Harrisburg is getting ready to roll up its sleeves once again at the 2014 Harrisburg Startup Week. About 1,500 attendees are expected from September 29 to October 5 at daily events, all aimed at boosting the tech startup scene in Central Pennsylvania.
The week culminates in Startup Weekend, October 3-5 — more than 100 would-be entrepreneurs are expected to build startups from scratch. Organizers promise over $20,000 in prizes via products and services.
The event started last year as a three-day festival focused on entrepreneurship and the region’s tech ecosystem. This year’s incarnation, featuring 15 events and a number of open houses, is not just a festival, but a movement, says organizer Chuck Russell, a senior partner at Collective Intelligence.
One theme this year is children and youth.
“We're very excited to get the younger folks involved,” explains Russell. “On Wednesday, October 1, we'll be holding the Fish Tank High School Pitch contest for high school seniors in Cumberland, Dauphin and Perry counties. And on Saturday, October 4, we'll be hosting the CoderKidz, a group of elementary ed and junior high students passionate about hacking, coding and learning how to build modifications to Minecraft, an online game.”
Anyone is eligible to participate in Startup Weekend.
“We look for a combination of business[people], developer/engineers and creatives to come together to build companies,” says Russell. “The ideas range from hardware gadgetry to software as service products. We don't focus on any particular vertical market solution.”
Of 50 participants last year, one of three winners, Date My Apartment, is actively developing its product.
“There are a number of takeaways from a Startup Week,” adds Russell. “We educate, learn, network and build in seven crazy days. Founders find cofounders, startup teams find talent, products are built and connections are made.”
Source: Chuck Russell, Harrisburg Startup Week
Writer: Elise Vider