WWU's College of Business and Economics Co-Sponsoring Bellingham's 'Startup Weekend' June 24-26

Contact: Dan Purdy, associate director, Western Washington University MBA Program, at (360) 650-3825 or Daniel.purdy@wwu.edu. 

BELLINGHAM – Western Washington University’s College of Business and Economics (CBE) and its MBA Program are co-sponsoring “Startup Weekend,” along with the Northwest Innovation Resource Center and Bellingham Innovation Group’s Big Idea Lab, June 24-26 in Viking Union 565 on the WWU campus.

“Startup Weekend” is a 54-hour event where developers, designers, marketers, product managers and startup enthusiasts come together to share ideas, form teams, build products, empower individuals and communities, and launch startups. 

The event’s overarching goal is to develop an ecosystem of entrepreneurship in the region that helps educate, inform and equip its community members to launch businesses that lead to job creation.

Beginning with open mic pitches on Friday, attendees bring their best ideas and inspire others to join their team. Over Saturday and Sunday teams focus on customer development, validating their ideas, practicing lean startup methodologies and building a viable product. On Sunday evening teams demo their prototypes and receive valuable feedback from a panel of experts. Startup Weekends are specifically designed for entrepreneurs interested in receiving feedback on an idea, looking for a co-founder, or who want to learn a new skill.

“We are excited to offer Western students and the local community a chance to experience the entrepreneurial process,” said Dan Purdy, associate director of the Western MBA Program. “We are focused on providing experiential learning opportunities that put Western students alongside a diverse set of entrepreneurs from all walks of life, backgrounds and areas of study.  Going from idea to revenue in 54 hours is an exciting opportunity.”

Startup Weekends are occurring in cities and communities around the globe this spring, from Ulaanbaator, Mongolia to Bellingham to Skopje, Macedonia and Ramallah, Palestine; the organization already has more than 25,000 alumni since its inception in Boulder, Colo. in 2007.  Companies like foodspotting.com and Zaarly.com have blossomed out of the intensive startup weekend experience.

Shawn Kemp, president of the Big Idea Lab, said the experience of going through an intense visioning and creation process like Startup Weekend can be invaluable for anyone who is either thinking of starting a business or already owns one.

"This is a great excuse to spend a weekend exploring what it's like to start up a business, and not just software- and web-based ones like we help every day here at the lab – really, any idea can be explored during this intensive process," said Kemp. "An idea isn't even required; all you need is the desire to be involved in starting up a business to enjoy this opportunity to dip your toe in the water."

John Sechrest, executive director of the Northwest Innovation Resource Center, agreed.

“Startup Weekend is a great way to engage in a new idea, new process or get to know new team members,” he said. “It’s a great experience, and sometimes the experience results in a new business.”

Registration costs for the event are $49 for students or $99 for non-students. To register, go to http://Bellingham.startupweekend.org; for more information, contact Dan Purdy, associate director of Western’s MBA Program, at Daniel.purdy@wwu.edu.