Charlotte Startup Weekend

Two weekends ago (yes, I am a bit behind in my chronology), there was an event that catered towards entrepreneurs and tech-types called Charlotte Startup Weekend.  The premise is that, similar to a hackathon, people come together and experience many of the elements of business creation all in a single 2.5 day period. Now, its hard to really create a full business in that time.  It is hard, but possible, to create some tech product or service in that time period, so the event draws in programmers, developers, and all the tech-based people in between.  But the ideas don't have to be tech-based.

So, Friday night, everyone gets together and pitches their ideas.  They call them fast pitches...because you only get 60 seconds to describe a need, a solution, and the types of people you want to partner with to make it happen.  Quick is an understatement.  Then you vote, form teams, and by sunday night you present a plan.

I pitched my idea.  I want to create a simulator that allows you to preview a presentation you're going to give through the eyes of the audience.  Nothing makes me more annoyed than being at the back of a room and not being able to see projected text.  Even sitting in the front sometimes doesn't fix it if there is too much light and you don't pick the right colors.  So I pitched.  So did 40 other people.  Only 7 got picked.  Mine wasn't one of them.

My friend Rene also came to see how this whole thing worked.  She pitched her idea for a mobile or web-based platform to improve communication and coordination of animals shelters, rescue animals, and potential volunteers.  Apparently the current system is awful.  And she couldn't help thinking..."there has to be a better way."  She didn't get picked either.

So, of the ideas that did get picked, we had to choose what teams we wanted to be on.  The first team I was interested in, and the team that Rene ended up going with, was an idea called The Brush Fairy.  So, imagine you are forgetful.  And imagine you never buy a new toothbrush when you need to.  Well, there is a service that will automagically send you a new brush every three months.  This isn't that service.  This is that service, but for kids!  So, imagine  not only does your kid get a new brush, but he or she also gets a personal story from the older sister of the tooth fairy.  Imagine your kid being excited about a new brush.  imagine your kid being excited about brushing their teeth.  Imagine you sell 3 other brushes to the rest of the family when you are sending the kid their special package.  Genius.  Its no surprise they won the contest.  But they only beat my team on account of the feasibility and the likelihood of coming to fruition.

The most audacious idea went to the team I ended up joining.  Imagine you could create a seamless integration of parental assistance, guidance counseling, and academic recruiting that allowed kids to better know and fulfill the requirements needed to get into their dream school.  Imagine it was a 4-5 year process instead of just a one time application with a win/lose outcome.  Imagine you could help parents better understand the roadmap for experience outside of the classroom their kids needed for experiential education.  Imagine if guidance counselors were able to help more kids finish high school and more kids get into colleges.  Imagine if universities recruited and scouted smart kids from an early age.  This is the big, monster of a business that we studied, designed, and created a plan for in 54 hours.  Audacious is an understatement.  I'll let you know if it works out.  This is the kind of thing that could really be game changing.  Life changing.

Stay warm out there kiddies.

DAlen