Startup Weekend Bukidnon Year 5

I recently had the pleasure of attending Startup Weekend Bukidnon 5 and let me tell you, it was an amazing experience! For those of you who are unfamiliar with Startup Weekend, it’s a 54-hour event where entrepreneurs, developers, designers, and other professionals come together to pitch ideas, form teams, and create viable business plans. The event, which has been running since 2007, has been held in more than 150 countries, with over 23,000 teams created and countless successful startups launched.

As I walked into the venue on a Sunday morning, I was excited to see the energy in the room. The atmosphere was buzzing with people eager to pitch their ideas, and the pitches were so diverse, ranging from mobile apps to e-commerce platforms, from social networking to healthcare, and from travel to education. Each pitch was limited to three minutes, which made it all the more exciting and challenging. I was in awe of the participants who managed to convey their ideas so succinctly.

After the pitches, the participants voted on the most promising ideas, and the top pitches were selected to move forward. I was thrilled when two of the five teams I mentored made it through to the final round.

Over the next few hours, the team brainstormed, researched, and validated their ideas, built prototypes, and refined their business models. Other mentors, who were seasoned entrepreneurs and business leaders, were on hand to offer guidance and feedback to the teams.

On the second day, teams continued to work hard, with some even burning the midnight oil to get their ideas off the ground. There were workshops on topics such as design thinking, customer validation, prototyping. The mentors continued to offer their expertise during the practice pitch, and the different teams spent a lot of time refining their respective pitches and prototypes.

On the final day, each team presented their ideas to a panel of judges, who evaluated them based on criteria such as innovation, feasibility, and market potential.

In the end, the top three teams were announced, and they received prizes, including mentoring opportunities. The event had also brought together people from different backgrounds and industries, creating a vibrant community of innovators and changemakers.

To anyone who is interested in attending Startup Weekend, I highly recommend it. It’s a fantastic event that brings together people from all walks of life to work on exciting new ideas. It’s a platform for creativity, collaboration, and innovation, and is an excellent opportunity to test your entrepreneurial skills. Whether you’re a seasoned entrepreneur or a first-time participant, there is something for everyone at Startup Weekend. You will learn new skills, meet new people, and have a lot of fun along the way.