UP Global, the Seattle-based non-profit that runs events around the world like Startup Weekend and Startup Week, has slashed 33 percent of its U.S. staff.
The organization, which employs 60 worldwide, laid off 12 employees at its Seattle office. Dave Parker, UP Global Senior VP of Product and Programs, noted that the loss of funding commitments from some sponsors forced UP Global to re-align its expenses.
The cuts were made across the board; those working in tech, design, business, and marketing were let go. This is the first time UP Global has had to lay off employees.
UP Global operates Startup Weekend, Startup Next, Education Entrepreneurs, Startup Digest and Startup Week, fostering entrepreneurship in hundreds of cities across the world. It launched in May 2013 as a result of a merger between Startup Weekend and Startup America.
Parker said that UP Global is still optimistic about growing its program base by 50 percent this year.
“One of the best comments I heard from a partner after our announcement today is that we have a crazy mission of changing the world for entrepreneurs, and that the world hasn’t been changed enough yet,” he said. “We still have more work to do.”
Up Global is hosting two job fairs at its office at the University of Washington’s Startup Hall to help its former employees find work.
