5 Ambitious Social Good Startups Created In a Single Weekend
Can a startup go from concept to launch in 54 hours?Startup Weekend is an organization that answers this question with a resounding affirmative, and it does so many times each year in cities around the world.
At a typical Startup Weekend, ambitious entrepreneurs, developers, designers and marketers meet up for around-the-clock hacking, beginning on Friday afternoon and ending on Sunday.
As the hacking draws to a close, each nascent startup prepares a presentation and pitches their idea and product to an audience of press and investors.
Not only does this organization foster radical creativity and lightning-speed entrepreneurship and team-building; it is also responsible for getting some very interesting, community-focused ideas off the ground in just 54 hours.
And Startup Weekend is a truly global initiative, with upcoming events in Mongolia, Hamburg, Toronto, San Francisco, Madrid, Boston, Denver and more.
Some big-name, successful apps, such as Foodspotting, have come from Startup Weekend events in the past. But some of the more under-the-radar apps and teams are working on solutions to real problems in their communities. Here’s a quick look at a few change-minded companies or products that have come from Startup Weekend so far.
ThinkSmartGrid
Founded: Chicago, 2010
The Idea: Billions of investment dollars have found their way to the smart grid, yet its promise is still unfulfilled, even after 20 years of vendor demand and consumer education. ThinkSmartGrid was founded to work with stakeholders in the green tech and clean tech industries to identify, qualify and deliver messages about an intelligent electricity network.
This startup provides strategic consulting regulatory representation for alliances and suppliers looking to succeed in smart grid initiatives. It works with technology suppliers and utilities to develop and influence Smart Grid standards.
The startup has already closed a six-figure funding deal and expects to close at least two more this year.
Sparkrelief
Founded: Denver, 2010
The Idea: Sparkrelief builds web apps that crowdsource disaster relief.
These apps draw upon a collection of real-time data sources to present timely and important information.Sparkrelief also centralizes and organizes relief information on housing and other resources for disaster victims to quickly find help.
Finally, the startup allows the more fortunate among us to help those in need through donations of money, shelter, food, clothing and other resources.
Pocket Tales
Founded: Indianapolis, 2008
The Idea: Pocket Tales is an educational gaming platform that combines highly engaging content with interactive gameplay to create immersive learning experiences for kids.
Motivating kids to read is a huge tenet of early education. The founder of this startup writes on the company’s website, “We’ve always liked books, but reading them just wasn’t enough. We wanted there to be more things happening. We wanted to discuss books, share them and get at the ideas they contained — so we created Pocket Tales.”
This startup’s product turns book reading into a game for children and their friends. It’s a unique way for kids to engage with the books they read in a deeper way, to discover their next favorite book, and to make and get recommendations for new books.
Sit For Something
Founded: Minneapolis, 2010
The Idea: This startup takes a unique and palatable approach to fundraising. Sit for Something uses movie theaters to raise money for good causes. The company’s current focus is education.
Sit For Something’s founders say their idea reduces the effort and initial funding it takes to pull off a fundraiser. Event organizers don’t have to contact theaters or wrangle for movie licenses. The idea also enables the fundraiser to target just about any demographic.
Hand Things Down
Founded: Seattle, 2010
The Idea: Hand Things Down is a social application that enables busy parents to post, trade and give away their kids’ old and outgrown clothing, furniture, toys and more. The concept is as green as it is community-focused. It’s also a great money saver.
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