8A | SATURDAY, JULY 7, 2018 | SIUSLAW NEWS
PHOTOS BY JARED ANDERSON & MARK BRENNAN/SIUSLAW NEWS
“L
ook, Mama! It’s shooting stars!”
one three-year-old said when the
big fireworks show began Wednesday on
the Port of Siuslaw Boardwalk. Families
gathered together for patriotic events all
day in Florence and surrounding commu-
nities. More festivities continue tomor-
row with Oregon Coast Military Museum’s
third anniversary celebration and the
eighth annual Wings and Wheels event.
STARTUP from page 1A
The weekend will bring to-
gether entrepreneurs and start-
up enthusiasts to share ideas,
form teams and learn what it
takes to launch a business ven-
ture.
“Dozens of cities worldwide
have created these Startup
Weekends,” said David Youn-
gentob, Coastal Venture Catalyst
for Oregon Regional Acceler-
ator and Innovation Network
(RAIN).
In fact, more than 139,000
people have created more than
23,000 teams in 150 countries
at over 2,900 Startup Weekend
events. And that’s only since
Startup Weekend began through
Techstars in 2007.
“There is a long list of com-
panies that got started through
Startup Weekend that later
went on to become recognized
or bought by another business,”
Youngentob said.
These include LootCrate,
Rover, Foodspotting and Even-
tup.
Youngentob himself went
through a Startup Weekend as
he and his partners worked on
several ideas.
“It’s definitely more fun to
‘do’ a Startup Weekend,” he said.
“You get to bring all your ideas
out and the event helps you get
to the great idea.”
Now, he is planning the Ore-
gon coast’s first Startup Week-
end.
“RAIN is excited to lead the
organizing to make this happen
for the startups here,” he said.
The event is produced by
Oregon RAIN, LaneSBDC,
City of Florence and Pure Or-
ganic Energy; is supported by
the Florence Area Chamber of
Commerce and Techstars; and
sponsored by Oregon Pacific
Bank, Lovejoy’s Restaurant &
Tearoom and Surftown Coffee
Company.
Florence City Manager Erin
Reynolds said, “This is an ex-
citing new milestone for our
region’s economy. A Startup
Weekend is unheard of in a
community of our size. Howev-
er, Florence entrepreneurs and
stakeholders are exceptionally
eager and willing participants,
and it’s a credit to them that we
can endeavor to host this event.”
Entrepreneurs from RAIN’s
other coastal communities, in-
cluding Lane, Lincoln, Linn and
Benton counties, will also be en-
couraged to come to the event.
“The Startup Weekend pulls
people in a community into the
same space to listen to ideas
and band together,” Youngentob
said. “The goal of the weekend is
about acting on those ideas.”
RAIN Communications Spe-
cialist Matt Hollander said, “En-
trepreneurs have a tendency to
work in isolation until they feel
like their project is ‘just right.’
However, working with others
and their differing ideas, experi-
ence and expertise can help you
develop further. They will help
you see the solution you can’t
see yourself.”
Startup Weekend Oregon
Coast begins on Friday, July 13,
at 6:30 p.m. with a dinner ca-
tered by Lovejoy’s.
After dinner and networking
time, participants will gather to
pitch business ideas.
“The premise is to bring out
ideas, push forward with a prod-
uct and seek validity in the mar-
ketplace,” Youngentob said.
Attendees will then vote on
the best pitches and form teams
based on which project they
want to work on.
“The challenge is really how
to find that great idea,” Youn-
gentob said. “To do that, you
have to start with a lot of ideas.”
Startup Weekend peers and
mentors will help launch that
great idea forward.
“There will be mentors there
the whole time, many of whom
can be recognized from RAIN’s
other events on the Oregon
coast,” Youngentob said.
These include Mike Webb,
vice president and commercial
relationship manager for OPB’s
Florence branch; Jack Hannigan,
Oregon Coast Humane Society
board president; and Brad Attig,
who provides alternative financ-
ing guidance to early-stage com-
panies through RAIN’s Venture
Catalyst Program.
On day two, teams will learn
from the local mentors as they
develop a prototype of their
business.
Youngentob said this will in-
clude creating a business mod-
el, defining goals and getting to
a ‘concluding arc’ — where the
entrepreneur team will build out
a pitch presentation that shows
what the startup could become.
The event concludes Saturday
night when teams present their
projects to the audience and a
panel of experts.
“There are many potential
benefits of a startup weekend,”
Youngentob said. “Of course,
we may see a team that leaves
the event with plans to launch
a company. But each and every
participant will meet other in-
novators who could become fu-
ture business partners, network
with experienced entrepreneurs
and truly learn what it takes to
launch a business venture.”
When Youngentob went
through Startup Weekend with
one of his business ideas, he
learned several valuable lessons.
Ultimately, he began supporting
other startups through his work
with FertiLab and RAIN.
“The important part of every
Startup Weekend is meeting
like-minded folks and making
those connections to help you
move forward,” he said. “The
goal is to experience core pro-
cess of business discovery, from
company concept to customer
research and initial business
prototyping. It can happen in
just over 24 hours, and it will at
this event for all our attendees.”
Startup Weekend tickets are
on sale at go.startupweekend.
org/florence. Admission in-
cludes three meals, benefits and
discounts, expert speakers, net-
working opportunities and un-
limited internet and coffee.
For more information, visit
www.oregonrain.org.
Siuslaw News readers can
take advantage of an exclusive
offer for a free ticket to Startup
Weekend Oregon Coast.
To claim a free ticket, visit
go.star tupweekend.org/
florence, select a ticket and en-
ter promo code: SiuslawNews
Florence Food Share provides food to those who
are hungry in our community. If you have four
hours a week available, we are in need of vol-
unteers to staff our Front Desk and also act as
Guides as clients walk through the pantry. Please
call our volunteer coordinator, Sarah Lovejoy,
@ 541-997-9110 (Monday – Friday, before noon)
to learn more about volunteering. info@lorence-
foodshare.org 2190 Spruce Street.
Volunteer
Cashier, Customer Service, Receiving, or help with special projects.
For more details stop by and talk with Burney or Joseph at
2016 Hwy 101 or email volunteer@fl orencehabitat.org
Store hours 9am – 5pm Monday- Saturday 541-997-5834
www.facebook.com/restorefl orence
Annual Ice Cream Social
July 21 at
Florence Events Center
Get
involved
Donate
Do your part and
volunteer today
Meet 1st Wednesday of every month
Luncheon Meeting ($8.50)
Shorewood Senior Living
1451 Spruce St
541-991-3209 or sgelmstedt@gmail.com
to help support
these local
Memory Care Respite
of Florence
Your Memory Care Respite Center needs you!
Seeking volunteers for our Coffee Club:
Conversation & companionship in a caring
setting while providing respite for caregivers.
Contact us at memcarerespite@gmail.com
non-proft
organizations in
our community!
Join the Peace Harbor Hospital Volunteers.
<RXZLOOÀQGDQDUHDRILQWHUHVW
in a caring organization.
Peace Harbor
Volunteers
400 9th Street, Florence, OR 97439
541-997-8412 ext. 2218
Volunteer
Get
involved
Donate
Do your part and
volunteer today
to help support
these local
Meals on Wheels are available to people over the
age of 60 who cannot get out much due to illness
or advanced age and who are not eating properly,
regardless of income. Cafe 60 is available for those
who prefer to make new friends in a dining room
setting.
1570 Kingwood • PO Box 2313, Florence
541-997-5673
laneseniormeals.org
Operating Monday, Wednesday and Friday
Saving men one
PSA test at a time.
541-997-6626
maribob@oregonfast.net
Someone to talk to...
who understands!
non-proft
organizations in
our community!
To include your organization
in this directory,
please call us
@ 541-997-3441