Maybe I was wrong to be sceptical about the whole StartupWeekend thing and its US founder Andrew Hyde? The back-story – which I wrote on at length – is that he has been flying to several US cities working with volunteers to co-create internet companies in one weekend, where everyone has an equal share in the resulting web site. The movement has spread to copy-cat events, such as in Germany, but London will have an ‘official’ event where Hyde himself is due to appear. Needless to say, some events have been more successful than others, but it’s hard to fault the enthusiasm of the participants, whatever happens. Just don’t expect the next Google to be created inside 48 hours, I guess.
The London StartupWeekend (Nov 30-Dec 2) site now has over 40 people signed-up to create an internet company in just one “jam-packed” weekend and they’ve even made a video to explain how it will all work.
I’m glad that you’re coming to your senses, Mike.
Startup Weekend is about the experience. Each SW attracts the best and brightest in that region, and I’m certain that a truly viable, marketable, and monetizable business model will emerge out of a SW event in 2008.
Start-up weekend sounds a bit mickey mouse…
Pete – Yeah, it’s definitely not going to be a highly organised corporate event – but I guess you have to enter into it with low expectations and see what you can get out of it as “an experience” etc. Think BarCamp, but having to suddenly work with other people on one idea, rather than on your own project…