Startup Weekend EDU Cape Town

Network with Mother City creatives and bring your educational ideas to life with this unique Cape Town conference

The inaugural education-focused Startup Weekend is here, giving attendees the opportunity to transform their innovative educational ideas into action in just 54 hours.

This three-day conference, which runs from Friday, 5 to Sunday, 7 September 2014 at The Stables in Cape Town, gives attendees the chance to design a creative education-based business – with the benefit of a learning-centred environment, user-structured tests and coaching from experienced education designers and industry professionals.

The project’s mission is to promote innovation and entrepreneurship in local communities. Rather than focusing on how many start-ups are launched, the endeavour seeks to facilitate an atmosphere in which creativity and networking can flourish – such so that guests are able to develop deep relationships with potential partners, meet possible co-founders, experiment with ideas in a risk-free environment and have their ideas validated.

The weekend begins with open-mic 60- second pitches, and from there progresses into team formation, idea sharing and creation based on the most viable pitches. The rest of the event is then spent looking at customer development, idea-validation, the building of prototypes and ultimately the demo of the products – each of which is judged by a panel of industry experts.

WHAT TO EXPECT AT THE STARTUP WEEKEND EDU

FRIDAY NIGHT: On the first night attendees will have the opportunity to share their ideas in a form of a pitch (while the thinking  is that all attendees pitch, it is not compulsory). The concepts are then reviewed, voted upon and feedback from the educators is given. The most workable ideas are then selected, teams are formed and initial brainstorming takes place. Teams will need to do an inventory evaluation to in order assess what skills each group member can contribute. The events for Friday night will take place between 6:30pm and 10:00pm (although participants will be able to stay on later if they wish to do so).

SATURDAY: Between 9am and 10pm on the Saturday teams will regroup and begin actively working on their ideas and prototypes. During the process the coaches will work one-on-one will the teams, giving them feedback, suggestions and general assistance. Group members may stay beyond the allocated time should they wish to.

SUNDAY: On the Sunday, between 9am and 9pm, groups will have the chance to perfect their presentations and receive concluding advice from the coaches. The final presentations then take place. These are judged by the panel of industry experts and awards are given where due.

EVENT JUDGES FOR STARTUP WEEKEND EDU

• Gareth Jane (Startup strategy advisor at Microsoft BizSpark and 4Africa)
• Elizabeth Gould (Co-founder and CEO of codeX)
• Thashlin Govender (Director of Dell Young Leaders at Michael & Susan Dell Foundation)
• Robert Paddock (Chief academic officer at GetSmarter)

MENTORS, COACHES & SPEAKERS FOR STARTUP WEEKEND EDU

• Doug Hoernle (director at Rethink Education Academy)
• John Hill (chief information officer at GetSmarter)
• Martiza van den Heuvel (innovation lab director at Pearson South Africa)
• Steve Vosloo (head of mobile at Pearson South Africa)
• Warren Holmes (chief marketing officer for WooThemes)
• Brian Mawdsley (owner of InsideMan Social Media)
• Bettina Moss (chief glow officer at Glow Business)
• Roger Norton (CEO of PlayLogix)

TICKETS FOR START UP WEEKEND EDU CAPE TOWN

Tickets for the event are available via Quicket.co.za and cost between R150p/p and R350p/p (price includes the seven meals provided during the course of the three days).

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Celebrate the entrepreneurs in our city at Cape Town Start-up Week.

Looking to get stuck into some other interesting seminars and creative conferences? Check out Startup Grind or else keep your eyes peeled for upcoming PechaKucha and CreativeMornings events.

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