PITCHES
Pitches on Friday night will be in a quick fire format, which means you will have 60 seconds to get the audience interested in your idea. No slide, props, or demos are permitted. You won’t have time to go over features, so just focus on the core of the idea and make your enthusiasm contagious. Here is the format for pitches that we recommend:
- Who are you and what is your background? (5-10 Seconds)
- What is the problem that your product is solving? Or, begin with a story (10-20 Seconds)
- Explain the product and how it solves the problem (10-20 seconds)
- Who do you need on your team (a developer, marketing, designer?) (5-10 seconds)
- Finally, make up a name for your startup so the facilitator can give it a title
VOTING & FORMING TEAMS
After pitches, you will have more time to network. If you pitched an idea, this is your time to start recruiting others that may be interested in your idea. If you did not pitch, or if you are having trouble finding others to join your team, use this time to seek out those that pitched other ideas that you found interesting.
Next, the crowd votes on their favorite pitches. This is simply a way to encourage quick team forming. This is by no means an exclusive process and if you pitched an idea and it is not voted as one of the top ideas, you are more than welcome to work on it if you find some other people who want to work on the idea with you. From there we will form teams and these are the startup ideas that will be worked on over the weekend.
FAQ
Check out some FAQ on the Startup Weekend site: http://startupweekend.org/about/faq/
SCHEDULE
Friday 4/27:
5:00pm – Registration
5:15pm – Pizza Served
6:00pm – Welcome and Speakers
7:00pm – Pitches Start
8:30pm – Attendees vote for the top ideas
9:15pm – Teams start forming and discussing ideas
11:30pm – Start to formalize teams and take an inventory of skills. Be honest, and direct about what resources and skills are needed for the weekend. You may stay and work until 12am.
Saturday 4/28:
9:00am – Doors Open and Breakfast is served
9:30am – Teams formed and setting up workspace for the weekend
12:00pm – Lunch
1:00pm – Call for needs & skills
2:00pm – Mentors help teams one-on-one. They are here to help!
6:30pm – Hamburgers, Hotdogs, Salad Served
8:00pm – Speaker
8:30pm – Mid weekend check-in, status reports, call for help
10:00pm – Finished for the day. You may stay and work until 12am.
Sunday 4/29:
9:00am – Arrive, simple breakfast & coffee
12:00pm – Lunch
12:30pm – Mentors arrive
3:00pm – Start prepping for presentations
4:00pm – Buffet Dinner
5:00pm – FINAL PRESENTATIONS
7:30pm – Judging & awards
8:00pm – Wrapup & After Party
