If yesterday’s Pitch Bootcamp Workshop is any indication, this week’s Startup Weekend Maui will be an unforgettable experience,” according to Frank De Rego Jr., Director of Business Development Projects for Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB).
Now in its fourth year, Startup Weekend Maui kicks off this Friday, May 19, 6:30 pm and runs through Sunday, May 21, 9 pm. Presented by MEDB, the event will be held at the Maui Research and Technology Park in Kihei, Maui; starting at MEDB’s Malcolm Center at 1305 N. Holopono Street, Suite 5.
Those interested in an exciting opportunity to learn business creation skills can still register online at http://bit.ly/SUWMaui2017.
According to De Rego, everyone to participates in Startup Weekend Maui walks away with something new they’ve gained and/or learned about their startup idea and even themselves.
Kim Scott who plans to participate this weekend shared, “I was looking for an interesting activity I could do with my 19-year-old daughter so we participated in the 2015 Startup Weekend Maui. We were on the Waikapu Pickles team which went on to become very successful. At first, we didn’t know how we could contribute to this team. We had no food experience. But my daughter is an awesome artist and drew the logo for their company which is still used today. So don’t feel like you don’t have the right experience in order to participate in a Startup Weekend event, because everyone can make a contribution.”
“I really enjoy hearing all the cool startup ideas and the process to make these business ideas happen,” said David Pickett, who participated in MEDB’s last three Startup Weekends and who plans to pitch his startup idea this Friday. “I like to solve puzzles and problems and I really enjoy working on a team and networking.”
Among the many benefits of participating in Startup Weekend Maui is the opportunity to receive insight and advice from experienced and accomplished judges and coaches. Those who will be volunteering their time to support this year’s teams are:
Coaches:
| Erik Blair | Owner, The Accidental Consultant |
| Doug Nelson | Game-based learning producer and publisher, President, Kinection |
| David Fry | 2015 SUWMaui Winner, President Tanuki Interactive |
| Beth Holiday | Business Coach, Master Trainer, Leadership Expert, Beth Holiday’s Hawaii Business Training |
| Chris Speere | Site Coordinator,UH Maui College’s Maui Food Innovation Center |
| David Daly | BDC Director, MEO, Inc. |
| Nick Heyd | Co-founder of Galley, a full-stack meal delivery app |
| Wayne Wong | Director, Hawaii Small Business Development Center – Maui Center |
| Jeff Milone | Co-founder/CEO of Invulu |
| David Morgan | CoFounder of Organic Themes, GivingPress and Kahuna Host |
Judges:
| Omar Sultan | Co-founder Sultan Ventures and Founding & Managing Partner XLR8UH |
| Donavan Kealoha | Senior Associate, Startup Capital Ventures |
| Britanny Heyd | Managing Director & General Counsel, 1776 |
| Luana Mahi | Owner, Principal Broker, Kismet Natural Foods Brokerage |
| Susan Yamada | Executive Director, Pacific Asian Center for Entrepreneurship (PACE), University of Hawaii |
For more information and to register for the 2017 Startup Weekend Maui, visit http://bit.ly/SUWMaui2017. For additional questions, please email info@hightechmaui.com or call (808) 875-2300. Connect via Facebook (facebook.com/StartupWeekendMaui) for event updates.
Startup Weekend Maui is presented by the Maui Economic Development Board. Event sponsors include: County of Maui Mayor’s Office of Economic Development, High Technology Development Corporation, Pacific Media Group, Hawaii Strategic Development Corporation, HI-Growth Initiative and Startup Capital Ventures.