Participants are encouraged to bring a business idea, social enterprise concept or something they think 'could be something' to the opening and digital pitch night. There, they'll pitch the idea to the online crowd and teams will form to progress the most inspiring ideas.
The weekend will follow the same intense format as the standard, in-person event, starting at 6pm on Friday, November 12 and running through 54 focused hours until 8pm Sunday, November 14.
"The initial pitch is a really critical experience for participants," says Dan Thurston Crow, event organiser and co-facilitator.
"Brave people virtually step up to deliver a short initial pitch about their idea. Groups of like-minded individuals, with diverse skills, form around the most interesting concepts.
"Over the course of a weekend they receive expert mentoring to complete a lean canvas business development model and practise Dragon's Den-style pitching. On the final evening, they pitch to our panel of four judges to win prizes designed to help them turn a weekend's work into what could be the future of their dreams."
The hard work isn't all done in that one weekend, Dan says, but it's a good start that has changed lives.
"Working collaboratively in a digital space pushes teams to really focus and develop solid direction. It's also a safe space to learn how to master some of the online tools and technologies for working around Covid that's being forced onto many businesses."
Startup Weekend Taranaki is in its sixth year. It ran in Hawera in 2020, and is where Kinda Ice Cream was first developed. That company is well advanced toward having its innovative product on supermarket shelves in the near future.
"I'd really encourage anyone who is curious about entrepreneurism to give Startup Weekend ago," says Graham Nelson, a lead organiser.
"Even if you're a really shy person, this is a great opportunity to learn and develop in a really low-pressure version of this event. You're in your own home the whole time but connected to a world of resources and information.
"We have a list of top-quality mentors who will be supporting participants to navigate the incubation process. It's really inspiring."
Mentors are volunteers from a variety of sectors – they're entrepreneurs, experts in customer experience and insights, not-for-profits, finance, mechatronics, design thinking principles, marketing and communications.
To book your ticket to attend Startup Weekend Taranaki 2021 Online go to https://events.humanities.com/startup-weekend-taranaki-2021.
