Ready. Set. Startup Weekend Okanagan - March 2-4, 2012
Friday, February 24, 2012
In only a few short days, more than 60 entrepreneurial-minded individuals, aka startup enthusiasts, will gather at the Kelowna Innovation Centre prepared to put their best foot forward in hopes of attracting others that will make up THE winning team of Startup Weekend Okanagan (SWO).
What exactly is a Startup Weekend? Think of it as a weekend-long boot camp for startups. It's an intense 54 hour event which focuses on building a web or mobile application which could form the basis of a credible business. And no, it's not just for developers. Teams, just like businesses need a diverse skill-set to succeed.
On average, half of Startup Weekend participants have technical backgrounds, while the other possess a business mindset. Whether you're primarily software developers, graphics designers or business people such as marketers - if you have great ideas you're dying to share with the world, love learning and meeting new people, it's not too late to sign up for Startup Weekend Okanagan and gain a real hands-on startup experience unlike any other.
Format of SWO:
Beginning with open-mic pitches on Friday, March 2nd, attendees bring their best ideas and inspire others to join their team.
Over the Saturday and Sunday, teams focus on customer development, validating their ideas and building a minimal viable product.
On the Sunday evening, teams will pitch and be judged by a panel of distinguished judges. This is followed by an awards ceremony and wrap-up event.
Did you know?
Over 36% of Startup Weekend startups are still going strong after 3 months. Roughly 80% of participants plan to continue working with their team or startup after the weekend. (Source: Startup Weekend)
Internationally sponsored by Google, Microsoft and Amazon, Startup Weekends have brought together 45,000 entrepreneurs in over 450 events.
From March 2-4, Startup Weekend events are also happening in New York, Des Moines, San Francisco, Algeria, Ireland, Switzerland and France.
The aim of the weekend is to bring together the knowledge of local entrepreneurs, and help those in need to find their feet in the world of startups.
BCIC is proud to be a partner of Startup Weekend Okanagan. In fact, BCIC's Acting CEO Mark Payne is a participant!
Space is limited. More than 75% of the spots have already been claimed so sign up now.
For more information on SWO and its organizers, visit the website or Twitter. If you have any questions about SWO or are interested in getting involved as a sponsor, mentor or judge, please contact Brent.
