The semi-marathon of Paris happened yesterday – congrats to all finalists, especially for running by 0 degrees!!

This post is not about this run, but the SubMate semi-marathon instead. It’s Monday March 8, and we’re finally catching sight of the finish line. A semi-marathon, because it’s an early alpha we’ll be releasing. But as Reid Hoffman said: “If you are not ashamed by your product when you launch it, you launched too late” !
So here’s how it went down so far on SubMate:

• Early December 2009. I attend the Statup Weekend Paris edition. At the last minute, I decide to pitch SubMate, an old idea I already worked on unsuccessfully. I find an amazing team to work with me on the project and we deliver a prototype by the end of the weekend.

• End of December. We meet a cool guy, Hubert Fisselier, a soon to be iPhone developer. He loves the concept of SubMate, and we decide to work together on an iPhone app.

• Mid-January. Things are slow in December and early January, you know how it is: Xmas, foie gras, Hanukkah, vacations, family, … So nothing happens until mid-January when we pick where we left off. Starting out by rethinking the site, the architecture, the navigation.

• End of January. We are trying to code as much as possible, but my two cofounders are employed. Good news: Sylvain has decided to leave his company to concentrate full time on the project. And Jonathan is working on nights and weekends.

• February. On the 12th, almost a month ago, Sylvain hits his final day at his company. February is a tricky month though: it flies by so fast! Without even noticing it, we’re already at the end of the month. However, since the 12th, Sylvain and myself work efficiently on the code. The majority of the development happens as of that date.

• End of February. We applied for a couple of conferences, and are selected amongst the 20 finalists of Plugg 2010. We decide to target the conference (March 11th) for the beta release of the app. The first release of the iPhone app is looking good, and we need to finalize it and put some polish on it.

• March. Here we are. Less than 3 months since the Startup Weekend, and a month into heavy coding. The beta should be ready soon, and the iPhone app looks better every day.

As you can see, it’s been a marathon so far. In only three months, we went from an idea to an organized startup project. And in only a month, we took a dirty prototype to a beta site and an iPhone app.
But I call it a “semi” because what’s coming next is HUGE. So stay tuned for some cool SubMate news!

For a rundown of what a typical weekend looks like you can click here.

What is included in your registration?  You get 7 meals, access to great tools, and all the networking & team building you can stand over 54 hours.

If you have a conflicting event that weekend still consider coming to Startup Weekend.  You will be working with your team all weekend so if something comes up and you need to leave for a while that is not a problem at all.  We know birthday parties, basketball games, church, marathon training and backing up your hard drive are all things that are important as well.   So don’t feel like you can’t be a part of Startup Weekend just becuase you have a conflict or two.

If you have any other questions hit the “contact us” button  and email or give us a call.  Click here to register for the event and to learn more details.

The idea began in a conversation about what people like us could do to help in Haiti. The answer as we discussed, might not lie far from home for Startup Weekend and a few groups that have jumped out and been willing to support us. Fundamentally, the Startup Weekend model has the power to allow entrepreneurs within a community to voice possible answers to problems everyone faces. The community then bands around the best solutions to problems that they can relate with, and then they being to actively build the solutions. The result from each event is a tremendous amount of learning, networking, and problem solving that truly inspires and helps entrepreneurs and teams flourish.

What we are planning:

The mission is to team up with local relief efforts and charities that are familiar and deeply rooted in Haiti’s recovery to host an event for local Haitians using the Startup Weekend model. Currently, there has been tremendous support offered by the folks at We Hear Your Voice to help us execute an event under the Startup Weekend model that will truly benefit the local communities needs and efforts. The event will be far different from a standard Startup Weekend event; however, the model will fundamentally used to help find the best solutions to the most widely felt problems of the people. We believe we will find local Haitians that will have great ideas to address some of the problems they face daily. The end goal is to take the money we receive via the fundraising efforts and award it directly to the new, local ventures and ideas the emerge from the event.

Will this look like a standard Startup Weekend?

No, it most certainly will not. While mobile apps and web service might benefit us here in the US, we know that the need in Haiti is for much less trivial things and more for the problem solving of issues related to supply logistics, relief coordination, effective communication strategies.

What do we expect to see result from the event in Haiti?

That is yet to be determined. If there is an idea to build a logistical support system to facilitate local rebuilding efforts, we will help. If the need to is to find a way to more effectively distribute basic supplies, we will be there.  Here is a recent excerpt from this article that has certainly inspired us:

“But as he looks for short-term solutions to the country’s most pressing needs, the economic development expert is trying to keep his eye on the bigger picture. He’s seeking to ensure that the relief effort becomes an economic engine for the beleaguered country — U.S. officials hoped to create 25,000 jobs by the end of January through the reconstruction process — and plants the seeds for a longer-term recovery with better infrastructure, governance and economic opportunity.”

Who will we work with to accomplish this?

Amazing connections are being made right now that will ensure that our efforts are effective. Our primary partner as of now will be We Hear Your Voice, which is a non-profit that was formed shortly after the Haiti disaster by Piryx and Jackson Walker LLP. The mission of We Hear Your Voice is 3 things: 1. Facilitate companies, aid organizations, and nonprofits with resources and innovative ideas to help Haitians recover with models for sustainability. 2.Focus on rebuilding schools and orphanages, and help foster self-sufficiency by creating jobs through social entrepreneurship (rather than plain cash and foreign aid).  In time, we hope to help educate future leaders. 3. Film a documentary.  We want to use the power of media to inspire people to learn how they can help Haiti, and better understand a country rich in history and heritage.

See the CNN interview with Justin Yarborough and Kennedy Granger who we are working with from We Hear Your Voice: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dS4T0ym5pu4

We Hear Your Voice has an extensive network of partners that we will be working with as well including:

-Global Water Trust - Their CEO Rob Krame who has spent the past 20 years as an entrepreneur and executive in the media, technology, environmental, and non-profit sectors. Rob has done work with the Department of State and has his own miraculous Haiti story here.

- Angels in Cowboy Boots –  Angels is Cowboy Boots founder is Lance Kennedy.  Lance’s father is the spiritual head of Church on the Rock-International, an organization of independent non-denominational churches in over 30 nations.  His missionary in Haiti is Dr. Jay Threadgill, who has been a missionary for almost 30 years.  He runs an organization called Fishers of Men Ministries and is the pastor of the nation’s largest Evangelical church in Haiti with around 6,000 members.  Jay has founded dozens of churches and 17 schools including an American school called Morningstar Academy.  He has also opened clinics and other humanitarian operations in Haiti.  Lance has access to shipping roughly 70 tons of goods via container in the next 2 weeks, and within the next 6 months they hope to ship 50,000 5-gallon buckets filled with aid to Haiti, which they have already purchased. This effort also includes longtime Haiti missionary, Dr. Jay Threadgill.

Why are we doing this?

We are constantly impressed by the power of bringing together people to solve problems. At every event, we see connections, ideas, and inspiration that wasn’t there before that can be harnessed and applied to create truly valuable outcomes. We know we certainly don’t have all the answers, but we do believe that through Startup Weekend’s model, we do have the ability to empower, inspire, and help create positive change in any community. Another point that has been inspiring for us is the fact that almost 40% of Haiti’s annual budget even before the disaster was supplied by foreign aid. We believe that building a viable entrepreneurial ecosystem is an essential aspect to innovative solutions and economic growth.

How much of the Money will be spent in Haiti?

We are dedicated to spending at least 90% of all funds raised within the boarders of Haiti by funding new ventures or ideas that result. We promise to post all of the expenses publicly on our website to show exactly where the funds are being allocated as things progress.

Steps we are taking:

This is all still being developed, but we wanted to share with our community to get their input and ideas as soon as possible. We are currently examining who we need to be talking to on the ground in Haiti. The relief effort is in full swing right now, and our intention is to find a few groups that can help advise us on how best to execute. Our next steps will be to fund raise.

When will the event be?

The event will likely be held in the Fall of this year following the rainy season in Haiti, and it will give the massive flow of emergency relief efforts taking place now some more time to be executed.

Kicking off the fund raising:

On March 13th at SXSW in Austin, we are teaming up with Microsoft BizSpark and Piryx to begin raising funds that will be put directly to funding new ventures and ideas that come out of Startup Weekend Haiti. There will be a benefit at The Speak Easy on the 13th where we will have room for 400 people. Microsoft will be sponsoring the venue and drinks, and admission will be $20 per person which will go directly to this cause. We hope to raise between $8,000 and upwards of $20,000 to help launch this initiative.

How can you help?

Join our community and let us know what you think, and of course, make a donation!

Check out the full story here: http://atlanta.bizjournals.com/atlanta/blog/atlantech/2010/02/twitpay.html

This model had a few flaws, first off since there was mention of attendees receiving stock in exchange for coming to the event this constituted a public stock offering and ran into legal issues.  Second, with 140 people on the team dividing up responsibilities for moving forward with skillbit was a nightmare.  A second model emerged from the lessons learned at that event.  At subsequent events people were still at liberty to pitch ideas, and smaller teams formed around solid ideas.  Rather than having one idea with 140 people working on it there were often 10 teams with 4-10 people on each one working towards a prototype of their idea by Sunday night.   At that time Startup Weekend was no longer taking a piece of equity in teams that were formed during the event.

I really loved the experience I had at the first Seattle Startup Weekend event as well as all of the people I met and was hooked.  Fast forward a year and Marc and I were driving to Denver on a road trip and called Andrew while on the way to meet for dinner.  After a few conversations upon returning to Seattle, Andrew agreed to let us take over Startup Weekend.  Here’s where I’d like to touch on our vision for Startup Weekend.  Marc and I really want to see it become the place where founders meet co-founder and to be a place where good ideas turn into cool new startups.  Thats not to say that always has to be the case, the event is far more than just the projects that people are undertaking.  A recent poll of past attendees pointed out 92% of people that attended stay in contact with people they met there for the first time.  We’ve had teams come out and attract angel investment as well as VC dollars and that is terrific, but as those of you that have been know, the event is much bigger than the success or failure of individual projects.  There truly is a magic in the room at Startup Weekend events and that is the essence that we are trying to preserve and bring to other communities in a sustainable manner.  Our goals going forward are to be an early stage breeding ground for great ideas worthy of being startups as well as a connector for entrepreneurs to meet other entrepreneurs.  In the past year we have yet to take a pay check, we work all the time but never work.  It’s been an exciting journey so far and has a ways to go still.  I’d like to see this community evolve into a place where people that are excited about startups can pitch an idea and quickly gather the necessary elements of support they need to turn that idea into a prototype.  Once a group at a given event has decided on their team members and idea I want to be able to connect them with a lawyer to draft up a formal agreement among themselves.  Once they know what technology they are going to be using in their startup I want to be able to connect them to others in the community that can help them with the specific technology they have chosen.  That could mean introducing a team that is working on the PayPal API to the guys at PayPal that can field any question they can dream up.  It could mean making an introduction to a talented developer in the community that knows rails, or someone who knows their way around developing mobile apps.  Startup Weekend has come a long way in a short amount of time thanks to the community that we have.  With your continued support I believe we can create a vibrant global organization that fosters community, entrepreneurs, and innovation in local communities around the world.

We’ll be launching a new site in the near future to help facilitate many of these relationships online as well as offline at SW events.  I really appreciate all of the support we’ve received from the community over the last year.  We’ve learned a lot and believe that 2010 will be a great year for Startup Weekend!  Thank you for supporting us and please reach out with any thoughts or advice on what we can do better.  We are structured as a non-profit and really rely on sponsor support to make this possible, thank you to all of you that have supported us in that manner in the past.  Looking forward to seeing you at the next event, and look out for the new online community coming VERY soon.

Marc and Clint from Startup Weekend will be flying out the end of Jan. for the Azure BizSpark Camp in NYC at the MS office in Manhattan. This is a FREE event with a chance to win $5k. If you are familiar with Azure or any other MS platforms or want to learn, this is a great opportunity.

Not a member of BizSpark? Apply through Startup Weekend here.

We will be putting on a happy hour with the help of the BizSpark team one of the evenings which the entire Startup Weekend community is invited to come out and partake in. Stay tuned for details. In the meantime, check out the details of the event:

“With several successful Microsoft BizSpark Incubation Weeks under our belt (Azure Atlanta, Win7 Boston, Win7 Reston, CRM Reston, CRM Boston, Win 7 Irvine, Mobility Mountain View,), we are pleased to announce Microsoft BizSpark Camp for Windows Azure in New York, NY during January 28–29, 2010. Based upon your feedback we have made several changes including offering cash prize, compressed time commitment and much more. We hope you’re tapping into the growing BizSpark community.

• Chance to win cash prize of $5000
• Nomination for BizSpark One (an invitation only program) for high potential startups
• Learn and build new applications in the cloud or use interoperable services that run on Microsoft infrastructure to extend and enhance your existing applications with help of on-site advisors
• Get entrepreneurs coaching from a panel of industry experts
• Generate marketing buzz for your brand
• Create opportunity to be highlighted at upcoming launch

We are inviting nominations from BizSpark Startupsinterested in Windows Azure Platform that target one or more of the following:

• Windows Azure
• Microsoft .Net Services
• Microsoft SQL Azure
• Live Services
• Microsoft SharePoint Services
• Microsoft Dynamics CRM Services

The Microsoft BizSparkCamp for Windows Azure will be held at Microsoft Technology Center, New York, NYfrom Thursday 1/28/2010 to Friday 1/29/2010. This event consists of ½ day of training, 1 day of active prototype/development time, and ½ day for packaging/finishing and reporting out to a panel of judges for various prizes.

This event is a no-fee event (plan your own travel expenses) and each team can bring 3 participants (1 business and 1 – 2 developer). It is required to have at least 1 developer as part of your team. To nominate your team, please submit the following details to Sanjay Jain (preferably via your BizSaprk Sponsor) no later than Monday January 18, 2010. Nominations will be judged according to the strength of the founding team, originality and creativity of the idea, and ability to leverage Windows Azure Scenarios.

• BizSpark Startup Organization Details: Name, Web Site URL, Mailing Address, Solution Overview, Key Windows Azure Scenarios, Target Industry, Company Size and Year Founded, How did you hear about this event?
• BizSpark Sponsor Details: BizSpark Network Partner or Microsoft Champion Name, Web Site URL
• Team Details: For each participant, Name, Brief BIO, Email, Phone, Twitter, Blog

All info here: http://www.microsoftstartupzone.com/Blogs/sanjay_jain/Lists/Posts/Post.aspx?List=77465549-f53f-497c-a9e1-5b32eac479bc&ID=8

Please take 1 minute to fill out our quick survey and help us make Startup Weekend better!

We’re hoping to see some familiar faces and new ones as well.  This is a great reason to mingle with the Seattle startup community.  Looking forward to seeing you there and getting your input!

Map of Cyclops

If you are interested in getting Startup Weekend to a city near you and it hasn’t been announced yet, cast your vote to the left of the blog on the main site!

Thanks to everyone for making 2009 such a great year with over 37 events and almost 3,000 attendees!

Happy Holidays!