Start a business in a weekend.

April 4-6, 2025

Registration IS open!

Business Builders Bash Weekend Agenda

Friday
5:00 PM - 5:30 PM
Check-In & Networking
Arrive at the venue, get checked in, and meet fellow entrepreneurs!

5:30 PM - 6:30 PM
Dinner & Speakers
Eat some good food, hear from the lead organizer and facilitator. Get energized with an ice breaker activity.

6:30 PM - 6:45 PM
1-minute Pitches
Share a brief pitch for your business idea. This portion is optional, if you don't have a business idea you'll still join a team to work with over the weekend.

6:45 PM - 7:00 PM
Idea Voting
Participants vote for their favorite business ideas.

7:00 PM - 7:20 PM
Form Teams
Start discussing the ideas and form teams for the weekend.

7:20 PM - 8:00 PM
Transition Rooms
Each team will be assigned a space for them to work from throughout the weekend.

Start Building
Meet your teammates and take an inventory of skills. Be honest, and direct about what resources and skills are needed for the weekend. You may stay and work as late as the venue allows.
Saturday
8:30 AM - 9:00 AM
Breakfast
Arrive, simple breakfast & coffee

9:00 AM - 9:30 AM
Workshop: BMC & Customer Discovery
The facilitator will share tips for fleshing out your business idea and confirming that it's something that customers will want/need.

9:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Continue Building

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Coaching Begins
Coaches will cycle to each team offering feedback and suggestions.

12:00 PM - 12:30 PM
Lunch

12:30 PM - 2:00 PM
Coaching Continues
Coaches will cycle to each team offering actionable feedback and suggestions.

Continue Building

6:00 PM - 6:30 PM
Dinner

Continue Building
You may stay and work as late as the venue allows.
Sunday
8:30 AM - 9:00 AM
Breakfast
Arrive, simple breakfast & coffee.

9:00 AM - 9:30 AM
Workshop: Pitch 101
The facilitator will share tips on how to best pitch your business idea.

Continue Building

10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Coaching Sessions
Coaches will cycle to each team offering feedback and suggestions.

12:00 PM - 12:30 PM
Lunch

Continue Building

2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Tech Check
Teams quickly cycle through the presentation room to ensure their slides and demos are working properly with the A/V system.

Continue Building

5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Final Presentations
Present, watch and celebrate all your hard work throughout the weekend!

6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Dinner, Judging, and Awards
Relax and grab a bite to eat while the judges deliberate. As soon as deliberations are complete, award recipients will be announced.

7:30 PM - 8:00 PM
(Optional) Feedback
Teams can hear a few minutes of feedback from the judges on how to improve their business ideas.

Your journey begins here.

Learn to think, work, and build like a entrepreneur in just 54 hours at the Business Builder's Bash. This immersive event connects you with coaches, experts, and potential co-founders to help you achieve more in less time and maybe even launch your business.

You’ll pitch ideas, create business models, prototype, design, and validate your market, all in a supportive team environment. Perfect for students and community members with a passion for entrepreneurship or solving real-world problems.

No idea? No problem. Bring your skills in business, tech, or design, and come ready to collaborate. You'll have a great time, regardless of your experience level.

You don't need experience.

No matter your skill set—be it business acumen, design prowess, coding, computer science or engineering or anything in between—your contributions will be valued . Come with an open mind, a team-player attitude, and get ready to dive into an adventure where your ideas could evolve into a startup reality.

Collaborate

Working as a team, you'll find new ways to leverage your unique skills and strengths.

Learn

With this event, you'll gain a new understanding of entrepreneurship.

Grow

Meet motivated, like-minded people and future business partners.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's included in my registration?
All participants will receive a swag bag, meals for the whole weekend, and a t-shirt. Winning teams will be eligible for any prize funds and awarded a trophy, and co-working space at the New Venture Accelerator to further develop their business ideas.
What if my idea doesn't get many votes, or I don't want to do a 1-minute pitch?
After voting, teams are formed. Some teams will have specific needs such as a tech person whereas others will just need extra hands. No worries if your idea doesn't make the cut, everyone (whether they did a 1-min pitch or not) will have a team to work with over the weekend.
Can I work on my existing business/startup?
The goal of the event is to practice idea iteration, team development, and customer discovery. You'll get the most out of the event if you start with fresh ideas, therefore you shouldn't work on an existing business where you've already completed a significant amount of work.
What if I can't participate in the entire event?
It's essential for you to participate in the Friday evening kickoff to learn about the weekend festivities and to join a team. From there, you should be an active team member throughout the weekend, but you can let your teammates know if there is a particular time when you can't help out.
What's the dress code?
There's no dress code, wear whatever you're most comfortable in.
What is the parking situation?
The event is taking place in the BEST room (1st floor) of Horton-Hardgrave Hall. Normally, there's ample parking behind the building, and in an adjacent lot.

No business idea? No problem.

No business idea is required to participate. In fact, it may be even more fun if you come in with an open mind!

Your idea, made real.

This is your sign to take action. Our team of experienced entrepreneurs and mentors will help you get your ideas off the ground and into the real world. Don't worry; our coaches and facilitators will support you every step of the way by providing training and hands-on support.

1 Step 1.

Pitch your business idea and listen to others' ideas.

2 Step 2.

Find a team and work together to research and create a prototype.

3 Step 3.

Share what your team accomplished and compete for awards!

If you'd like to bring a similar event to your own organization, reach our friends at the Founders Playground to inquire about their Weekend Ventures program.

The weekend will be led by Katherine Zobre from The Founders Playground, utilizing the Weekend Ventures curriculum. You'll immerse yourself in the essentials of launching a business from scratch. You'll figure out business models, create prototypes, validate your market, and pitch—all in a team setting that's both friendly and empowering. It's the perfect playground for college students and community members eager to transform passion into action and explore the thrill of entrepreneurship.