How it works //
Startup Weekends are like summer camp meets Shark Tank meets hackathon meets MBA program.
Needless to say, this is an action-packed, 54-hour event you won’t want to miss!
It all starts with an idea.
Pitch
Whether you think of your idea 5 seconds before we start or 5 years, pitch it to the group and see how it does! Once everyone has pitched, you’ll vote on your favorite ideas to see which ones teams will work on over the weekend. Don’t have an idea? That’s okay – we’d still love to have you!
You are not your user.
Validate
Once teams form organically around an idea, it’s off to the races! You’ll spend the rest of the weekend learning how to validate an idea, form a business model, and build a minimum viable product. If these words don’t make sense, don’t worry! We’ll have seminars to teach you over the weekend.
Jump in the tank with the sharks.
Present
The weekend wraps up with a Shark Tank-style pitch in front of a panel of judges. You’ll have 5 minutes to present everything you’ve learned over the weekend for a chance at winning awesome prizes that will help you and your team further your entrepreneurial journey.
Advice from the Experts //
We’re bringing in mentors and professionals from all industries to help your team think through and build out your business model.
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Check Back ShortlyMeet Awesome People //
Startup Weekend attendees come from all backgrounds, professions, regions, and experiences. We’ve had designers, inventors, developers, bankers, entrepreneurs, car enthusiasts, scientists, botanists, chefs, and just about anyone else you can think of. No matter who you are, this is a great event for you to learn the startup life as well as meet some awesome people. Teams are formed organically Friday night after ideas are picked in a speed-dating fashion. Make sure to share how awesome you are, what your passions and skills are, and how you can help the team.
“MBA in a Weekend” //
That’s a direct quote! We’ve had MBA professors tell us that their students have walked away with more from a Startup Weekend event than a whole semester of classes! What’s our secret sauce? Moving education into action! We offer workshops throughout the weekend to teach startup essentials and then kick everyone out of the building to go apply what they’ve learned.
Customer Discovery
Saturday morning's workshop will teach you how to determine if your idea is viable by interviewing potential customers. We'll teach you the do's and don'ts of customer discovery.
Business Model & MVP
After spending the morning validating your problem, we'll cover what a minimum viable product is and how to build a business model using the Lean Startup Business Model Canvas.
Pitching
All of the weekend's hard work is presented to a panel of judges on Sunday night. During this workshop, we cover how to build your pitch and prepare for the judges questions.
Pitch to the Sharks //
While our judges aren’t as fierce as the sharks you may see on TV, they are just as talented. Sunday night’s pitches are 4 minutes of presentations with 4 minutes of question & answers. Judges are looking for validation of the idea, a viable business model, and a well-designed and executed MVP.
BehaVR
Aaron Gani
Founder & CEO
FreshFry
Jeremiah Chapman
Founder & CEO
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Check Back SoonGet your early-bird rate tickets today to reserve your spot
All-Inclusive Tickets //
Your Startup Weekend ticket is your all-access pass that includes:
- Seven delicious meals from local restaurants
- Unlimited snacks, drinks, & coffee
- A Sweet T-shirt
- Perks and swag from local and global sponsors
- Meeting local entrepreneurs, mentors, & leaders
- Workshops
- Access to Louisville’s new entrepreneurial hub
- and so much more!