By Kiesha Moodie
Want to know what it’s like to launch a company in a weekend? Do you have ideas for new educational tools, school models or learning spaces? Are you passionate about creating change in the education sector? Then join us this weekend, May 13-15!
Teach For America has teamed up with The Knight Foundation, Florida International University and 4.0 Schools to host Startup Weekend EDU, a 54-hour event that takes you from pitch to prototype. We are looking for educators, technologists, designers, students and parents to develop new ideas that will impact the education system.
With support from NBCUniversal Open Possibilities, we are presenting the challenge of “21st Century Readiness.” The weekend will be filled with collaboration and lots of food (all meals included), fun, swag and prizes!
Friday night, individuals pitch their ideas, which are voted on and teams are formed. Saturday, expert mentors will be on site to coach teams through their prototyping and business modeling. Sunday, teams will pitch their solutions to an all-star panel of entrepreneurs, investors and education leaders.
The event, to be held at FIU's Tech Station on the Modesto Maidique campus, is free for students and parents. For others to register with a 50% discount, use the code “future305” at http://miamiswedu2016.splashthat.com
Mentors:
Brian Brackeen, Founder & CEO - Kairos
Johanna Mikkola, Co-Founder - Wyncode
Matt Mawhinney, Community Manager - Launchcode
Juha Mikkola, Co-Founder - Wyncode
Christina Freire, Senior Instructional Designer - FIU Online
Robert Gordon, Advisor - Investor Solutions
Willie Avendano, Co-Founder - Zero1 & Wynwood Maker Camp
Judges:
Jade Palomino, Manager - Endeavor Miami
Mario Cruz, Director - Watsco Ventures
Leslie Miller Saointz, Board Chair – Teach For America
Sasha Lopez, Executive Director - Miami Dade County Public Schools Human Capital
Archie Cubarrubia, Vice Provost for Institutional Effectiveness – Miami Dade College
Alia Mahmoud, Sales & Business Development Exectuive, Kairos
Kiesha Moodie is the Managing Director of Alumni and Community Impact at Teach For America Miami-Dade.