A team at Startup Weekend Des Moines 2010. Photo by Rob Jensen via Flickr.
Editor’s Note: The author, Levi Rosol, is also a volunteer organizer for Startup Weekend Des Moines.
It’s that time again. Startup Weekend is getting ready to kick off its third event in Des Moines and it’s only a little over three weeks away. I personally have attended one of these events, and to be completely honest, at no fault of anyone but myself, I didn’t get what I expected. I went into that first Startup Weekend with the mentality that I was about to jump into a 54-hour, caffeine filled, laptop pounding, hackapolooza and was going to be part of a shiny new startup by Sunday night.
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A couple hours into the event I realized this wasn’t going to be the case. I was actually going to get some sleep. I was going to get to see my family, albeit, briefly. In-light of these new expectations, I was in it for the weekend, so I stuck around. And I’m glad I did. I met some kick-ass people outside of my circle and I’ve been able to maintain many of those connections ever since. That particular Startup Weekend is where I met my co-founder for ScoreYard, Mike Templeton.
So now that two years have passed and the third Startup Weekend, of which I’m serving as a volunteer organizer with Shane Reiser (COO of Startup Weekend), is quickly closing in, I wanted to put together a quick list of things to expect when attending Startup Weekend Des Moines. These should help people come in with the right mentality and expectations.
What, Where When and How Much?
- What: Startup Weekend Des Moines
- Where: 700 Locust Street, Des Moines Iowa (parking is in the building and free on the weekend)
- When: March 4, 5:30 p.m. – March 6, 9 p.m.
- How Much: Normal ticket price is $75. Early Bird rate is $50 through Febraury 12th. You can register at dsm.startupweekend.org/tickets. We have a number of sponsors who have stepped up to offer scholarships, allowing people to attend at no cost. You can find details at dsm.startupweekend.org.
You Might Launch a New Startup
This is the ultimate goal of any Startup Weekend event. If the right people are in attendance, the right project is pitched, and the right people come together to work on it, you very well could be part of a successful startup. With hundreds of event around the globe, there is a long list of successful companies that have their roots in Startup Weekend.
You Will Meet New People
This is a given. But the beauty of Startup Weekend is the diverse assortment of people that attend. If you’re a tech guy like me and run in the usual tech circles, you probably don’t get to meet many designers, or lawyers, or accountants. But you will at Startup Weekend. And you’ll meet them in the context of getting things done compared to the social mixers that many of us attend. Instead of hearing how Person A is a rock star designer or Person B is a Rails coding whiz, you’ll get to see them in action. Where rubber meets the road if you will.
You Will Learn From Someone
Past Startup Weekend events have varied in structure, but I think at this point the guys and gals behind Startup Weekend have a good routine locked down. Part of the schedule includes time for leaders and mentors from the area to come in and speak to the group as a whole, or work with groups individually. In the past these individuals have provided tremendous value, and the people we have lined up for this event will surely not disappoint. Outside of the mentors that come in, you of course will learn from your fellow team members. Since you will be working with them throughout the weekend, this is more than likely your greatest source for learning new things.
Food and Drink Will Be Provided
Thanks to our many great sponsors, all meals, snacks and drinks will be provided on site. It’s amazing to see the community support behind this event and it goes to show how much value the community puts into events like Startup Weekend. We cannot thank our sponsors enough.
Here are more photos from Startup Weekend Des Moines, found on Flickr:
