Hey guys, I’m looking at the Techstars Startup Weekend ad and trying to figure out if we’re the right audience for it. My startup has an MVP & traction. I see a whole bunch of information on their event page on how it can be useful yet I wonder if we’re the right audience. Is it best for us or someone who only wants to get started & doesn’t know how? Is it just a quick way for Techstars to make money off their name? Are they scouting any startups for the accelerator there?

Would love to hear thoughts & feedback from someone who attended before.

  • dvidsilva@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    Startup weekend is also a global community, the event will introduce you to facilitators and mentors and is meant to be fun

  • z3ugma@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    I help organize a Startup Weekend. Its relationship with techstars is very tenuous, and startup weekend existed a long time before techstars took on sponsorship of it.

    I think it’s good for meeting other people who are interested in entrepreneurship in your community, and shaking loose a lot of the first-time startup mistakes… like protecting your idea too closely, spending too much time on the product and not enough on the customer/sales / getting out of the building.

  • RegisterConscious993@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    I’m not familiar with Startup Weekend, but considering they’re actively recruiting startups for their programs, it’s most likely for scouting purposes.

    With that said, they do work with programs of all sizes, even pre-revenue. If you’re looking for funding, it’s worth a shot to attend and meet some connects there that can vouch for you if you apply to one of their programs.

    Check out their rising stars program if you or your co-founder meets their requirements for “underrepresented founders”. Seeing that you have an MVP and traction, you’re ahead of probably 99% of applicants.

  • dlm@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    I participated in Startup Weekend prior to its affiliation with TechStars.

    Perhaps it has changed in the past few years, but my experience with Startup Weekend was that people brought ideas with them to pitch, and participants formed teams around those ideas, to build from scratch. It doesn’t seem like it would be the right place for an existing startup with an MVP and traction, unless you’re planning to pivot (basically start over) or you desperately need to recruit co-founders.

    I’d be mildly surprised if Techstars closely monitored or seriously scouted these Startup Weekend events. Maybe if there’s an exceptionally interesting idea someone would take note and reach out, but, for the most part, I think they just want to plant a metaphorical seed so that when you’re ready to look at accelerators you think of them.