Building (on) local communities; supporting Startup Weekend

Dataprovider.com is sponsoring Techstars Startup Weekend Groningen 2019 and facilitating their pre-event. We’re talking to our Community Builder Maaike van der Post about the importance of supporting and building local communities.

Hi Maaike, why is Dataprovider.com sponsoring this year’s Startup Weekend Groningen?

,,In broad strokes, we think it is important for us as a company to maintain ties to the city and region we operate in. Facilitating and sponsoring events is something that helps foster this connection and also empowers the tech community. Startup Weekend is a three-day event where people from different backgrounds come together to work on a business plan, prototype and/or technical solution, while networking and building friendships. By sponsoring the Groningen edition we want to stimulate innovation and an entrepreneurial mindset in talent and professionals in this region.

It works because Startup Weekend Groningen is rooted in the city and the surrounding area. There are no big, distant sponsors. Instead, the event receives support from many small(er) local partners, which highlights the attractiveness of Groningen. Even for the many international participants, since Startup Weekend is one of the few fully English-spoken events here. All of this makes supporting this kind of event a great way to discover and attract talent.”

So you have personally supported Startup Weekend before, I take it?

,,Yes, since 2014 I have actively supported Startup Weekend. I helped organize many editions and also participated in a couple. At the moment, in my spare time I help other cities in Europe with organizing their startup weekend as a facilitator.

But it’s not just me, our CTO Christian Branbergen has participated in the event quite a few times and he has also been a coach for the teams.”

Participants develop and learn many skills during the Startup Weekend that we value. An entrepreneurial mindset, creativity, presentation and pitching skills, networking, and tackling unforeseen problems, to name a few examples. The event is also inspiring for our employees because they meet new people from different backgrounds. It is a tough weekend where you have to work hard. But you make 80+ new connections and you learn a lot. It’s an opportunity you don’t get very often when you’re already working full time.”

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More info at swgro.nl . Don't forget to buy a ticket or to Win one by sending us a message!