Cal Poly Students Plan San Luis Obispo’s First ‘Startup Weekend’ for Jan. 20-22

SAN LUIS OBISPO – San Luis Obispo’s first Startup Weekend is planned for Jan. 20-22 to help people develop the tools to launch their own startup company in just 54 hours.

Organized by a group of Cal Poly students, Startup Weekend SLO will take place on campus and is open to students and community members.

Over the course of the weekend, participants will pitch ideas, listen to speakers, form groups and create a practical business model. “Startup Weekends are the perfect place to come with an idea, build a prototype and see if it is a viable business,” said Chris Petersilge, a Startup Weekend SLO organizer.

Local business owners and entrepreneurs taking part allow for the exchange of wisdom and ideas through cross-generational collaboration. Investors are also invited to attend.

The local event is part of Startup Weekend, a global grassroots movement of entrepreneurs who are learning the basics of founding startups and launching successful ventures. The nonprofit organization’s headquarters are in Seattle, Wash; Startup Weekend organizers and facilitators can be found in more than 150 cities and 30 nations around the world. For more information, visit http://startupweekend.org/.

Cal Poly’s Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship is a premier sponsor of the San Luis Obispo event and has been instrumental in connecting students and local sponsors, furthering its mission of transforming students into leaders through hands-on experiences. Gold Sponsors include local software company MINDBODY and iFixit, which launched from a Cal Poly dorm room in 2003.

Registration is open, and more information is available at http://slo.startupweekend.org or Startup Weekend SLO’s Facebook Group at http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/249130058472837/. Students can get a discount by using the code “STUDENT2”.

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