Startup Weekend BEER RECORD!

This weekend marks the 1 year anniversary of Startup Weekend.

Startup Weekend recruits a highly motivated group of developers, business managers, startup enthusiasts, marketing gurus, graphic artists and more to a 54 hour event that builds communities, companies and projects. In order for a city to be eligible for a Startup Weekend, it must receive a substantial amount of votes on the Startup Weekend website. Once a city dominates the voting and remains at the top for a significant amount of time, Startup Weekend grants the city the opportunity to host an weekend.

Each selected city is responsible for planning, organizing, promoting and implementing their own Startup Weekend as well as securing an event location and sponsorship. Startup Weekend LLC provides each city with advice and tools to help them run a successful event. A member of the Startup Weekend LLC team is sent out to every Startup Weekend to help facilitate the event.

Naturally, I have had a hand in the organizing and planning of Startup Weekend Columbus. Originally, I learned about the event through the local Columbus blog the270.com. A few local bloggers, including myself and the270.com, promoted the concept to the city of Columbus and we were able to receive enough votes to be awarded our own weekend.

After being selected for the event, Alvin and I exchanged emails and decided to get the proper people together to organize and plan the event. We brought in Chris Anderson from TechColumbus, Tim J Eby from WOSU Public Media, Jamie Timm from the Columbus Chamber of Commerce, Rocky VanBrimmer from Minister Realty and began to hit the grindstone.

TechColumbus graciously offered to serve as both the host of the event as well as a significant sponsor.

After several months of collecting sponsors and planning, Startup Weekend Columbus is finally upon us. Last night marked the first evening of the weekend.

As the infamous Beer Wench, it was only natural that I was chosen to provide the adult beverages. For this event, I contacted a friend from Premium Beverage Supply. He was more than happy to fulfill our special order. My beer selection included: Bell’s Two-Hearted Ale, Bell’s Oberon, Tommy Knocker Maple Nut Brown Ale, Lagunitas Censored Ale, and Lagunitas Pilsner. (Do you SERIOUSLY think that I would allow anything BUT high quality craft beer at one of my events? Oh I think not. No big corporate beer allowed.)

As of last night, Startup Weekend Columbus has already broken the record for amount of beer consumed in one night of Startup Weekend. And we have not even gone through half of it!!!

Tonight we will be enjoying more delicious beer as the creative juices keep following and the tech geniuses among us begin to materialize ideas. Later this evening, post dinner, Startup Weekend Columbus attendees will have the opportunity to relax and unwind while be entertained by local funk band, SUAVE.

Thus far, I am having a blast. I have had the honor of meeting and interacting with some of the most intelligent minds of the Columbus community.