Startup Weekend Chicago needs developers!

[Tim Jahn]

Chicago developers!

The next Startup Weekend is coming up the weekend of June 1-3 and my buddy Adam Haun is organizing.  He mentioned they're looking for more developers to come join in the fun and create something cool.

If you're interested, all the details are here:

http://swchicago6.eventbrite.com/

- Tim

[Clint Laskowski]

Hello, Hn-Chicago.

I attended SWMadison back on April 27-29. It was such an awesome experience (it was my first Startup Weekend), that I'm now working to bring Startup Weekend to Milwaukee (see http://signup.startupweekendmilwaukee.org).

But, I have to agree with, and comment on, Tim Jahn's message to this group ...

At SWMadison, there seemed to be a mild shortage of capable web app developers, and a serious shortage of designers (I think there were only 3 designers out of 100+ people)! Of course, this detracts from the Startup Weekend experience because the development of a semi-functional prototype web and/or mobile app is supposed to be one of the weekend's core activities.

I'm concerned the same thing will happen with SWMilwaukee (dates have not been finalized, but November 16-18, 2012, is looking like it will be the winner of our survey at bit.ly/swmke2012survey1), so my plan is to reach out to as many developer/designer (Meetup) groups as possible.

So, I'm wondering, does anyone have ideas on how to increase participation of developers and designers in a Startup Weekend event, especially in the upper-Midwest? What can we offer or do to attract web/mobile app developers?

I think such a discussion can help both SWChicago6 and SWMilwaukee, and any other SW organizer.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and feedback.

-- Clint

Clint Laskowski, CISSP, CISM

email: clint.l...@gmail.com

blog: http://www.tek414.com << new!

project: http://Signup.StartupWeekendMilwaukee.org << sign up

twitter: @Clint326

[E]

I just participated in a SW in NYC.  I have also participated in Chicago and in Northern KY.

The experiences were dramatically different.  Namely, NYC had a ton of great developer (front and backend) and designer talent; the Chicago was primarily idea people with a dearth of actual developers (I think there were actually 3). The deliverable of most groups was power point slides and a business plan.

Developers want to go to meet possible cofounders and to hack with peers on an idea.  They are willing to pay for that experience. Its less exciting to pontificate about business strategy and end up with power point slides and a business plan.

The solution:

Whatever there is a shortage of -- let them in for free (at least until enough are registered). I realize SW has costs to operate and that it is possibly being run as a business. It probably sounds like an attack to say "let developers/designers come for free". 

But if they don't come, it diminshes the experience for everyone.  Developers won't sign up if there's a risk that they pay and end up not getting to work on cool projects with other people who ship product,

And to be clear: this isn't a way for me to say "please give developers free stuff". Its "lets make the startup weekend experience great for everyone involved".  In cities where there is a problem recruiting hustlers, let them come for free.

[Chris Duesing]

Some of the previous startup weekends in Chicago used eventbrite and set up different sets of tickets for different skillsets, just to help ensure there would not be too much of any one thing. I think they also eventually offered a discount code to developers and designers as the event date neared and they needed more.

[Zishan Ahmad]

Clint,

Participated in Chicago (x2), New York (x3), and just co-organized first one in Stamford, CT.  Lesson learned: developers and designers are almost always, universally, in short supply.

There's no secret sauce here; you have to actively market and recruit. The one thing I'll emphasize, though, is in the absence of critical mass and groups like this where people may just "get it," you need to clearly articulate the value proposition, or "take away value." By and large people want spelled out what the value is in it for them.

"I'm a developer/designer with several projects and a startup of my own, and being recruited every day. Why should I give you 3 days of my life?"

There are a few passionate individuals, but not everyone attends to start a company.  Address their motivations:

- meet cool people (cto's, sme's, angels, cofounders)

- win cool prizes

- work on cool projects

- etc

Also, tap local universities and user groups (like Tim I'd here), and get sponsors to cover admission for college students (100%).

I think this is all pretty common knowledge documented on the SW site. If you have more specific questions or need help reaching out to particular groups, let me know.

Zishan

Sent from my iPhone

[Adam Haun]

Everyone,

This thread is great. We currently have a little over 20 developers
and designers for our next event in Chicago, but would like to get the
number up to match the non-technical registrants. We're trying to make
the technical talent feel more welcomed. Not so much in a way where
they have free admission, but in a way where they're more heard and
the non-technical people aren't running the show. We're bringing and
brought on judges other than just angels and VC's. The proverbial
engineers and designers who judge, ask specific functionality and
UI/UX questions about the product. Technical people like talking about
what they built and like showcasing their talents. This way, it's not
just a non-technical person telling the crowd how they predict they'll
make money. It becomes more tech friendly, and people get to see how
creative others can be in such a small time frame.

I'm not saying this is the answer, but we're seeing improvements. Also
offering extra incentives for the winners such as an hour of time
meeting with these (technical) judges, or free passes to technical
events taking place in their cities.

Adam

--
"Get Busy Living, or Get Busy Dying."

Adam Haun
815.993.6777
Let's Tweet: twitter.com/adam_haun
Let's Link: http://www.linkedin.com/in/ahaun
http://about.me/ahaun