Do you have a business idea but need support and feedback to get it off the ground? Or maybe you’re an entrepreneur who wants to meet others of like mind and become a part of the next big business venture in Tampa Bay? Startup Weekend might be the place for you.
Holding its fourth event in Tampa Bay,
Startup Weekend Tampa Bay is part of a larger network that has hosted more than 400 events in 100 countries around the world since 2011. The event is attended by individuals, teams and groups of entrepreneurs set out to make their mark on the business community and become a part of something new.
Attendees pitch their startup ideas and receive feedback from other participants. Teams then form around the top ideas (voted on by participants), which starts the 54-hour event complete with design, planning, collaboration and presentations. Groups receive feedback on their ideas from a panel of experts, and everyone comes out of the experience with new knowledge and connections.
"Success is having people leave the event with a better understanding of how to take their ideas and bring them to life," says Ryan Sullivan, Startup Weekend Tampa Bay organizer and facilitator.
Sullivan also helps facilitate other Startup Weekends across the country. What’s unique about Tampa Bay’s event is that it doesn’t focus on a specific industry or niche. "We have a very passionate community and an abundance of unique ideas from different background," he notes.
The St. Petersburg location was chosen in hopes of better connecting the Tampa Bay region, as well as for the open layout that will encourage collaboration and knowledge sharing among attendees.
The event begins Friday, June 7, at 6:30 pm and concludes Sunday, June 9, at 9 pm at the University of South Florida in St. Petersburg.
Writer:
Megan Hendricks
Source: Ryan Sullivan, Startup Weekend Tampa Bay
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