Techstars Startup Weekend Focuses on Tourism
The Dog Pod was the People’s Choice award winner at the 2019 Techstars Weekend.
Photo Credit: Laura Oden
It starts with maybe a daydream or a sudden idea, and it becomes an obsession with bringing a business to fruition.
To guide that obsession, Techstars Startup Weekend is coming to Anchorage in the first week of September to connect early-stage entrepreneurs with the mentorship to succeed.
Focus on Tourism
The event being held at Pioneer School House on Third Avenue on September 5, 6, and 7 brings innovators, developers, and entrepreneurs together to turn ideas into reality. It’s a unique way to develop, design, and validate startup ideas while connecting with a vibrant community of like-minded people. This year, the focus is on tourism-related ideas.
Hezekiah “Ky” Holland, co-chair of economic development nonprofit Alaska Version 3, says he’s been involved in bringing Techstars to Alaska since 2013 as a volunteer.
“I see this as a race to diversify Alaska’s economy,” he says. “Techstars Startup Weekend Tourism Anchorage is a way to give people an introduction to this catalyst.” And, by the way, a way for small businesses to grab a share of the $5.6 billion Alaska tourism market.
“It’s not a workshop,” says Holland. “It’s built around a continuous fleshing out of ideas for the pitch on Sunday.”
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The days flow from Pitch and Team Up, to Build and Validate, to Pitch and Celebrate. “We spend very little time in chairs looking at a presenter,” Holland says. “It’s a fun and engaging experience.”
Participants pitch their ideas, and the most promising concepts are selected through voting. Teams of three to five people then develop prototypes, validate the ideas, and refine the business plans with the help of mentors and coaches.
Then it’s showtime. A panel of judges and investors hear the refined pitches, and the best ideas walk away with new partnerships. The weekend concludes with a celebration of everyone’s hard work and new connections.
Pitch It and They Will Come
Facilitator Michael Norton explains the steps to the all-important pitch.
Photo Credit: Ky Holland
Past events have given attendees the skills and connections to start up their own businesses, and many events have had a business continue in real life, some raising millions of dollars in investments and revenue.
Ever heard of Pandere Shoes? Laura Oden launched the brand six months after attending the 2016 Techstars event in Anchorage. Her company specializes in footwear for people with lymphedema, which can cause swelling in the extremities.
Pandere means “to stretch, expand, or unfold” in Latin. Oden’s company sells nineteen styles in unique shoe shapes all over the United States and Canada.
“The Alaska Walking Store in Anchorage can’t keep them in stock,” says Oden.
Pandere is looking to expand into Europe, and Oden recognizes the role that Techstars played in her startup. “It’s a perfect storm of all the pieces you need to start a business,” she says. “It’s a real, actual place where you can dream up an idea and make it fly.”
Oden now volunteers to help organize the weekend whenever she is able.
A kickoff is scheduled for Friday, September 5, at 5:30 p.m., and the weekend intensifies on Saturday with sessions on building a business model and customer discovery. Sunday continues with customer validation and planning and pitch prep sessions. The main event is being held at Williwaw Social on F Street at 5:30 with pitch presentations and awards.
Tickets are $75 for the full weekend, with discounts for students, military, and returning Techstars participants. The main event at Williwaw Social is $25. Holland says he can help with discount ticket codes.
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