What Is Startup Weekend?

What is Startup Weekend?

Startup Weekend is a global network of passionate leaders and entrepreneurs on a mission to inspire, educate, and empower individuals, teams and communities. Come share ideas, form teams, and launch startups.

Startup Weekend Global Site

Past event…

Event Ended

Google Campus, Old Street, London


View Larger Map

Would you like to change the world? Well Startup Weekend Education is the event for you!

Startup Weekend is a global grassroots movement of active and empowered entrepreneurs who are learning the basics of founding startups and launching successful ventures. It is the largest community of passionate entrepreneurs: as of October 2012, 672 events have been held, involving 57,000 entrepreneurs across more than 300 cities in over 100 countries. Over 5,000 startups have been created.

This particular Startup Weekend is focussed on Education. Attendees will be invited to pitch their ideas for the next big thing in education. We have added an additional ticket category especially for teachers to come and pitch the ideas that they feel would have the most impact in their classroom or lecture hall. You do not have to be an educator of course, we will be welcoming developers, designers, marketeers and anyone with an interest in Education and a desire to change the world.

The event will be a 54 hour frenzy of business model creation, coding, designing, and market validation. The weekend culminates with presentations in front of local entrepreneurial leaders, judges and potential investors that provide an opportunity for critical feedback. The winning team, as judged by the expert panel will take away a variety of prizes to help grow their startup.

Whether entrepreneurs found companies, find a cofounder, meet someone new, or learn a skill far outside their usual 9-to-5, everyone is guaranteed to leave the event better prepared to navigate the chaotic but fun world of startups. If you want to put yourself in the shoes of an entrepreneur, register now for the best weekend of your life!

Schedule

Friday

Jan 25
  • Registration Starts
  • Dinner & Networking
  • Welcome & Speakers
  • Pitches Start
  • Attendees vote for the top ideas
  • Teams start forming and discussing ideas
  • Start to formalize teams and take an inventory of skills. Be honest, and direct about what resources and skills are needed for the weekend. You may stay and work as late as the venue will allow

Saturday

Jan 26
  • Arrive, simple breakfast & coffee
  • Teams formed and setting up workspace for the weekend
  • Lunch
  • Call for needs & skills
  • Coaches help teams one-on-one. They are here to help!
  • Dinner
  • Mid weekend check-in, status reports, call for help
  • Finished for the day. You may stay and work as late as the venue will allow

Sunday

Jan 27
  • Arrive, simple breakfast & coffee
  • Call for help (this is self motivated, so don’t be shy)
  • Lunch
  • Coaches arrive… ASK QUESTIONS
  • Gut check. Start prepping for presentations
  • Dinner
  • FINAL PRESENTATIONS
  • Judging & awards
  • Wrapup
  • Go home!
Platinum Sponsors
Become one
Gold Sponsors
Become one
Judges

Tim Pearson

Tim is a technologist and business person who has worked most of his life in educational technology. Tim joined Research Machines (later to become RM Plc) in 1981 and worked there for close to 30 years eventually becoming group CEO between 2002 and 2008. During his time at RM Tim started as a programmer and spent a number of years working in assembler, he later launched the first widely adopted Internet service for schools in the UK and was Chairman of the UK Internet Service Providers Association.

Tim is now Director of a number of companies including Chair of Updata
Infrastructure, that provides innovative broadband to around 12% of UK schools, and a Times techtrack 100 company for the last two years of Alamy Ltd, the worlds largest online picture library and of Manything Systems Ltd a start-up working on Smartphone software.

Matthias Ick

Managing Director bei Macmillan Digital Education   |  LinkedIn

Matthias is an entrepreneur who has become a VC now heading Digital Education, Macmillan’s vehicle for investing into EdTech ventures targeting learners in the K12 and adult space. The current portfolio focuses on tutoring and language learning.

Matthias has broad experience in the digital markets ranging from VC investing, interim management to founding and selling his own education venture tutoria.de (Germany’s leading online service for private tutoring). Prior to this, he invested in early and later stage online businesses at Holtzbrinck and advised on M&A transactions.

Dawn Hallybone

ICT Co-ordinator, Senior teacher at Oakdale Junior School   |  LinkedIn

Dawn has been teaching for the last 17 years in a Junior school setting - she is interested in how technology can not only inspire learners but also help aid their learning. She is known for her work using computer games within the classroom and mentored at the last Startup Weekend Education in London.

Richard Taylor

CEO of Media Taylor   |  LinkedIn

After selling his first company Educational Communications to EdComs (UK), Richard invested in several start ups, did consultancy work, before EdComs appointed him to a senior position within the DfES Business Development Unit, where he represented the department on the Government Sponsorship Steering Committee.

Richard also created the business intelligence journal, the assignment report. Then he spent a brief period as the International Development Director for World Maths Day during which this event became the largest one day online education event in the world. Next he worked on the maths and spelling game Tutpup which was sold to MindCandy the owners of MoshiMonsters. Since then Richard has done advisory work for a range of clients including TSL Education, Teachable, AQA, ULearn Today and several other high-profile education companies and investors.

Alan Maguire

Partner at LEAF Investments   |  LinkedIn

Alan has over 20 years’ experience in the Information Technology & Media industries having run businesses, sales & commercial organisations across the globe.

He is a Founding Partner at Knowledge Exchange Partners (KxP), a Professional Services firm that provides long-term investment & advisory solutions to the international Learning technologies industry.

Alan was Managing Director of ThirdForce UK & International (UKI) and a member of the Board of ThirdForce plc – a leading learning technologies corporation formerly listed on both the UK & Ireland stock markets.

Simon Lebus

OCR Group Chief Executive   |  LinkedIn

Simon Lebus was appointed Group Chief Executive of Cambridge Assessment on 1st July 2002. He became Chairman of OCR in 2004.

A Bye-Fellow of Emmanuel College, Simon has spent his career operating in complex and competitive business environments, where the drive for excellence and quality, good teamwork and the need for continuous improvement are essential for success. These are all characteristics that have made Cambridge Assessment a world leader in educational assessment.

Simon came to Cambridge Assessment from the food industry where he had worked since 1989 in a variety of senior managements roles. Prior to that, he spent eight years in the City as an investment banker involved in both corporate finance advisory and capital markets work.

Kriss Baird

Account Manager at IC tomorrow, Technology Strategy Board   |  LinkedIn

My main objectives are to research, develop and execute sector-specific activities. I am responsible for identifying the key opportunities for technological R&D innovation in Education and Sports sectors. This consists of building relationships and leading consultation with industry experts, practitioners, suppliers, and stakeholders in order to understand the individual strengths, weaknesses and landscape of each market sector. I interact with and make recommendations to IC tomorrow's programme leader while taking onboard detailed guidance and feedback.

The aim of IC tomorrow is to drive entrepreneurial innovation by connecting digital startups and SME's with leading rights holders, content providers and investors across the UK.

Silver Sponsors
Become one
Coaches

Ben Barton

CEO Zondle   |  LinkedInGoogle+

Ben is CEO of Zondle and has worked in education for 20 years including time at Pearson, Granada Learning and Harcourt. As well as his involvement in Zondle, he also co-founded Rising Stars

Nell Derick Debevoise

Founder at Inspiring Capital LLC   |  LinkedInGoogle+

As Founder of Inspiring Capital LLC, she uses practical experience, a broad and deep network, analytical insight, and theory from diverse fields to help socially-minded ventures plan, fund, and execute their launch and start-up.

Bernhard Niesner

Co-founder & CEO of busuu.com   |  LinkedIn

CEO & Co-Founder of busuu.com, the world's largest social network for language learning with currently more than 20m users. Part time associate professor at IE Business school in the area of digital marketing and mentor at the Wayra accelerator.

Oliver Quinlan

Lecturer at Plymouth University   |  LinkedIn

Having started working in Education supporting ICT for learning and assessment in Early Years settings, Oliver then worked as a Primary teacher in Birmingham before moving to ITE as a lecturer at Plymouth University.

Sharna Jackson

Tate Kids Editor at Tate   |  LinkedIn

A Webby Award winning, triple BAFTA nominated content creator who is well-versed in working in both on and offline projects with a focus on children and youth audiences.

Specialties: commissioning, producer, content development, children's content, editing, project management, game development, writing for children, e-learning, digital strategies.

Santeri Koivisto

CEO of TeacherGaming LLC   |  LinkedIn

He is currently working on MinecraftEdu, which is having a tremendous impact on how we teach around the World with games. He has recently finished his Master's in education (degree programme for classroom teachers in Finland) and written a paper about using MinecraftEdu in math.

His background includes teaching, education consultancy and idealism. And of course, lots of gaming.

Kirsten Campbell-Howes

E-learning Specialist, Author, Consultant   |  LinkedIn

Edtech professional/former teacher with 11+ years' experience in creating groundbreaking e-learning materials, managing teams of learning designers/developers and assisting educational organisations through the transition to digital delivery. My clients have included: Pearson Education, BP, British Airways, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, the College of Law, Credit Suisse, Harper Collins, EF Education, the BBC and the V&A Museum.

Kirsten Winkler

Innovation Editor at Today's Campus Magazine   |  LinkedIn

Preeminent blogger in education 2.0, on the search for better education. Interviewer, moderator and host of education and start-up events.

Kirsten strives to connect the dots, seeing the bigger picture and building bridges between start-ups, investors and academia.

Specialties: branding, personal branding, networking, connecting, business development & strategy

Hamish Brocklebank

Co-Founder of Flooved   |  LinkedIn

Experience: bucket loads more than his age would imply. Driven by my ambition and love for life. He has worked in Tech, VC PR, Advertising and Finance.

Specialties: Venture Capital, Tech and Digital Media PR., Branding, Content Creation, Strategy and Building Relationships.

Simon Buzz Burman

Graphic Designer at Turner Duckworth   |  LinkedIn

He is currently a Designer at TurnerDuckworth, one of the the most creative and influential independent branding agencies in the world. Ranked No.1 in Packaging Design and No.4 in Corporate Branding.

Based in London and San Francisco he has worked for companies such as Coca-Cola, Kraft, Pernod-Richard as well as numerous smaller independent companies.

Sebastian Peck

Finance Director, Digital Science and Digital Education   |  LinkedIn

Digital Science and Digital Education are divisions of Macmillan Publishers Ltd that focus on new business models in education technology, scientific information solutions and research productivity technology. Sebastian is responsible for the financial management of the divisions and their respective investment portfolios. He structures and manages the execution of new investments and commercial partnerships, and supports the organizational development of Macmillan’s portfolio companies. His team provides financial and strategic analysis to the divisions’ line managers and the senior management of Macmillan’s portfolio companies to support their business development activities.

Simon Walsh

Managing Director for Maths Doctor at Macmillan Publishers Ltd   |  LinkedIn

Chartered Financial Analyst, Qualified Teacher, Founder of an E Learning Start-up, Senior Executive for a multinational company.

His goal is to provide a highly innovative and professional approach to private tuition. Maths Doctor is the first company in the UK to perfect the art of using web conferencing software to teach mathematics live online.

Antonio Gould

Freelance Digital Producer   |  LinkedIn

Antonio has experience across a wide range of sectors but his passions lie in projects which have social benefit. He has worked extensively in the social enterprise sector, community arts and education. Antonio also delivered projects for larger companies within broadcast media and the corporate sector. including the BBC, Channel 4, Vivienne Westwood and The V&A.

Tom Hooper

Founder at Know Maths   |  LinkedIn

Tom is founder of Know Maths and also founded Brightspark in late 2009, going live in September 2010. Six months later he successfully raised investment from TSL Education, publishers of the TES.

Tom began his career as an investment manager during his time with Aberdeen Asset Management.

Julia Skinner

Founder of 100 Word Challenge   |  LinkedIn

Since retiring from 13 years successful primary headship, Julia has founded the 100 Word Challenge. This, together with 5 Sentence Challenge, 100 wcCymru and Blog Dipping, has taken her across the country working with teachers and educators looking at improving writing. Julia was recently awarded for her work in governance, working closely with school leaders across all areas that are pertinent to both primary and secondary schools. Above all, her passion for education has meant retirement is yet to start!

Jodie Lopez

Training Consultant/Champion Schools Coordinator at Pearson Fronter UK   |  LinkedIn

With a passion for ICT and high expectations for her own work, as well as that of all students in her care, Jodie has been successful in her career as a Specialist ICT Teacher and ICT Coordinator. She has been rated by OFSTED as an Outstanding teacher on both the old and new framework for inspections (most recent inspection February 2012). Jodie has also created the popular 'Getting into Literacy' website, which provides resources to seamlessly integrate ICT into the Literacy curriculum.

Peter Yoemans

Lecturer at Plymouth University   |  

I have been, at various points in my life, a Primary Teacher, Consultant for Espresso, GL Performance, Classroommonitor & Softease , University Lecturer, Strategic Consultant to an EdTech company. I have always been direct, challenging and awkward. I work with Plymouth University, where I am in the process of commercializing one product and brought another to proof of concept stage.

Organizers
Paul Hutson
Mathieu Triay
Josh Davidson
Blog
view all

Going through…

by londonedu

The votes have been cast and the teams are coming together… The ideas going through are: USeedU- Learning wallpaper Speak [...]

Pitching ideas…

by londonedu

The first full stage of the evening is upon us; Pitching. Everyone with an idea pitched to the room in [...]

SWLondonEdu Prizes

by londonedu

With less than two weeks away to SWLondonEdu we are very excited to announce that we have some incredible prizes [...]

Upcoming Events
View all