INDEPENDENT NEWS

From whoa to go in 54 hours: Start Up Weekend 2011

Published: Tue 22 Mar 2011 09:12 AM
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From whoa to go in 54 hours: Start Up Weekend 2011
The call is out for all entrepreneurs, developers, innovators, inventors and investors to come together to share ideas, form teams, build products and launch startups - all in 54 hours at the Auckland Startup Weekend on April 1-3 at the Biz Dojo in K’ Rd.
“The 54 hour startup event provides the networking, resource and incentives for individuals and teams to go from idea to launch, with a programme centered on action, innovation, education and mentoring,” says Jason Armishaw, one of the organisers with Microsoft, the Biz Dojo and Valentine Addis – Venture Catalyst.
“It starts on the Friday night with pitches through to testing, business model development and basic prototype creation, culminating on Sunday night demos to a panel of potential investors and serial entrepreneurs, including guys who have gone from whoa to go with successful web companies.”
Among the line-up of speakers are Mark Robotham, general manager of the Escalator service, speaking on creating the perfect pitch; Dan Khan from Netprofess will be talking about lean startup methodology; Steven Knightly is a PR professional and also in building online games. He will be speaking on game theory and how game mechanics can really drive big changes in the application that you are building or the business that you are building.
“We’ll have a huge range of expertise on tap over the weekend to work with the teams,,” Jason says. “The biggest benefit of the Auckland Startup Weekend is about bringing people together with different experiences and ideas and connecting them with the people they can work with on that particular project. I’ll help build a much strong entrepreneurial community.”
The Auckland Startup Weekend is part of an international movement, founded in Seattle as a non-profit organisation to encourage entrepreneurship and new thinking with over 200 events held in 100 cities worldwide and a network base of 27,000 alumni and mentors.
Startup Weekends at a glance….
Who you’ll meet at Startup Weekend:
Startup Weekends attendees’ backgrounds are roughly:
50% technical (developers, coders, designers)
50% business (marketing, finance, law).
29% attend an event to network
20% attend to develop/build a product
13% attend to learn how to create a new venture.
80% of attendees plan on continuing to work on their startup after the weekend
What you’ll get out of the event:
Education: Startup Weekends are all about learning, whether you’re learning a new skill or a new way of thinking. Don’t just listen to theory, build your own strategy and test it as you go.
Co-Founder Dating: The people who come to Startup Weekend are serious about learning how to build and launch startups. Create relationships that last long past the weekend.
Build Your Network: Startup Weekend works hard to recruit high-quality, driven entrepreneurs- like you!
Learn New Skills: With a whole weekend dedicated to letting your creative juices flow, Startup Weekends are prefect opportunities to work on a new platform, learn a new programming language, or give marketing a try. With nothing to lose there’s no reason not to step outside your comfort zone.
Learn How to Launch a Business (and Actually Do It!): Startup Weekend is the epitome of LeanStartup Methodology.
Mentorship: Local tech and startup leaders participate in Startup Weekends and give feedback to participants. Interact with the movers and shakers in your community.
Get Access to Valuable Startup Resources: By participating in Startup Weekend you are given instant access to great products and tools. No one leaves Startup Weekend empty handed!
Save Money: Startup Weekends are affordable (typically $70, and only $49 for students). Your ticket includes seven meals, snacks, and all the coffee you can drink.
ends

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