Startup Weekend Application

During the application process, you will be asked to provide an overview of your idea, the target market/customer, and benefits your idea creates for these customer segments. Alongside what you hope to gain from participating and the skills you'd like to develop during Startup Weekend.

Please note that only one member of your team needs to fill out the application form; however, you will need to provide details for each member of your team.

Selection is based on the desirability, viability, and feasibility of the idea; your willingness to commit to Startup Weekend; and the potential benefits the workshops and mentoring provided through the weekend could provide to you and your venture.

See FAQs below the sign-up form.

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Frequently asked questions

  • The Enterprise Challenge provides entrants with the knowledge, business contacts and financial support to take their innovative ideas to the next level making their business a reality. These three things are incredibly hard to achieve on your own and entré will make them easily accessible through the professional development and mentoring programme. Not only that but you will be given the chance to meet new, like-minded people and create networks which you may never have come across otherwise. It is great fun hanging out with innovative and passionate individuals.

    The Startup Weekend gives anyone who is interested in entrepreneurship a chance to give it a go, see how they like it, and learn heaps in a short period of time without having to make a large commitment. It's also the way to get into Enterprise challenge and the EC26 Cohort will be selected out of Startup weekend participants

  • Your IP is definitely protected! Entré will not take your IP – that is not the point of the competition. Entré exists to provide a forum to express your IP without losing control of it.

  • The judges, the entré CEO, and the Start-Up Manager on the entré Organising Committee. These people will have legal obligations not to disclose your entries. All parties sign legally binding non-disclosure agreements.

  • Entré follows the University of Canterbury regulations regarding Intellectual Property. Please visit: http://www.canterbury.ac.nz/ucpolicy/index.aspx

  • Yes, in order to be eligible for this competition you must be a student at one of these institutions. Teams may contain students from either institutes.

  • Business success can come from any idea. It may be process improvement or a better way of doing something that people have not thought of. The idea can also be serviced based like a website or communications service. You may also like to pursue a non-for-profit charity concept.

  • Yes, you can enter as an individual or a team. The workload will be a lot more for individuals, but it is possible. We also recommend no more than 4 people in a team but there is no requirements.

  • Yes, you can enter with as many ideas as you have but you will only be able to work on one of those ideas during the challenge.

    If you have already participated in the entre start up challenge or $85k challenge you can enter again but with new ideas only.

  • The Startup weekend will run from the 11th - 12th of July, then if selected for the Enterprise Challenge, you will be expected to attend the one session per week from the 20th July - 28th Oct. There is a break during the holidays.

  • Not really! You need to know that this competition requires commitment, hard work, a willingness to learn, and passion. Apart from that, you can come as you are. We have an awesome executive team as well as supporters who are here to help. Throughout the competition we will provide you with workshops, development sessions, and knowledgeable mentors, and our great Centre for Entrepreneurship staff members here at UC are always keen to answer your questions provide feedback.