Startup Weekend, some tricks to get success

Pubblicato il 25 Gen 2013

The first Startup Weekend of the year in Milan will be held at Talent Garden, the new gorgeous coworking space in town, one of the biggest in Europe. The weekend of February 1st – 3th will see at least 150 persons (designers, developers, startupers) join the location of via Merano 18, ready to roast their brain in the effort to put together a startup.

Below, a short list of tips that the organizers of the event (Talent Garden, Startupbusiness, Frontiers of Interaction) want to give to those who are going to participate and aspire to win the competition, or at least to get a high level of personal satisfaction.

SIMPLE IDEAS, DELIVERABLE

You don't go to Startup Weekends for carrying out the invention of the century, right?

But if there is an idea that rounds in your mind, that meets a need and that you have insight into, Startup Weekend can be the right place where to discover if you are right or you are not. Do not be brainy, free yourself from rigid patterns, think different and deliver! you have just “hours”, not ages!

INVEST ON FRIDAY PITCH

If during the weekend, you really really want to work on your idea, do your homework, be ready to pitch the partecipants on Friday evening. You only have one minute to say what you want to do, what's the point, what team you need. Be persuasive, you also have to attract talented people in your team.

BE PRAGMATIC

Basically, to succeed at Startup Weekend means to be ready to pitch jury and investors on Sunday. You have to astonish them with the presentation of an idea that makes sense: a working demo is very much appreciated, a funny or exiting video focused on the core of the project, a pitch deck well organized, simple, with a nice graphic, modern but not stereotypical. Forget slides filled with numbers and analysis and statistics: it will be enough to show that you know the market you are targeting and that you are aware of customer acquisition strategies to get your share.

Don't get lose in the hundreds of theoretical streams that every brilliant idea can give rise, there isn't enough time to develop and show everything. Focus on the initial concept: sometimes it can be helpful to freeze it immediately in a slogan, a payoff or one-line. If you don't focus, you'll be taking a start to a never-ending job.

BE CONFIDENT IN THE TEAM

Startup Weekend is not a stuff of solo sailors, but for people who loves working with others. People able to listen besides talking, which are curious, open, willing to share and collaborate.

That said, it is also necessary to organize the team immediately and give each persone the right task, without centering everything on the founder. While the founder must avoid acting as a rockstar, the other components should not give him the full responsibility of the decisions and the workload.

SMILE

Take it easy!

Do not feel less involved if you arrive at Startup Weekend with no personal ideas, vote the one you prefer and try to get on board with that team!

Forget the attitude “if my idea pass I stay, if it doesn't I go”.

Don' t feel in anxiety about pitching the investors on Sunday as you are playing the game of your life. Investors will come there with the cash in the wallet, but if they find you and your idea interesting they will probably ask you to meet in the next weeks.

During the three-day event, one of the most beautiful things is to meet like-minded people: give the right value to this, be open and receptive, you will have fun and you will performance much better!