We love telling the stories of startups here at GeekWire, chronicling the ups and downs of the entrepreneurial voyage. Heck, we’re taking that voyage ourselves as newbie entrepreneurs, and I know GeekWire wouldn’t be where it is today without the guidance, insights and lessons of other startuppers.
That’s why we’re so excited to introduce Startup Day, a one-day entrepreneurial confab taking place Saturday, Sept. 22 at Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue. Designed for entrepreneurs in the midst of building their own companies as well as would-be entrepreneurs about to take the plunge, Startup Day will pack a high-energy and inspirational punch (but no Tony Robbins’ firewalking) no matter where you are in the startup process.
To get things rolling, we’re bringing together some of the top entrepreneurs we know to share their secrets of success, while also revealing some of the battle scars they’ve picked up along the way.
Speakers this year include Zulily CEO Darrell Cavens; BigOven founder Steve Murch; Ivy Corp. founder Mary Jesse; and Harebrained Schemes co-founder and “grizzled” startup veteran Jordan Weisman.
We’re especially excited to welcome back to Seattle Aaron Levie, the CEO of online file sharing startup Box. Levie will be sharing lessons from the early days of Box as well as the aftereffects of his company’s $81 million venture round (and possibly a new round at an even bigger valuation). Hopefully, along the way, he’ll be tossing out a few of the types of zingers that we’ve grown to love from his highly entertaining Twitter stream.
Many of you may already be familiar with Startup Day, now in its fourth year. Created by Seattle entrepreneur Marcelo Calbucci, this one-of-a-kind event passed into GeekWire’s hands as part of our acquisition of Seattle 2.0. We’re thrilled to carry on this important tradition of entrepreneurial education, while adding to it in substantive (and fun) ways.
Stay tuned for more speakers and other special surprises. Early-bird registration ends Aug. 12, so get your tickets today here. (Even better, the first 25 entrepreneurs to sign up under the T-shirt ticket option get a limited-edition GeekWire T-shirt).
A big thanks to sponsors Microsoft BizSpark and SEOmoz for making this event happen. For additional sponsorship opportunities, please contact Rebecca Lovell at rebecca@geekwire.com.
