Start a new business in 54hrs?

by Ryan Donn - Story: 88477
Mar 8, 2013 / 7:00 am

Do you have an idea that could spark into the next club penguin? Would you be willing to offer up a weekend of your time for the opportunity to find a potential team of likeminded individuals who could make it happen?

Then Startup Weekend is for you and its happening this weekend.

Startup Weekend is a global grassroots movement of active and empowered entrepreneurs who are learning the basics of founding startups and launching successful ventures. It is the largest community of passionate entrepreneurs with over 400 past events in 100 countries around the world in 2011.

All Startup Weekend events follow the same basic model: anyone is welcome to pitch their startup idea and receive feedback from their peers. Teams organically form around the top ideas (as determined by popular vote) and then it’s a 54 hour frenzy of business model creation, coding, designing, and market validation. The weekends culminate with presentations in front of local entrepreneurial leaders with another opportunity for critical feedback.

Here is a video that the always brilliant Tim Feeny (Limelight Studios) made at last years event:

Startup Weekend // Okanagan from Accelerate Okanagan on Vimeo.

I caught up with councilor Colin Basran to ask his thoughts on why these events are important to the landscape of Kelowna " The technology industry in Kelowna is getting international attention and continues to grow and more importantly create jobs. Well paying jobs in this industry will help keep young people from moving elsewhere to find work. It will also help attract young professionals to our city, which is why I felt it important that the City of Kelowna sponsor this event."

So if your the next club penguin or if your interested in being part of a team that builds the next tech sector darling go to their website for more information: http://okanagan.startupweekend.org/

I know its hard to commit 54 hrs so if you'd rather simply get your toes wet then I would encourage you to check out http://digitalokanagan.ca/ they are a community of designers, developers and communicators who share passions for digital media, education, innovation and collaboration.

I should also let you know that Startup Weekend is part of Start Up Week which kicked off with my event, Global Music Fest, and has been a collaboration of tons of great mini events focused on tech, business, and creativity: http://startupweekokanagan.com/

I leave you this week with a random video that seems to be a perfect fit for our topic at hand:

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About the Author

Ryan Donn, singer/songwriter who started his career around the same time that cassette tapes were losing out to CD sales. He produces events such as Global Music Fest, www.talentedkids.ca, and Music in the Park (West Kelowna). You can also find him in local schools teaching songwriting or sharing the stage with many of our emerging local artists. He is a passionate supporter of all things creative and his column focuses on the creative community and events throughout the Okanagan.

Contact Ryan through email: info@ryandonn.com

FB: https://www.facebook.com/ryandonn

twitter @ryandonn

or online at www.ryandonn.com

The views expressed are strictly those of the author and not necessarily those of Castanet. Castanet presents its columns "as is" and does not warrant the contents.

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