The Best Entry-Level Job Is at Your Local Startup Startup NWA

June 29, 2026

The Best Entry-Level Job Is at Your Local Startup

A few weeks ago I sat down to count the open jobs across the startups…

Josiah Vallone

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We’re Flipping the Venture Conference on Its Head Startup NWA

March 25, 2026

We’re Flipping the Venture Conference on Its Head

  By Serafina Lalany   Venture capital is an industry obsessed with finding better systems.…

Josiah Vallone

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We Reviewed 1,000 Startups. Pre-Seed Has a Problem. Startup NWA

February 25, 2026

We Reviewed 1,000 Startups. Pre-Seed Has a Problem.

By Serafina Lalany We just closed a six-week recruitment cycle for Onward FX. Our team…

Josiah Vallone

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Staying Small in a Mega-Fund World Startup NWA

January 28, 2026

Staying Small in a Mega-Fund World

By Serafina Lalany When I started building venture infrastructure in the American Heartland, it often…

Josiah Vallone

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7 things I’m betting on in Heartland venture in 2026 Startup NWA

January 14, 2026

7 things I’m betting on in Heartland venture in 2026

  By Serafina Lalany Venture is in a new cycle. The easy money is gone,…

Josiah Vallone

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Year One at Onward HQ: What We’ve Learned Startup NWA

November 19, 2025

Year One at Onward HQ: What We’ve Learned

  By Serafina Lalany   One year ago, we opened the doors to Onward HQ…

Josiah Vallone

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Why Not Here? Startup NWA

November 5, 2025

Why Not Here?

  By Serafina Lalany   There are moments when a place feels like it’s tipping…

Josiah Vallone

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How to Turn Northwest Arkansas into a 365-Day Startup Hub Startup NWA

October 22, 2025

How to Turn Northwest Arkansas into a 365-Day Startup Hub

  By Serafina Lalany   Silicon Valley’s Bay Area has an almost mythical startup density,…

Josiah Vallone

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Mega Rounds at Day One: How Top Funds Are Betting in 2025 Startup NWA

September 23, 2025

Mega Rounds at Day One: How Top Funds Are Betting in 2025

By Serafina Lalany   I used to think of early-stage rounds as modest bets: $2 million…

Josiah Vallone

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The World’s Retail Capital Is in Arkansas Startup NWA

September 10, 2025

The World’s Retail Capital Is in Arkansas

  By Serafina Lalany   I’ve spent most of the last decade slinging software. That…

Josiah Vallone

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The Scales Are Tipping Toward the Heartland Startup NWA

August 27, 2025

The Scales Are Tipping Toward the Heartland

By Serafina Lalany   There’s a common myth in venture capital that startup funding is…

Josiah Vallone

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The Quiet Shift in Venture and the Rise of New Capital Startup NWA

July 23, 2025

The Quiet Shift in Venture and the Rise of New Capital

The venture industry has never been static. It reinvents itself every few decades, sometimes in…

Josiah Vallone

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Most Founders Can’t Run an Auction Startup NWA

June 13, 2025

Most Founders Can’t Run an Auction

  By Serafina Lalany   Most founders can't run an auction. But what if the…

Josiah Vallone

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RevTech Ventures Expands to Northwest Arkansas as Onward HQ VC Ambassador Startup NWA

April 29, 2025

RevTech Ventures Expands to Northwest Arkansas as Onward HQ VC Ambassador

Startup NWA is excited to welcome RevTech Ventures, a Dallas-based venture capital firm, to Northwest…

Aron Shelton

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Building Big from Arkansas: Lexamica’s Growth from Connections Startup NWA

April 22, 2025

Building Big from Arkansas: Lexamica’s Growth from Connections

Lexamica, led by Arkansas native Gabriel Stiritz, began building meaningful traction after engaging with the…

Aron Shelton

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Great Startups Can Come from Anywhere–Now the Capital Does Too Startup NWA

March 20, 2025

Great Startups Can Come from Anywhere–Now the Capital Does Too

For too long, founders outside major tech hubs have struggled to break into venture capital…

Aron Shelton

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Eddie Qureshi on Rainfall Health, Fundraising Success, and the Power of Northwest Arkansas’ Startup Ecosystem Startup NWA

November 6, 2024

Eddie Qureshi on Rainfall Health, Fundraising Success, and the Power of Northwest Arkansas’ Startup Ecosystem

Eddie Qureshi’s journey as a founder is a testament to resilience, strategic thinking, and the…

Aron Shelton

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VC Immersions 2024 EventsStartup NWA

October 31, 2024

VC Immersions 2024

Through over 250 one-on-one connections, StartupNWA’s VC Immersions Series has empowered Heartland startups, providing them…

Josiah Vallone

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Justin Urso: Empowering Innovation and Speed with the Venture Studio Model Startup NWA

October 23, 2024

Justin Urso: Empowering Innovation and Speed with the Venture Studio Model

Justin Urso has worn many entrepreneurial hats throughout his career, from co-founding Big Box Karaoke…

Aron Shelton

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Unlocking Customer Discovery: Rajat Paharia on Finding the Perfect Fit for Ask Steve Startup NWA

October 3, 2024

Unlocking Customer Discovery: Rajat Paharia on Finding the Perfect Fit for Ask Steve

Rajat Paharia, founder of Ask Steve, is no stranger to the complex world of startups.…

Aron Shelton

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Onward FX Goes Physical: Here’s Why | Theory House launches TheoryNXT | Walmart announces acquisition of Vibe.co Newsletter

July 1, 2026

Onward FX Goes Physical: Here’s Why | Theory House launches TheoryNXT | Walmart announces acquisition of Vibe.co

We've been getting a lot of questions about where Onward FX is headed next. Onward…

Josiah Vallone

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Start at a startup | $10K Cortado Ventures Pitch Competition | Namida wins 2026 Femtech World Award Newsletter

June 17, 2026

Start at a startup | $10K Cortado Ventures Pitch Competition | Namida wins 2026 Femtech World Award

A few weeks ago I sat down to count the open jobs across the startups…

Josiah Vallone

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Fall FX: Industrial, Energy, Aerospace, Dual Use | Tobe Energy Launches NODE-01 | Startups Hiring in NWA Newsletter

June 4, 2026

Fall FX: Industrial, Energy, Aerospace, Dual Use | Tobe Energy Launches NODE-01 | Startups Hiring in NWA

Roughly half of founder/funder meetings from Spring's Onward FX have moved into active diligence. Data…

Josiah Vallone

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On founders, AI anxiety, and why I’m optimistic | Alchemy launches AI ad testing | Priorly names new key leader Newsletter

May 20, 2026

On founders, AI anxiety, and why I’m optimistic | Alchemy launches AI ad testing | Priorly names new key leader

Being around founders every day resets your baseline for what's possible. Most people spend their…

Josiah Vallone

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Livsn Surpasses $400K on Wefunder| Kwema named to Patient Safety cohort | Little Flock native VC lands on Forbes 30 Under 30 Newsletter

May 6, 2026

Livsn Surpasses $400K on Wefunder| Kwema named to Patient Safety cohort | Little Flock native VC lands on Forbes 30 Under 30

Three years ago, I moved to Bentonville not knowing anyone. I could count the local…

Aron Shelton

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Onward FX is a Wrap | VA launches In-Home VR Initiative | femPAC headed to Walmart shelves Newsletter

April 22, 2026

Onward FX is a Wrap | VA launches In-Home VR Initiative | femPAC headed to Walmart shelves

Onward FX Spring 2026 is a wrap.

Aron Shelton

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Onward FX Keynote Announced | Engine + Nuqleous Merge | NutraRx, Rainfall + Harvest Close Rounds Newsletter

April 8, 2026

Onward FX Keynote Announced | Engine + Nuqleous Merge | NutraRx, Rainfall + Harvest Close Rounds

Something is happening on April 21st that has never happened in Arkansas before.

Aron Shelton

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‘Unscripted’ Investors Live at FX | Huml, LIVSN + Hidalga Win Big | Smudge, Ox, WayPave + Hiring Newsletter

March 11, 2026

‘Unscripted’ Investors Live at FX | Huml, LIVSN + Hidalga Win Big | Smudge, Ox, WayPave + Hiring

Onward FX is six weeks out. This year, we're bringing nearly 60 venture funds to…

Aron Shelton

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What 1,000 Startups Told Us | Cortado’s $10M Fund | Swarm Aero | Incenti, Huml, Ordinal Newsletter

February 25, 2026

What 1,000 Startups Told Us | Cortado’s $10M Fund | Swarm Aero | Incenti, Huml, Ordinal

We just wrapped a six-week recruitment cycle for Onward FX. Our team is reviewing close…

Aron Shelton

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Apply to FX by Feb 23 | What Investors Decide in 10 Minutes | Benton Lane + Gumption Newsletter

February 11, 2026

Apply to FX by Feb 23 | What Investors Decide in 10 Minutes | Benton Lane + Gumption

We've been heads down scouting founders across the country for Onward FX this April, when…

Aron Shelton

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Staying Small in a Mega-Fund World | Join live Q&A with Peter Walker | Humimic + Incenti Wins Newsletter

January 28, 2026

Staying Small in a Mega-Fund World | Join live Q&A with Peter Walker | Humimic + Incenti Wins

Venture, as we’ve known it, is basically over (not to be too dramatic). Just in…

Aron Shelton

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7 Bets Shaping VC in 2026 | Bentonville Draws Investors | 📣 News from Huml Health + Hightag Newsletter

January 14, 2026

7 Bets Shaping VC in 2026 | Bentonville Draws Investors | 📣 News from Huml Health + Hightag

We’re in a regime shift. What gets funded, what gets built, and what gets acquired…

Aron Shelton

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Bentonville draws Flyover, Balerion, RevTech | Acres, Foreko, Altaris ship wins Newsletter

December 3, 2025

Bentonville draws Flyover, Balerion, RevTech | Acres, Foreko, Altaris ship wins

As the year winds down, the calendar fills up and the energy across Northwest Arkansas…

Aron Shelton

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A Year of Onward HQ | Updates from LexMed.ai, Coaxial Collective, and Fr8relay Newsletter

November 19, 2025

A Year of Onward HQ | Updates from LexMed.ai, Coaxial Collective, and Fr8relay

I can't believe it’s been one year since we opened the doors to Onward HQ.

Aron Shelton

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Onward FX Momentum | femPAQ + Causeway updates | gutBFF lands at Onward HQ Newsletter

November 5, 2025

Onward FX Momentum | femPAQ + Causeway updates | gutBFF lands at Onward HQ

Last week, more than 700 people came to Little Rock for Onward FX across two…

Aron Shelton

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NWA Switches On | Onward FX reveals what’s next for the Heartland Newsletter

October 22, 2025

NWA Switches On | Onward FX reveals what’s next for the Heartland

Silicon Valley’s Bay Area has an almost mythical startup density, a self-reinforcing critical mass of…

Aron Shelton

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Software Eats Labor | What 800+ FX Startups Tell us | $4B Lands in Little Rock Newsletter

October 7, 2025

Software Eats Labor | What 800+ FX Startups Tell us | $4B Lands in Little Rock

Capital hasn’t disappeared, but the bar is higher. Round sizes are smaller. Investors are asking…

Aron Shelton

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The Trends Shaping the AI Gold Rush, NWA Founders in Forbes, and $4B headed to Little Rock Newsletter

September 24, 2025

The Trends Shaping the AI Gold Rush, NWA Founders in Forbes, and $4B headed to Little Rock

I pulled every early-stage deal from these five mega funds this year. The data reveals…

Aron Shelton

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Snap CEO in Pea Ridge, Retail Innovation Week ahead, and why Bentonville matters Newsletter

September 10, 2025

Snap CEO in Pea Ridge, Retail Innovation Week ahead, and why Bentonville matters

Bentonville isn’t just Walmart’s hometown. It’s the retail value-chain capital of the world.

Aron Shelton

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Crisp ranked #1 in Arkansas + TariffNinja + AdFury add leadership, opportunities to join the next rocketship Newsletter

August 26, 2025

Crisp ranked #1 in Arkansas + TariffNinja + AdFury add leadership, opportunities to join the next rocketship

Startup news and events you can't miss.

Aron Shelton

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The Power of Local Capital + News from Nuqleous, Waypave, and Kikits + can’t-miss startup events Newsletter

July 23, 2025

The Power of Local Capital + News from Nuqleous, Waypave, and Kikits + can’t-miss startup events

For years, the venture world has followed a familiar pattern—blitzscaling, unicorn hunting, and fund cycles…

Aron Shelton

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What the One Big Beautiful Bill Act means for your startup + can’t-miss events this week Newsletter

July 7, 2025

What the One Big Beautiful Bill Act means for your startup + can’t-miss events this week

It’s not a stimulus. It’s not a grant. It’s a structural shift in how capital…

Aron Shelton

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Startup happy hour tomorrow + what we’ve learned from 500+ VC meetings Newsletter

June 16, 2025

Startup happy hour tomorrow + what we’ve learned from 500+ VC meetings

Upcoming startup & VC events and opportunities in NWA.

Aron Shelton

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Startups. Slingshots. Serious Momentum. Newsletter

April 16, 2025

Startups. Slingshots. Serious Momentum.

Upcoming startup & VC events and opportunities in NWA.

Aron Shelton

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VC trends in the Heartland + 5 can’t-miss startup events Newsletter

February 25, 2025

VC trends in the Heartland + 5 can’t-miss startup events

Venture capital is changing. It’s not just the pace of deals or shifting valuations—those come…

Aron Shelton

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Clutch VC lands in NWA, Early-stage deals pick up, and must-attend events this February Newsletter

February 11, 2025

Clutch VC lands in NWA, Early-stage deals pick up, and must-attend events this February

People tend to judge startup ecosystems by how much capital is raised. But the better…

Aron Shelton

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New Stack Ventures in NWA, Onward HQ opens, and other events you can’t miss this Jan Newsletter

January 3, 2025

New Stack Ventures in NWA, Onward HQ opens, and other events you can’t miss this Jan

2024 was big, but 2025? It’s already shaping up to be bigger. At the heart…

Aron Shelton

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Exciting milestones from Sober Sidekick, Fr8relay, Hightag, and Path Fertility + upcoming startup events this Fall Newsletter

August 23, 2024

Exciting milestones from Sober Sidekick, Fr8relay, Hightag, and Path Fertility + upcoming startup events this Fall

Read all about them inside.

Aron Shelton

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SupplyPike Acquisition, SXSW Applications Open, and Tips from Sober Sidekick’s Successful Capital Raise Newsletter

August 1, 2024

SupplyPike Acquisition, SXSW Applications Open, and Tips from Sober Sidekick’s Successful Capital Raise

...and MBX Demo Day tonight at Record!

Aron Shelton

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Local Angel Investing + Million Dollar Sales and the World’s Largest Startup Event Coming to NWA Newsletter

July 11, 2024

Local Angel Investing + Million Dollar Sales and the World’s Largest Startup Event Coming to NWA

...and check out all the summertime startup events happenings

Aron Shelton

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Hot NWA Updates: Meet Charu Thomas, Upcoming Events & Accelerator News Newsletter

June 27, 2024

Hot NWA Updates: Meet Charu Thomas, Upcoming Events & Accelerator News

Check out all the summertime startup events happenings.

Aron Shelton

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An inside look at Namrata Singhal’s founder journey from Wall Street to Consumer AI Newsletter

June 6, 2024

An inside look at Namrata Singhal’s founder journey from Wall Street to Consumer AI

Plus, read the latest news from Dickson & Main, Startup Junkie, and FemPaq

Aron Shelton

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NWA’s New Startup Playground + MidCon Summit Recap + When Chance Meetings = Major Customers Wins Newsletter

May 22, 2024

NWA’s New Startup Playground + MidCon Summit Recap + When Chance Meetings = Major Customers Wins

Plus, read the latest news from LIVSN, Ox, and Bastazo

Aron Shelton

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Final Call: Register for 1:1 Startup, VC & LP Meetings + April Roy’s Tips on Raising Capital from Alternative Sources & Retaining Ownership Newsletter

May 7, 2024

Final Call: Register for 1:1 Startup, VC & LP Meetings + April Roy’s Tips on Raising Capital from Alternative Sources & Retaining Ownership

....and more news from Hightag, Xtremis AI, and Propika

Aron Shelton

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Tyson’s Demo Day, Investor Speed Dating, and Hustle Fund’s $0.02 on Fundraising Newsletter

April 17, 2024

Tyson’s Demo Day, Investor Speed Dating, and Hustle Fund’s $0.02 on Fundraising

Welcome to the first edition of the StartupNWA Release Notes, dispatched from the heart of…

Aron Shelton

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