The Fort Hays State University’s College of Business and Entrepreneurship hosted the first-ever Startup Weekend November 15-17. Thirty-one participants, including FHSU students and alumni, pitched business ideas and then formed teams working to turn those ideas into operational bushiness.
Concepts presented included a shared work-space for IT students and professionals, an indoor play space for kids and families, and a mobile application for person-to-person textbook sales. Teams worked over the weekend with FHSU faculty, alumni and local business owners who provided input, suggestions and advice to the teams as their business plans were developed.
Teams competed Sunday evening in presentations to a panel of judges comprised of local and regional business leaders.
Mobile Mouse, working to create an application to make any smart phone a point and click mouse for presentations took first place followed by Equance, looking to sell a line of high-end horse-tack jewelry for horse owners, took second. Third Place was awarded to Wilson’s All American Grill, a gourmet food truck looking to serve Hays and other college venues.
Most of the participants intend to launch their ideas and have begun working with outside resources, including the FHSU Small Business Development Center, NetWork Kansas, the FHSU Management Development Center, and Mapes and Miller, LLP, to take the next steps to make their ideas a reality.
Another startup weekend is planed for April. More information about the event can be found here.