Columbia’s homegrown venture capital firm, RedbudVC, hosts “Venture Capital for the Rest of Us” at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Arcade District. The event, designed to highlight Columbia’s innovation and growing venture capital ecosystem, takes place in the Arcade District, leading to the kickoff for the 2026 edition of Main Street Summit.
Organizers said the free, public session offers “a clear, jargon-free introduction to venture capital, covering what VC firms do, how they operate, and what it takes to build one in mid-Missouri.” The event is part of the Roots Industry Series and is open to anyone in Columbia and mid-Missouri, and at Main Street Summit, regardless of background or experience.
The event RSVP page is linked here. Attendees will get directions to the event location after registering.
Featured speakers include:
- Sakib Jamal, author of The Young VC Handbook, discussing his experience breaking into and working in venture capital
- Willy Schlacks, cofounder of EquipmentShare and Redbud VC
- Brett Calhoun, Redbud VC, speaking to the experience of building an early-stage fund from Columbia
