University’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship to host Startup Weekend April 22-24
The UMass Dartmouth Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) will host a Startup Weekend for student innovators and entrepreneurs, April 22-24, at the CIE facility in Fall River (151 Martine Street). UMass Dartmouth students from all majors are invited to participate in the three-day competition.
Startup Weekends, are 54-hour, weekend-long, hands-on experiences where entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs can find out if their startup ideas are viable. On average, half of Startup Weekend's attendees have technical or design backgrounds, and the other half have business backgrounds.
Beginning with open mic pitches on Friday, attendees bring their best ideas and inspire others to join their team. Over Saturday and Sunday, teams focus on customer development, validating their ideas, practicing LEAN Startup Methodologies and building a minimal viable product. On Sunday evening teams demo their prototypes and receive valuable feedback from a panel of industry experts.
Last November’s Startup Weekend had close to 50 participants competing for startup space in the CIE and marketing/consulting services. The theme of this semester’s competition is the “maker edition,” focused on building physical products. Participants will have access to the state-of-the-art labs at the CIE, equipped with machinery and knowledgeable staff to assist inventors, entrepreneurs, and companies large and small.
Individuals and teams can sign-up for Startup Weekend by visiting the Startup Weekend Maker Edition registration page.