Detroit Startup Weekend

Hey everyone, we just wanted to let you know that due to some unforseen circumstances, we are postponing Startup Weekend Detroit until the weekend of March 27-29, 2009.

We absolutely want to bring you the best event possible and having it in a week will not render that outcome.  We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and hope that you’ll come on the new date as it will be an awesome weekend!

I’ve been getting a lot of questions about who is “supposed” to attend these events. The answer, simply, is anyone! Why? Because everyone carries a personal skillset and perspective that we just can’t anticipate. Whether you’re a pharmacist, computer programmer, or public relations specialist, you have insight to an industry a new company can’t wait to appreciate.

Here are the top 5 reasons to attend:

1. None of the same ole. Use the weekend as a platform to develop a new skill, try something new, or to network through a team project.
2. Relaxed environment. “Working through the weekend” gives you the opportunity to define your own workplace. You can bring all of the ’soul’ you want.
3. Networking. The relationships you’ll develop will transcend the weekend. Not will you leave with new contacts, you’ll enhance your network with skilled professionals in the area–it’s like a network of a personalized, human Google.
4. Karma. You’ll be pulling positivity into the motor city! With the Kwame Kilpatrick out, there’s no better time!
5. Learning. This event inherently provides an education from each level of entrepreneurship, from business planning to marketing strategy. By being part of your team, you’ll pull away insight and perspective you may have never anticipated!

Startup Weekend Sponsorship Levels
Bronze - $1,500
Blog mention with links
Swag bag inclusion

Silver - $3,000
Blog mention with photos and link
Swag bag inclusion
T-shirt inclusion
Press material inclusion

Gold - $5,000
Blog feature interview, photos, links, etc.
Logo placed in the sidebar of the blog
Swag bag inclusion
Sponsor presentation during a break in the conference
T shirt inclusion
Press material inclusion

Custom Sponsorship Opportunities
Break Space sponsorships - $2,000
Help the Startup Weekenders take a break with a corner sponsored area. Feature your products, give them an activity, or even throw in a comfy space to hang out.

T Shirt Sponsor - $3,000
Clothe the Startup Weekenders with the newest addition to their daily apparel. T shirts will be produced locally on material they wont ever want to take off. Same benefits as the Silver Sponsorship level.

Shannon Paul discusses why she decided to organize Startup Weekend in Detroit with Shauna Nicholson.

Shauna (SN): Why did you decide to organize Startup Weekend in Detroit?
Shannon (SP):I don’t know that it was actually a conscious decision. I was able to attend part of Startup Weekend Ann Arbor, and had several friends who attended that event. When I came home, I started looking deeper into the Startup Weekend organization and reading up on the process to bring Startup Weekend to a particular city. I realized there was a voting process and saw that Detroit was already nominated, but only had 20 votes. To give you an idea of where we stood, we were behind Corvallis, Oregon.

I just thought that Detroit could really use this more than most places. There is so much bad news coming out of this city — especially when it comes to job losses and the overall economy. I thought an event like this would help bring out some of the area’s talent and help jumpstart small business development in the city and the region. It was also my hope to generate a few positive news stories as a result of the event.

SN: Why is it important for the event to happen NOW?
SP: Detroit, and the surrounding region, is facing some of the most challenging times in its history. The future of the economy in this region is going to depend on the ingenuity of individuals who can start small. Most of the new jobs being created in this economy are from small businesses. I believe that there are as many talented, skilled and passionate people in this city as any other, but we haven’t been so great at forming a really solid community around networking and innovation. Community is an essential ingredient to fostering the kind of supportive environment for new businesses to be able to thrive.

SN: Who attends events like this?
SP: Just about anybody with an idea or a skill or both is welcome to participate in this event. Usually Startup Weekend attracts people with deep technical/programming skills as well as design professionals, marketing and public relations professionals, project managers and venture capitalists. Most companies that have formed as a result of a Startup Weekend have been web-based, but there are many notable exceptions to this rule.

SN: Can companies sponsor this initiative?
SP: Yes, we are still looking for companies to help sponsor some of the costs of the event. Sponsorship packages are available. Companies interested in donating to offset costs, or providing swag to attendees should contact me.

SN: Can we help get the word out about this event?
SP: Yes! Please share this information with everyone you know. Add this event to your Facebook profile or Upcoming, and join our group on LinkedIn. Click on the ShareThis button at the bottom of this post and add it to Digg, Stumble or Delicious. Please feel free to reblog this post, or any of the other posts on this blog and link it back to http://detroit.startupweekend.com/.

SN: How can I sign up?
SP: The cost to attend is $40. Register to attend at http://detroitstartupweekend.eventbrite.com/

SN: What should I bring?
SP: What you bring is really up to you. Ideally, attendees should bring a laptop computer that can connect to the Internet via a wireless network. We will also need volunteers to supply extra extension cords and power strips to accommodate everyone’s electricity needs.

SN: Who can I contact for more information on Startup Weekend Detroit?
SP: Anyone interested in helping out or getting additional information may contact Shauna Nicholson, Brian Ambrozy, or I.

Shannon Paul (734) 968-9065 or shannonpaul5[at]gmail[dot]com
Shauna Nicholson (248) 722-2685 snicholson[at]biznetis[dot]net
Brian Ambrozy (586) 693-3509 brian[at]icrontic[dot]com

Shannon Paul blogs about Public Relations and Social Media, check it out at http://shannonpaul.wordpress.com

Shauna Nicholson blogs about Online Marketing and Social Media, check it out at www.shaunanicholson.com/blog

Brain Ambrozy is an editor and owner of the ultimate Detroit Tech online journal, check it out at http://icrontic.com

It has often been remarked that American cars are suffering not only from the cost of oil, but a lack of inspiration. Cars like the Ford Fiesta and the Chevrolet Volt point to auto-makers beginning to notice that innovation, not another SUV, is the key. GM is hoping to turn those tables over the next few years by revitalizing the increasingly-important compact and sub-compact market. The flagging automaker hopes that refined, efficient and inexpensive automobiles will help right the ship. The first entry to GM’s new model is the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze which debuted this week in Paris.

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Interim Mayor Ken Cockrel Jr. has announced the appointment of former Detroit Auditor General Joseph Harris as Detroit’s new CFO.

Harris, a long-time public servant for Detroit, is a CPA who recently completed a ten-year appointment as Detroit’s fiscal watchdog in 2005. The new Auditor General succeeds Norman White, who has been returned to his previous position as the directory of the Detroit DOT.

Startup Weekend is not only an exciting way to deliver new and exciting products, but an opportunity to meet new and exciting people. Finding common ground and connecting as individuals and as businesses continues to be paramount in today’s business landscape. In point of fact, the digital age has made it easier than ever for us to meet new people and share in the satisfaction of a new contact or a great deal.

Business networking need not be about the dollar. The truth of the matter is that we can share and learn together for the betterment of us all. Whether your company is large or small, there are no ends to the possibilities enjoyed by firms who make the commitment to associate. United in supporting the connected ecosystem of Michigan business, we grow stronger together than if we choose to stand alone.

That is why I invite you to the Detroit Startup Weekend LinkedIn Group. Hit the ground running by meeting the growing group of classy and innovative people who are destined to do big things November 14-16. By taking our experiences beyond the Weekend to cultivate lasting relationships, we can harness the collective power of brilliant minds for a brilliant Detroit.

Several local Twitter users met up tonight with Roxanne Darling, who was visiting from Hawaii. Roxanne runs Bare Feet Studios and was in town visiting family. We were fortunate enough to be able to meet up with her at the Bean & Leaf coffeeshop in Royal Oak.

I didn’t get to talk much with Roxanne, but synchronicity and interconnectedness are amazing phenomenon, and the moment I met her I realized I had seen her before. It took a second as I ran through my mental database and then it hit me; I had seen her vblog about the Rama Warrior meditation chair and followed her on Twitter because of it, just a few days ago.

Since I run a Buddhism website as a hobby, once in a while I troll the web for stuff that might interest our readers, and that’s how I found Roxanne. Little did I know that just a few days later I’d be meeting this radiant woman from Hawaii in person at a coffee shop near my house!

Every single Tweetup I’ve been to has been a fruitful experience. At every one I meet someone exciting, vibrant, on the move, hilarious, brilliant, or just plain cool. If you haven’t been to a Detroit Tweetup yet, I highly recommend you make an effort to get to one when you can. You can join the Facebook Group or the DTweetups Ning network (although it seems like we’ve been migrating to Facebook for this jazz lately) to find out what’s happening, or follow @primesuspect (me!), @snicholson26 (Shauna Nicholson), @shannonpaul (Shannon Paul), or @admore (David Damore) since we seem to be the ones keeping our thumbs on the pulse of this awesomesauce.

Today, in association with the Michigan Economic Development Council, Govern Jennifer Granholm announced the creation of 7000 new Michigan jobs. Investing more than $1 billion into the growth of new opportunities, seventeen companies with eighteen projects are expected to retain more than 14,000 jobs in addition to the new positions. Incentivizing expansion through tax breaks and credits, Granholm remained bullish on Michigan’s prospects for growth.

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As the beautiful state of Michigan transforms into a scintillating sea of russets and golds, the refreshing weather of autumn inspires us to set aside time for reflection. In this season where we remind ourselves of what we are most thankful for, I am proud that Detroit sits high on my list. While I have always called the Woodward corridor my home, Detroit’s charm and dedication in this tectonic shift of business and industry has really ignited my passion for it. I am constantly reminded of Detroit’s infallible ethic as I explore the nascent startup and entrepreneurial community that has burst onto the scene in recent years.

I myself have had the opportunity to work in Detroit’s growing startup economy, and it has been an exciting and enlightening experience every step of the way. The rapid growth of the firms I have worked for in the technology and advertising industries has clearly demonstrated Detroit’s preparedness for this new business paradigm.

The unique opportunities for new companies with agile and asset-light strategies has reignited interest from larger companies as well. AT&T will return more than 800 jobs to Detroit when it closes outsourced call centers, and Genetic research firm Sequenom will bring more than 500 high-tech jobs to the Grand Rapids area. Yet this is only a small selection of corporate attention being focused back on Detroit’s explosive potential.

All this is to say that the time is ripe for the Detroit Startup Weekend, and I could not possibly be more proud to be a part of it. Culminating in live blogging and live Tweeting on November 14-16, it is with great honor that I am part of the team given the privilege to bring Detroit’s business and technology into focus in the days leading up to the Startup Weekend.

With a change in the air and colors of a beautiful Michigan comes a change in the landscape of Michigan business. Let’s get ready to embrace it, grow it, and get fired up about a destiny that lies in the hands of all of us.