Join Trent Mano, Co-Founder of Convoi Ventures, on May 28, for a candid conversation about venture capital.

—When to avoid it.

—When it makes sense.

—How to navigate it the right way if you choose to raise.

Drawing from years of experience investing in startups and helping founders scale, Trent will break down what investors actually look for, common fundraising mistakes, and how to build leverage before you ever pitch.

Whether you’re bootstrapping, exploring funding, or preparing for your first raise, this workshop will give you a practical framework for thinking about VC the smart way.

This ain't your average meet and greet. It's a boots on the ground experience designed to test your instincts, strengthen your resolve, and connect you with others cut from the same cloth all in support of a cause built for the next generation of Utah founders.

​Riding for a Reason: Start School

​Every dollar raised at this event fuels Start School Entrepreneurship for the 99%, a free program from Silicon Slopes.

​🔹 What's on the Trail:

• ​Helicopter Rides — rise above the dust and take in a higher view of the frontier.

• ​Trap Shooting Showdown — steady your aim, trust your instincts, and compete for bragging rights.

• ​Breakfast — hearty, chef-crafted meals shared with fellow trailblazers.

• ​Swag & Spoils — premium gear and recognition for those who come out on top.

Claim your spot. Ride with the right circle. Lead from the front and lift the next wave with you.

Most startup events are built for the one percent. The venture-backed. The ones chasing a 10x return for someone else's fund. The ones who measure success by how much money they raised instead of how much they built.

StartFEST is for everyone else. The solo founder. The bootstrapper. The person who wants to build a profitable business that supports their family. The company that grows slowly, treats its people well, and is still standing in twenty years. The best businesses rarely make the headlines. Start School is built for founders who know the difference.

More than 400 companies are now part of Start School. No tuition. No equity. No hidden agenda.

It's a free entrepreneurship program from Silicon Slopes, built in partnership with Mountain America Credit Union. Every dollar from StartFEST goes back into it. When you buy a ticket, you are paying for the next founder who shows up wanting to build something real.

Start School takes self-leadership seriously because the founders who last almost always do. It's the track you won't find at any other startup event, and it's the reason Start School exists in the form it does.

In this episode of the Go-To-Market Podcast, host Amy Osmond Cook, CMO and co-founder of Fullcast, sits down with Dr. Jeremy Weisz, co-founder of Rise25 and host of the Inspired Insider podcast, to dig into a question every revenue leader needs to answer right now: In a world flooded with AI-generated content, how do you build the kind of trust that actually closes deals?

Jeremy has been building relationships through podcasting since 2007, long before it was a mainstream marketing strategy, and he's turned that obsession into Rise25, a done-for-you B2B podcast agency that helps companies connect with their Dream 200 clients, referral partners, and strategic alliances.

The 2026 Sports Tourism Symposium will take place on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, from 9:00 am - 2:30 pm, hosted by Miller Sports + Entertainment at America First Field (9256 S State St, Sandy, UT 84070). Stick around after the Symposium for a special experience as we host an England vs. Croatia FIFA World Cup watch party to keep the energy going!

America First Field is home to Real Salt Lake (MLS) and Utah Royals FC (NWSL). The venue has become iconic, hosting major events like U.S. national team games, World Cup qualifiers, the 2009 MLS All-Star Game, the 2013 Gold Cup, and even the 2025 Pacific Nations Cup.

The Sports Tourism Symposium brings together municipalities, event organizers, and hospitality partners from across the industry to share ideas, explore trends, and collaborate on strategies that make our communities stronger through sports.

In this episode of the Silicon Slopes Mental Health Momentum podcast, host Dr. David Morgan sits down with speaker, advocate, entrepreneur, and women’s empowerment leader Jo Dailami for an honest conversation about trauma, healing, resilience, and reclaiming personal power.

Jo opens up about reaching a breaking point in her late 20s and realizing she could no longer survive using destructive coping mechanisms. She shares how seeking help transformed her understanding of pain—not something to run from, but something to move through with support, courage, and intention.

Together, Dr. Morgan and Jo explore the psychological impact of societal conditioning on women, the importance of reframing limiting beliefs, and why healing often begins the moment someone realizes they do not have to face pain alone.

Join Atonom as they host some of the industry’s leading voices in AI and customer service, May 28.

Learn how the best teams are rebuilding customer support with humans and AI to drive faster resolution, lower costs, and a better customer experience.

This VIP event is designed exclusively for leaders who run, lead, or support a customer service team.

See details here:

Utah's technology community has needed this for a while. On September 11, 2026, it arrives.

STACKED Summit is Utah's premier event on AI, cybersecurity, SaaS, and data analytics. The inaugural summit takes place at Salt Lake Community College, and we built it for the people closest to the work: the builders, operators, engineers, and executives who are navigating the most consequential shifts in the industry right now.

Not networking for the sake of it. Not panels that go nowhere. Real sessions, real practitioners, and real conversations about the problems worth solving.

Six tracks. One room. Everything that matters in Utah tech right now: AI, Cybersecurity, Data, Systems, Builders, and SaaS.

Hundreds of founders, engineers, operators, and executives will be there. The first STACKED Summit is the one people will say they didn't want to miss. We'd like to make sure they don't.

Tickets are now available. Sponsorship opportunities are open. We are accepting speaker proposals.

Be part of the first one.

September 11, 2026. Salt Lake Community College.

Partner with Silicon Slopes, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and amplify your impact across Utah's most dynamic tech ecosystem. Here, tax-deductible giving meets tangible ROI, innovation meets influence, and your brand connects with the builders shaping tomorrow.

Shape the Future of Silicon Slopes!