CO+HOOTS Foundation, a Phoenix nonprofit committed to diversifying the workforce through ongoing education, sponsorship, and strategic partnerships is hosting its third Youth Startup Weekend. The event, affectionately known as YSW, brings in Valley youth ages 13-18 to ideate, form teams, build, and pitch startups over the course of one weekend.
From Friday evening to Sunday morning, students work alongside mentors to create a Minimum Viable product, utilize Scrum Boards, learn the basics of the Lean Canvas Model, and receive presentation coaching.
“Youth Startup Weekend encourages unique perspectives to intermingle by bringing together students from extremely diverse backgrounds. This diversity not only fosters collaborative skills in future generations but also enables brand new solutions for unsolved problems to arise,” said Lisa Glenn, the Executive Director at CO+HOOTS Foundation.
Sunday, February 11 at 2 pm the teams will pitch their startup to a panel of judges including Brad Jannenga of SaaS Industries, Amy Armstrong of Support my Club, Stephanie Parra of Arizona Education Association and Phoenix Union HS Board member, and Thad West of Isos Technologies.
“I think YSW was by far one of, if not the most, influential and impacting activity I ever participated in my life. I credit YSW with making me see that social entrepreneurship isn’t something to put off until I’m older, but something I can start right now,” said Alejandro, a YSW attendee.
