1. Doors open tonight at 4:00. The location is Arab Academy for Scince, Technology, & Maritime Transportation ‘View Map Here‘.
2. Join us for snacks and mingling at 4:30pm and we will kick things off officially at 6:00PM
3. As soon as the speakers are finished, we will jump right into pitches (roughly 7:30 or sooner). I will explain how the pitching process works at 6:30, but here are a few key points:
• Pitches are 60 seconds. I will be strict on this.
• You may have just one chance to pitch, depending on how many people want to pitch tonight. So – pitch your best idea first.
• No PowerPoints will be used – just your voice.
4. We will likely go until midnight tonight.
5. If you are a student, remember to bring your student ID.

That’s it! If you have any questions, tweet to @SWAlexandria and I and one of us will get back to you as soon as we can.

See you tonight! Get pumped!

1. Come prepared

First you have to make sure you read the F.A.Q page before the event.

2. Pick Your Idea

If you already have an idea, you would want to pitch it in the event, and form a team around it to develop it into something you can actually share with the world. You need to make sure that your idea can be implemented by a small team into a working prototype in just a weekend.

3. Perfect presentation for pitching

There will be no presentation slides at the event , you will have to count on your presentation skills, Make sure to have everyone inspired by only 60 seconds explaining  your idea , vision , what your idea will offer to people & how you will get profit.

4. Practice The Pitch

Start pitching the idea to friends around you before coming into the event you will have to practice pitching your idea in 60 seconds because this is the real time you will pitch at Startup Weekend Alexandria.

This will help you shape the idea and practice the pitch. The more practice you get the more prepared you’ll be with pitching your idea.

5. Give it All you’ve got

Startup Weekend is a lot of fun, but also a lot of work. Give it all you’ve got, never give up and always push forward.

Alexandria Startup Weekend is no ordinary event. It where like-minded entrepreneurs gather for a weekend of company creation. In 54 hours, you take an initial idea from the Thursday night pitches through to a mind spinning Startup company on the Saturday night.

Just don’t think it’s just developers. Its marketing maestros, design gurus, business development wizards, legal geniuses, and the specialist of Startups – the jack of all trades coming together as one, creating a harmony that can only be envied by the corporate world.

OK – so that may be slight sales mode, but it truly all about bringing together the knowledge of the local entrepreneur scene, and helping those in need to find their feet in the world of startups.

Thursday night is all about networking and the pitches. Those with an idea, and are brave enough to stand in front of 300+ strangers give their 1 minute elevator pitch to the crowd. The ideas that people like, and want to work with then get created. From there on, within 48 hours you have to deliver a product and business plan that can stand up to the harsh light of day. Mentors will be on hand throughout the time to help you fine tune the idea that was only conceived 12 hours ago, into a working company with huge potential profits in 36 hours.

Sounds intense? It is!

Saturday night is where the jury panel comes in. Seasoned professionals that have been through the startup mill many times over will scrutinize and find the holes in the plan to evaluate the chances of real world succession.

From there? Well, it’s all up to you. Alexandria Startup Weekend can only help you start your dream. It’s up to you to live it out.

Startup Weekends are weekend-long, hands-on experiences where entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs can find out if startup ideas are viable. On average, half of Startup Weekend’s attendees have technical backgrounds, the other half have business backgrounds.

Beginning with open mic pitches on Thursday, attendees are encouraged to bring their best ideas and inspire others to join their team. Over Friday and Saturday teams design and develop business plans while constantly streamlining their startup vision. On Saturday evening teams demo their prototypes, listen to judges’ feedback and in some cities, win prizes.

Startup Weekends are specifically designed for entrepreneurs interested in receiving feedback on an idea, looking for a co-founder, or who want to learn a new skill. We also welcome anyone looking to test the entrepreneurial waters. Startup Weekends are risk-free environments where everyone is expected to roll up their sleeves and dive into the exhilarating world of startups.