Have a great startup idea? Come pitch it!
Penn State students and the community are invited to participate in Startup Weekend, an open-themed startup contest that covers any industry or vertical startup ideas that boost the economy and benefit society and/or the environment. Ideas across all industry verticals are welcome and are eligible for prizes!
Note: There will be a special award for the Veteran Startup category, for ideas pertaining to serving the needs of active duty military and veterans and their families!
Startup Weekend Overview
The program begins on Friday evening with participants pitching their sixty-second startup ideas. The Penn State community and students are free to join the participants who are pitching ideas and form teams around the most interesting ideas. In this way, anyone can participate in the event, even if they were not involved in pitching the original idea. Thus, presenting ideas/pitches is not mandatory, and community members and students can join any team on Friday evening.
Note: The maximum number of participants in each group is eight.
Each team will work to refine the ideas, validate the startup plan, and even create prototypes if applicable. Throughout the weekend, teams will receive coaching and mentorship from experienced coaches and industry experts. On Sunday evening, each team will make a final presentation to a panel of judges who will determine the best startup ideas. Winners will receive extended support and further guidance from Penn State partners to help turn their ideas into reality.
Workshops
Participants can also register to attend one of three free one-hour workshops to assist them with preparing their initial pitches.
- Workshop 1: October 8, 8:30-9:30 am
- Workshop 2: October 22, 8:30-9:30 am
- Workshop 3: Nov 11, 7-8 pm [Friday evening of Startup Weekend]
Schedule for Startup Weekend 2022: November 11-13
- Friday
- 5:00 – 6:00 pm Registration and dinner
- 6:00 – 8:00 pm Program kickoff, idea pitching and voting, team formation
- 7:00 - 8:00 pm Workshop 3 [optional]
- 8:00 - 9:00 pm Team work sessions
- Saturday
- 8:00 – 8:30 am Breakfast
- 8:30 am – 6:00 pm Program kickoff, learning workshops, and coaching and teamwork sessions. Lunch and dinner will be served.
- 1:00 – 3:00 pm Presentation to coaches
- Sunday
- 8:00 – 8:30 am Breakfast
- 8:30 am – 3:00 pm Coaching, pitch prep, and teamwork sessions. Lunch will be served.
- 3:00 – 5:00 pm Final Pitch Competition & Awards
- 5:00 - 7:00 pm Dinner
The event will take place in the Education Activities Building (EAB) at Penn State Harrisburg. Parking will be available in the EAB or Library parking lots.
Questions?
Please contact Dr. Arpita Agnihotri via email to [email protected]
