Humboldt Startup Weekend

Entrepreneurs showcase their business ideas in weekend long event

Humboldt Startup Weekend took place March 8 through 10 on the third floor of the HSU library. Students and community members came together to create their startup business. There were many different businesses that all had the same hopes of solving the problems people face every day.

One example of this is Heather’s Hemp Alternative created by Heather Rubialles, a Cal Poly alumni, as way to combat the individual non-recyclable plastic that is given in dispensaries. With legalization, it means cannabis must be put in a child-safe container. These containers are non-recyclable and non-reusable. Heather’s Hemp Alternative plans to sell hemp as biodegradable alternative to the plastic containers in dispensaries.

Fourth year Humboldt State student Yomira Rodrigez said that, child-proof packaging is not recyclable and can end up in the ocean. With the environment being on just about everyone’s minds, this start-up plans to help combat some of the plastic waste in our oceans.

“I’ve been researching this for about eight months,” Rubialles said. “Hemp plastic really depends on the shape and sizes, but the packaging would be child proof and bio-degrade in four to six months.”

This group received third place in the start-up competition. Another startup that plans to change how the world lives is the Tiny Village Project. With the current homeless student epidemic, they plan to build sustainable affordable short-term housing for transitioning and homeless students. The program would follow the “Betty Chin Model,” which is a Eureka shelter that gives people the tools to get out on their own.

Humboldt State student Nicole Adler is apart of the Tiny Village Project.

“The rooms would be small individual rooms with a shared living, kitchen and bathroom space,” Adler said.

They’re hoping that by giving students housing, they’ll be able to gain other opportunities, such as employment.

Learn to Achieve was another startup, who is following the non-profit model to get their idea started. The goal is to help struggling students ages 9 through 13 by giving them real-world life skills that correlate to what they’re learning in the classroom.

Sean Dan, a Gear-up coordinator at Del North High School, envisioned a “supportive service” that encouraged students to follow what they are passionate about when he created Learn to Achieve with his team.

There was even a startup that wanted to infuse honey with herbal medicines, called Honey Herbal Twigs. This group received second place. Plastic to Life received first place. Despite these teams winning the top prizes, all the groups who participated won by creating real world businesses that solve many relevant problems.