Humboldt Startup Weekend

Have you ever had an idea for a business and want to find out how to start?

Humboldt Startup Weekend is your chance to create the dream business you always imagined. The 54-hour weekend event takes place from March 8 through 10 and is hosted by Humboldt State’s entrepreneurs club and sponsored by Google. People are put into teams where they create a start-up business plan that can be used in real life.

The weekend starts at 5 p.m. Friday, March 8. This is when the participants check in and meet each other. The first night is where ideas are pitched and teams are formed to start working on the business plans. Saturday from 8 a.m.-10 p.m. is when teams put together the bulk of their business plans.

Mentor Speaking at 2018 Humboldt Startup Weekend. | Photo courtesy Natalie Dubbel

Community entrepreneurs will serve as mentors to offer hands-on advice for successful businesses. Sunday is the final day where teams finalize their plans to be presented to a panel of community judges in a “Shark Tank”-style presentation. The weekend ends when the awards are handed out to the top three teams.

Nancy Vizenor is the adviser of Entrepreneur’s Club Institute for Entrepreneurship Education and one the lead coordinators of the event. She highlights the inspiration the event creates for students.

“Whether you come with a business idea or not, you get a team on Friday night and go from idea to near launch by Sunday,” Vizenor said. “It is absolutely a transformational experience. It’s definitely something our students look back on as being a highlight of their time at HSU.”

Startup Weekend is not just for HSU students, It’s open to anyone who has an idea they want to share. Natalie Dubbel is the president of the HSU Entrepreneur’s Club and the events student coordinator.

“Typically other majors have the best ideas,” Dubbel said.

Some of the ideas presented get turned into real businesses. Like Humbots, a company that uses drones to survey the forest. This started as an idea that students first pitched at the Humboldt Start-up weekend two years ago. Now, they are a real business that does surveying in Humboldt County.

Taken at Humboldt Startup Weekend 2018. | Photo courtesy Natalie Dubbel

Tickets start at $55 with food, a t-shirt and all materials being provided. This event takes place all over the world and gives people the opportunity and inspiration to turn their ideas into reality.

“It is absolutely a transformational experience where learning is at its highest because you are actually working to start a business,” Vizenor said.

For more information and tickets on how to be a part of Humboldt Startup Weekend visit http://communities.techstars.com/usa/humboldt-ca-usa/startup-weekend/14156