The general format of the event is:

• Fri 18:00 – 22:00 – registration, networking, keynote presentation, business ideas are pitched, participants vote on ideas and teams are formed. Pizza, beer & soft drinks are provided.
• Sat 08:00 – 10:00 – We introduce you to the Business Model Canvas and lean startup methodologies. A practical session focused on ways of applying these core topics to the Launch48 Weekend and your future startups. These sessions lay the foundation to the weekend and ensure everyone is starting from the same position. Breakfast is provided.
• Sat 10:00 – 22:00 – work starts on your startup, mentors work with each team to take you through brainstorming, prototyping, and business plan development. Lunch and dinner is provided along with refreshments.
• Sun 08:00 – 22:00 – continue to work on your startup, present at the Launch48 demo session in front of attendees, mentors and accelerators. Breakfast, lunch and dinner provided with soft drinks available all day and beer in the evening networking session.

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1. Brainstorm and research your idea. All ideas presented at Launch48 should answer the following points:
   • Idea and problem it  is solving
   • Business model and monetisation strategy
   • Target market and competitors
2. Refine your pitch to 60 seconds and practice. You will be presenting your idea to 100 other attendees and we will cut you off. Pull out the most attractive parts and prepare your hook.
3. Research into startup tools and methodology. This is your opportunity to test out new concepts and ways of working.
4. Sign up to the Launch48 Linkedin group, follow us on Twitter and register for our newsletter to keep up to date with the startup scene.

Day 1: Fri 18:00 – 22:00

Friday evening is for networking and team formation. A keynote speaker will kick the events off with an inspirational tale of their experiences. Followed by an open pitch session where attendees pitch their ideas and voting takes place to select the most popular ideas.

Teams are formed before more networking over beer and pizza.

1. Round 1 of pitching: The team gathers for a round of 60 second pitches from the attendees. Please check the points above for guidance on the pitches. Remember, the aim is to create businesses which are viable. After a simple vote from the attendees, the top ideas get selected for Round 2 of pitching.
2. Round 2 of pitching: This time around the participants pitching will have 2 mins and should include a brief Q&A. After the pitch, a simple vote is carried out and we will choose the top ideas to be developed over the next 48 hours (the number of ideas chosen might vary depend upon the number of participants since we would ideally like to have around 8 to 10 participants working on each idea)
3. Teams, roles and leadership structure defined – All the participants are divided into teams with an idea to work on for the rest of the weekend. Teams at this stage normally divide roles among themselves. Typical roles include Product Development, User Interface, Business Development, Marketing/PR/Communications, etc.
4. Depending on the venue, if we can stay longer people can begin to work on their ideas and plan for the rest of the weekend.

Day 2: Sat 08:00 – 10:00

Saturday morning is dedicated to setting the foundation for the rest of the weekend. Workshops will be ran to introduce you to the business model canvas and lean startup methodologies. The important part here is to understand how to apply these theories and Launch48 will introduce you to a checklist that will be used through out the weekend to ensure you are creating the right product for the right customer using the right business model.

If you think you know the business model canvas and lean startup this is a great opportunity to polish your skills and get a practical understanding. These sessions assume no prior knowledge of either topic.

Day 2: Sat 10:00 – 22:00

Saturday is the first full-day for attendees to work on their chosen idea.  Saturday will consist of planning, reviewing, and begining development of the web business.

1. During the day there will be 2 board meetings for each team covering the checklist introduced in the morning sessions. The aims and objectives are there to push you to make quick decisions and run with your ideas. These will be pressurised deadlines aimed to get the most out of you.
2. Mentors and sponsors will be popping in to see how teams are going, and offer their assistance.  It is wise for teams to plan how they are going to use the mentors and sponsors so they can make the most out of them.
3. Networking breaks for lunch and dinner will happen through the day.

Day 3: Sun 09:00 – 21:00

Testing, tweaking, and refining is the aim of Sunday. It is an opportunity to begin deployment, marketing, and integration of the product and business model. In the second half of the day, participants will need to begin thinking what they want their role to be after the weekend. A management team for each web app will need to be decided.

1. During the day there will be 2 board meetings for each team based on the checklists from the first session on Saturday.
2. Teams will be given the opportunity to present their work to the other attendees at the end of the event.  This is an opportunity to explain the problems each team experienced, what they achieved, and what they intend to do after the event.  Depending on the venue, the final presentations will begin about 5 pm.
3. Networking, drinks and food will follow after the presentations.

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