Atlanta Startup Weekend 3 kicks off one week from today and it seems about time to prepare folks that are coming for the first time.  Here’s the run down.

Doors open at 6 at ATDC in the Hodges Room on the third floor.  Here are directions.  You may park in the corner lot at 5th & Spring, in the Georgia Tech Conference Center parking lot or on the street.  Food and beverages will be provided.

The program will start at 7. The program is people pitching their ideas.  We are going to limit initial pitches to a timed 60 seconds.  Pitches are unaided stand up and tell your concept to the group.  I expect we will have 20 – 30 initial pitches.  If you already have a concept you can share it and get feedback on the idea wiki.

Once all the initial pitches have been made we are going to do acceptance voting.  With acceptance voting each person can vote for any and all concepts which they have a preference to see continue.  The concepts with the most yeses proceed to the second round.  It will be apparent which concepts survive.

In the second round individuals pitch the surviving concepts.  Max of 90 seconds.  Up to 90 seconds for Q&A.  At the conclusion of the second round a one vote model is followed.  Each individual gets to cast one vote for their preferred concept.

The winners become apparent.  Team skill checks are conducted, and then off folks go to set up their plans for Saturday and Sunday.

That’s pretty much it.  And it is pretty much flexible based on the wishes of the participants.

There only one hard and fast rule for opening night pitches.  No slide decks.