Startup Weekend Orlando- Spring 2024

Want to be an entrepreneur or innovator? Really? Do you want it enough to devote a weekend to it? 

Then THIS is the event for you! Learn how to think, work, and build like a startup over 54 thrilling hours. Techstars Startup Weekend is an exciting and immersive foray into the world of startups; if you've never been a part of it, the time is NOW. Over an action-packed three days, you’ll meet the very best mentors, investors, co-founders, and sponsors to show you how to get more done faster -- and, maybe even start that business. Past attendees have won global competitions, raised millions of dollars, and created jobs right here in Orlando. So stop talking and start doing surrounded by an incredibly smart and motivated group of people.

SPEAKERS

To Be Determined

JUDGES

Jeff Hoffman - Founder of Priceline.com/Booking.com

Jeff Hoffman is a successful entrepreneur, proven CEO, worldwide motivational speaker, bestselling author, Hollywood film producer, a Grammy-winning jazz album producer, and executive producer of an Emmy Award-winning television show.

In his career, he has been the founder of multiple startups, the CEO of both public and private companies, and has served as a senior executive in many capacities. Jeff has been part of a number of well-known successful startups, including Priceline.com/Booking.com, uBid.com, and more.

Dawn Haynes - CEO, StarterStudio

Dawn Haynes is more than the CEO of StarterStudio. She is a mentor, a leader, a fount of knowledge and insight, and a visionary who is committed both to helping individual entrepreneurs realize their dreams and goals, and helping Orlando become a hub for successful start-ups and leading tech companies. As the CEO, Dawn is focused on growing the impact of StarterStudio and using this organization as a catalyst for building the tech sector throughout the region.

As a leader and mentor, Dawn draws on her deep and diverse background, including more than 35 years of international leadership experience, having spearheaded strategic planning, innovation, business development, asset growth, operations, customer experience, and more for a range of companies of varying sizes and stages of growth from startup to enterprise.

Peter McAlindon - Entrepreneur in Residence, Executive Director of the Center for Advanced Entrepreneurship, Rollins College Crummer Graduate School of Business.

Peter McAlindon, Ph.D., is the Entrepreneur in Residence at the Rollins College Crummer Graduate School of Business where he teaches courses in entrepreneurship and directs the Center for Advanced Entrepreneurship. “Dr. Pete” mentors teams of students as they find commercial applications and develop paths to market for technologies developed by NASA. His expertise includes start-up ventures, angel capital, human-computer interaction, product design and development, research methods, and statistics.

Dr. McAlindon is also the founder and chief executive officer of Blue Orb Inc., a central Florida-based technology company that develops computer technology for persons with disabilities.

Through Blue Orb, Dr. McAlindon has successfully secured multiple rounds of funding from the National Science Foundation’s SBIR program and more than $5,000,000 in angel investor funding. Additionally, he is a co-founder of venVelo, a Florida-based seed capital fund.

A native of Michigan, Dr. McAlindon graduated with honors from the University of Michigan, holds a MAS in Aeronautical Science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and a Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering from the University of Central Florida.

MENTORS

To Be Determined

SCHEDULE

FRIDAY, April 5th

5:30 PM

Venue opens. Don’t be late. Arrive and get checked in.

6:00 PM

Dinner and networking — meet someone new!

6:30 PM

Welcome, orientation, and speakers

6:55 PM

Energizer/Team builder activity

7:15 PM

Pitch Fire! Participants all give a 60-second pitch on a brand-new, innovative idea.

8:35 PM

Voting. Attendees vote for the top pitches from the evening.

9:00 PM

Team formation and discussion.

Take an inventory of skills. Be clear about resources and skills needed for the weekend. You may stay and work until 10:30pm.

Make sure you get some good sleep. Saturday starts early and it’s a long day!

Saturday, April 6th

8:30 AM

Doors open. Arrive on time and get some breakfast/coffee. We have so much to do!

9:00 AM

Energizer activity.

9:10 AM

Mandatory check-in for teams.

9:15 AM

Customer Discovery/validation overview

9:30 AM

Break off and begin working in teams.

10:30 AM

Mentors begin working with teams.

12:00 PM

Lunch is served

12:30 PM

Check-ins, team status, calls for help

Value Prop and Business Model speaker.

1:00 PM

Continue working in teams, head out into the community for customer discovery and validation.

3:00 PM

Virtual MVP workshop

3:30 PM

Work in teams

4:30 PM

Mentor Sessions #2

6:00 PM

Dinner is served

6:30 PM

Check-ins, team status, calls for help

Pitch Deck overview

7:00 PM

Continue working in teams

8:50 PM

Full-group end of day reflection

9:00 PM

Venue closes promptly at 9PM tonight

Sunday, April 7th

8:30 AM

Doors open. Arrive on time and get some breakfast and coffee

9:00 AM

Energizer

9:05 AM

Mandatory team check-in

9:10 AM

Set the Agenda

Pitch and presentation overview

9:30 AM

Continue working in teams

10:30 AM

Pitch on the spot: test where you truly are with your pitch!

Mentor sessions

12:00 PM

Lunch is served

1:00 PM

Pitch practice & tech checks begin

3:00 PM

Continue working in teams

4:30 PM

Introductions to final pitches

4:45 PM

Final Presentations begin

Present, watch and celebrate all your hard work throughout the weekend!

7:00 PM

Dinner is served

Judges deliberate and score the pitches

7:30 PM

Awards!

8:00 PM

Big group photo, head out to the after-party!

Terms of Participation Agreement: It is our job to provide you with an incredible networking and learning experience. Our intention is that you meet some amazing people that you might start a company with, learn from mentors and learn from your peers. The event is intended to be a collaborative forum for sharing, learning, building, and having fun. As such, by registering as a participant, you acknowledge that any ideas shared by you or anyone else over the course of the event are contributions to the overall experience and community. If you’re very concerned, you can limit your pitch to the rough outline of the idea without giving away key information.

As a member of your startup community, you agree to be inclusive of any and all people and their ideas. You agree to act professionally, treat everyone with respect, and treat the event facilities with proper care. You agree that you are responsible in the event of any accidents or damages that you cause. You also agree to not hold Techstars Startup Weekend, your local volunteer team, or any of the event supporters liable for any loss, damage, injury, or any other unforeseeable incident.

By participating in the event, you grant Techstars permission to capture photos/videos of the event and use them for marketing purposes, so we can continue to offer amazing Techstars Startup Weekends around the world.

By purchasing a ticket to a Techstars Startup Weekend event, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. If you have questions please reach out to privacy@techstars.com.

If you require a reimbursement, contact the event organizer.