TechStars Startup Weekend: Unplug and unwind with fellow entrepreneurs

“Pitching ideas and pitching tents” is the unofficial mantra of the very unique and original “unplugged” TechStars Startup Weekend at the future site of Camp BluSky on Hamlin Lake, just north of Ludington, Michigan, from July 29-31.

Startup weekends have been a staple of the West Michigan entrepreneurial community since Aaron Schaap and Mike Boyink brought the concept to Grand Rapids from Seattle, Washington seven years ago. Typically, the 54-hour idea-pitching, business-developing, and team-building hackathon is held in early January.

However, Tim Murphy, lead organizer, had a different idea for 2016: design an event for the summer for which participants camp out in a beautiful setting and get inspired by nature. “Let’s get entrepreneurs to unplug from the day-to-day environment and see what happens,” he says.

The event will be structured like all startup weekends, which are held around the world throughout the year. Participants register online and then show up to pitch their ideas on Friday night. The crowd votes for the best 10 to 15 ideas and teams and proceed to self-select based on personal interest and skills (design, marketing, software development, etc.). For the remainder of the weekend, the teams work together to validate the idea and create some type of prototype, which is then presented back to the group on Sunday. One of the big difference with the “unplugged” weekend is that instead of teams retreating to conference rooms to work on the idea, the participants can check out a pontoon, meet around a campfire or chill out and work on the shores of Hamlin Lake.

Murphy, who is founder of Airdrop Gaming (a Start Garden funded venture) and a faculty member within the design department at Kendall, says that although the event is unplugged, there will be Wi-Fi available so teams can test their applications and conduct market research. But, other than that, it is very rustic, with everyone pitching tents and enjoying group meals over the weekend.

Besides expanding the entrepreneurial community beyond Grand Rapids, Murphy says the weekend will also be a chance to showcase Camp BluSky, his concept for a year-round innovation and design camp retreat, which he plans to launch within the confines the property of the 100-year-old Camp Douglas Smith.

Murphy says there is room for 150 people to participate in the event, and registration is still open. He says everyone will drive up and meet in a specified location in Ludington and then will be bussed to the Hamlin Lake site.

Registration is $75 for students and $100 for everyone else. This includes all meals, snacks and beverages throughout the weekend,

To learn more about the event, you can visit the site here. To learn more about Murphy’s concept for Camp BlueSky, you can check out more information here.

Writer: John Rumery, Innovation and Jobs News Editor