Call for Applications: Startup Weekend Event Kathmandu- University Edition

Only 3 days are remaining to apply for Startup Weekend Kathmandu- University Edition. It is a global event that lasts for 54 long hours starting from November 10 to November 19. The event aims to connect entrepreneurs, organizing teams, and startup communities around the world. Attendees get access to exclusive resources to help prep for success at Startup Weekend and make connections to mentors and other startup teams.

Nepal Entrepreneurs’ Hub and Kathmandu University are organizing the University Edition of the event in KUSOM, Balkumari on November 10-12. The event aims to bring developers, designers, marketers, product managers, and startup enthusiasts together to share ideas, build products and even launch startups.

Since it is always said that student life is the best time to commence a startup thus the organizers are organizing the event targeting the university level students. There are some common questions answers by the organizers to clarify the interested participants about the event.

WHY ATTEND A STARTUP WEEKEND?

Many people want to be entrepreneurs, but find it hard to commit on top of study/work/family commitments. Startup Weekends are the ideal high-impact/low-commitment vehicle for you to test both your ideas and yourself to see if entrepreneurship really is your cup of tea. Not everyone can spare 3 months, but everyone has a weekend to spare.

HOW DOES STARTUP WEEKEND WORK?

You can expect to be occupied from the Friday evening through Sunday night. The event begins on Friday night with open-mic pitches, where participants get 60 seconds to pitch their ideas to the crowd and try to recruit the best talent in the room.

Teams form around the most exciting/viable ideas and spend the rest of the night planning for the battle ahead.

The whole of Saturday and much of Sunday is a mad dash to build, validate, pivot, polish and test your Minimal Viable Product (MVP). The weekend culminates with a pitch-night where teams present their MVP to a panel of judges, guests and fellow participants. At the end of it all, a winner is crowned.

WHAT DO YOU GET OUT OF IT?

• You will get a taste of what it’s like in the startup world, and learn a ton first hand about every step of building a startup.
• You will get a chance to network with some of the top brass in the Nepalese entrepreneurship / investing communities as well as the industry experts – individuals that would otherwise be very hard to reach and connect with them.
• You will greatly expand your network and build lasting relationships with the most innovative, creative and motivated people in the city. This could mean a new client, employer, business partner, or even a friend.
• Plus, if your team wins, you will get exciting prizes, heaps of additional resources and mentorship to help you get your startup off the ground. There are also plenty of investors in the crowd, so if your pitches were something special, you might even get funding.

WHAT IF YOU ARE NOT AN ENTREPRENEUR?

You don’t have to be! And if you want to be, this is a great place to start.

At every Startup Weekend, participants come from all walks of life ranging from students to educators, bankers to doctors, even retirees! Worried you don’t have the skills? That is why we have experienced mentors here to guide you and Startup Weekends are about learning anyway.

HOW TO APPLY?

• To apply, you must be a university-level student with a strong interest in entrepreneurship and teamwork.
• You are required to apply online via an application form that needs to be filled out. Once you have been shortlisted and selected, you will have to pay a nominal fee of Rs. 2500 /- which includes all your meal and board expenses during the event.
• You may apply as an individual.
• Registered team members/participants must accept the terms and conditions of participation, as well as the use of personal data, and photography/video recording during and after the event by staff for the purposes of producing editorial content and advertising materials.
•  Lastly, please note that applicants submitting incomplete application forms or inaccurate information will be disqualified.

CONFIRMATION OF PARTICIPATION

100 best applications will be selected for the event. Selected applicants will receive an official confirmation via the email address provided in the application. The confirmation will include a Participant Pack that details all information concerning the event.

The last to apply for the event is 4th November 2017. You can register your idea by filling the Application Form at this link.