Have you ever thought about starting a small business? How would you like to get one off the ground over a weekend? Startup Weekend is coming to Providence on October 5-7, 2012. The event will connect local students, entrepreneurs, developers, designers and startup enthusiasts with mentors and resources.

Startup Weekends are 54-hour events designed to provide superior experiential education for technical and non-technical entrepreneurs. The weekend events are centered on action, innovation, and education. Beginning with Friday night pitches and continuing through testing, business model development, and basic prototype creation, Startup Weekends culminate in Sunday night demos to a panel of potential investors and local entrepreneurs.  Participants are challenged with building functional startups during the event and are able to collaborate with like-minded individuals outside of their daily networks.

Something unique that will be happening at this event, is that all participants will have access to the AS220 Labs facilities, including a 3D Printer, CNC Router, Laser Cutter, and Milling Machine. The AS220 Labs is a community engineering and fabrication studio, part of an international network of  Fab(rication) Labs.

Who you’ll meet at Startup Weekend:
Startup Weekends attendees’ backgrounds are evenly split between technical and non-technical individuals. It’s a mix of students, industry professionals, and advisors.

What are the prerequisites?
An interest in entrepreneurship and lots of energy. You are welcome to bring an idea and pitch it to the group, but this is not required.

What you’ll get out of the event:

• Education: Startup Weekends are all about learning by doing, whether you’re learning a new skill or a new way of thinking.  Don’t just listen to theory, build your own strategy and test it as you go.
• Co-Founder Matching: The people who come to Startup Weekend are serious about learning how to build and launch startups.  Create relationships that last long past the weekend.
• Build Your Network: Startup Weekend works hard to recruit high quality, driven entrepreneurs- like you!
• Learn New Skills: With a whole weekend dedicated to letting your creative juices flow, Startup Weekends are prefect opportunities to work on a new platform, learn a new programming language, or give marketing a try.  With nothing to lose there’s no reason not to step outside of your comfort zone.
• Mentorship: Local tech and startup leaders participate in Startup Weekends and give feedback to participants. Interact with the movers and shakers in your community.
• Get Access to Valuable Startup Resources: By participating in Startup Weekend you are given instant access to great products and tools. No one leaves Startup Weekend empty handed!
• Save Money: Startup Weekends are affordable, costing just $99 for the entire weekend event. Your ticket includes seven meals, snacks, and all the coffee you can drink.

Interested? Go to http://providence.startupweekend.org for more information or to order tickets.