Capital hasn't gotten harder to find in Missouri. Getting ready for it has.
AI Skills sessions.
Built for your small business.
Your path to equity-capital readiness. Powered by Traction Studio AI.
Your path to equity-capital readiness. Powered by Traction Studio AI.
Aug 2026 – Jul 2027 | Virtual | At no cost to you
Aug 2026 – Jul 2027 | Virtual | At no cost to you
These workshops are brought to you by Codefi through the Show Me Network.
These workshops are brought to you by Codefi through the Show Me Network.
This project is supported, in whole or in part, by federal award number SSBCI-21031-0104 awarded to the State of Missouri by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
This project is supported, in whole or in part, by federal award number SSBCI-21031-0104 awarded to the State of Missouri by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
SESSION 1 of 36
Start It Right: Formation & Governance
Start It Right: Formation & Governance
Wed, Aug 26
SESSION 2 of 36
Fund It Legally: SAFEs & Term Sheets
Fund It Legally: SAFEs & Term Sheets
Thur, Aug 27
SESSION 3 of 36
Synthesize the Signal: Business Model
Synthesize the Signal: Business Model
Wed, Sep 2
SESSION 4 of 36
Should You Even
Raise?
Should You Even
Raise?
Wed, Sep 16
SESSION 5 of 36
Books That Don't Scare Investors
Books That Don't Scare Investors
Wed, Sep 23
SESSION 6 of 36
Investor-Ready: Use of Funds & the Deck
Investor-Ready: Use of Funds & the Deck
Should You Even Raise?
Wed, Sep 30
SESSION 7 of 36
The Financial Model Investors Expect
The Financial Model Investors Expect
Wed, Oct 7
SESSION 8 of 36
Pitch Ready:
Story + Q&A
Pitch Ready:
Story + Q&A
Wed, Oct 14
Timed to the Funding Calendar
Show-Me Founders runs on Missouri's startup funding calendar — Missouri Technology Corporation grants backed by federal Treasury funding. Sessions and deadlines match those cycles, so you leave with a submission-ready application, not just theory.
Powered by Traction Studio AI
Every session connects back to Traction Studio AI, Codefi's AI-native founder platform. Its BUILD-tier tools turn what you learn into real, usable deliverables between sessions — so you show up to each MTC cycle with something built, not just planned.
Timed to the Funding Calendar
Show-Me Founders runs on Missouri's startup funding calendar — Missouri Technology Corporation grants backed by federal Treasury funding. Sessions and deadlines match those cycles, so you leave with a submission-ready application, not just theory.
Powered by Traction Studio AI
Every session connects back to Traction Studio AI, Codefi's AI-native founder platform. Its BUILD-tier tools turn what you learn into real, usable deliverables between sessions — so you show up to each MTC cycle with something built, not just planned.
Timed to the Funding Calendar
Show-Me Founders runs on Missouri's startup funding calendar — Missouri Technology Corporation grants backed by federal Treasury funding. Sessions and deadlines match those cycles, so you leave with a submission-ready application, not just theory.
Powered by Traction Studio AI
Every session connects back to Traction Studio AI, Codefi's AI-native founder platform. Its BUILD-tier tools turn what you learn into real, usable deliverables between sessions — so you show up to each MTC cycle with something built, not just planned.
Register now
Each session stands alone.
The series keeps going.
Register for what's open now. New sessions open every month through July 2027 — each one built to leave you with something you can use before your next work day.
Session 1 of 36
Start It Right: Ins and Outs of Early Stage Fundraising
Entity Selection, Formation & Governance | Paperwork, Done Right the First Time
📅 Wed, Aug 26, 2026 · 12 PM
💻 Hybrid — efactory, Springfield, MO
"LLC or C-corp? Most founders guess. Thompson Hine doesn't."
WHO IT'S FOR
Founders who haven't formed an entity yet, or want Thompson Hine's venture attorneys to confirm the one they picked. Delivered live at launch; opens a path to 1:1 legal support.
No experience required · No cost to you - Sponsored access · Registration required
The Problem
The choices you make setting up your company are cheap to get right now — and expensive to fix later, once an investor or grantor is asking why they weren't made correctly.
The Session
Thompson Hine's venture lawyers walk the LLC-vs-C-corp decision live, plus the formation checklist and governance basics investors expect to see on day one.
What You Leave With
• A clear entity decision (LLC vs C-corp) for your path
• A formation checklist
• The governance basics investors expect
Session 2 of 36
Fund It Legally: Tackling Termsheets
SAFEs, Term Sheets, Cap Tables & Shareholder Rights | Decode the Fine Print Before You Sign
📅 Thu, Aug 27, 2026 · 12 PM
🖥 Hybrid — efactory, Springfield, MO
"A SAFE isn't a loan. A term sheet isn't final. Know the difference before someone hands you one."
WHO IT'S FOR
Founders planning to raise in the next 6–12 months. Delivered live at launch by Thompson Hine's venture attorneys; pairs with the Ready
No experience required · No cost to you - Sponsored access · Registration required
The Problem
The fastest way to regret a raise is to sign something you didn't fully understand — and most founders sign their first SAFE or term sheet from hope, not knowledge.
The Session
Thompson Hine breaks down SAFEs vs. priced rounds, how to actually read a term sheet, and the cap-table red flags that should stop you before you sign.
What You Leave With
• A working grasp of SAFE vs. priced rounds
• How to read a term sheet
• Cap-table basics and red flags
Session 3 of 36
Synthesize the Signal: Architect Your Business Model on One Page
Your Whole Business, One Page
📅 Wed, Sep 2, 2026 · 12:00–1:00 PM
🖥 Virtual
"If you can't map your business on one page, you don't have a business model — you have a hunch."
WHO IT'S FOR
First-time and early-stage founders with a raw idea — no business background required.
No experience required · No cost to you - Sponsored access · Registration required
The Problem
Most founders carry their business model in their head, where the gaps stay hidden — until money's already been spent finding them the hard way.
The Session
In one working session, turn your idea into a structured, editable one-page business model — the signal, distilled — so you can see the whole picture and find the gaps before you build around them.
What You Leave With
• A completed one-page business model
• Your riskiest assumptions, surfaced
• A clear next step to test them
Session 4 of 36
Should You Even Raise? Capital Basics & the Missouri Funding Landscape
Raise, Bootstrap, or Wait
📅 Wed, Sep 16, 2026 · 5:30–6:30 PM
🖥 Virtual
"Not every business should raise money. Some shouldn't raise yet. Figure out which one you are first."
WHO IT'S FOR
Founders considering a raise who haven't yet decided if it's the right move. Opens the Ready to Raise series; feeds the Nov 4 MTC cycle.
No experience required · No cost to you - Sponsored access · Registration required
The Problem
Raising capital isn't a milestone — it's a choice with real consequences, and in the AI era, lean teams often need far less capital than they assume.
The Session
We'll build a bootstrap-vs-raise decision framework, then map Missouri's funding landscape — MTC TechLaunch, Seed, and VC included — so you know your likely-fit path before you pitch anyone.
What You Leave With
• A bootstrap-vs-raise decision framework
• A map of Missouri funding incl. MTC TechLaunch/Seed/VC
• Your likely-fit path
Session 5 of 36
Books That Don't Scare Investors: Bookkeeping, Statements & Software Setup
Numbers an Investor Can Trust
📅 Wed, Sep 23, 2026 · 12:00–1:00 PM
🖥 Virtual
"Messy books don't just slow you down — they make investors nervous before you've said a word."
WHO IT'S FOR
Founders handling their own books, or about to. Opens the Numbers That Hold Up series, delivered by our accounting partner; opens 1:1 accounting support.
No experience required · No cost to you - Sponsored access · Registration required
The Problem
Messy books cost founders deals, loans, and sleep — and most don't find out how messy until an investor or lender asks to see them.
The Session
Set up your chart of accounts, demystify the three core financial statements, and choose the right software for your stage — so your numbers hold up under scrutiny from day one.
What You Leave With
• A chart of accounts and bookkeeping setup
• The three statements demystifie
• The right software for your stage
Session 6 of 36
Investor-Ready: Financial Foundation, Use of Funds & the Deck
The Deck Investors Actually Read
📅 Wed, Sep 30, 2026 · 5:30–6:30 PM
🖥 Virtual
"Investors don't fund ideas. They fund a use-of-funds line they believe in."
WHO IT'S FOR
Founders actively preparing to raise. Part of the Ready to Raise series.
No experience required · No cost to you - Sponsored access · Registration required
The Problem
Investor-ready” isn't a vibe — it's a specific package, and most founders show up missing the slide investors most want to see: why they're defensible in an AI world.
The Session
Build your use-of-funds and 18-month forecast, draft your investor deck, and put your AI moat on the page instead of leaving it implied.
What You Leave With
• A use-of-funds and 18-month forecast
• A first-draft investor deck
• An articulated AI moat
Session 7 of 36
The Financial Model Investors Expect (+ AI Economics)
Model the Business, Not Just the Spreadsheet
📅 Wed, Oct 7, 2026 · 12:00–1:00 PM
🖥 Virtual
"Seats don't tell the whole story anymore. Neither does a model that ignores what AI actually costs you."
WHO IT'S FOR
Founders building or revising their financial model ahead of a raise. Part of Numbers That Hold Up; pairs with Ready to Raise.
No experience required · No cost to you - Sponsored access · Registration required
The Problem
A forecast built on hope gets found out in the first diligence call — especially now that usage-based revenue and compute costs don't fit the old modeling playbook.
The Session
Build the driver-based 18-month forecast investors expect, modeling usage and outcome revenue alongside compute costs — not just seats — and tie your use-of-funds to real milestones.
What You Leave With
• A driver-based 18-month forecast
• A use-of-funds tied to milestones
• AI-era revenue and cost modeling
Session 8 of 36
Pitch Ready: Nail the Story and the Q&A
Rehearse Before the Room Does
📅 Wed, Oct 14, 2026 · 5:30–6:30 PM
🖥 Virtual
"The pitch isn't where founders lose the room. The Q&A is."
WHO IT'S FOR
Founders with a deck already built who need to tighten the story and prep for the hard questions. Part of the Ready to Raise series.
No experience required · No cost to you - Sponsored access · Registration required
The Problem
The deck gets you the meeting — the room is won on story and Q&A, and most founders over-prepare the deck while under-preparing for “what stops an incumbent or a foundation model from doing this?”
The Session
Tighten your 10-minute narrative, build a Q&A battle sheet for the questions that break most founders — AI-defensibility included — and run it live for recorded, reviewed feedback.
What You Leave With
• A tightened pitch narrative
• A Q&A battle sheet incl. AI-defensibility
• A recorded, feedback-reviewed run
We are adding the events here as they get closer.
If You're registered for one, you'll get notified for all of the events.
This project is supported, in whole or in part, by federal award number SSBCI-21031-0104 awarded to the State of Missouri by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
Register now
Each session stands alone.
The series keeps going.
Register for what's open now. New sessions open every month through July 2027 — each one built to leave you with something you can use before your next work day.
Session 1 of 36
Start It Right: Ins and Outs of Early Stage Fundraising
Entity Selection, Formation & Governance | Paperwork, Done Right the First Time
📅 Wed, Aug 26, 2026 · 12 PM
💻 Hybrid — efactory, Springfield, MO
"LLC or C-corp? Most founders guess. Thompson Hine doesn't."
WHO IT'S FOR
Founders who haven't formed an entity yet, or want Thompson Hine's venture attorneys to confirm the one they picked. Delivered live at launch; opens a path to 1:1 legal support.
No experience required · No cost to you - Sponsored access · Registration required
The Problem
The choices you make setting up your company are cheap to get right now — and expensive to fix later, once an investor or grantor is asking why they weren't made correctly.
The Session
Thompson Hine's venture lawyers walk the LLC-vs-C-corp decision live, plus the formation checklist and governance basics investors expect to see on day one.
What You Leave With
• A clear entity decision (LLC vs C-corp) for your path
• A formation checklist
• The governance basics investors expect
Session 2 of 36
Fund It Legally: Tackling Termsheets
SAFEs, Term Sheets, Cap Tables & Shareholder Rights | Decode the Fine Print Before You Sign
📅 Thu, Aug 27, 2026 · 12 PM
🖥 Hybrid — efactory, Springfield, MO
"A SAFE isn't a loan. A term sheet isn't final. Know the difference before someone hands you one."
WHO IT'S FOR
Founders planning to raise in the next 6–12 months. Delivered live at launch by Thompson Hine's venture attorneys; pairs with the Ready
No experience required · No cost to you - Sponsored access · Registration required
The Problem
The fastest way to regret a raise is to sign something you didn't fully understand — and most founders sign their first SAFE or term sheet from hope, not knowledge.
The Session
Thompson Hine breaks down SAFEs vs. priced rounds, how to actually read a term sheet, and the cap-table red flags that should stop you before you sign.
What You Leave With
• A working grasp of SAFE vs. priced rounds
• How to read a term sheet
• Cap-table basics and red flags
Session 3 of 36
Synthesize the Signal: Architect Your Business Model on One Page
Your Whole Business, One Page
📅 Wed, Sep 2, 2026 · 12:00–1:00 PM
🖥 Virtual
"If you can't map your business on one page, you don't have a business model — you have a hunch."
WHO IT'S FOR
First-time and early-stage founders with a raw idea — no business background required.
No experience required · No cost to you - Sponsored access · Registration required
The Problem
Most founders carry their business model in their head, where the gaps stay hidden — until money's already been spent finding them the hard way.
The Session
In one working session, turn your idea into a structured, editable one-page business model — the signal, distilled — so you can see the whole picture and find the gaps before you build around them.
What You Leave With
• A completed one-page business model
• Your riskiest assumptions, surfaced
• A clear next step to test them
Session 4 of 36
Should You Even Raise? Capital Basics & the Missouri Funding Landscape
Raise, Bootstrap, or Wait
📅 Wed, Sep 16, 2026 · 5:30–6:30 PM
🖥 Virtual
"Not every business should raise money. Some shouldn't raise yet. Figure out which one you are first."
WHO IT'S FOR
Founders considering a raise who haven't yet decided if it's the right move. Opens the Ready to Raise series; feeds the Nov 4 MTC cycle.
No experience required · No cost to you - Sponsored access · Registration required
The Problem
Raising capital isn't a milestone — it's a choice with real consequences, and in the AI era, lean teams often need far less capital than they assume.
The Session
We'll build a bootstrap-vs-raise decision framework, then map Missouri's funding landscape — MTC TechLaunch, Seed, and VC included — so you know your likely-fit path before you pitch anyone.
What You Leave With
• A bootstrap-vs-raise decision framework
• A map of Missouri funding incl. MTC TechLaunch/Seed/VC
• Your likely-fit path
Session 5 of 36
Books That Don't Scare Investors: Bookkeeping, Statements & Software Setup
Numbers an Investor Can Trust
📅 Wed, Sep 23, 2026 · 12:00–1:00 PM
🖥 Virtual
"Messy books don't just slow you down — they make investors nervous before you've said a word."
WHO IT'S FOR
Founders handling their own books, or about to. Opens the Numbers That Hold Up series, delivered by our accounting partner; opens 1:1 accounting support.
No experience required · No cost to you - Sponsored access · Registration required
The Problem
Messy books cost founders deals, loans, and sleep — and most don't find out how messy until an investor or lender asks to see them.
The Session
Set up your chart of accounts, demystify the three core financial statements, and choose the right software for your stage — so your numbers hold up under scrutiny from day one.
What You Leave With
• A chart of accounts and bookkeeping setup
• The three statements demystifie
• The right software for your stage
Session 6 of 36
Investor-Ready: Financial Foundation, Use of Funds & the Deck
The Deck Investors Actually Read
📅 Wed, Sep 30, 2026 · 5:30–6:30 PM
🖥 Virtual
"Investors don't fund ideas. They fund a use-of-funds line they believe in."
WHO IT'S FOR
Founders actively preparing to raise. Part of the Ready to Raise series.
No experience required · No cost to you - Sponsored access · Registration required
The Problem
Investor-ready” isn't a vibe — it's a specific package, and most founders show up missing the slide investors most want to see: why they're defensible in an AI world.
The Session
Build your use-of-funds and 18-month forecast, draft your investor deck, and put your AI moat on the page instead of leaving it implied.
What You Leave With
• A use-of-funds and 18-month forecast
• A first-draft investor deck
• An articulated AI moat
Session 7 of 36
The Financial Model Investors Expect (+ AI Economics)
Model the Business, Not Just the Spreadsheet
📅 Wed, Oct 7, 2026 · 12:00–1:00 PM
🖥 Virtual
"Seats don't tell the whole story anymore. Neither does a model that ignores what AI actually costs you."
WHO IT'S FOR
Founders building or revising their financial model ahead of a raise. Part of Numbers That Hold Up; pairs with Ready to Raise.
No experience required · No cost to you - Sponsored access · Registration required
The Problem
A forecast built on hope gets found out in the first diligence call — especially now that usage-based revenue and compute costs don't fit the old modeling playbook.
The Session
Build the driver-based 18-month forecast investors expect, modeling usage and outcome revenue alongside compute costs — not just seats — and tie your use-of-funds to real milestones.
What You Leave With
• A driver-based 18-month forecast
• A use-of-funds tied to milestones
• AI-era revenue and cost modeling
Session 8 of 36
Pitch Ready: Nail the Story and the Q&A
Rehearse Before the Room Does
📅 Wed, Oct 14, 2026 · 5:30–6:30 PM
🖥 Virtual
"The pitch isn't where founders lose the room. The Q&A is."
WHO IT'S FOR
Founders with a deck already built who need to tighten the story and prep for the hard questions. Part of the Ready to Raise series.
No experience required · No cost to you - Sponsored access · Registration required
The Problem
The deck gets you the meeting — the room is won on story and Q&A, and most founders over-prepare the deck while under-preparing for “what stops an incumbent or a foundation model from doing this?”
The Session
Tighten your 10-minute narrative, build a Q&A battle sheet for the questions that break most founders — AI-defensibility included — and run it live for recorded, reviewed feedback.
What You Leave With
• A tightened pitch narrative
• A Q&A battle sheet incl. AI-defensibility
• A recorded, feedback-reviewed run
We are adding the events here as they get closer.
If You're registered for one, you'll get notified for all of the events.
This project is supported, in whole or in part, by federal award number SSBCI-21031-0104 awarded to the State of Missouri by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
Register now
Each session stands alone.
The series keeps going.
Register for what's open now. New sessions open every month through July 2027 — each one built to leave you with something you can use before your next work day.
Session 1 of 36
Start It Right: Ins and Outs of Early Stage Fundraising
Entity Selection, Formation & Governance | Paperwork, Done Right the First Time
📅 Wed, Aug 26, 2026 · 12 PM
💻 Hybrid — efactory, Springfield, MO
"LLC or C-corp? Most founders guess. Thompson Hine doesn't."
WHO IT'S FOR
Founders who haven't formed an entity yet, or want Thompson Hine's venture attorneys to confirm the one they picked. Delivered live at launch; opens a path to 1:1 legal support.
No experience required · No cost to you - Sponsored access · Registration required
The Problem
The choices you make setting up your company are cheap to get right now — and expensive to fix later, once an investor or grantor is asking why they weren't made correctly.
The Session
Thompson Hine's venture lawyers walk the LLC-vs-C-corp decision live, plus the formation checklist and governance basics investors expect to see on day one.
What You Leave With
• A clear entity decision (LLC vs C-corp) for your path
• A formation checklist
• The governance basics investors expect
Session 2 of 36
Fund It Legally: Tackling Termsheets
SAFEs, Term Sheets, Cap Tables & Shareholder Rights | Decode the Fine Print Before You Sign
📅 Thu, Aug 27, 2026 · 12 PM
🖥 Hybrid — efactory, Springfield, MO
"A SAFE isn't a loan. A term sheet isn't final. Know the difference before someone hands you one."
WHO IT'S FOR
Founders planning to raise in the next 6–12 months. Delivered live at launch by Thompson Hine's venture attorneys; pairs with the Ready
No experience required · No cost to you - Sponsored access · Registration required
The Problem
The fastest way to regret a raise is to sign something you didn't fully understand — and most founders sign their first SAFE or term sheet from hope, not knowledge.
The Session
Thompson Hine breaks down SAFEs vs. priced rounds, how to actually read a term sheet, and the cap-table red flags that should stop you before you sign.
What You Leave With
• A working grasp of SAFE vs. priced rounds
• How to read a term sheet
• Cap-table basics and red flags
Session 3 of 36
Synthesize the Signal: Architect Your Business Model on One Page
Your Whole Business, One Page
📅 Wed, Sep 2, 2026 · 12:00–1:00 PM
🖥 Virtual
"If you can't map your business on one page, you don't have a business model — you have a hunch."
WHO IT'S FOR
First-time and early-stage founders with a raw idea — no business background required.
No experience required · No cost to you - Sponsored access · Registration required
The Problem
Most founders carry their business model in their head, where the gaps stay hidden — until money's already been spent finding them the hard way.
The Session
In one working session, turn your idea into a structured, editable one-page business model — the signal, distilled — so you can see the whole picture and find the gaps before you build around them.
What You Leave With
• A completed one-page business model
• Your riskiest assumptions, surfaced
• A clear next step to test them
Session 4 of 36
Should You Even Raise? Capital Basics & the Missouri Funding Landscape
Raise, Bootstrap, or Wait
📅 Wed, Sep 16, 2026 · 5:30–6:30 PM
🖥 Virtual
"Not every business should raise money. Some shouldn't raise yet. Figure out which one you are first."
WHO IT'S FOR
Founders considering a raise who haven't yet decided if it's the right move. Opens the Ready to Raise series; feeds the Nov 4 MTC cycle.
No experience required · No cost to you - Sponsored access · Registration required
The Problem
Raising capital isn't a milestone — it's a choice with real consequences, and in the AI era, lean teams often need far less capital than they assume.
The Session
We'll build a bootstrap-vs-raise decision framework, then map Missouri's funding landscape — MTC TechLaunch, Seed, and VC included — so you know your likely-fit path before you pitch anyone.
What You Leave With
• A bootstrap-vs-raise decision framework
• A map of Missouri funding incl. MTC TechLaunch/Seed/VC
• Your likely-fit path
Session 5 of 36
Books That Don't Scare Investors: Bookkeeping, Statements & Software Setup
Numbers an Investor Can Trust
📅 Wed, Sep 23, 2026 · 12:00–1:00 PM
🖥 Virtual
"Messy books don't just slow you down — they make investors nervous before you've said a word."
WHO IT'S FOR
Founders handling their own books, or about to. Opens the Numbers That Hold Up series, delivered by our accounting partner; opens 1:1 accounting support.
No experience required · No cost to you - Sponsored access · Registration required
The Problem
Messy books cost founders deals, loans, and sleep — and most don't find out how messy until an investor or lender asks to see them.
The Session
Set up your chart of accounts, demystify the three core financial statements, and choose the right software for your stage — so your numbers hold up under scrutiny from day one.
What You Leave With
• A chart of accounts and bookkeeping setup
• The three statements demystifie
• The right software for your stage
Session 6 of 36
Investor-Ready: Financial Foundation, Use of Funds & the Deck
The Deck Investors Actually Read
📅 Wed, Sep 30, 2026 · 5:30–6:30 PM
🖥 Virtual
"Investors don't fund ideas. They fund a use-of-funds line they believe in."
WHO IT'S FOR
Founders actively preparing to raise. Part of the Ready to Raise series.
No experience required · No cost to you - Sponsored access · Registration required
The Problem
Investor-ready” isn't a vibe — it's a specific package, and most founders show up missing the slide investors most want to see: why they're defensible in an AI world.
The Session
Build your use-of-funds and 18-month forecast, draft your investor deck, and put your AI moat on the page instead of leaving it implied.
What You Leave With
• A use-of-funds and 18-month forecast
• A first-draft investor deck
• An articulated AI moat
Session 7 of 36
The Financial Model Investors Expect (+ AI Economics)
Model the Business, Not Just the Spreadsheet
📅 Wed, Oct 7, 2026 · 12:00–1:00 PM
🖥 Virtual
"Seats don't tell the whole story anymore. Neither does a model that ignores what AI actually costs you."
WHO IT'S FOR
Founders building or revising their financial model ahead of a raise. Part of Numbers That Hold Up; pairs with Ready to Raise.
No experience required · No cost to you - Sponsored access · Registration required
The Problem
A forecast built on hope gets found out in the first diligence call — especially now that usage-based revenue and compute costs don't fit the old modeling playbook.
The Session
Build the driver-based 18-month forecast investors expect, modeling usage and outcome revenue alongside compute costs — not just seats — and tie your use-of-funds to real milestones.
What You Leave With
• A driver-based 18-month forecast
• A use-of-funds tied to milestones
• AI-era revenue and cost modeling
Session 8 of 36
Pitch Ready: Nail the Story and the Q&A
Rehearse Before the Room Does
📅 Wed, Oct 14, 2026 · 5:30–6:30 PM
🖥 Virtual
"The pitch isn't where founders lose the room. The Q&A is."
WHO IT'S FOR
Founders with a deck already built who need to tighten the story and prep for the hard questions. Part of the Ready to Raise series.
No experience required · No cost to you - Sponsored access · Registration required
The Problem
The deck gets you the meeting — the room is won on story and Q&A, and most founders over-prepare the deck while under-preparing for “what stops an incumbent or a foundation model from doing this?”
The Session
Tighten your 10-minute narrative, build a Q&A battle sheet for the questions that break most founders — AI-defensibility included — and run it live for recorded, reviewed feedback.
What You Leave With
• A tightened pitch narrative
• A Q&A battle sheet incl. AI-defensibility
• A recorded, feedback-reviewed run
We are adding the events here as they get closer.
If You're registered for one, you'll get notified for all of the events.
This project is supported, in whole or in part, by federal award number SSBCI-21031-0104 awarded to the State of Missouri by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
Built by Codefi Foundation
A Decade of Direct Startup Support in Missouri
1000+
Tech & AI Learners Trained
Exclusive
Sponsorships for Missouri Residents
$100M+
Total economic impact in southern Missouri
"Codefi's programs allowed me to grow my knowledge and take what was a loose idea and convert that into a working product. Prior to the course I used LLMs like a search engine. Now I can create tools and develop ideas that I thought I would never be able to."
Christopher W
"I had ZERO previous experience. It completely changed how I approach AI. I now think in terms of systems, workflows, and real user problems instead of just ideas. I'm more confident at turning creative ideas into structured products."
Jorge H
Built by Codefi Foundation
Graduates Started Exactly
Where You Are.
1000+
Tech & AI Learners
Trained
Exclusive
Sponsorships for Missouri Residents
$100M+
Economic impact in southern Missouri
"Codefi's programs allowed me to grow my knowledge and take what was a loose idea and convert that into a working product. Prior to the course I used LLMs like a search engine. Now I can create tools and develop ideas that I thought I would never be able to."
Christopher W
"I had ZERO previous experience. It completely changed how I approach AI. I now think in terms of systems, workflows, and real user problems instead of just ideas. I'm more confident at turning creative ideas into structured products."
Jorge H
Built by Codefi Foundation
A Decade of Direct Startup Support in Missouri
1000+
Tech & AI Learners Trained
Exclusive
Sponsorships for Missouri Residents
$100M+
Total economic impact in southern Missouri
"Codefi's programs allowed me to grow my knowledge and take what was a loose idea and convert that into a working product. Prior to the course I used LLMs like a search engine. Now I can create tools and develop ideas that I thought I would never be able to."
Jorge Holguin — Prompt to Product Graduate, Feb 2026
"I had ZERO previous experience. It completely changed how I approach AI. I now think in terms of systems, workflows, and real user problems instead of just ideas. I'm more confident at turning creative ideas into structured products."
Christopher Winters — Prompt to Product Graduate, Feb 2026
ALSO HANDLED
The unglamorous stuff that sinks startups.
The journey above is the spine. Around it, we help with the back-office work founders dread — so it never becomes the reason you stall.
Legal formation
Entity setup, registration, filings, and the documents you need to raise.
Accounting & finance
Bookkeeping systems, financial management, and the SOPs to keep it clean.
Capital & grant applications
Help applying to Missouri Technology Corporation and other capital programs.
ALSO HANDLED
Every founder is somewhere on this path. Find where you are.
The journey above is the spine. Around it, we help with the back-office work founders dread — so it never becomes the reason you stall.
Legal formation
Entity setup, registration, filings, and the documents you need to raise.
Accounting & finance
Bookkeeping systems, financial management, and the SOPs to keep it clean.
Capital & grant applications
Help applying to Missouri Technology Corporation and other capital programs.
ALSO HANDLED
The unglamorous stuff that sinks startups.
The journey above is the spine. Around it, we help with the back-office work founders dread — so it never becomes the reason you stall.
Legal formation
Entity setup, registration, filings, and the documents you need to raise.
Accounting & finance
Bookkeeping systems, financial management, and the SOPs to keep it clean.
Capital & grant applications
Help applying to Missouri Technology Corporation and other capital programs.
Frequently
Asked Questions
Here's everything you need to know before getting started.
01
Do I need to register for each event separately?
No — Registering for one gets you in to all four. Registration confirms your spot and delivers your join link.
02
Do I need any prior experience or equipment?
No prior experience required for any of the three sessions. You'll need a laptop and a reliable internet connection.
03
What actually happens during the hour — is it hands-on?
Yes. Each session runs live demos, shows you real AI tools in action, and ends with time for questions. You'll leave with prompts, tools, or frameworks you can use the same day — not slides to read later. The goal is for you to actually do something before the session ends.
04
What is Show Me Network?
The Show-Me Network, powered by Missouri State University’s efactory and codefi, connects entrepreneurs, innovators, and small businesses with the resources, training, and funding they need – right in their own communities. Through our statewide network of Regional and Community Connectors and Training Partners, we’re breaking down barriers, building stronger local economies, and creating opportunities that last.
Frequently
Asked Questions
Here's everything you need to know before getting started.
01
Do I need to register for each event separately?
No — Registering for one gets you in to all four. Registration confirms your spot and delivers your join link.
02
Do I need any prior experience or equipment?
No prior experience required for any of the three sessions. You'll need a laptop and a reliable internet connection.
03
What actually happens during the hour — is it hands-on?
Yes. Each session runs live demos, shows you real AI tools in action, and ends with time for questions. You'll leave with prompts, tools, or frameworks you can use the same day — not slides to read later. The goal is for you to actually do something before the session ends.
04
What is Show Me Network?
The Show-Me Network, powered by Missouri State University’s efactory and codefi, connects entrepreneurs, innovators, and small businesses with the resources, training, and funding they need – right in their own communities. Through our statewide network of Regional and Community Connectors and Training Partners, we’re breaking down barriers, building stronger local economies, and creating opportunities that last.
Frequently
Asked Questions
Here's everything you need to know before getting started.
01
Do I need to register for each event separately?
No — Registering for one gets you in to all four. Registration confirms your spot and delivers your join link.
02
Do I need any prior experience or equipment?
No prior experience required for any of the three sessions. You'll need a laptop and a reliable internet connection.
03
What actually happens during the hour — is it hands-on?
Yes. Each session runs live demos, shows you real AI tools in action, and ends with time for questions. You'll leave with prompts, tools, or frameworks you can use the same day — not slides to read later. The goal is for you to actually do something before the session ends.
04
What is Show Me Network?
The Show-Me Network, powered by Missouri State University’s efactory and codefi, connects entrepreneurs, innovators, and small businesses with the resources, training, and funding they need – right in their own communities. Through our statewide network of Regional and Community Connectors and Training Partners, we’re breaking down barriers, building stronger local economies, and creating opportunities that last.
Four sessions. All at no cost to you. Register now before spots fill.
54 Hours to Change the Trajectory of Your Idea. Start Here.
These sessions are the most direct path to AI skills available to Missouri small business owners right now — sponsored by Codefi Foundation, designed to produce something real, not just awareness.