Detroit Startup Weekend

By Shannon Paul

The press release has yet to go out, but already, a lot of buzz about Startup Weekend Detroit is developing in several places around the Internet.

Hubert Sawyers wrote a beautiful ode to the event with his dreams for what things like this might mean for the city of Detroit on the Urbane Apartments blog:

Friends, I have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that on a brisk weekend in March, creatives, techies and business folks alike can come together for a great cause - the development of new business for the great-but-wounded city of Detroit.

I have a dream of a room in the Compuware Headquarters building filled with brilliant, focused and motivated people setting aside personal agendas in order to do what is right for the collective good.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day every vacant building shall be occupied and refurbished, and every political setback shall be made null, the inter-county squabbles shall be squelched, and the crooked leaders of the city shall to this chance to absolve themselves and do what is truly right for their hometown.

This is my hope [and I hope it's yours], and this is the faith that I go back to Royal Oak with.

Maureen Francis reposted our call to action on the Active Rain real estate blog, urging people in her network to assist with raising funds to cover costs for Startup Weekend Detroit:

If there is one thing Detroit needs right now, it is jobs, and Shannon is doing her part to create some new ventures here. Who knows, the next Google or Amazon.com could be born in Detroit this year.

Adaptive Blue mentioned Startup Weekend Detroit on its list of the Best Tech Events Across the U.S. along with Refresh Detroit and Ann Arbor Tech Cocktail.

I also put out the call for people around the world to write a list of 10 Things I Love About Detroit, and the lists are rolling in. I will be posting them here.

If you have a list of 10 Things you Love About Detroit, send it to me at shannonpaul5[at]gmail[dot]com and thank you for your support!

Please also remember that Startup Weekend Detroit is now less than a month away! It’s only $40 to attend the entire event and space will be limited, so please, don’t wait to register. Sign up now and help spread the word!