Chucktown Startups upcoming events

Free Marketing Challenge (by Curated Studios) (Tue, September 22, 2026)

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Learn Exactly What to Say When Someone Asks, “What Do You Do?”

Join Curated Studios for a free, live 3 day challenge designed to help you get clear on your ideal client and create a simple, one sentence message that clearly communicates what you do and lands the same way every time.

Just 15 minutes a day. Three days. One clear message you can confidently use in every conversation.

1 Million Cups (Wed, September 23, 2026)

Wed, 23 Sep 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Every week, 1 Million Cups gives entrepreneurs a platform to present their business to a supportive community for ideas and connections to grow it. It's not a pitch; it's a chance to learn and collaborate.

Founders Roundtable Series, Featuring Barry Stamos - Presented by Chucktown Startups and Carolina Venture Studio (Sponsored by TriNet) (Wed, September 23, 2026)

Wed, 23 Sep 2026 21:30:00 GMT

REGISTRATION

This September, we’re launching the Founders Roundtable Series, an eight-session monthly gathering bringing Charleston founders and entrepreneurial leaders together to connect, share ideas, learn from one another, and help shape the future of technology and entrepreneurship in our community.

The September event is being sponsored by TriNet.

Hour 1 will be an interactive founder roundtable exploring the leap from entrepreneurial idea to founding a company. We’ll unpack the mindset shifts, questions, challenges, and opportunities that come with turning an idea into a real business, drawing on the experiences and perspectives of founders in the room.

Hour 2 will feature Barry Stamos, a three-time exited founder and CEO of Supernova, a collective of 250+ exited founders who have built and sold their own companies and now invest in, advise, and serve as operating partners to the next generation of builders.

Barry’s featured presentation, “Do or Die: What Founders Need to Know,” will offer a candid look at what it really takes to build a company, navigate the inevitable challenges, and make the decisions that can determine whether a startup survives or succeeds.

Barry has built companies for 25+ years. His first, INBOX Marketing, became Responsys, went public, and sold to Oracle for $1.6 billion. His second, Videoo, failed after four years chasing product-market fit. As a founding partner at Acxiom, he built a business unit from zero to $318 million that exited to IPG for $2.3 billion. He is also co-founder and Chief Heart Officer of 1heart.com, a startup studio and human accelerator with 1,000+ alumni worldwide.

As a founding advisor, Barry has helped build category leaders. He backed Colossal Biosciences, the first de-extinction company, which raised a total of $615 million to become a decacorn in under four years and established the Colossal Foundation with $100 million to support habitat restoration and genetic rescue. He also backed Tuft & Needle as it bootstrapped to $250 million in ARR before merging with Serta Simmons. He also backed and served as Head of Investor Relations at Arora Project, an equity crowdfunding agency that raised $115 million-plus for startups before its exit to Republic. Prior to that, Barry was the Entrepreneur in Residence at 500 Global, one of the most active VCs globally, where he supported startups chosen for their flagship accelerator program out of San Francisco.

Barry lives in Mount Pleasant, SC with his wife Christine and two teenage boys, Beau and Nico.

Harbor House Party (Wed, September 23, 2026)

Wed, 23 Sep 2026 21:30:00 GMT

Purchase Tickets

Harbor House Party Vol. II brings together entrepreneurs, business leaders, community members, and music lovers for a night of conversation, connection, and live music while raising funds and support for the Harbor Entrepreneur Center community.

Your participation helps support Harbor’s work and the entrepreneurs who are building, growing, and creating across the community.

WHAT TO EXPECT

The evening begins at the Share House for VIP Full Volume Access guests, with dinner, an open bar, and a meet-and-greet with the evening’s featured guests.

From there, the night moves to Music Farm, where VIP Full Volume Access and Amplified Access guests will take part in a roundtable conversation featuring Larry Place, Adam Wexler, Mary Welch Fox and Daniel Womack.

The evening then turns up the volume with a live Futurebirds concert at Music Farm, where General Admission guests join the night.

Whether you’re joining us for the full experience, coming for the conversation and concert, or meeting us at the show, Harbor House Party Vol. II offers a way to be part of the night while supporting the Harbor Entrepreneur Center community.

ProductTank Charleston Relaunch: Pints, People, & Product (Thu, September 24, 2026)

Thu, 24 Sep 2026 21:00:00 GMT

RSVP

We’re bringing the global ProductTank community back to Charleston — and you’re invited to help kick off our relaunch!

Join us for Happy Hour on Thursday, September 24th from 5–7 PM at Bay Street Biergarten for the official relaunch of ProductTank Charleston ($5 drinks till 6). Whether you're a product manager, designer, founder, engineer, or just curious about the world of product, this is a space to connect, share, and innovate together with others shaping the future of tech and design in the Lowcountry.

ProductTank is a global network of 200+ cities powered by Mind the Product, the world’s largest community of product professionals. Local chapters bring together product thinkers at every stage of their journey — from early startups to seasoned enterprises — to swap ideas, tackle shared challenges, and build meaningful relationships.

Why come?

Meet other product innovators in Charleston's leading industries
Enjoy casual networking over a cold drink at one of Charleston’s iconic breweries
Get inspired by what’s coming next for the Charleston product community

This event is free to attend, and open to anyone working in or passionate about product. Let’s build something great together — starting here.

Chucktown Startups 5x5 LIVE (Tue, September 29, 2026)

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 21:30:00 GMT

RSVP to Attend

Five Founders. Five Minutes. Real Feedback.

Whether you're validating your very first idea or growing an established business, Chucktown Startups 5x5 LIVE is your opportunity to share what you're building and receive valuable feedback from fellow entrepreneurs and supporters.

Each event features five founders, each with five minutes to present their business, product, service, or idea. NO PITCH DECKS. Following every presentation, the audience will have the opportunity to ask up to three questions or offer supportive comments and constructive feedback to help each founder move forward.

Event Schedule

5:30 PM | Networking

Meet fellow entrepreneurs, innovators, investors, mentors, and startup supporters before the presentations begin.

6:00 PM | 5x5 LIVE Pitches

Five founders take the stage - NO PITCH DECKS, followed by audience Q&A and feedback after each presentation.

Who Should Pitch?

Entrepreneurs at every stage are welcome, including:

Someone exploring a new business idea
A founder validating a concept
A startup preparing for launch
A growing business seeking customers, partners, or feedback
An established company introducing a new product or service

No matter where you are in your entrepreneurial journey, we'd love to hear your story.

How Do I Sign Up to Pitch?

Only five founder presentation slots are available for each event. Founders interested in pitching must sign up in advance to be considered for a presentation slot.

Who Can Attend This Event?

All local founders and community supporters are invited to attend.

1 Million Cups (Wed, September 30, 2026)

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Chucktown U: Introduction to Spindle Venture Studio - Transforming exceptional ideas into successful enterprises (Wed, October 07, 2026)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 16:00:00 GMT

REGISTER

Spindle Venture Studio

Transforming exceptional ideas into successful enterprises

Presenter: Matthew Gough, Managing Partner

Date: Wednesday, October 7, 2026

Time: 12:00 Noon to 1:00 PM

Registration: Click here to register

Join Managing Partner, Matthew Gough, to learn about Charleston's very own venture studio, Spindle, and how it can be a game-changer for the founders in the Chucktown Startups community.

Exceptional startups and entrepreneurs have the power to reshape the world. Spindle expedites innovation, transforming promising ideas into successful enterprises. As a dedicated team, Spindle ideates, validates, and launches businesses, providing resources through every life cycle including access to funding and leadership. Their goal is to streamline early-stage development, reduce risks, and drive successful outcomes - a more efficient and scalable approach compared to the traditional start-up model.