THANK YOU.
Because of you – attendees, mentors and sponsors – this truly was a challenging, exciting and powerful event! The second annual Startup Weekend in Calgary was an intense journey for most, bringing people together to realize some great ideas and MVP’s.
Startup Weekends are designed to help new or aspiring entrepreneurs learn what it means to launch their own ventures. And the process was visible as participants saw the different aspects and perspectives emerge over the 54 hours. About half our participants had technical backgrounds, the other half had business backgrounds; and all participants were amazing professionals with talent and passion.
The following prize packages were given to our winning teams:
- Kawkfighter Team (game) led by Greg Bennett http://www.kawkfighter.com/
- StartupGuage Team (web-based) led by Joyce Tse http://www.startupgauge.com/
- EveryLittleDetail Team (web-based) led by Teang Tang http://www.wedforia.com/
The prize packages awarded consisted of the following;
FIRST PRIZE
- $5000 of core development services from Boast Capital
- $5000 of business development services from Inceptive Solutions
- $500 of Media Awareness Training from Raindance Alberta
- $500 of consulting services from Aquanode Interactive Labs
- $200 Amazon web sevices
- FREE demo to DemoCamp
- up to 3hrs/month coaching services from Devesh Dwivedi & Justin Nowak for the remainder of 2012
SECOND PRIZE
- $2500 of business development services from Inceptive Solutions
- $500 of consulting services from Aquanode Interactive Labs
- $250 of Media Awareness Training from Raindance Alberta
- up to 3hrs/month coaching services from Devesh Dwivedi & Justin Nowak until 5 August 2012
THIRD PRIZE
- $1000 of business development services from Inceptive Solutions
- $500 of consulting services from Aquanode Interactive Labs
- $50 of Media Awareness Training from Raindance Alberta
Neither the prizes nor the MVP’s created would not have been possible without the team working alongside the participants.
Mentors:
Sheldon Pereira (LinkedIn) (Twitter)
Tony Grimes (LinkedIn) (Twitter)
Chris Graham (LinkedIn)
Alex Kelly (LinkedIn) (Twitter)
Steve Chapman (LinkedIn) (Twitter)
Rick Burley (LinkedIn)
Agostino Mosca (LinkedIn) (Twitter)
Christian Maclean (LinkedIn) (Twitter)
Victoria Maclean (LinkedIn) (Twitter)
Jorge Ignacio Gonzalez (LinkedIn)
Ghyslaine Leroy (LinkedIn)
Yuval Kordov (LinkedIn) (Twitter)
Organizers:
Justin Nowak (LinkedIn) (Twitter)
Alex Bunyan (LinkedIn) (Twitter)
Luis Berumen (LinkedIn) (Twitter)
Stacey Perlin (LinkedIn) (Twitter)
Devesh Dwivedi (LinkedIn) (Twitter)
Please keep in touch with these people and your fellow participants; these are the people that make things happen!
Regards,
The Startup Weekend Calgary Team
Getting ready for Start Up Weekend, Some FAQ to all our participants.
What types of ideas should I be ready to pitch?
Most of the ideas are web-based or mobile applications. Generally, ideas which involve creating a physical product do not work well because you need something to present to the panel on Sunday. If you have any idea at all, we encourage you to pitch it!
How do I pitch my idea?
The pitches on Friday night will be informal (no PowerPoint allowed) and you will be allotted no more than 60 seconds to explain your idea. If you would like to sharpen your pitching skills before Friday check out: http://www.slideshare.net/suwvienna/tutorial-startup-weekend-pitch-2324035
Should I be worried about my idea getting stolen?
Startup Weekend pitches are done in an open forum and no non-disclosures will be signed. If you are really concerned about your idea being stolen, by all means keep it private. But remember, it’s rarely the idea that is the winner but the people and the execution behind it.
Does Startup Weekend have any ownership rights to ideas or products conceived at the event?
Absolutely not. Startup Weekend is a non-profit organization and any ownership rights are completely up to the teams and participants. We don’t recommend worrying too much about this during the event – there will be lots of time for that when you take your startup to the next level. It’s imperative that everyone is open during the event. If you have an idea that you’ve already been working on and want to move it forward over the weekend, make sure your intentions are clear. Don’t come to the event to get free work done on your pre-existing startup. That’s not the spirit of the event.
How do we form the teams?
We allow the teams to form themselves. Once the pitches are done we allow everyone to gravitate to the idea they would like to pursue for the weekend. Generally teams of approximately 7 members work best. Feel free to get your friends and colleagues together to put some pieces of the team together in advance, but don’t shy away from adding new people who you meet for the first time. Remember that part of the value is in the startup/founder dating component of Startup Weekend.
How will I know what someone else’s specialty is?
This is where the networking aspect of the event comes in. To put a good team together, you need to walk around and talk to people. Last time, we used colour coded name tags and we might do that again but you need to talk to people to find out what they can offer.
What time should I get there on Friday?
Try to arrive at 6:30pm so you have a chance to eat and network with other attendees. We have a lot to do on Friday night so need to get things moving and get you all working!
How do I get there?
The event will be held at Accelerator YYC in the heart of Inglewood. If by any change you have never been there, this is the address: 200, 1212 9th Ave SE, Calgary, AB T2G 3H8
Look for the stairs that will take you to the second floor.
Do I need to bring a computer?
Yes, make sure to bring a computer- laptops are preferred of course but whatever you need to get the job done.
Anything else I should bring?
Business cards, and if you have an extra extension cord and/or power strip please bring it. Also, bring a great attitude and a lot of energy!
FAQ about StartUp Weekend
What is Startup Weekend?
Startup Weekend is a weekend event in cities around the world. A highly motivated group of developers, business managers, startup enthusiasts, marketing gurus, graphic artists and more meet and in a short 54 hour event work on building projects out. It is very much like an unconference, where the attendees show decide the outcome of the experience.
What is the weekend like?
The weekend is fun, mentally simulating and always profitable (2 of those are true)! It starts Friday at 6:30 pm and finishes up Sunday at 6pm, the hours in between are up to the community. Startup Weekend gets everyone in the same room, sometimes clothes and always feeds. What is next is really up to the people that show up, it is your drive and passion that will lead the weekend.
How did it start?
It was a late night in June of 2007 at TechStars when the idea was coined. Danny Newman and Stan James discussed how they missed collaborating on projects with others now they were working on bigger projects, later David Cohen and Joe Scharf pushed founder Andrew Hyde to take the concept into reality.
What is the agenda?
Have you ever worked at a startup? Startup Weekends don’t really have agendas, just general times when the building is open for everyone to meet and work. If you are an agenda driven person, Startup Weekend might not be for you. You make the agenda based on the people, ideas and mood. Is the expectation to launch a startup in one weekend? That is generally the goal but launching and incorporating are totally up to the teams that are put together at the start of the event. The excitement of launching makes the weekend thrilling. Go for it!
Multiple startups?
Yes. Depending on the number of attendees your number of projects will vary but typically 6-9 are formed in a given weekend. How are details like legal, ownership, members etc handled? The people working on the products will determine these issues during the weekend. Startup Weekend, LLC will not retain ownership of any company coming out of the weekend and does not issue any shares.
Is everyone who attends a participant?
Again, this will be determined by the participants. It is your weekend, but don’t show up to watch. Participate! What happens once the weekend ends? Above all, we hope that a strong community bond will form. Beyond that, it depends on the group. Past weekends have seen groups work beyond the weekend and continue to build and market their products. Several projects have incorporated as companies and a few have raised angel rounds. Skribit is an example. Aren’t people concerned about someone running away with their idea? Given the nature of the event, and the fact that it will be live twittered/blogged/streamed etc., trade secrets will be difficult to enforce. We suggest that if you have an idea that you don’t want taken, then don’t present them. The purpose of the event is to build community, so consider working on projects that introduce you to working with cool people.
Do You Sleep At the Event?
Yes. Definitely! Generally the hours are Friday from 6-10pm, Saturday from 9am-10pm and Sunday from 9am-6pm. If you have reasons to be away during the weekends, by all means feel free to do so (kids soccer game, dinner with the Prime Minister, etc).
Who Runs Startup Weekend?
Startup Weekend LLC is run by the community supporting entrepreneurship. Every weekend has a facilitator that is approved by Startup Weekend, LLC. In Calgary the Justin is our facilitaror, and Alex, Devesh and Luis are organizers.
Is Startup Weekend a Company?
Yes, Startup Weekend is a startup in its own. The company and Trademark are used to make sure the quality of each Startup Weekend.
Can I sponsor the Weekend?
Yes you can, in two ways. You can be a local sponsor for one weekend or a national sponsor for all the weekends.
A video from Vancouver Startup Weekend
I just wanted to include this great video form the Startup weekend in Vancouver. This is great inspiration from our neighbors to the west!
