How do you empower hundreds of entrepreneurs, developers, marketers and business enthusiasts in a single weekend? With 54 action-packed hours at Startup Weekend Phoenix, coming this November.
Startup Weekend is a “global grassroots movement” that began in Seattle, Washington and spread to 200 cities across the world. If you went to last year’s Phoenix Startup Weekend, you know how exhilarating (and rewarding) the experience can be. If this will be your first year, just know that Startup Weekend is one of the “largest communities of passionate entrepreneurs around the world.”
The event starts the evening of Friday, November 18, when attendees check in and chat over dinner. Guests can share startup ideas with fellow attendees, form groups, and practice pitches. Coaches, speakers, and community leaders are introduced onstage, where they’ll guide guests through the event schedule. Toward the end of the night, groups can line up to pitch their ideas. Attendees vote on the best pitches, and teams form around the winning ideas. Teammates take inventory of their skills and gather resources for the weekend.
On Saturday, teams chip away at their ideas over breakfast. The day is spent perfecting their workspace and collaborating. Coaches are available to help teams form their ideal startups.
Sunday allows for work time through 4 PM. After dinner, teams perform their final presentations, from which judges pick their favorites. Awards are distributed at approximately 7:30 PM.
Phoenix Startup Weekend is organized and led by volunteers; this year’s organizing team includes Elizabeth Campbell, Darryl Keeton, Michael Ashbaugh, Brittany Nunley, and Zach Ferres. The community experts judging the event are Adam Toren of YoungEntrepreneur.com & TechAZ, Jim Prendergast of Healthiest You, Jason Feffer of SodaHead and MySpace, Greg Head of Infusionsoft, Kathy Sacks of COLEAP, and noted investor Bob Campbell. Jeremy Young, CEO of Tanga, will be speaking at the event. Sean Coleman, Jared Stauffer, Rafael Testai, Anthony Sarandrea, Eric Diaz, Sonny Patel, Spencer Thomason, Ahmad Saleem, David Soto, Terry Mullane, Daniel Schenck, and Ken and Ron Robertson will be coaching teams throughout the weekend. Every speaker, coach, and judge is an integral part of the local entrepreneurial community with loads of priceless advice to share.
Startup Weekend is the ultimate 54-hour power-packed event for anyone hoping to meet new people, build their business skills, form real startups or just have a bit of fun. The organizers of Phoenix Startup Weekend 2016 have extended the TechAZ readers a special $20 off the price of admission when they sign up with the code, “techaz.”
Phoenix’s third Startup Weekend will be hosted by Coplex, a startup studio in Tempe. Check out Coplex online and buy your tickets now before space runs out! Looking forward to seeing you all there!
