Dave Parker has seen his fair share of programs and incubators designed to help startups. He’s the former CEO of coding bootcamp Code Fellows, used to lead Techstars’ Seattle Startup Week and is now leading a new Seattle office for Oregon venture fund Seven Peaks Ventures.
But in his time working in and around startup communities, Parker has noticed one thing that’s missing: a program to help potential entrepreneurs decide if their idea can make it, before they start a company.
He’s filling that gap with 6MonthStartup, a monthly meetup that Parker bills as an accessible, practical six-month program that helps potential starters or founders develop their idea and decide if and when to jump feet-first into a new venture.
The group meets monthly, and its first meeting is coming up on Oct. 18 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Perkins Coie office in downtown Seattle. Each meeting will be organized around a theme and include educational content, exercises, time to pitch, feedback from mentors and, of course, dinner.
The first meeting will focus on ideation, research and markets. Parker told GeekWire in a previous interview that he hopes the group will help entrepreneurs “think about their ideas differently — in some ways the way investors think about ideas (not that every idea requires an investment).”
“When early stage founders have ideas they should use their limited cash to test the ideas — that’s why the program is inexpensive — and get feedback from mentors,” he said.
Tickets to each session run $20 for students and $35 for other attendees. Each meeting is also ticketed individually, so curious founders can try the program out without committing or skip meetings as needed.
As the months go on, the program schedule is designed to help potential founders grow their idea and test it out using practical tools from ideation to working up a revenue model to deciding on minimum viable product.
Check out the group’s Meetup page for more information and ticket options to its first meeting, on Oct. 18.
That’s one of the highlights from our GeekWire community calendar, the spot for geek and tech events in Seattle and the greater Pacific Northwest. See the full calendar here, submit your event here and keep reading for more suggested events over the next few weeks.
GeekWire Summit 2017
What: “The GeekWire Summit is one of the country’s premier technology conferences, bringing together more than 800 innovators, entrepreneurs, business executive and tech leaders to explore the future of the innovation economy. An immersive two-day conference, the Summit features on-stage Q&As, insightful talks, and interactive product demos by leaders in tech, science and business. This year’s speakers include Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson and Amazon VP of Alexa and Echo devices Toni Reid.”
When: Oct. 9 – 11
Where: Sheraton Seattle
Get involved: See the full speaker lineup and get tickets here.
Science of Spirits
What: “Join us for a night of science served straight up and sip on samples from local distilleries, discuss the distilling process and discover the science behind spirits with the makers themselves… Throughout the evening, enjoy the Science Center after hours by exploring our tide pool, Tropical Butterfly House, and discover the correlation between Halloween myths and legends and the night sky in our Planetarium.”
When: Oct.13, 7 – 9:30 p.m.
Where: Pacific Science Center
Get involved: See more details and find tickets here.
Galaxaar
What: “In our one-day marketplace, expect to find original pop culture arts and crafts, vintage goodies, with toys and modern collectables! Walk away with something old, something new, and something original. We expect to have 50 vendors for you again (with free parking in the vicinity of the venue) – as well as Halloween costume / trick-or-treat fun!”
When: Oct. 15, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Where: Issaquah Community Center
Get involved: More information and tickets here.
The Dolphin Tank: Seattle
What: “A ‘feedback-driven’ pitch session, Springboard Enterprises’ The Dolphin Tank allows entrepreneurs to pitch to investors and industry experts, and immediately get actionable insight on their presentation in a friendly, constructive way. No Sharks allowed! This event is FREE, so come watch and give your expertise.”
When: Oct. 16, 5:30 – 8 p.m.
Where: Davis Wright Tremaine LLP
Get involved: RSVP to the event and learn more here.
Seattle Interactive Conference
What: “Seattle Interactive spotlights disruptive thinking and technologies impacting how we work, how we play, and our day-to-day lives. Behind the boldest ideas are innovators unafraid to challenge convention and change the conversation. SIC is a place where new ideas are shared, new connections are made, and the first step to the next big thing is taken.”
When: Oct. 17 – 18
Where: Washington State Conference Center
Get involved: Tickets and the full lineup available here.
