[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_button button_url=”https:\/\/luma.com\/StartupJunkie?k=c” button_text=”Join us this January” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_button][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ text_font=”–et_global_body_font||||||||” header_font=”Open Sans||||||||” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” min_height=”988.2px” custom_margin=”|43px||43px|false|false” custom_padding=”13px||0px|1px||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. \u2013<\/strong> Startup Junkie is kicking off 2026 with two in-person events designed to help entrepreneurs take action on their ideas, strengthen their fundamentals, and connect with the Northwest Arkansas small business ecosystem.<\/span><\/p>\n The year\u2019s first event is a hands-on Lunch & Learn focused on the building blocks of starting and growing a business. Two weeks later, Startup Junkie will host a January Happy Hour to bring founders, small business owners, and community members together for networking and relationship-building.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThese events are about momentum, giving people the clarity and community they need to take the next step,\u201d said Harrison Kitson, Startup Junkie\u2019s Director of Marketing & Outreach.. \u201cWhether you\u2019re starting from scratch or growing what you\u2019ve already built, we want entrepreneurs to leave with practical tools and real connections.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Getting Your Business Off the Ground with Grace Gill<\/strong> will cover essential early-stage steps for entrepreneurs and small business owners, including Lean Canvas planning, choosing a business structure, reviewing funding options, exploring low- or no-cost marketing ideas, and testing customer demand. Attendees will also receive a curated list of Northwest Arkansas resources, and a Bank OZK representative will be available to share small business banking products and guidance.<\/span><\/p>\n Startup Junkie\u2019s January Happy Hour at Fayetteville Beer Works<\/strong> is designed for anyone looking to meet like-minded entrepreneurs, innovators, and small business owners in a casual setting. Attendees can expect conversation, community-building, and an easy way to plug into the local ecosystem early in the year. Free drinks will be available for attendees (21+), and pre-registration is encouraged so organizers can plan accordingly.<\/span><\/p>\n Event Details:<\/strong><\/p>\n Lunch & Learn: Getting Your Business Off the Ground with Grace Gill<\/p>\n January Happy Hour at Fayetteville Beer Works<\/span><\/p>\n About Startup Junkie Foundation<\/span><\/p>\n Startup Junkie is a mission-driven organization that exists to improve lives through innovation and entrepreneurship. With a goal to stimulate economic growth in the region, the organization provides a variety of services, including mentorship, consulting, training, and more. Startup Junkie has an extensive network of partners and professionals dedicated to enhancing the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Northwest Arkansas. The Foundation has helped thousands of entrepreneurs through one-on-one consulting and hosts over 200 events and programs a year.<\/span><\/p>\n Media Contact:<\/span><\/p>\n Harrison Kitson, Director of Marketing & Outreach<\/span><\/p>\n Harrison@startupjunkie.org<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Startup Junkie kicks off 2026 with two events to help entrepreneurs launch, grow, and connect in NWAFAYETTEVILLE, Ark. \u2013 Startup Junkie is kicking off 2026 with two in-person events designed to help entrepreneurs take action on their ideas, strengthen their fundamentals, and connect with the Northwest Arkansas small business ecosystem. The year\u2019s first event is […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":4930,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":" ARise is on a mission to empower tech ventures in Arkansas to scale up, create high-wage employment opportunities, and drive world-class technological innovation throughout the state. With a vision of becoming the driving force behind entrepreneurial economic growth in Arkansas, ARise aims to establish the state as a premier destination for tech companies worldwide to start and scale their businesses.<\/p>\r\n\r\n ARise offers a comprehensive suite of services designed to support startups and entrepreneurs at every stage of their journey:<\/p>\r\n\r\n ARise provides personalized consulting and coaching to guide tech ventures toward success, from concept validation to scaling strategies. Differentiating itself from other programs, ARise provides its startups with coaching on a continued basis and regular check-ins to ensure each venture has a customized plan to receive services and support.<\/p>\r\n\r\n ARise helps startups navigate the capital landscape, connecting them with funding opportunities and providing the support they need to secure investment. Whether a startup is looking for venture capital or non-dilutive government support, ARise assists innovators with securing the best funding for the current stage of their company. The program also offers investor recruitment and education to support startups within Arkansas.<\/p>\r\n\r\n ARise's network of SMEs and mentors offers invaluable guidance and support across industries, empowering entrepreneurs to overcome challenges and achieve their goals. This SME network provides a breadth of knowledge for new ventures, including the expertise of those who have grown their own companies and those who have proficiency in highly specialized fields like biotechnology, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and retail value chain management.<\/p>\r\n\r\n As a collaboration between Startup Junkie, Conductor, and the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, ARise facilitates connections between startups and established companies to foster growth and expansion.<\/p>\r\n\r\n ARise strengthens the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Arkansas through a comprehensive digital resource library, targeted events, and collaborations with other entrepreneurial support organizations.<\/p>\r\n\r\n The ARise program is open to tech and tech-enabled ventures that are Arkansas-based and scalable. All services are offered at no charge to entrepreneurs across the state. To enroll in the program, visit\u00a0www.ARiseArkansas.org<\/a>\u00a0to (1) complete an onboarding application and (2) schedule an initial consultation with a program representative.<\/p>\r\n\r\n \u201cGrowing technology companies is critical for Arkansas\u2019 long-term economic success. The ARise program is a key element of our strategy for providing support and resources for tech ventures as they scale up in the Natural State.\u201d - Clint O\u2019Neal, Executive Director, Arkansas Economic Development Commission<\/p>\r\n \u201cLaunching a tech venture is a challenging endeavor \u2013 and entrepreneurs do not always have the resources they need to succeed. Through the ARise program, we aim to provide tech entrepreneurs with the resources and expertise they need to grow and scale their businesses. We are excited to collaborate with Startup Junkie Consulting on the management of the ARise program to help tech entrepreneurs create high-tech business growth in the Natural State.\u201d - Esperanza Massana Crane, Director, AEDC\u2019s Small Business and Entrepreneurship Development Division<\/p>\r\n \u201cARise reflects our vision and brand promise to help AEDC drive an increasingly bright future for Arkansas-based tech and tech-enabled ventures.\u00a0 We could not be more excited to be partnered with AEDC for this critical statewide program.\u201d\u00a0- Jeff Amerine, Co-Director at ARise & Founder and Managing Director at Startup Junkie Consulting<\/p>\r\n \u201cWe\u2019ve built the ARise program and services to fill gaps for tech and tech-enabled entrepreneurs looking to scale within our state and to open doors for those entrepreneurs within our state - we want entrepreneurs to have access to all our state has to offer including SMEs, industry partners, and other resources.\u201d - Grace Rains, Co-Director at ARise & Executive Director at Conductor<\/p>\r\n ARise - Arkansas Innovators, Startups, and Entrepreneurs is on a mission to empower tech ventures in Arkansas to scale up, create high-wage employment opportunities, and drive world-class technological innovation throughout the state. This is a collaborative initiative funded by the Arkansas Economic Development Organization and led by Startup Junkie. ARise is dedicated to empowering tech ventures in Arkansas through consulting and coaching, capital access, a subject matter expert network, industry connections, and ecosystem resources.<\/p>\r\n For media inquiries, please contact:<\/p>\r\n Kristopher Adams, ARise Program Manager<\/p>\r\n kris@arisearkansas.org<\/a><\/p>\r\n 479-402-0036<\/p>\r\n Tyler Hale, Communications Officer<\/p>\r\n tyler.hale@arkansasedc.com<\/a><\/p>\r\n 501-410-7883<\/p>\r\n For more information about ARise, visit\u00a0arisearkansas.org<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n Follow ARise on\u00a0Facebook<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0LinkedIn<\/a> for updates and announcements.<\/p>\r\n About Arkansas Economic Development Commission<\/p>\r\n At AEDC, we know economic advancement doesn\u2019t happen by accident. We work strategically with businesses and communities to create strong economic opportunities, making Arkansas the natural choice for success. AEDC is a division of the Arkansas Department of Commerce. To learn more, visit ArkansasEDC.com.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>","_et_gb_content_width":"","_meta_description":"","_sj_pod_series":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4928","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-press-release"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/startupjunkie.org\/ko\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4928","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/startupjunkie.org\/ko\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/startupjunkie.org\/ko\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/startupjunkie.org\/ko\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/startupjunkie.org\/ko\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4928"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/startupjunkie.org\/ko\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4928\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5418,"href":"https:\/\/startupjunkie.org\/ko\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4928\/revisions\/5418"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/startupjunkie.org\/ko\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4930"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/startupjunkie.org\/ko\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4928"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/startupjunkie.org\/ko\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4928"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/startupjunkie.org\/ko\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4928"}],"curies":[{"name":"\uc6cc\ub4dc\ud504\ub808\uc2a4","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n
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![\"ARise](\"https:\/\/startupjunkie.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/ARise-300x300.png\")
\r\nIntroducing ARise: Arkansas Innovators, Startups, and Entrepreneurs<\/h1>\r\nFayetteville, Conway, and Little Rock, Ark.- June 20, 2024 -<\/strong> Arkansas's tech entrepreneurs have a new ally in their journey towards success with the launch of ARise - Arkansas Innovators, Startups, and Entrepreneurs. A fresh and expanded iteration of the Arkansas Statewide Technology Commercialization program formerly known as Innovate Arkansas, ARise is an ambitious initiative funded by the Arkansas Economic Development Commission and led by Startup Junkie, aimed at propelling tech and tech-enabled companies in Arkansas to new heights of innovation and economic vitality.\r\n\r\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/startupjunkie.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/ARise-Startup-Junkie-Conductor-AECD-Tech-Program-1-300x200.jpg\")
\r\nMission & Vision<\/h3>\r\n
Program Services<\/h3>\r\n
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Startup Consulting and Coaching<\/h4>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
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Capital Access Navigation<\/h4>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
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Advanced Subject Matter Expert (SME) Network<\/h4>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
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Connection to Industry<\/h4>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
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Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Resources<\/h4>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
Enrollment<\/h3>\r\n
Quotes<\/h3>\r\n