Startup Weekend 'genesis' of businesses' future

THUNDER BAY -- The future of local business is in well-prepared hands.

Startup Weekend at Waverley Library came to a close on Sunday with seven projects presented, ranging from party planning to non-profit public health entities.

Groups of six or seven entrepreneurs scattered across the library throughout the weekend applying business principles to their ideas, consulting their customer base and finally, getting feedback on their prototypes from those who have walked the talk for decades in the private sector.

“This could almost be seen as a genesis of a lot of these projects if the teams choose to carry on with them,” said Lakehead University Faculty of Business Administration lecturer Michael Dohan, who encouraged his students to participate in the three-day session.

“Just this weekend, they’ve developed so much skill working with business models, working with technology, working with teams for this type of thing, being able to zero in on some type of problem -- a business problem or a problem in the world -- and coming up with a solution to fix it.

“Win or lose, it’s a great weekend if you participated.”