Every time I attend a Startup Weekend (TICKETS AT THE LINK), I notice a sort of buzz in the air. It can be electric.
As someone who has been attending them since 2012, I can say that there are few experiences in a tech community like it.
The action starts early, too. The fast pitch competition on Friday always sets the stage for the 48-hour business-building competition.
Sunday demos are a mix of excitement and exhaustion as the teams either celebrate an accomplishment or lament what went wrong.
This buzz returns this weekend in the latest Startup Weekend event.
There is a reason these are my favorite events in a tech community.
You witness raw ambition and ingenuity poured onto whiteboards and translated into tangible (if sometimes slightly chaotic) business models.
It’s even more palpable this year in Orlando.
Fueling the Fire: Local Support Amplifies Startup Weekend
Last month, the city and Orlando Tech Community awarded its largest grant of $14,000 in a tech-based program to Startup Weekend.
The support underscores the growing recognition of Startup Weekend’s vital role in our local ecosystem and has undoubtedly further energized the organizers.
Organizer Rajiv Menon offered a broader view on the enduring appeal of the event when we spoke Thursday.
“The world we live in is all about the new and the shiny but the basics don’t change. We still need people pitching, grinding and building,” he said.
I’ve often had the urge to jump on a team.
Maybe a first-person account is in order some day.
But, still, my role as an observer has given me a unique perspective, especially on the incredible networking power of Startup Weekend.
For anyone looking to understand or become a part of the Orlando startup scene, it offers an unparalleled immersion.
Startup Weekend is a weekend of hanging out with key players in our ecosystem.
Experienced mentors – founders who’ve navigated the challenges, investors actively seeking the next big thing, and industry experts eager to share their insights – are readily accessible.
It’s not just about exchanging contact information, either.
It’s forging genuine connections through the shared, intense experience of building a company from the ground up in a matter of hours.
I’ve seen firsthand how these connections blossom into mentorships, partnerships, and lasting community ties.
More Than Just Networking: Real Businesses Emerge
“When I personally see how the mindset of 150 people shift permanently, I know it’s worth it for them,” Menon added.
This speaks to the transformative power of the weekend, regardless of whether a viable business immediately emerges.
But before you start to think that this weekend is just another networking event, let’s make it clear, Orlando has a track record for businesses succeeding after forming at Startup Weekend.
As someone who has been doing this for 13 years now, it has been fun to watch.