Startup Weekend opportunity for Taranaki's next entrepreneurs

2020 mentor Bryce Turner, WITT, and participant Milli Kumar, at Startup Weekend Hawera. Photo/ Supplied

If you've dreamt it, join Startup Weekend Taranaki and finally turn that glimmer of an idea into a refined business model that could change your future.

It's a 54-hour opportunity to work with developers, designers, marketers, product managers and startup enthusiasts to share ideas, form teams, build products and launch startups.

Hosted at Manifold Coworking Space, New Plymouth, from Friday September 10 to Sunday 12, 2021, the sixth annual Startup Weekend aims to help and support the region's dreamers, doers and developers to navigate a crash-course in business concept development.

"Our goal is to create an environment where people can come together and learn, network, identify their potential and see results," says Graham Nelson, Startup Weekend Taranaki co founder.

"We bring together mentors, facilitators, organisers, judges and great food and we give every participant the opportunity to participate and form or join a team developing an idea they're passionate about.

"Over the course of the weekend, participants develop business models and present final pitches to a judging panel. They win more than just prizes; they learn how to take a concept and turn it into a reality. They get to determine their involvement in the idea going forward."

Lead organiser Katherine Blaney agrees: "A couple of our 2020 teams have progressed their ideas and are making great strides toward their goals. These people came together and found exactly what they were looking for by taking a chance on themselves and spending one weekend challenging themselves in the best way."

2020 participant Milli Kumar is now a co-founder of Kinda, a plant-based icecream startup. Milli encourages everyone to get involved.

Milli found an idea she connected with and joined a team that appealed to her and suited her interests - she'd been studying to become a food technologist.

"Because of Startup Weekend, I had this amazing community around me to help me build my business and meet awesome people in the Taranaki ecosystem. I've made friends for life and I assure you the food is great."

The Kinda team are progressing their startup and revolutionising the icecream industry.

Startup Weekend Taranaki is put together by a collaboration of volunteers united by their interest in supporting future entrepreneurs. For more information or to get tickets visit https://events.humanitix.com/startup-weekend-taranaki-2021.