Start Up Weekends are 54-hour events where developers, designers, marketers, product managers, and startup enthusiasts come together to share ideas, form teams, build products, and launch startups!

Startup Weekends are weekend-long, hands-on experiences where entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs can find out if startup ideas are viable.  On average, half of Startup Weekend’s attendees have technical or design backgrounds, the other half have business backgrounds.

Beginning with open mic pitches on Friday, attendees bring their best ideas and inspire others to join their team. Over Saturday and Sunday teams focus on customer development, validating their ideas, practicing LEAN Startup Methodologies and building a minimal viable product. On Sunday evening teams demo their prototypes and receive valuable feedback from a panel of experts.

At the first ever Startup Weekend in Biloxi, Mississippi, Giglines founder and CTO decided now is the time to begin the idea that had accumulated over the past 2 years.  Armed with one additional developer, Giglines took the stage and presented a short, to the point, pitch of the project that not only got our point across but got the wheels in the room turning.

Shortly after, our newly appointed CFO joined the team and cemented the fact that we were destined to win.  Our pitch was strong, our idea was brilliant, and our team was a working machine.

http://biloxi.startupweekend.org/2013/08/29/startup-weekend-biloxi-winners/

Three long days later, we stood proud as the first ever winners of Startup Weekend Biloxi. It was a great competition and our competitors brought their A game.  We now had an idea of what we should be doing, we got the attention of investors, and we came out with the essentials to being what will become known as Giglines.

Our next step is Startup Weekend | New Orleans.  If you are a local developer or designer and would like to join our team and compete for some cool prizes, please visit our “Hackathon” signup page.