“I love startups,” says Johnson & Wales University alum Andrew Hyde '04. That’s why he founded Startup Weekend just a few years after he graduated our School of Technology — and saw it become a worldwide phenomenon.
“I love making things people use. I love design," Andrew says. “And all of that is great. But now is the time to change the world for the better.”
Passion Leads to Successful Startup So he created an event to bring graphic artists, marketing gurus and developers together to sketch plans, target investors and especially test ideas.Here's how it works. On any Startup Weekend, anywhere from 40 and 150 creative tech folk gather and hunker down with a lot of coffee.
Their work begins on a Friday night, and will last for the next 54 hours.In that time, they’ll create a company, from the initial concept to the actual launch.Entrepreneur Builds a Community "I love that things I have created are spreading across the world,” Andrew says.
In 2011, Startup Weekends are slated for Rio de Janeiro, Beijing, Las Vegas, Marseilles, Mexico City, Moscow, Copenhagen and Sydney. Entrepreneurs don’t “talk a big game,” Andrew says, but they're passionate about what they do. Now, as they build companies, they're also building communities.
“Community is goal number one of each weekend,” Andrew explains. “Humanizing the business process, and having fun.” So, what do you do after your big idea becomes worldwide phenomenon? If you're Andrew, you sell Startup Weekend, and travel the country. On to the next big idea!