A HEAD START FOR STARTUPS

By Drew Gieseke

The tech industry is booming in St. Louis. According to TechSTL, which serves as the first tech council of Greater St. Louis, the metropolitan area is a regional leader in key technology industries like agtech, biomedical, geospatial, fintech and more. As of 2022, these fields accounted for 86,000 jobs in the metro area and yielded an estimated economic impact of $13 billion.

Innovation attracts talent. As startups find their footing in St. Louis’ fertile tech field, a host of organizations have risen to the challenge by offering resources designed to boost growth in the region. Those in this guide are just some of the top tech and small business startup resources available in St. Louis.

Funding Access

STL Partnership

St. Louis Economic Development Partnership works collaboratively with businesses to provide economic development opportunities and foster company growth. The organization helps St. Louis business owners navigate and execute expansion projects from start to finish by helping companies connect with resources, networks and solutions. The firm conducts research to guide these efforts and offers consulting services to clients.

St. Louis Economic Development Partnership, 7733 Forsyth Blvd., St. Louis, 314-615-7663, stlpartnership.com

T-REX

Technology Entrepreneur Center Inc. is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization that supports and connects early-stage businesses with funding as well as tech talent development. T-REX partners with other area organizations to make funding and other resources available to startups in the region.

Technology Entrepreneur Center Inc., 911 Washington Ave., St. Louis, 314-241-7500, downtowntrex.org

WEPOWER Accelerator

Designed to support Black and Latinx entrepreneurs, WEPOWER Accelerator is a 10-week program that builds connections and community by providing mentorship opportunities and access to capital through grant funding.

WEPOWER Accelerator, 20 S. Sarah St., St. Louis, 314-391-8033, wepowerstl.org

The Yield Lab North America

Focusing on AgTech, The Yield Lab North America is part of a global network of accelerators that invests in companies focused on crops, animal health, food ingredients, digital agriculture and other related fields. Investments range between $100,000 and $1.5 million. The Yield Lab’s general partners work closely with companies to find customers, additional investors and industry collaborators.

The Yield Lab North America, 1100 Corporate Square Drive, St. Louis, 314-753-8671, theyieldlab.com

Coworking Spaces

Spark St. Louis

Located in bustling Ballpark Village, Spark St. Louis offers a high-energy coworking space perfect for entrepreneurs just getting their start. The smartly decorated facility is ideal for collaboration thanks to high-speed internet, concierge services, a variety of working spaces and more.

Spark St. Louis, 6 Cardinal Way, Suite 900, St. Louis, 314-278-5297, sparkcoworking.com

ThriveCo

Every startup needs a space to build the business. ThriveCo is a coworking space with locations in Clayton and Chesterfield that offers personalized office services for all sorts of companies, including private offices, coworking spaces and more.

ThriveCo, 222 S. Mermaec Ave., Suite 202, St. Louis, 314-810-6605, thrive-coworking.com

NETWORK-BUILDING RESOURCES

Inventors Association of St. Louis

This useful association aggregates resources for startup businesses across the region. From contact information to business-building howto’s, every company just getting off the ground can find something helpful through the Inventors Association of St. Louis.

Inventors Association of St. Louis, 913-322-1895, inventstl.org

The Women’s Creative

The Women’s Creative invests in creatively driven women-owned businesses in the St. Louis area. Founded in 2017, the membership service pools knowledge, networking and individualized support to help women grow their small businesses, whether they’re selling jewelry, home goods, candles or all of the above.

Membership is available beginning with packages of $25.

The Women’s Creative, 3725 Foundry Way, Unit 137, St. Louis, 314-254-3511, thewomenscreative.com