2026 Ready, Set, Startup!

VentureLab |

April 23, 2026

VentureLab's Ready, Set, Startup! 2026 Retro Rewind Presented by West Chelsea Contemporary

VentureLab’s 2026 Ready Set Startup! Gala & After-Party

Presented by West Chelsea Contemporary

Saturday, November 7, 2026

The Mansion

Enjoy dinner and drinks, live and silent auctions, a fun pitch game, and an after-party.

In celebration of Ready, Set, Startup!’s fifth anniversary, this year’s event will take guests on a journey from the past to the future. From retro-themed parlors to a futuristic main dining experience, The Mansion will transform into an immersive celebration of where VentureLab has been and where the next generation will take it.

Join Austin’s startup community for a high-energy night benefiting VentureLab and expanding access to entrepreneurship education for historically marginalized youth.

Presented by West Chelsea Contemporary, come ready to connect, collaborate, celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit, and help create more opportunities for the next generation of creators and leaders.

Cocktail attire is recommended.
Dress for the journey, whether that means Speakeasy chic, Disco glam, or your boldest futuristic look.

ABOUT VENTURELAB

At VentureLab, we’re closing the opportunity gap for future creators and leaders by building students’ confidence, creativity, and growth mindset, especially for girls and historically marginalized youth.

Your support funds scholarships and makes entrepreneurial learning possible in schools and community-based organizations. We train and coach educators, provide curriculum and resources, and connect students to mentors and materials, even when those supports are not otherwise available.

Help us bring VentureLab to more under-resourced communities and change the face of entrepreneurship!

For full details visit: https://app.betterunite.com/venturelab-2026readysetstartup

Tickets & Sponsorships

Thank you to our 2026 Ready, Set, Startup! Sponsors

Interested in sponsoring or volunteering?
Email monica@venturelab.org

2025 Highlights

  • Photos people at Ready Set Startup!
  • RSS 2025 Kids Team
  • a group of children standing on a stage
  • a group of people attending a dinner event or conference.
  • an auction or bidding event, likely a charity gala or fundraising dinner.
  • RSS Dinner
  • RSS Dinner
  • RSS Dinner
  • RSS Dinner
  • RSS Dinner
  • four individuals posing together at an evening event.
  • a social gathering with people talking.
  • two individuals smiling together at an event.
  • a group of people smiling together at an event.
  • a group of five individuals smiling together at an event.
  • a setup for a silent auction at a gala event, potentially for a startup or business organization.
  • four individuals posing together, likely at a professional or social event.
  • a man and a woman standing in front of a VentureLab Entrepreneurial Learning banner.
  • a man standing in front of a Venturelab "Ready, Set, Startup!"
  • a group of people posing together
  • a couple smiling at a professional event featuring branding for "venturelab" and "READY SET Startup!".
  • a man in a black suit and a woman in a green dress standing together
  • a moment from a venturelab "READY SET Startup!" event.
  • a couple posing for a photo in front of a blue banner for a venture lab event called "Ready, Set, Startup!"
  • a woman in a shimmery evening dress and a young man in a black suit, with the VentureLab "Ready, Set, Startup!" banner in the background.
  • a moment in time during a "Ready, Set, Startup!" event hosted by VentureLab
  • a VentureLab "Ready, Set, Startup!" event presentation.
  • a VentureLab "Ready, Set, Startup!" event presentation.
  • people performing music at an event
  • people performing music at an event.
  • a social gathering or event held in a modern, industrial-style venue
  • a social gathering on a outside patio, featuring a bartender serving a cocktail to a guest.
  • a crowded outdoor social gathering during the daytime, possibly a party or a reception
  • a woman seated at a table interacting with people who are viewing her artwork.
  • a social gathering or networking event with people socializing outdoors.
  • two individuals engaged in a structured activity at a table.
  • cocktail hour or reception event at a modern venue with large arched windows.
  • a social gathering with people chatting and holding drinks.
  • a social gathering with people talking and holding event materials.
  • a group of people mingling at an outdoor social event.
  • a social gathering with people looking at documents on a table.
  • a social gathering taking place outdoors.
  • a social gathering with two women greeting with a hug
  • a social gathering or networking event
  • a food preparation scene at an outdoor event.
  • a menu setting for a formal event, featuring a dark blue tablecloth and white plates.
  • people outdoors including a server holding a platter and individuals at a table with small packaged items.

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