Tested principles for transforming an idea into a fully operational company Startup Weekend the organization behind 54-hour events where developers, designers, marketers, and startup enthusiasts come together to share ideas, form teams, build products, and create startups has spawned both a global initiative in entrepreneurship as well as numerous successful startups. Startup Weekend, the book, contains best practices, lessons learned, and empowering examples derived from the organization's experiences for individuals and small organizations to follow as they launch businesses. Each of the key beliefs outlined has been tested by Startup Weekend and has yielded powerful results. The principles described in each chapter will give any business idea a greater chance for success. Chapter topics include trust and empowerment, flexible organizational structures, the power of experiential education, action-based networking, and much more Describes consequences for startup development as entrepreneurs and founders begin doing much more, even faster Profiles successful Startup Weekend companies, including two powerful examples: Memolane, an application that captures a user's online life in one timeline making it easy for users to travel back in time and relive memories; and Foodspotting, a mobile and desktop app that allows users to find and share the foods they love Apply these simple actionable principles to launch your own startup revolution.

Tested principles for transforming an idea into a fullyoperational companyStartup Weekend--the organization behind 54-hour eventswhere developers, designers, marketers, and startup enthusiastscome together to share ideas, form teams, build products, andcreate startups--has spawned both a global initiative inentrepreneurship as well as numerous successful startups.Startup Weekend, the book, contains best practices, lessonslearned, and empowering examples derived from the organization'sexperiences for individuals and small organizations to follow asthey launch businesses. Each of the key beliefs outlined has beentested by Startup Weekend and has yielded powerful results.The principles described in each chapter will give any businessidea a greater chance for success.* Chapter topics include trust and empowerment, flexibleorganizational structures, the power of experiential educationaction-based networking, and much more* Describes consequences for startup development as entrepreneursand founders begin doing much more, even faster* Profiles successful Startup Weekend companies, including twopowerful examples: Memolane, an application that captures a user'sonline life in one timeline making it easy for users to travel backin time and relive memories; and Foodspotting, a mobile and desktopapp that allows users to find and share the foods they loveApply these simple actionable principles to launch your ownstartup revolution.

Foreword Carl Schramm and Steve Blank xiPreface xxiAcknowledgments xxvIntroduction: Why Starting Up Is All about Trust and Empowerment 1Marc Nager and Clint Nelsen 3How Trust Led Us to the Greatest Adventure of Our Lives 7Franck Nouyrigat 9How We Empower People to Get the Most Out of Startup Weekend 13Why You Have to Have Trust to Be a Successful Entrepreneur 151. No Talk, All Action: Action-Based Networking 21You Must Join a Team 26Breaking Down Barriers 31Taking Advantage of High-Energy, Low-Risk Settings 34Get Out of Your Bubble 38If Not an Actual Startup, at Least Always Build Relationships 43Diversity of Backgrounds Is Key 45How Do You Keep the Momentum Going? 472. Good Ideas Need Great Teams: Pitch for Talent Not for Funding 51The Magic of 60 Seconds 54Deliver a Solution with One Sentence 57Build a Team 60What You Need--Talent and Energy 613. Experiential Education: Step Outside Your Comfort Zone While Working Together as a Team 67The Importance of Context, Deadlines, and Instant Feedback 71Braindump 74So You Have a Viable Idea--Now What? 77Learning by Doing 79Risk Mitigation 81Allocating Tasks 83Recognizing Failure 86The Three Main Criteria 904. The Startup Business Model: Adapt, Stay Lean, and Reiterate 95The Customer Development Revolution 102Getting Lean, Staying Agile, Preparing to Pivot 107Communication Is Key 112Stick with the Basics 115The Missing Pieces of the Entrepreneur's Curriculum 1185. Mapping the Startup Ecosystem and Subversive Reconstruction 121The Entrepreneurship Leap 124The Cofounder Leap 126The Startup Leap 130The Funded Leap 133The Scaling Leap 135External Growth Leap 136Leaping More Often 137The Future of Startup Weekend 140The Startup Foundation 141Conclusion 143Viva la Revolution 145The Entrepreneur Culture 149Your Next Iteration 150Further Readings 153Index 159