What Is Startup Weekend?

What is Startup Weekend?

Startup Weekend is a global network of passionate leaders and entrepreneurs on a mission to inspire, educate, and empower individuals, teams and communities. Come share ideas, form teams, and launch startups.

Startup Weekend Global Site

Past event…

Event Ended

United States

Ever wondered what it takes to be an entrepreneur?

The professional and personal challenges, the high and lows, the failures and the success?

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.

The non-profit organization is headquartered in Seattle, Washington but Startup Weekend organizers and facilitators can be found in over 200 cities around the world. From Mongolia to South Africa to London to Brazil, people around the globe are coming together for weekend long workshops to pitch ideas, form teams, and start companies.

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.

Whether entrepreneurs found companies, find a cofounder, meet someone new, or learn a skill far outside their usual 9-to-5, everyone is guaranteed to leave the event better prepared to navigate the chaotic but fun world of startups. If you want to put yourself in the shoes of an entrepreneur, register now for the best weekend of your life!

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Schedule

Friday

Feb 22
  • Registration Starts
  • Dinner & Networking
  • Welcome & Speakers
  • Pitches Start
  • Attendees vote for the top ideas
  • Teams start forming and discussing ideas
  • 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 as late as the venue will allow

Saturday

Feb 23
  • Arrive, simple breakfast & coffee
  • Teams formed and setting up workspace for the weekend
  • Lunch
  • Call for needs & skills
  • Coaches help teams one-on-one. They are here to help!
  • Dinner
  • Mid weekend check-in, status reports, call for help
  • Finished for the day. You may stay and work as late as the venue will allow

Sunday

Feb 24
  • Arrive, simple breakfast & coffee
  • Call for help (this is self motivated, so don’t be shy)
  • Lunch
  • Coaches arrive… ASK QUESTIONS
  • Gut check. Start prepping for presentations
  • Dinner
  • FINAL PRESENTATIONS
  • Judging & awards
  • Wrapup
  • Go home!
Judges

Charlie Crystle

Mentor   |  LinkedInGoogle+

Charlie's started and led four tech companies over the past 19 years, including ChiliSoft ($70 million exit to Cobalt/Sun Microsystems in 2000), and Mission Research, makers of GiftWorks Fundraising Software. Charlie started Startup Lancaster, a monthly meetup of over 50 tech product founders from the Lancaster region, and helped start Startup Mechanicsburg and Startup Allentown.

Charlie serves on the school board for the School District of Lancaster, and is the founder and Executive Director of Lancaster Community Gardens.

Chuck Russell

Chuck is a Central Pennsylvania entrepreneur focusing on Analytics, Big Data, Knowledge Management and Mobile Tech. He is co-Founder and serves as Senior Partner of Collective Intelligence Inc, an information technology consulting firm located in Harrisburg, PA. Chuck lives in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, with his wife Tara and our four children. He blogs at www.ikicstart.org. Chuck's specialties include application of technology...analytics, big data and knowledge management. And lastly, he loves to build things!

Kyle Sollenberger

Ideas need architects to translate them into the real world. I know about spaces, people, pixels, and building codes. For the internet.

He is an entrepreneur, designer, husband and father who has built a career creating companies that provide a compelling user experience.

He co-founded & led design at CoTweet, a social media management system for large corporations. In 2010, CoTweet was acquired by ExactTarget.

Now working to build the future at Tomorrowpants, Kyle is also a co-founder of Seesaw. See more about it at http://seesaw.co

Pam Martin

Pam Martin is the South Central PA Regional Portfolio Manager for Ben Franklin Technology PArtners and the Executive Director of the Ben Franklin TechCelerator Incubator@Carlisle. She manages programming for the incubator clients and the TechCelerator Entrepreneurial classes, held at the Incubator. Pam works with and identifies pre-revenue and growing companies in central Pennsylvania and advocates for them through the early funding process of Ben Franklin.

Pam Martin has 25 years of experience in operational management of both large and small companies. She was a member of executive team of four technology startup companies and executive for R&D and e-commerce strategy for three of the companies during growth phase.

Education: She holds a BS from Pennsylvania State University and an MBA from Old Dominion University.

Coaches

Charlie Crystle

Mentor   |  LinkedInGoogle+

Charlie's started and led four tech companies over the past 19 years, including ChiliSoft ($70 million exit to Cobalt/Sun Microsystems in 2000), and Mission Research, makers of GiftWorks Fundraising Software. Charlie started Startup Lancaster, a monthly meetup of over 50 tech product founders from the Lancaster region, and helped start Startup Mechanicsburg and Startup Allentown.

Charlie serves on the school board for the School District of Lancaster, and is the founder and Executive Director of Lancaster Community Gardens.

Chuck Russell

Chuck is a Central Pennsylvania entrepreneur focusing on Analytics, Big Data, Knowledge Management and Mobile Tech. He is co-Founder and serves as Senior Partner of Collective Intelligence Inc, an information technology consulting firm located in Harrisburg, PA. Chuck lives in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, with his wife Tara and our four children. He blogs at www.ikicstart.org. Chuck's specialties include application of technology...analytics, big data and knowledge management. And lastly, he loves to build things!

Joel Getty

Marketing Organizer   |  LinkedInGoogle+

Joel grew up an inventor, entrepreneur, and athlete then settled into the 'safe' career of Optometry after graduating from Grove City College (near Pittsburgh) in 2000 with a BS in Molecular Biology, and a Doctorate from Illinois College of Optometry in Chicago 2004. After over 8 years of clinical practice he joined the West Virginia Air National Guard where he was recently selected for Major. Looking for a career change, Joel has returned to his Entrepreneurial roots and jumped into the startup scene with a 2nd place on Team GLDLX out of Startup Weekend Pittsburgh Fall 2012. While continuing his Optometry career full-time, his side projects include: Inside Obstacle News (http://www.obstaclenews.com) a youtube news show all about the exploding active entertainment industry of obstacle running which includes Tough Mudder, Spartan Race, and Warrior Dash. He consults biz dev for startups, app designers, and websites, while dabbling in graphic design. He's ready to help your team make the most of Startup Weekend Lancaster!

Alisha Hettinger

eMail Marketing Manager, Elsevier   |  LinkedInGoogle+

Alisha is a 25 year old with more energy than a classroom of 5 year olds with an endless supply of sour patch kids! Alisha participated in her first Startup Weekend in Philadelphia in April 2012 and fell in love. Since then she helped to plan a Startup Weekend in Philadelphia entirely devoted to Health in June 2012 and is ready to bring SW to Lancaster, PA (she studied Creative Writing at F&M). Alisha currently works as an eMail Marketing Manager at Elsevier in Philadelphia. In her free time she likes to draw, fold paper, take photos, make costumes, and smile. Feel free to reach out with any questions!

Ken Richard

Ken Richard is a product development manager at Applied Education Systems, which provides curriculum as a service. His responsibilities include development of e-learning content and cloud-based e-learning delivery platforms. His background is in software development, including Ruby on Rails, Java and Microsoft Technologies. Ken specializes in development of SAAS and Cloud Applications, and the Development of E-Learning Content.

Oliver Feakins

Oliver Feakins is the CEO of Web Talent Marketing, an internet marketing agency in Lancaster. Oliver’s career history is rich with both experience and success. He has applied his online marketing expertise for high-profile social media startups and Fortune 500 companies and has developed dominant web presence for companies in varied business sectors. His core competencies include, SEO, PPC, Conversion Optimization, lead generation and social media marketing. Oliver is active in numerous digital marketing trade groups and has been asked to share his expertise at a variety of client industry events. Oliver Started the Lancaster SEO Meetup, a local online marketing resource group for small business owners and other internet marketers looking to increase their knowledge. Staff from Web Talent can be often seen at these events as they lend their expertise to the group of 200 members.

Mike Canarelli

Mike Canarelli is the Chief Operating Office at Web Talent Marketing, an internet marketing agency in Lancaster. Mike holds a B.S. from Temple University’s Fox School of Business and Management where he tailored his studies to Entrepreneurship and Management Information Systems. After six years as a freelance designer/developer he founded Axis Creative Group in 2006 and later merged with Web Talent SEO in late 2010. Mike is not your ordinary executive and balances the demands of a marketing agency with an active lifestyle which includes boating, skiing, water sports and travel. His new puppy Dexter is a frequent guest at the office and calls the space under Mike’s desk his second home. Dexter has become Mike’s right hand advisor and manages the companies payroll : )

Matt Self

In his role as Vice President at Web Talent Marketing, Matt is tasked with developing new business channels, as well as overseeing daily internal operations and determining appropriate employee growth strategies. Beginning his career in education, Matt taught Health and Physical Education while earning his Master’s Degree from East Carolina University. Moving into business, he served as Vice President of an internet based agency helping it achieve two-time Inc. 500 status. His belief in social media, SEO, PPC, and technology in general, as a means to grow business, has been a driving force throughout his career. Growing companies wisely and profitably through development of sound internet marketing strategy combined with keeping interactions personal (e.g. why email when you can call) is what makes Matt an exceptional leader.

Dave Weaver

Dave Weaver is the founder of Markkup, a software company, with a new product Loggr. Dave is a native of Central PA and helped start Chili!Soft in Lancaster in 1996. After a year, the team moved to Bellevue Washington and was ultimately acquired by Cobalt Networks in 2000. Dave, then, co-founded Mission Research. Mission Research is a leading provider of fundraising management software for non-profits and makers of GiftWorks and GiftWorks Live. Now his focus is on Markkup and Loggr, a control panel for your web app with event logging, user monitoring, analytics, notifications, and more.

Gloria Bell

With over 25 years of successful business operations, communications and entrepreneurial experience, Gloria Bell is currently the Operations Manager for O3 World, LLC, and an Adjunct Professor of Social Media Strategy at Drexel University. Between her corporate career and joining O3 World, Gloria founded Red Stapler Consulting where she worked with businesses and technology startups providing them with business process and operations consulting and social media strategy and implementation. Gloria is known as a passionate social media practitioner, entrepreneur and volunteer in the Philadelphia region. She is President of Social Media Club Philadelphia, co-organizer of PodCamp Philly, PodCamp East, Twestival Philadelphia, MarketingCamp Philly, the Philadelphia Women In Tech Summit and co-Founder of Philly Founded. Demonstrating her commitment to the Philadelphia entrepreneurial community, Gloria serves on the Philly StartUp Leaders Leadership Team as the Events Director. She also serves on the board of Seed Philly, a local tech incubator, as an advisor to TechGirlz and as a mentor for Lean Startup Machine Philly and Startup Weekend Philly. Truly believing in the business benefits of both on and off line communities, Gloria regularly speaks on networking and the use of social media in business.

Organizers
Ben Donahower
Alisha N Hettinger
Chuck Russell
John Caddell
Josh Smith
Charlie Crystle
Joel T. Getty OD, Maj (Select) USAF
Ryan Duffy
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Presentation Order

by swlancasterpa

Presentations start at 5:00 pm!!! We’re live streaming the presentations: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9NOsSf4cDKgVcb1ndCzHvw?v=dKoMhOntbWQ But for now….drumroll please…. I said drumroll!!!! This is [...]

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