SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif- Startup Weekend begins Friday night. It's the second event held in San Luis Obispo. Just last year startup weekend resulted in 12 start ups. One Cal Poly student has taken advantage of the event twice already and he said it's not just about getting a company off the ground.
"My goal is more to embrace the community and embrace the mindset and really dig down and enjoy this event rather than come out with a business," said Tim Sweeney, a sophomore at Cal Poly.
He has already attended two of these events, and to say the least he's addicted. "When you are in this group setting and there's 150 people working on projects that didn't exist before and there's businesses forming, that type of energy, that type of dynamic just flows through you," said Sweeney. Startup Weekend is for anyone, Sweeney's tactic is networking. "I start talking with them and figure out what their backgrounds are, that's my strategy is to try and figure out who I want to work with," said Sweeney.
You don't even have to come with an idea, you can develop an idea while your there, or get in on someone else's. Sweeney has a start up in the making right now, and his company began from attending one of these events. "I actually met my current business partner there and he saw that I developed and stayed up all night and worked really hard on this project, he said I have an idea do you want to work with me," said Sweeney.
So if you don't win, you still leave with a reward. "It empowers you to say I can do something great, I can do something more than just go to class, I can do something more than just sit at home on the computer, I can create something that is a viable product, that people will buy, that can benefit peoples lives," said Sweeney.
Startup Weekend begins Friday at 6:30 at Cal Poly.
www.slo.startupweekend.org
