Thursday, January 8, 2009

Cleveland Start-Up Weekend Update

Just wanted to let everyone know of what is happening with the “Start-up Weekend” event. I have included a post from my dear friend Doug Craver (www.techbytes.biz):

Due to the tremendous response to my post here and through BFD last week regarding Cleveland being the vote winner for the next Startup Weekend location I wanted to give everyone an update. Andrew Kavanaugh who is spearheading the charge, and currently attending codemash, sent me an update earlier this week and here are the main points:

  1. We’re almost done building out the planning team (which I’ve agreed to be part of).
  2. The amount of volunteers who have stepped forward to offer help with the event has been amazing.
  3. Negotiations are under way with a handful of potential venues.
  4. More news and details will be shared after our first Oragnizers Meeting later this month.
  5. This is going to be the best tech event this year in NEO (my opinion)!

Everyone who commented and offered to help on the first post I made last week about the event has been added to a list I’ve started (name, email and specific offer if you made one). Any direct referrals from the Tech Czar have also been added.

If you haven’t offered to help and want to feel free to comment on this post to be added.

Stay tuned for more to come later this month…

Thanks Doug for the great update. If anyone is interested in participating in this outstanding event – please let me know at mdealoia@mac.com.

Posted by Tech Czar at 20:29:46 | Permalink | Comments (2)

Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Cleveland Wins “Start-Up Week-end”

Cleveland starts off the year with an exciting victory – having won the Start-up Week-end Event. Everyone in the City should get behind this amazing event. Read the email from Doug Craver below.

WOOHOO! Startup weekend is coming to Cleveland. What awesome news to start the New Year off with. Rise up Cleveland! An email I received yesterday from Andrew Kavanaugh:

Hi Everybody,

If you are receiving this email then I believe you are an invaluable member of the Cleveland Entrepreneurial Community and I’d like to ask you for a bit of help with the Startup Weekend - Cleveland event.  Startup Weekend is an intense 54 hour event that brings together developers, graphic artists, business & marketing, legal and more for a fun filled weekend of pitching ideas and bringing the popular ideas to life.  There have been nearly 30 Startup Weekend Events in the United States, Canada and, most recently, in Greece - including an event in our backyard (Columbus).  After a great run of votes on http://startupweekend.com/cityvote/- I’m happy to announce that we’re bringing the party to Cleveland.

We’re still putting together the logistics of the entire event and talking with a few different venues in order to get enough space for the 80-150 expected attendees.  But in order to make this event a true success, I need a good team of people that can execute this event with me.  I’m looking for 5-6 people to assist in planning the event, specifically, people that can:

1)  Spread the word - the size of the event will dictate its’ success and ensure that we can continue to have these types of events in the future.
2)  Raise sponsorship dollars - since we’re providing food, entertainment, some legal advice, etc; we need to raise about $5,000 and possibly more or less depending on the venue’s level of generosity.
3)  Swag - who doesn’t like a gift bag for showing up to the event.  Someone that can help with the design of our logo & tshirts would be great as well.
4)  Help run the event - the event starts with registration, drinks, dinner, elevator pitches & voting, we’ll need a few volunteers to keep things running smoothly at all of these stages.

Crain’s Cleveland is running an article on the event in January and I hope to get The Plain Dealer involved in spreading the word shortly - this is shaping up to be quite the event and I hope that you can all assist or attend.  If you would like to be involved or know someone that can help, please contact me at your earliest convenience.  Everybody that replies will be invited to our first meeting in January where we can talk the logistics & roles.

Thanks for your consideration and Happy New Year,

-AK

THANKS ANDREW and everyone who voted Cleveland to the top!!!!!

Posted by Tech Czar at 18:38:11 | Permalink | Comments (3)