I've attended a few startup weekend type things (including that one on a bus). I think that businesses emerging out of it is a bonus, only usually happens through a serendipity of sorts.
The main value of these is events is learning and making connections. It's the one place and time someone with not much startup experience can get involved and learn about (almost all) aspects of starting and running a business. Because the groups are small and time is short, everyone in the team is in on the ride. (Vastly different from the journey of a sole or co-founders.) The connections you make are valuable as well. Everyone comes out of it feeling a bond, similar to going to Outward Bound or boot camp (if you've done those). Certainly different from attending regular networking drinky type things. So Darren, my answer to your queries is to show up with an open mind and smile, and enjoy the ride. Wrt to what to teams and what to work on - work on an idea that you and the others around you are passionate about. (Doesn't have to be your own thing). It really is the most fun that way. I'll be around on the three days (as mentor), so yell if you're feeling lost! :) Rai On Thu, Apr 26, 2012 at 3:55 PM, Sean Marshall <sean.marsh...@koti.com.au>wrote: > @Dylan The format is a bit different for this one. People get up on the > Friday night and pitch their ideas, and the teams form around them. > > This changes the style of the weekend slightly. Some of the changes are > good, some I don't quite agree with, but overall Start-up weekend has > pumped out a number of businesses that continue on, which I didn't see as > much in the model you are mentioning. > > Will be around helping out over the weekend. Will be a really good event. > > @Darren If you are going to pitch an idea, keep it simple. Being able to > achieve it in the 54 hours is important. But also be prepared that even if > people like the idea, it is going to change quite a bit over the course of > the weekend. > > While the techies are coding, you are likely going to be proving that the > business is viable. Finding customers, proving demand etc. The competition > is equal parts what you can build in a weekend from a business and > technical standpoint. > > Be prepared to work your ass off and have some fun in other words! > > Sean > > On Thu, Apr 26, 2012 at 3:10 PM, Dylan Jay <d...@pretaweb.com> wrote: > >> On 26/04/2012, at 1:45 PM, Darren J Handyside wrote: >> >> Hi Guys :) >>> >>> The Sydney Startup Weekend is happening this Friday, and it will be my >>> first time to an event like this. >>> >>> I am going in as a Non Technical person and my questions to the group is >>> - >>> >>> What am I going to expect? >>> >>> Will some investment of money need to be spent on the working Days? >>> >>> What attractions will lure a developer, designer, and marketer to ideas >>> presented on pitch night? >>> >> >> I can't vouch for how the rules of this one will run, but previously you >> are put into teams first, then you brain storm ideas together and pick one, >> then pitch it. >> I wouldn't suggest coming into this event with very fixed ideas you >> intend to work on. As others have said treat it as a learning exercise. >> For example when I did it was one of my ideas that got chosen by the >> group (out of perhaps 40 brainstormed ideas) but it was just a throw away >> thought of - "why do I have so many coffee loyalty cards in my pocket. >> there should be a better way to do this" and nothing more. This turned into >> a cool prototype and business plan completely different than we would have >> thought. >> If I had used one of the ideas I'd was precious about and thought long >> and hard about - it would have been too hard to build in one weekend and I >> would have been less open to the unexpected turns it took once we actually >> stopped thinking and started doing. >> >> >> >> >>> Ok guys, the floor is yours. >>> >>> Have a good day. >>> >>> -- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Silicon >>> Beach Australia mailing list. Vist >>> http://siliconbeachaustralia.**org<http://siliconbeachaustralia.org>for more >>> >>> Forum rules >>> 1) No lurkers! It is expected that you introduce yourself. >>> 2) No jobs postings. You can use >>> http://siliconbeachaustralia.**org/jobs<http://siliconbeachaustralia.org/jobs> >>> >>> >>> To post to this group, send email to >>> silicon-beach-australia@**googlegroups.com<silicon-beach-australia@googlegroups.com> >>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>> silicon-beach-australia+**unsubscr...@googlegroups.com<silicon-beach-australia%2bunsubscr...@googlegroups.com> >>> For more options, visit this group at >>> http://groups.google.com/**group/silicon-beach-australia?**hl=en?hl=en<http://groups.google.com/group/silicon-beach-australia?hl=en?hl=en> >>> >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Silicon Beach >> Australia mailing list. Vist >> http://siliconbeachaustralia.**org<http://siliconbeachaustralia.org>for more >> >> Forum rules >> 1) No lurkers! It is expected that you introduce yourself. >> 2) No jobs postings. You can use >> http://siliconbeachaustralia.**org/jobs<http://siliconbeachaustralia.org/jobs> >> >> >> To post to this group, send email to >> silicon-beach-australia@**googlegroups.com<silicon-beach-australia@googlegroups.com> >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> silicon-beach-australia+**unsubscr...@googlegroups.com<silicon-beach-australia%2bunsubscr...@googlegroups.com> >> For more options, visit this group at >> http://groups.google.com/**group/silicon-beach-australia?**hl=en?hl=en<http://groups.google.com/group/silicon-beach-australia?hl=en?hl=en> >> > > > > -- > Sean Marshall > 0448514420 > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Silicon Beach > Australia mailing list. Vist http://siliconbeachaustralia.org for more > > Forum rules > 1) No lurkers! It is expected that you introduce yourself. > 2) No jobs postings. You can use http://siliconbeachaustralia.org/jobs > > > To post to this group, send email to > silicon-beach-australia@googlegroups.com > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > silicon-beach-australia+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/silicon-beach-australia?hl=en?hl=en > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Silicon Beach Australia mailing list. Vist http://siliconbeachaustralia.org for more Forum rules 1) No lurkers! It is expected that you introduce yourself. 2) No jobs postings. You can use http://siliconbeachaustralia.org/jobs To post to this group, send email to silicon-beach-australia@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to silicon-beach-australia+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/silicon-beach-australia?hl=en?hl=en
