Startup Pitching

## 1 Million Cups Loudoun – Business Presentation ### Featuring Mary Hartshorn, Founder of Craft Alchemy **Wednesday\, June 10 \| 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM** **Venture X Loudoun** Join us as we welcome **Mary Hartshorn**, founder of **Craft Alchemy**, to the 1 Million Cups Loudoun stage. *** ## About the Presenter Mary Hartshorn is an Army Veteran, entrepreneur, and founder of Craft Alchemy. With a background in communications and logistics and an MBA earned in 2016, Mary spent years developing expertise in e-commerce, digital products, automation systems, Shopify, Etsy, and customer-focused product development while raising her family and navigating military life. In 2024, a personal moment of crisis inspired Mary to create a tool that could help others facing similar challenges. What began as a resource for veterans quickly evolved into a broader solution designed to support individuals and families navigating autism, mental health challenges, caregiving responsibilities, medical conditions, and other situations where communication can become difficult during times of stress. *** ## About the Business Craft Alchemy has developed the **Anchor Tag Support System**, a personalized QR-based support hub that helps individuals quickly access calming tools, emergency contacts, support resources, and personalized information when they need it most. Designed to bridge the gap between physical and digital support, Anchor Tags provide a practical, accessible tool for Veterans, First Responders, autism families, caregivers, mental health advocates, schools, healthcare providers, and organizations focused on community well-being. Rather than creating another app, Craft Alchemy offers a real-world solution that can be carried, accessed quickly, and utilized during moments when support and communication matter most. *** ## Who Mary Is Looking to Hear From Mary would especially value feedback and connections from: * Veteran support organizations * First responder support groups * Mental health professionals and advocates * Autism and disability support organizations * School administrators and special education professionals * Healthcare and caregiving professionals * Nonprofit leaders * Community outreach specialists * Government contracting and partnership advisors * Local leaders focused on community impact initiatives *** ## Current Business Focus & Challenge Craft Alchemy is currently in its early growth and partnership stage. Mary's primary focus is building awareness, establishing strategic partnerships, and expanding opportunities within organizations and community-based networks. She is seeking feedback around: * Building strategic partnerships * Scaling awareness organically * Expanding into schools, nonprofits, and community organizations * Navigating government and organizational opportunities * Growing a mission-driven business without relying heavily on paid advertising She would also appreciate introductions to individuals and organizations connected to veterans, first responders, mental health advocacy, autism support, caregiving, education, and community health initiatives. *** ## Why Attend? * Learn about an innovative solution designed to support people during moments of stress and crisis * Provide valuable feedback to a mission-driven entrepreneur * Connect with community leaders, advocates, and professionals across multiple industries * Be part of a meaningful conversation around accessibility, support, and community impact *** ## About 1 Million Cups 1 Million Cups is a national program that brings entrepreneurs and communities together to learn, connect, and grow through presentations and discussion. Loudoun’s chapter meets on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays each month. Join us on **June 10** for coffee, connection, and a conversation about creating practical solutions that strengthen individuals, families, and communities. We look forward to seeing you there.

Pitch your idea, get feedback, give feedback, meet with a mentor and most importantly, take action. Come to the meetup with a specific issue you are stuck with. **10:30 am Introductions:** 2-minute pitches tell us who you are? What you're working on? and what you need help with? **11:00 am Problem Solving:** Let's figure out how we can help, and what action you can take today to move forward. **12:00 pm** Open Networking: Keep the discussion going and connect with other attendees. Bring yourself, notebooks, laptops and anything else you need to pitch your idea and get work done. Interested in joining the Studio? [APPLY NOW](https://unstucklabs.com)

Network with an average of 60+ business professionals, all attendees get an opportunity to give a 30 second elevator pitch, enjoy a light breakfast, 10 minute educational presentation on topics that change weekly, and enjoy networking before and after the meet up.

## 1 Million Cups Loudoun – Resource Presentation ### Understanding Loudoun's Commercial Real Estate Landscape: Opportunities for Small Business Growth **Presented by Vanessa Simon, Real Estate Intelligence Manager, Loudoun Economic Development** **Wednesday\, June 24 \| 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM** **Venture X Loudoun** Join us for an engaging and informative conversation with **Vanessa Simon**, Real Estate Intelligence Manager for Loudoun Economic Development, as we explore Loudoun County's evolving commercial real estate landscape and what it means for small businesses looking to grow. *** ## About the Presenter Vanessa Simon serves as the **Real Estate Intelligence Manager** for Loudoun Economic Development, where she tracks land and property data, manages the county's commercial property database, and builds relationships with developers, brokers, and industry stakeholders throughout Loudoun County. Prior to joining Loudoun Economic Development, Vanessa served as the Director of Operations for a regional residential real estate team serving Virginia, Maryland, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia. Her experience includes operations management, contracts, compliance, negotiations, and market analysis. Vanessa holds a bachelor's degree in Biology and Business from Virginia Tech and began her professional career in technical sales before transitioning into real estate and economic development. *** ## About the Session Whether you're considering your first commercial location, expanding your business footprint, evaluating market opportunities, or simply trying to better understand the local business landscape, this session will provide valuable insight into one of the most important factors influencing business growth: commercial real estate. Vanessa will share current market trends, development activity, available commercial space, and economic development initiatives that are shaping the future of Loudoun County. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of how real estate data and economic development resources can support strategic business decisions. *** ## What You'll Learn * Current commercial real estate trends across Loudoun County * Available space and development opportunities * Site selection considerations for growing businesses * Workforce accessibility and location planning * Economic development initiatives supporting business growth * Market insights that can help inform expansion strategies * Resources available through Loudoun Economic Development *** ## Who Should Attend This session is ideal for: * Small business owners * Entrepreneurs considering a physical location * Businesses planning expansion * Retail, restaurant, and service-based businesses * Commercial property owners and investors * Startup founders evaluating growth opportunities * Community and economic development professionals *** ## Why Attend? * Gain practical market intelligence from a county expert * Better understand Loudoun's commercial development landscape * Learn how location decisions impact business growth * Discover resources available to support your business * Ask questions directly to a leader involved in shaping Loudoun's economic future *** ## About 1 Million Cups 1 Million Cups is a national program that brings entrepreneurs and communities together to learn, connect, and grow through presentations and discussion. Loudoun’s chapter meets on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays each month. Join us on **June 24** for coffee, connection, and a valuable conversation about how Loudoun County's commercial real estate market can support your business growth and long-term success. We look forward to seeing you there.

**Welcome to Startup Oasis!** If you are a startup founder, investor, developer, marketer, entrepreneur, or anyone else in the tech ecosystem looking to start, join, or help a tech startup, this event is for you! Startup founders pitch their business to the audience, then they will join their own breakout group to get feedback from the attendees (similar to a hackathon). The official registration page is [here](https://luma.com/8f94woli). Schedule: * 6:00 PM - Doors open for networking * 6:45 - Founders pitch * 7:00 onward - founders break off into break-out groups and attendees can move around and help one for the remainder of the time, similar to a hackathon. Startup Oasis was created to pierce the illusion of accessibility of startups and tech by creating a grassroots forum for early-stage founders to pitch to those in the tech ecosystem to get real-time feedback for their idea or business. Use this [link](https://lnk.bio/startup.oasis) to: * Follow us on LinkedIn * Join our community * Donate to our cause * Visit our website * Sign up for our events newsletter **FAQ:** **Is this event free to attend?** Yes - Startup Oasis will always be free for anyone to attend. If you would like to donate, you can buy a VIP ticket here and it will be appreciated! You can also talk to us about volunteer opportunities. **Am I eligible to pitch?** You must be the founder or on the leadership team of a technology-based startup to be eligible to pitch. You can be early stage (pre-funding, pre-revenue, or pre-MVP) up to series A. Consultants, firms, and agencies cannot pitch their services - please join a breakout to speak with the founders. **What happens after the pitches?** The breakout groups form for the remainder of the event. Each founder gets a breakout room and you can talk with them more there about their business and needs. **Can I take photos or videos?** Yes, please be respectful when doing so. You can tag Startup Oasis on LinkedIn. If you have a video or YouTube show, you are welcome to interview founders and attendees.

We will be meeting at Starbucks to learn together. Come with an online class you're already going through or an interest and we will try to connect you with a course where you can learn it. Already have a skill you want to contribute to a Kaggle Datascience competition? We will work on these too! Laptop required :)