Geraldton Startup Weekend offers everyone in the Midwest the opportunity to LEARN  how to turn an IDEA into a Startup and on to a viable venture or project.

This weekend is centered around action, innovation, and education. Whether you are looking for feedback on a idea, a co-founder, specific skill sets, a team to help you execute, or investment, this Startup Weekends is the perfect environment in which to test your idea and take the first steps towards launching your own startup.

Tickets are available for only Friday night, or the whole weekend, register via Eventbrite: http://www.eventbrite.com/e/startup-weekend-geraldton-2014-tickets-12107781701

Entrepreneur’s Journey

Startup Weekend is primarily a LEARNING experience, where access to tools, coaches, mentors and collaborators accelerates your learning. While the best outcome is learning, it also happens that Startup Weekend is the largest single source of new ventures. And while Startup Weekends origins are in the technology community (apps and software), globally this approach has now been used with a focus on healthcare, women, social challenges and more. Read more about the diverse locations and topics on the Startup Weekend site.

Now, thanks to MMG Golden Grove, Up Global, Pollinators Inc and Lifetime Services, Startup Weekend is coming to Geraldton. We’ve tailored the schedule for our community and condensed into an amazing 30-hour event beginning with Friday night pitches, and continuing on Saturday with brainstorming, business model development, customer validation, basic prototyping and final presentations.

For Geradtlon Startup whether your idea is about technology, arts, or trying to solve a social problem, this is your chance to knock it into shape, FAST, and gain momentum to realise your dream. It’s also a GREAT lead-in to our Catalyst program.

Overview

Startup Weekend takes a team-based approach, where not all ideas pitched will be worked on. Some of the best learning comes from helping someone else on their idea or venture, without the emotional attachment and responsibility!

The event flow is:

• Friday Night (detailed timing for 2014 Geraldton Startup Weekend Friday here)
  • Pitches — everyone who wants to has a 1 minute pitch
  • Networking — an opportunity to learn more about other people, the ideas
  • Voting — use sticky notes to vote for the top ideas
  • Form Teams — teams are formed
• Saturday (detailed timing for 2014 Geraldton Startup Weekend Saturday here)
  • Work on your ideas — use tools, resources, coaches, mentors, customers and developers to form your idea into a viable proposition
  • Pitches — all teams practice then pitch for 5 minutes to the judges

Participants get:

• Support from coaches and mentors from across the community — legal, financial, technical, branding and marketing advice for free!
• All materials, templates, tools and contacts — for planning the business model, validating with customers and creating a minimum viable product
• Food and drink for the duration of the event — 4 square meals!
• Free resources from Startup Weekend sponsors like Amazon web services, .co, 3M and more
• Prizes for the best ventures, and spot prizes for great team members.
• Facilitation by a team of expert and enthusiastic organisers.

There are three information sessions, on 3rd, 10th and 17th September, to learn more about Geraldton Startup Weekend

Tickets are available via Eventbrite: http://www.eventbrite.com/e/startup-weekend-geraldton-2014-tickets-12107781701