CNN.com has coverage of some of the successes and opportunities that are available by attending a Startup Weekend. Sure, there are some pretty high profile successes such as TwitPay and Skirbit, but more importantly, the people you meet and the networking opportunities are what make attendance so worthwhile.

After his team disbanded, Gebert became a freelancer, lending his marketing expertise to other groups working on their projects. Even though he didn’t create an iPhone application like he wanted, he considers the weekend a success.

“I’d absolutely sign up again,” Gebert said. “I got to meet some great people.”

That’s really what it’s all about, isn’t it?

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!

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!

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.

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

A look at the interior immediately reveals class with character. An elegant center console and a condensed dash with bold lines and attractive colors immediately spells refinement. The addition of the color inserts to the interior exudes just the right amount of bravado to be an eye-catcher without detracting from the design of the interior.

On the outside, the car takes the direction of the rounded sedans coming from Japanese auto-makers to resounding success. Attractive creases on the bonnet and on the panels give the Cruze an edgy look while retaining an aerodynamic profile to support a fuel efficiency reported north of 40 MPG.

While the model on display has clearly received the lion’s share of optional accessories, it is worth admiring all the same. If this is the future of Chevrolet and GM proper, color me pleased.

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.

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.

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.

The 21,000 jobs over the next five to seven years are with a broad array of companies that includes the auto industry, genetic sequencing, internet security, and finance. The MEDC and Granholm administration expressed the need for growth in all sectors of Michigan business. “Our competitive business climate and outstanding workforce are attracting the kinds of companies that are helping to diversify our economy,” she said.

Granholm attributed the attention from well-known national and international firms to Michigan’s economic policy. “Our aggressive economic strategy is attracting new job-creating investments from growing national and international companies,” she said. Such well-known firms include AT&T, Bissell, and Barracuda Networks.

While Michigan has come upon hard times with the economic downturn of the auto industry and the greater United States, the reduced cost to entry and operation has primed the state for dynamic growth. Comprehensive tax cuts, tax breaks and grants from the MEDC has gathered the attention of firms looking to invest back into the US. Reductions in outsourcing and a renewed drive for US presence, Michigan is priming itself to be a major player in the next generation of American business.