Startup Community Meets Up For the Weekend

Late in the evening Nov. 15, on the last leg of the inaugural Startup Weekend Northwest Arkansas at the Iceberg in Fayetteville, the scene resembled a typical startup hub — in fast-forward.

Creative- and techie-types huddled around laptops on tables that appeared to be constructed of recycled wood scraps and metal shelving.

Down the windowless corridors, into the basement of the building known as the Metro District, 12 teams comprised mostly of young people wearing black-rimmed glasses and fleeces, Startup Weekend T-shirts and cargo shorts or jeans scrawled ideas on sticky notes and dry-erase boards. They were each striving to meet one lofty goal: to create a viable business model from concept to execution in 54 hours.

“It’s pretty intense,” said Randi Cruz, a team leader and University of Arkansas graduate student.

The stakes were high. Winners received $10,000 worth of prizes and a coveted spot in the Global Startup competition, sponsored by Google.

Most participants seemed to have a coffee, an energy drink, or a beer on hand as they typed furiously on their keyboards and hashed out the details of their plans.

The large room had an ad-agency-meets-coffee-house vibe, with large couches along the wall. It was all about collaboration and creativity. Young people brimming with ideas visited with vetted entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and corporate big-wigs who wanted to get a taste of the startup scene.

The enthusiasm was palpable.

“It’s been an incredible experience and a great place for anyone in the market for startups,” said Space Guru team member Adeeb Khaleel. Space Guru’s business plan hinged on the concept that any surface can be paid-for advertising space, from individuals’ bumpers, to laptops, to backpacks.

The team did not receive the first- or second-place title, but was recognized for its go-to market strategy.

 

Stock Photo Finish

In the end, team Exposure took home the big win on Nov. 16, with its plan for a Web business that would connect clients with professional photographers from around the country.

Josh Pham, a graphic designer from Fayetteville, came up with the idea for Exposure while designing a Web page for a clothing boutique in Miami. He did not have a photograph from the store and could not find one that would work on stock photo sources. Pham said he wished there was a stock photo to-order system in place, and from there the concept was born.

He pitched his idea to the judges on the first night of Startup Weekend, Nov. 14, and they chose Pham as one of the team leaders. Dennis Wemyss of Wemyss Design and Darrick Buralli, a programmer for Dillard’s Inc., joined the group.

Team coach Ryan Frazier, CEO of the successful local startup DataRank, then came on board, and Exposure managed to nab the Best Pitch award in addition to first place.

 

The Runner-Up

Geoff Wood traveled from Des Moines, Iowa, to participate in the competition. His business concept, One Fifty, earned the second-place prize and the event Organizers’ Choice award.

One Fifty is a software program that reminds a user to keep in touch with old colleagues and friends. The user provides a list of people and the frequency at which he or she wishes to contact them. The program reminds the user when it is time to do so, but does not send a reminder if the person has already been contacted. The initial business model integrates the software with Gmail. However, Wood’s ultimate goal is to be able to link phones and texting with it. Lauren Sines, a graphic designer; Jordan Ballew, a programmer with Dillard’s; and Alex Fortin, a former corporate employee, comprised the rest of the team.

 

Risk is Relative

A lot of people choose not to go into the startup business because it seems too risky. But for Fortin, who was laid off from his corporate job, the risk of starting a new business does not necessarily outweigh the risk involved in investing in higher education or working for a large company.

These days, with various industries in financial crisis, the idea of most working Americans enjoying the perks and security of a lifelong career with one employer is a thing of the past. Some say it’s better to make it happen for themselves. And with a large quantity of potential investors in the area, they say Northwest Arkansas is the place to do it.

Jordan Carlisle, a founder of the Northwest Arkansas event, is one of these champions of entrepreneurship. “We are helping people build better lives,” he said.

Carlisle of Fayetteville and his longtime friend, Max Farrell of Des Moines, Iowa, brought the event to the area after hosting a similar event in Little Rock and attending Startup Weekends throughout the country for years. 

According to Startup Weekend Northwest Arkansas’ Facebook page, more than 36 percent of Little Rock Startup Weekend companies were still going strong after three months.  Also, about 80 percent of participants said they planned on continuing to work with their team after the weekend.

 

‘Revenge Of The Nerds’

Some of the business concepts at Startup Weekend had not been fully crystallized before the weekend, while others were already well on their way.

Nerdies was founded by former UA math tutor Brad Harvey of Fayetteville, or the “head nerd in charge.” His idea is to provide a cool place for “learning, gaming, lounging and nerding.”

Harvey thought of it while going to the batting cages with one of his sons. As much fun as he had there, he found himself thinking there should be a similar place better-suited to the strengths of his other son, who is diagnosed with Asperger syndrome.

Nerdies has received local media attention and has an Indiegogo campaign, with a goal to raise $60,000. Harvey also is eyeing a potential location at the corner of West Mountain and Dickson streets for the venture.

Nerdies won the Crowd Favorite award. Other recognitions given included Best User Interface, Best Consumer Facing, Best Teamwork, and Best Social Impact.  

 

The Leaders

Judges for the competition included Clete Brewer, chairman and CEO of BlueInGreen LLC; Karridy Askenasy, head of global digital marketing innovation at Mary Kay Inc.; Rick West, co-founder and CEO of Field Agent; Brent Cryder, chief technology officer at Dillard’s; and Permjot Valia, chairman and lead private investor of Wooshii.com.

Other coaches for the event included David Baker, chief brand officer of Moxy Ox; Joe Payne, chief creative officer of Moxy Ox; Luke Irvin, founder of Irvin Media; Lee Watson, CEO of Clarovista; Joe Saumweber, CEO of RevUnit; Michael Paladino, chief technology officer of RevUnit; local user-experience architect and user-interface Web designer Dustin O. Williams; Arton Lowry, designer and founder of Made by Few; James Eldridge, co-founder of James + James; Krista Hinson, co-founder of Explainify; and Eric Hinson, also co-founder of Explainify.