Launch48 Weekend is designed to launch a web (or mobile) startup in 48 hours. By providing a workspace, access to a goodie bag full of products to get your startup moving (check out our London Launch48 Weekend goodie bag), a team of mentors and speakers, and other entrepreneurs Launch48 hopes to guide you from idea to working prototype in just 48 hours.

With a mix of technical and non-technical attendees it doesn’t matter what experience or skill set you possess, as long as you have enthusiasm to try new things and work on new ideas.

Launch48 provides a unique experience and will kickstart you in to the startup scene and introduce you to the people you need to know to bring ideas to life.

Participants attending Launch48 weekends tell us that they come along to:

• Learn how to build a startup
• Skill up in areas of business and technology with which they are unfamiliar
• Work on interesting pitches and ideas
• Pitch an idea that they had for a startup
• Network with other participants and mentors
• Find like-minded people with whom to work on an idea or project

For examples of what is possible in a Launch48 weekend check out our success stories page.

AT LAUNCH48 WEEKEND

The general format of the event is:

• Fri 6:00pm – 9:00pm – registration, networking, keynote presentation, business ideas are pitched, participants vote on ideas and teams are formed. Refreshments are provided.
• Sat 9:00am – 9:00pm – work starts on your startup, mentors work with each team to take you through brainstorming, prototyping, and business plan development. Plenty of coffee is available.
• Sun 9:00am – 9:00pm – continue to work on your startup, present at the Launch48 demo session in front of attendees, mentors and accelerators. Plenty of coffee to start the day, with beer, wines, soft drinks and pizza to help unwind at the end of the day.

BEFORE THE WEEKEND

1. Brainstorm and research your idea. All ideas presented at Launch48 should answer the following points:
   • Idea and problem it  is solving
   • Business model and monetisation strategy
   • Target market and competitors
2. Refine your pitch to 60 seconds and practice. You will be presenting your idea to 100 other attendees and we will cut you off. Pull out the most attractive parts and prepare your hook.
3. Research into startup tools and methodology. This is your opportunity to test out new concepts and ways of working.
4. Sign up to the Launch48 Linkedin group, follow us on Twitter and register for our newsletter to keep up to date with the startup scene.

Day 1: Fri 6:00-9:00pm

Friday evening is where participants meet each other, pitch online business ideas, vote for the top ideas, and form teams around those ideas. Teams often start planning and working on their ideas (not limited to the venue for working).

1. Round 1 of pitching: The team gathers for a round of 60 second pitches from its attendees. The more ideas the better! Please check the points above which you need to cover in your pitches. Remember, the aim is to create businesses which are viable. After a simple vote from the attendees, the top ideas get selected for Round 2 of pitching.
2. Round 2 of pitching: This time around the participants pitching will have 2 mins and should include a brief Q&A. After the pitch, a simple vote is carried out and we will choose the top ideas to be developed over the next 48 hours (the number of ideas chosen might vary depend upon the number of participants since we would ideally like to have around 8 to 12 participants working on each idea)
3. Teams, roles and leadership structure defined – All the participants are divided into teams with an idea to work on for the rest of the weekend. Teams at this stage normally divide roles among themselves. Typical roles include Product Development, User Interface, Business Development, Marketing/PR/Communications, etc.
4. Depending on the venue, if we can stay longer people can begin to work on their ideas and plan for the rest of the weekend.

Day 2: Sat 9:00am-9:00pm

Saturday is the first full-day for attendees to work on their chosen idea.  Saturday will consist of planning, reviewing, and begining development of the web business.

1. During the day there will be 2 board meetings for each team:
   1. The first board meeting will cover; introductions, a brief description of the product they are creating, a brief description of board meetings, what the team will be focussing on until the next board meeting, how to make the best use of mentors, who to speak to if they need any help.
   2. The second board meeting will cover; what the team has achieved, what problems the team is facing, what they should be focussing on for the rest of the day
2. Mentors and sponsors will be popping in to see how teams are going, and offer their assistance.  It is wise for teams to plan how they are going to use the mentors and sponsors so they can make the most out of them.

Day 3: Sun 9:00am-9:00pm

Testing, tweaking, and refining is the aim of Sunday. It is an opportunity to begin deployment, marketing, and integration of the product and business model. In the second half of the day, participants will need to begin thinking what they want their role to be after the weekend. A management team for each web app will need to be decided.

1. During the day there will be 2 board meetings for each team:
   1. The third board meeting will cover; what the team has achieved, what they should be focussing on for the rest of the day, what is to be presented at the final presentation
   2. The final board meeting will cover; what the team has achieved, any last minute problems, any final questions before the presentations
2. Teams will be given the opportunity to present their work to the other attendees at the end of the event.  This is an opportunity to explain the problems each team experienced, what they achieved, and what they intend to do after the event.  Depending on the venue, the final presentations will begin about 5 pm.
3. Networking, drinks and food will follow after the presentations.