbox), Scott Putnam (SBDC), Katie Olthoff (ChopLocal), Speaker TBD, Speaker TBD

Not every customer lives within driving distance of your business. This panel looks at the different ways to sell online, from putting your own product on Amazon to building a marketplace for other vendors. You’ll hear how these approaches can add a second stream of revenue and reach people well beyond your own town.

2:30 - 3:30 pm: Breakout Sessions at The Warrior

Find What Makes You Different - Beth Trejo (Chatterkick)

Why would someone choose your business over the one down the street? This session helps you figure out what sets you apart from your competitors and why that matters to the people in your community.

Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition - Stacy Mullinex (UNI Advance Iowa)

Stacy explores acquisition as a practical path to ownership, highlighting how acquiring an established company can provide immediate operations with customers, vendors, and cash flow. Learn how this approach can help you achieve your entrepreneurial goals while strengthening your community.

Retail Success in the Midwest - Robin Bolstrom (IEDA)

Independent retail has changed and it's really important to understand the trends and support that small, independent retailers need to be successful in your downtown.

5 pm: JPEC Venture School Competition at The Warrior (Ballroom)

Entrepreneurs from Venture School pitch their businesses live on stage for a chance to win a cash prize, hosted with JPEC and Morningside University.

8 pm: Spark Week After-Party at The Warp Zone Bar & Arcade

Close out Thursday with pinball, arcade games, and a drink alongside the people you met all day. 8–10 PM. Non-alcoholic options available. All ages welcome.

9 am: Breakfast begins at The Warrior (Ballroom)

9:30 am: Spark Sprint with Dawn Bowlus of the Jacobsen Institute

A hands-on, working session where you practice solving a problem and turning an idea into a rough prototype, fast.

11:30 am - 12:30 pm: Breakout Sessions at The Warrior

How to Start Manufacturing - Chris Hall (CIRAS)

Have a product idea and no idea how to get it made? Chris Hall of CIRAS walks through what it takes to start manufacturing, from the first questions to ask to where to find help in Iowa.

Fail Fast: Identifying Common Startup Pitfalls - Joey Norris (Dream Forge)

Some mistakes are much cheaper to find early than late. Joey Norris of Dream Forge shares the common pitfalls new ventures run into and the questions to ask yourself before you’ve put much time or money in.

When Plan A Isn’t Working - Raj Choudhari (Moderator - Downtown Partners Sioux City), Michael Brook (Wedge), Jack Chimbetete (Africa Live Network), Speaker TBD

Sometimes the business you started isn’t the one that works. Business owners who changed direction talk about realizing their original idea wasn’t working, how they decided to change course, and what it took to start something new.

12:30 pm: Lunch on your own

Food trucks available outside of The Warrior hotel.

1:30 pm: Keynote Address with Brad Lepper of Council Oak Supply at The Warrior (Ballroom)

Brad will share his journey building up Council Oak Supply by pivoting, diversifying, and tapping into underserved markets - all while keeping his home base in Sioux City.

3 pm: Closing Reception on The Warrior Crown Rooftop Bar

Wrap up Spark Week on the Warrior’s rooftop bar, 3–5 PM, with drinks and the people you’ve met all week.