Global Sensation Startup Weekend Returns to Hamilton
Hamilton, ON (April 16, 2012) – Hamilton’s Regional Innovation Centre (RIC), Innovation Factory (iF) has teamed up once again with Software Hamilton to bring the international movement of Startup Weekend to Hamilton this spring. Startup Weekend is a global network of passionate leaders & entrepreneurs on a mission to inspire, educate & empower individuals, teams & communities. Attendees come share to ideas, form teams & launch startups.
The first Startup Weekend event in Hamilton last October drew a strong crowd of Hamilton designers, developers, business professionals, and students. This time, the Startup Weekend Hamilton 2 (SWH2) team decided to expand their reach, and have partnered with two other local RICs – Halton’s HalTech and Niagara’s nGen – as well as grassroots group Silicon Halton, to bring in participants from nearby communities.
Startup Weekend Hamilton 2 will be held April 27-29, 2012 and will be hosted in the new Collaboratory space at Mohawk College, 135 Fennell Avenue West, Hamilton. Companies from across the community have shown their support for this exciting initiative – Mohawk College (Host Sponsor), Ridout & Maybee LLP (Gold Sponsor), Coral CEA (Silver Sponsor), PopChips and Deliverizer (food and beverage sponsors). Prizes include packages from KKT Interactive and enthuzr, in addition to a 6-month incubation space from Mohawk College, and 5 Blackberry Playbooks from RIM.
Attendees will have the opportunity to hear keynote speakers Robin Hopper (iF, Awareness Inc.), Dean McCall (Appficient), and Kevin Browne (Software Hamilton) on Friday night, and their final presentations on Sunday will be judged by Chris Farias (kitestring creative branding studio), Mark Pavlidis (Endloop Mobile), and Karen Grant (Angel One Investor Network). The weekend will also feature an impressive roster of mentors, including Jesse Rodgers (TribeHR).
Tickets are $99 per person or $49 for students, which includes supplies, as well as meals, beverages, and snacks throughout the entire weekend. For more information visit hamilton.startupweekend.org or register at swhamilton2.eventbrite.com.
About Startup Weekend
Startup Weekends are 54-hour events designed to provide superior experiential education for technical and non-technical entrepreneurs. Beginning with Friday night pitches and continuing through brainstorming, business plan development, and basic prototype creation, Startup Weekends culminate in Sunday night demos and presentations. Participants create working startups during the event and are able to collaborate with like-minded individuals outside of their daily networks. All teams hear talks by industry leaders and receive valuable feedback from local entrepreneurs. The weekend is centered around action, innovation, and education. Whether you are looking for feedback on a idea, a co-founder, specific skill sets, or a team to help you execute, Startup Weekends are the perfect environment in which to test your idea and take the first steps towards launching your own startup.
Media Contact
For more information, contact Stephanie Shuster, stephanie.shuster@innovationfactory.ca, 905.667.2611 x.224