1 Million Cups Chico

1 Million Cups Chico 1 Million Cups (1MC) is a weekly event that brings together entrepreneurs and the Chico community over coffee and conversations.

It is FREE and open to the public. 1 Million Cups (1MC) is a simple way to engage entrepreneurs in communities around the world. Each week, the 1MC program offers local entrepreneurs an opportunity to present their startups to a diverse audience of mentors, advisors, and entrepreneurs. Presenters prepare a 6 minute educational presentation and engage in 20 minutes of feedback and questioning after

they present. Entrepreneurs gain insight into possible ways they can improve their businesses, gather realtime feedback, connect with a community that truly cares about their progress, and walk away feeling like they have advanced their business. The audience also learns a great deal from the presentations. Whether this is through passively listening or deeply engaging with the entrepreneurs, there is much to learn every week from these dynamic and diverse communities. The program takes place every Wednesday morning from 9:00-10:00am at Stoble Coffee or virtually on ZOOM.

09/03/2026

Providing resources is one thing. Lowering the barriers that prevent people from accessing them is another.

That was the focus of today’s 1 Million Cups Chico community conversation.
Missed the conversation - Watch here on You tube: https://youtu.be/n1BiEpvaDDE

This year, GrowTECH Fest is centering the conversation around lowering barriers to access for entrepreneurs, and we’re excited to welcome Victor Hwang, Founder and CEO of Right to Start, as a keynote speaker.

Right to Start is the organization behind America the Entrepreneurial, a national campaign launched ahead of America’s 250th anniversary to expand entrepreneurial opportunity and address systems that can make it harder to start and grow a business.

This year, Right to Start also released its American Entrepreneurship Survey, based on a national survey. The findings point to challenges around access to funding, programs, mentors, professional networks, and other resources entrepreneurs need to get started.

So, we wanted to bring that conversation home and ask our Chico community:

What are the biggest barriers people face when starting a business?

Here’s what we heard:

Lack of information and awareness about how to start a business, including navigating licensing, permitting, and the overall process
The need for a more streamlined process for getting started
Fear of failure
Language barriers
Lack of access to capital, or not knowing how or where to access funding

Thank you to everyone who contributed to today’s conversation. Hearing directly from our community helps us better understand not only what resources entrepreneurs need, but what may be preventing them from accessing those resources in the first place.

Learn more about GrowTECH Fest: https://reg.eventmobi.com/growtech-fest-2026

Join us on Wednesday, September 2nd from 9:00-10:00 AM for 1 Million Cups!This week, we’re switching things up with a sp...
08/28/2026

Join us on Wednesday, September 2nd from 9:00-10:00 AM for 1 Million Cups!

This week, we’re switching things up with a special community roundtable centered around one big question:

What is the biggest barrier to starting a business in our community?

Join us for an open conversation about the challenges local entrepreneurs are facing and what could make it easier to start and grow a business in our region.

ChicoSTART will also share free entrepreneurial resources and opportunities. Whether you’re building a business yourself or know someone who is, come learn about tools and resources you can use or pass along to someone in your network.

Bring your perspective, ask questions, learn something new, and connect with others who want to strengthen our local entrepreneurial community.

📍2155 Park Ave, Chico, CA 95928
Hybrid Event
Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/7938320019

Interested in presenting?
Apply Here: https://www.1millioncups.com/s/present

Lots of engaging conversations at One Million Cups Chico Yesterday! ☕️Thank you to everyone who attended, contributed to...
08/27/2026

Lots of engaging conversations at One Million Cups Chico Yesterday! ☕️

Thank you to everyone who attended, contributed to the conversation, and asked thoughtful questions. And of course, a big thank you to Christopher from Johnny Autoseed for making the time to share your story and what you’re working on with our Chico community. 💛

If you missed it, you can catch the recording on our YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/--XsIBSDIdk

Join us tomorrow Wednesday, August 26th from 9:00–10:00 AM for 1 Million Cups!Christopher will present Johnny Autoseed, ...
08/25/2026

Join us tomorrow Wednesday, August 26th from 9:00–10:00 AM for 1 Million Cups!

Christopher will present Johnny Autoseed, a Clean Tech business providing technical training and technology development services for business and property owners.

Christopher is looking for feedback as he refines the company’s outreach, focuses on what is working, and helps customers better understand the practical value of emerging technology.

Come hear his story, learn more about Johnny Autoseed, and share your feedback.

📍2155 Park Ave, Chico, CA 95928
Hybrid Event
Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/7938320019?mc_cid=314f55f0c8&mc_eid=UNIQID

Interested in presenting?
Apply Here: https://www.1millioncups.com/s/present?mc_cid=314f55f0c8&mc_eid=UNIQID

Join us on Wednesday, August 26th from 9:00–10:00 AM for 1 Million Cups!Christopher will present Johnny Autoseed, a Clea...
08/19/2026

Join us on Wednesday, August 26th from 9:00–10:00 AM for 1 Million Cups!

Christopher will present Johnny Autoseed, a Clean Tech business providing technical training and technology development services for business and property owners.

Christopher is looking for feedback as he refines the company’s outreach, focuses on what is working, and helps customers better understand the practical value of emerging technology.

Come hear his story, learn more about Johnny Autoseed, and share your feedback.

📍2155 Park Ave, Chico, CA 95928
Hybrid Event
Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/7938320019?mc_cid=314f55f0c8&mc_eid=UNIQID

Interested in presenting?
Apply Here: https://www.1millioncups.com/s/present?mc_cid=314f55f0c8&mc_eid=UNIQID

08/15/2026

Still reminiscing about the Fast Trac + 1 Million Cups Conference in Kansas City! ☕️🤍

So grateful that One Million Cups Chico had the opportunity to be part of this experience, connect with other communities from across the country, and bring new ideas and inspiration back to Chico.

This week at 1 Million Cups Chico, we had the pleasure of hearing from Zarinah, founder of Ummi’s Bean Pies.Zarinah shar...
08/13/2026

This week at 1 Million Cups Chico, we had the pleasure of hearing from Zarinah, founder of Ummi’s Bean Pies.

Zarinah shared the story behind her family’s bean pie recipe and how she’s bringing that tradition to the Chico community through Ummi’s Bean Pies.

A special thank you to Zarinah for bringing bean pie to share with us! It was absolutely delicious and such a fun experience getting to try something that holds so much meaning and history. 🤎

Follow to support Zarinah and see where you can find her next!

One Million Cups is taking a quick break next week!There will be no gathering on Wednesday, August 19th, but we’ll be ba...
08/13/2026

One Million Cups is taking a quick break next week!

There will be no gathering on Wednesday, August 19th, but we’ll be back the following week ready to connect, learn, and support local entrepreneurs.

In the meantime, a little reminder: Great things are built one conversation, one connection, and one step at a time.

We hope you have a great week, and we’ll see you back at One Million Cups soon!

Join us on Wednesday, August 12th from 9:00AM-10:00 AM for 1 Million Cups!Zarinah will present Ummi’s Bean Pies, a Chico...
08/11/2026

Join us on Wednesday, August 12th from 9:00AM-10:00 AM for 1 Million Cups!

Zarinah will present Ummi’s Bean Pies, a Chico-based business introducing the community to bean pies, an American dessert rooted in African American Muslim tradition.

She is looking for feedback from bakers, people who enjoy homemade foods, social media and engagement professionals, and community event coordinators. She is also working through challenges related to affordable commercial kitchen access and time.

Come hear her story, learn more about Ummi’s Bean Pies, and share feedback to support her next steps.

📍2155 Park Ave, Chico, CA 95928
Hybrid Event
Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/7938320019

Interested in presenting?
Apply Here: https://www.1millioncups.com/s/present

Later Tools

What an incredible experience at the FastTrac and 1MC Summit! ☕️We had the opportunity to connect with 1MC communities f...
08/06/2026

What an incredible experience at the FastTrac and 1MC Summit! ☕️

We had the opportunity to connect with 1MC communities from across the country, learn from leaders, and discover that Chico is one of only two One Million Cups communities in California.

It was inspiring to see how passionate these communities are about uplifting entrepreneurs, and it reminded us how special our own Chico community is.

Thank you to everyone who shows up, shares ideas, supports local founders, and continues helping One Million Cups Chico grow. In a rural community like ours, creating spaces for entrepreneurs to connect, learn, and support one another truly matters. 💛

Address

430 Broadway Street
Chico, CA
95928

Opening Hours

9am - 10am

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