Kauffman Labs for Enterprise Creation to sponsor ‘Startup Weekend-Education,’ August 27-29, 2010 in San Francisco
(KANSAS CITY, Mo.) Aug. 12, 2010 – Building upon its mission to catalyze entrepreneurial innovation in targeted growth industries, including the education sector, Kauffman Labs for Enterprise Creation, an initiative of the Kauffman Foundation, announced today it is joining with Startup Weekend to sponsor “Startup Weekend-Education” from August 27-29 at San Francisco’s Pier 38. The event will feature a select group of entrepreneurs, developers, marketers and designers from throughout the Bay Area and beyond who convene to demonstrate and build new business models aimed at making a significant impact in the education sector. At the conclusion of the event, the founder(s) of the winning idea, as determined by a panel of judges, will receive a $5,000 prize. 
Startup Weekend is a nonprofit organization focused on educating entrepreneurs through community building, innovation and education. To date, Startup Weekend has helped educate more than 17,000 entrepreneurs at over 120 events worldwide, and has facilitated the launch of over 560 new startup ventures around the world.
“Education is a $1 trillion market where innovations can produce massive benefits to the world and also create huge change in the lives of individuals,” said Bo Fishback, vice president of entrepreneurship at the Kauffman Foundation, who is leading the Kauffman Labs initiative. “It is in this spirit that we launched our newest Kauffman Labs program focused on education entrepreneurs, and it also is why we are supporting Startup Weekend-Education. We believe this event will give creative individuals an inspiring, hands-on opportunity to take a leap of faith and begin to develop ventures that could transform education in a powerful way.”
“We’re thrilled to have the support of Kauffman Labs and the Kauffman Foundation for this special edition of Startup Weekend. Improving education is one of the greatest challenges of this century,” said Startup Weekend’s Franck Nouyrigat, who is leading the event. “We believe, as does Kauffman, that there is tremendous potential for innovation and growth among startups in the education sector.”
Participation in Startup Weekend-Education is limited to the first 60 registrants. For more information and to register and purchase tickets, visit: http://bayarea.startupweekend.org.
About Kauffman Labs for Enterprise Creation
Both school and business accelerator, Kauffman Labs for Enterprise Creation is a new approach to developing the next generation of high-growth firms. An initiative of the Kauffman Foundation, Kauffman Labs seeks to accelerate the number and success of new firms by offering a new method for teaching and training entrepreneurs of dynamic, fast-growth, scalable businesses in a lab setting, while studying the “science of startups” in the process.
Kauffman Labs recently launched the Education Ventures Program , a competitive search for up to 20 aspiring founders or founding teams to launch high-growth, transformative companies in the education market. Those selected will be immersed in an intensive, hands-on program designed to catalyze the creation of companies with the potential to generate thousands of jobs and dramatic economic benefits. Individuals interested in learning more or applying should visit www.kauffmanlabs.org.
About Startup Weekend
A non-profit organization based out of Seattle, Wash., Startup Weekend’s primary mission is to be among the most valuable and influential organizations in startup communities around the world. Its model is event-based, community-focused, interactive and results-driven entrepreneurial development. As a result, Startup Weekend has become one of the leading catalysts for startup creation and entrepreneurship education in startup ecosystems around the world. Startup Weekend is currently represented in over 100 cities in more than 25 countries. To date, Startup Weekend has helped educate over 17,000 entrepreneurs at over 120 events, as well as launched over 560 new startup ventures around the world.
