Nairobi Garage to host Startup Weekend Nairobi

Startup Weekend Nairobi is set to take place this weekend (December 5-7) at the Nairobi Garage, with the best 54-hour startups standing to win extensive prizes.

Participants in the Startup Weekend programme – which operates in over 110 countries to date – are given 54 hours to build a startup; complete with viable business model, brand, customers and prototype.

The event begins with a pitching session for ideas, with teams forming organically around the best ideas, and then working together with mentors on hand throughout the weekend; culminating in presentations to the judging panel.

“The Nairobi Garage is really excited to be hosting the Startup Weekend – the team from the US who are facilitating have arrived today for the final preps,” said Hannah Clifford, general manager of the Nairobi Garage.

“Our members, who are mostly later stage startups are really interested to meet and hear about some of the new ideas coming out of the larger tech community. We will be having an evening warm up and networking on Friday evening, which anyone interested in the Weekend event is welcome to attend.”

The winner of the first prize will receive a range of prizes, including participation in the Google Developers Startup Launch Programme; three months’ office space at Nairobi Garage; three months Google UX architecture support; 10 free hours with a startup lawyer; US$100 hosting credits for Amazon Web Services (AWS); US$500 credits on Google Cloud; 12 months’ free .co website domain and hosting; as well as incubation at Nailab.

The second place winner will receive a similar package, although free office space and Google UX architecture support will be limited to two months, and access to a lawyer will be for five hours.

The third place prize package mirrors the second place prize, except Google UX architecture support is offered for one month only.

All other participating teams will receive free .co website domain and hosting for 12 months as well as US$100 credits for AWS.

To take part in Startup Weekend Nairobi, tickets can be purchased via Ticket Sasa at a cost of KES1,000; or bought at the free launch event on Friday evening.