Innovate Mississippi, a nonprofit organization committed to economic development and entrepreneurship in the state, has announced that its next Startup Weekend will be Nov. 6 through 8 in the Trent Lott National Center.
Startup Weekends, sponsored by Google Entrepreneurs, are 54-hour events held in over 150 countries in which attendees are immersed in environments ideal for pitching business ideas to turn them into reality.
“We hope to bring the community, college students and regional entrepreneurs together and see real businesses formed over the weekend,” said Tony Jeff, president and CEO of Innovate Mississippi.
Because of the attendees’ diverse professional backgrounds, Startup Weekends are prime opportunities for networking, learning experiences and creating businesses. Mentors will offer support for the startup groups, and a panel of judges will evaluate each group’s plan. The weekend will end with an award ceremony in which the top three teams will win prizes for their innovations.
“Startup Weekend is designed to rally support around these ideas with a team of volunteers who possess business, technical and creative backgrounds,” said Shannon Campbell, director of the Trent Lott National Center.
Kaitlyn LeBlanc, a junior finance major, looks forward to the learning experience that Startup Weekend will provide for her and her fellow College of Business students.
“Startup Weekend is a great opportunity for collaboration between professionals and business students like me who want to fulfill dreams of becoming entrepreneurs,” LeBlanc said.
Tickets for Startup Weekend, including meals, are available for purchase online at $75 for professionals and $37.50 for students.
For more information on Startup Weekends or to purchase tickets, visit the Startup Weekend website.
